Mitzvah Tank NYC, Rajshahi Division (2026)

15/10/2026

In Noah’s ark, there were all types of animals, beasts of prey and docile types, and yet the predators did not consume the ordinary animals.

Now one of the prophecies that describe the era of Mashiach is “a wolf will dwell with a lamb,” that the beasts of prey will lose their destructive tendencies and dwell peacefully with other created beings. That, however, is a prophecy of the ultimate future. In Noach’s time, it had not been fulfilled — as evidenced by the fact that once let out of the ark, the predators did indeed prey on the other animals. Why then did they not do so in the ark?

In resolution, chassidic thought explains that Noach’s ark was a microcosm of the era of Mashiach. The same environment of peace and tranquility that will pervade the world at large during the era of Mashiach permeated Noach’s ark.

This provides a lesson for all of us. Although the world at large was not on a Messianic level of awareness, Noach was able to motivate his own immediate environment to reach that level. Similarly, in our own lives, each of us can live in the spirit of the redemption, anticipating the knowledge and harmony of that future era in our present experience.

Furthermore, doing so is the most effective catalyst to having this awareness spread throughout the world at large. For as more people come into contact with a Mashiach-minded person, one whose principles and values reflect that ultimate age, they will gravitate towards him and seek to emulate his conduct and in that way, make Mashiach a more tangible concept for each of us and for all of us.

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle lighting time in NYC: 5:56 PM

08/10/2026

On the verse: “And the spirit of G‑d hovered over the waters,” our Sages comment: “This refers to the spirit of Mashiach.” What they are implying is that Mashiach’s coming is part of G‑d’s initial intent for creation. Indeed, another source says: “The world was created solely for Mashiach.”

The implication is that the world’s march to perfection is not a casual, haphazard process initiated by man, but a predestined path charted by G‑d. As stated above, man has free choice, but in the long run, that means that he has the right and the privilege to become an active partner in G‑d’s plan or to let the mission intended for him pass him by and be fulfilled by others.

The very fact that G‑d created the world from absolute nothingness implies that He did so with a purpose and a goal. Our Sages explain that His goal was to create a dwelling for Himself, to bring into being a place where He would feel at home just like we feel at home in our own dwellings. Since He created the world from absolute nothingness, there is nothing preventing His purpose from being carried out. The only question is whether we will take an active role or not.

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle lighting time in NYC: 6:07 PM

01/10/2026

“Why are you celebrating today?” the scholar asked the simple man. “It’s Simchas Torah, the day of the Torah’s rejoicing. Since you are not learned, what is your connection to the Torah and why is today a reason for you to rejoice?”
“When your brother married off his daughter, did you celebrate?” the simple man asked.
“Of course,” replied the scholar, unsure of the simple man’s intent.
“Well, for that same reason, I am celebrating today,” came the reply. “All Jews are family. So, if today is a day of celebration for the scholars, it is also a day of celebration for me.”

In truth, the reason for our celebration on Simchas Torah goes deeper than the connection to the Torah forged through study. On Simchas Torah, we celebrate our connection to the essence of the Torah, a level that transcends comprehension entirely. For that reason, the celebrations are held when the Torah is closed.

On Simchas Torah, we rejoice because we are Jews. And as Jews we share a connection to the essence of the Torah, a connection that in turn bonds us to the essence of G‑d.

At this level, the scholar and the simple man are equal — for the soul is a part of G‑d Himself, infinite and unbounded as is G‑d. This applies to each of us. Every Jew has a soul which is an essential G‑dly spark, and by virtue of that spark, we share a connection to the essence of the Torah. As the Zohar states: “Israel, the Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, are one.”

Therefore, the scholar and the simple man celebrate equally, for one is no more Jewish than the other. If anything, the simple man’s celebration is greater, for his intellect does not get in the way of his connection to his Jewish essence.

With the outpouring of joy of Simchas Torah, we chart our path into the new year. Having touched the core of our beings on the High Holidays and celebrated this connection to G‑d on Sukkos and Simchas Torah, we prepare to elevate our ordinary day-to-day functioning in the year to come.

To learn more about Simchat Torah, please visit chabad.org/4689

Candle lighting times (in NYC):
Friday, light Shabbat/Holiday candles at 6:18 PM
Saturday, light Holiday candles after 7:15 PM from a pre-existing flame

24/09/2026

The Torah commands: “For seven days you shall dwell in sukkos.” In defining this mitzvah, our Sages explain that for the duration of the Sukkos holiday, which begins Friday evening, these small huts with roofs of branches and leaves must be considered as our homes. All of our daily routines should be carried out within them. As our Sages explain: “A person should eat, drink, relax... and study in the sukkah.”

Proverbs tells us to “Know Him in all your ways”; and our Sages comment, “This is a short verse upon which all the fundamentals of the Torah depend.”

For G‑dliness is present not merely in the synagogue or in the house of study, but in every dimension and corner of our lives. This concept becomes manifest through dwelling in a sukkah. The sukkah teaches us that every aspect of our conduct can serve as a means to relate to Him and become linked with His oneness.

The unity established by this mitzvah resolves the differences that exist between spirituality and material existence. Usually, we see the two as opposite. Spirituality, we often think, is otherworldly in contrast to physicality which is tangible and real. From G‑d’s perspective, however, both the material and the spiritual are expressions of Himself and can be fused harmoniously. Living in a sukkah helps us adopt this mind frame and attune ourselves to this inner unity.

Chag Sameach and Shabbat Shalom!

Friday, light Shabbat/Holiday candles at 6:30 PM
Saturday, light Holiday candles after 7:27 from a pre-exisiting flame

Learn more about Sukkot here: http://chabad.org/sukkot

17/09/2026

The Maggid of Koznitz said: “On Yom Kippur, why would anyone want to eat?” He felt the day’s holiness so deeply that eating was unthinkable. He was above the mundane, absorbed in the spiritual.

While fasting on Yom Kippur is required of all, this level is beyond most of us. Still, we get it. Haven’t we heard of scientists and mathematicians so absorbed in work they don’t eat or sleep?

On Yom Kippur, beginning Sunday evening, what occupies us is more engaging than any science or math problem. It is the holiest day of the year, when the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies in the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple. There, he shared a direct bond with G‑d. Nothing was there but him and G‑d’s presence.

In microcosm, every Jew feels this on Yom Kippur. This is the heart of Neilah “locked”, the last Yom Kippur prayer, when each person is “locked in” with G-d, to have intimate time together.

Will we consciously feel this? Each person’s experience differs, but everyone feels some spiritual inspiration. We draw closer to G‑d and become more aware of our Jewish roots.

Just as nature arouses beauty and awe, Yom Kippur inspires spiritual awareness. Beyond the “I” of daily life, each of us has a soul that is “an actual part of G-d.” On Yom Kippur, the day reveals this spiritual core to our consciousness.

That’s why we recite confessional prayers on Yom Kippur; it’s like a couple making up. When they reunite after being distant, they look each other in the eye and say they’re sorry. It’s not guilt; it’s a natural response to hurting someone you love. They vow to change, turning from what causes pain and doing more of what brings happiness.

That’s what the day’s prayers are about: coming close to G-d, apologizing for causing Him pain, and promising to do better.

Yom Kippur isn’t meant to be an isolated spiritual event. Though uniquely holy, its influence should inspire us to change our conduct and live more fulfilled lives throughout the year.

To learn about the laws of Yom Kippur, please visit chabad.org/yomkippur

Shabbat Shalom, and a meaningful Yom Kippur!

Candle lighting times in NYC:
Shabbat: Friday at 6:42 PM
Yom Kippur: Sunday at 6:38 PM

10/09/2026

The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah actually means “Head of the Year.” Just like the head controls the body, our actions on Rosh Hashanah have a tremendous impact on the rest of the year.

As we read in the Rosh Hashanah prayers, each year on this day “all inhabitants of the world pass before G‑d like a flock of sheep,” and it is decreed in the heavenly court “who shall live, and who shall die ... who shall be impoverished and who shall be enriched; who shall fall and who shall rise.”

It is a day of prayer, a time to ask the Almighty to grant us a year of peace, prosperity and blessing. But it is also a joyous day when we proclaim G‑d King of the Universe. The Kabbalists teach that the continued existence of the universe depends on G‑d’s desire for a world, a desire that is renewed when we accept His kingship anew each year on Rosh Hashanah.

The festival of Rosh Hashanah 5787 begins at sundown on the eve of Tishrei 1 (Sept. 11, 2026) and ends after nightfall on Tishrei 2 (Sept. 13, 2026).

The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is blowing the shofar (ram’s horn) on both mornings of the holiday (except on Shabbat, like this year), which is normally done in synagogue as part of the day’s services.

Rosh Hashanah feasts traditionally include round challah bread (studded with raisins), and apples dipped in honey, as well as other foods that symbolize our wishes for a sweet year.

Other Rosh Hashanah observances include lighting candles in the evenings and refraining from creative work.

Together with Yom Kippur (which follows 10 days later), it is part of the Yamim Nora'im (Days of Awe, or High Holidays).

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova Umetuka!

Candle lighting times in NYC:
- Light Shabbat/Holiday candles on Friday 9/11 at 6:54 (blessings 2 & 8)
- Light Holiday candles on Saturday 9/12 after 7:51 PM from a preexisting flame (blessings 3 & 8)
- Holiday Ends Sunday 9/13 at 7:49 PM

For your local times: chabad.org/candles. For blessings, please visit chabad.org/85432

03/09/2026

In one of the two Torah readings this week, we read the verse: “And it [i.e., the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos] is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart to observe it.”

On the surface, it is hard to say that Torah observance is “close,” i.e., easy. On the contrary, the opposite often seems true. We face challenges in our observance from within and without. External difficulties, such as earning a livelihood or conforming to our environment, and internal difficulties with our natural drives and desires, make observance a trial. Certainly, the trial can be overcome, but it remains a trial.

That applies when we see Torah observance as a duty to fulfill. From this point, the Torah and its mitzvos do not relate to our essential identity. They are an added responsibility, dues that we have to pay. Therefore, they seem difficult. The difficulty depends on our spiritual and material standing, but as long as we do not see them as expressions of who we are, they will run against our basic tendencies, requiring us to remain firm in our Divine service.

There is, however, another path: to see the world from G‑d’s perspective and the innate G‑dliness within our souls. G‑d sees the world as His home. In your own home, you make sure everything works well and serves its intended purpose. The same applies to G‑d’s home, our world, for all existence depends on His will. If He brought something into being, it is because it fits His purpose and will. This applies not only to the world’s entities, but to every event in time. He not only brought the world into being, but He maintains and controls it at every moment.

From G‑d’s perspective, everything exists to contribute, directly or indirectly, to the Jews’ observance of Torah and its mitzvos. From that view, the observance of the Torah should be easy, without challenges. The difficulties we experience prompt us to reach into our souls and tap spiritual energies that would otherwise remain hidden. Realizing that the challenges are intended to be overcome is the first step in overcoming them, and in showing that, in fact, observance is easy.

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle lighting time (NYC): Friday, 7:05 PM

27/08/2026

According to Kabbalah, G-d’s Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are revealed during Elul and again on Yom Kippur. Yet Yom Kippur is a day when all worldly activity, including eating and drinking, is forbidden, while Elul remains an ordinary month. Why?

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi explains with an allegory: Before a king enters his city, he meets his subjects in the field. There, anyone may approach him, and he receives everyone graciously. Once he enters his palace, however, only a select few may enter his throne room.

So too, during Elul, G-d is “in the field.” His Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are accessible within our ordinary lives. On Yom Kippur, the King is in His “palace,” and the revelation is so powerful that worldly activity comes to a complete halt.

The deeper message is that G-d’s purpose is not merely to be found in the “palace,” in spiritual pursuits, but to be brought into the “field,” our everyday material lives. Elul gives every Jew the opportunity to approach G-d where he or she is and prepare to follow Him into the palace.

This is reflected in the name Elul itself. The first letters of Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li, “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine ” spell אלול. The verse expresses the loving bond between G-d and the Jewish people. Our Rabbis explain that the Giving of the Torah represents our betrothal to G-d, while the consummation of this bond will come in the Era of Mashiach. Then, “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine” will be fully realized.

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle lighting time in NYC: 7:16 PM

20/08/2026

Last Friday began the Hebrew month of Elul, the final month of the Jewish year. Just as a shopkeeper devotes a certain amount of time to taking inventory and evaluating the success of his enterprise, so too, each one of us must take time to evaluate his or her conduct and see whether we have been using our Divine potential successfully.

In one month’s time, on Rosh HaShanah, the beginning of the new year, G‑d will judge us. The month of Elul is set aside as a time for us to judge ourselves - to take stock of the way we are living our lives and see whether there is a need for change.

Although Elul is a time for introspection and evaluation, it is not a somber month. On the contrary, it is characterized by feelings of love and closeness to G‑d. Indeed, its very name serves as an acronym for a Hebrew phrase from the Song of Songs meaning: “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine.” In Elul, every Jew relates to G‑d as “my Beloved,” for we are bound to Him in an intimate bond.

The expression “I am my Beloved’s” also implies that the Jewish people take the initiative in approaching G‑d and He responds to our overtures. In Elul, G‑d waits for us to turn to Him, and then answers.

The process of introspection and evaluation go hand and hand with the feelings of love and closeness. Since a spark of G‑dliness lies at the core of our being, we need not feel threatened by the process of self-assessment. There is no worry that G‑d will not accept us. We need not fear rejection, for our relationship with Him is an established fact. Indeed, since our relationship with Him is ongoing, taking the time out for self-appraisal is itself an act of love, spurring a response of love from G‑d.

Candle lighting time in NYC: Friday, 7:27 PM

Shabbat Shalom!

Mitzvah Tank NYC

15/10/2026

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