Haircutting at Chabad

Here we have Mama (the Rebbetzin Elisheva) adjusting the tzitzit.
Chaim waiting, as if saying, "when are we going to get this show on the road already...."

Strange to be in Chiang Mai for this ceremony. I met two Americans, otherwise every single person (of the 100+ there) was from Israel except for the Thai cooks/servers. I must say, it was the first time I've seen Thai servers treated with such rudeness; that felt quite uncomfortable for me. Otherwise, it was a fun event! Very lively. A TON of yummy Israeli food. All the boys and girls under thirteen invited up to recite some Torah (they had been prepped in advanced which pasuk from Torah or Pirke Avot or elsewhere). Balloons, a raffle where you got to choose which of the ten or so prizes you wanted to put your name in for; I won a kiddush cup and plate, hey, hey! Chayim, the 3-year old, was wearing his tzitzit for the first time, recited his aleph-bet and p'sukim with very little help. Clearly a strong and smart little boy, very poised except his tears when a piece of candy that was thrown HARD hit him in the cheek.



The ritual has begun. Papa (the Rabbi Moishe) with Chayim, sharing in Hebrew a long, long teaching about the olah sacrifice and Esau and all the reasons we do this ceremony. I only caught words here and there. Above Chayim is a picture of the late Rebbe Schneerson.