mosaic express - Montreal Torah Center

MOSAIC EXPRESS
Torah Portion Vaetchanan
Friday July 31, 2015 — Av 15, 5775
Candle Lighting 8:05 pm
Shabbat Ends 9:15 pm
Next Weeks Candle Lighting
Friday August 7— 7:56 pm
‫ ■ ואתחנן‬Shabbat Nachamu ■ Avot Chapter 3
EARLY SHABBOS for Friday July 31
MTC G racious ly Ack nowledges Th is W eek ’s S pons ors of th e Day
Mincha 6:25 pm, Candle Lighting 6:55 pm
Jeremey & Mandy Levi in honour of the birthday of Jacob David Levi, Av 19
Lewis & Teri Clarke in honour of the birthday of Myles Clarke, August 5
Schedule: www.themtc.com/earlyshabbos
SHABBAT SCHEDULE
Mincha & Maariv………....……………...6:25 pm
Second Mincha & Maariv….....…........8:05 pm
Shacharit………………………….….......….9:30 am
Children’s Program…..…………....…...10:45 am
Kiddush……...……………............…........12:30 pm
Mincha/Shalosh Seudos..….….............8:05 pm
TORAH READING
Parshat Vaetchanan……...........……....Page 884
Haftorah………………………............….Page 1225
CLASSES
Chassidus..….………...…….......……..…...8:45 am
Men’s Class...………...…….......……..…...6:35 pm
Women’s Class…………………………....7:20 pm
SHOO”T..….…………...…….......……..…...7:50 pm
En Francais avec le Rav M. Pinto:
Talmud et Hala’ha ………..….…...……....19h 05
Seu'da Chelichit………….…….…...….......20h 20
Yasher Koach to our Kiddush coco- sponsors!
Last Shabbos
Mitchell & Allana Barr
Sara Eldor
Julius & Shana Gomolin
Mrs. Kreina Munk and family
Rabbi & Nechama New
This Week
Michael & Taryn Nehemia in honour of the
yartzeit of his late grandfather, Benjamin
Kujawski obm and in celebration of his
grandmother, Henryka Kujawski's 80th birthday
Eddy & Danielle Rogozinsky in honour of the
marriage of their daughter Deena and Greg Kay
Kiddush co-sponsorship is $136
To become a sponsor of the day, please contact Itchy @ 739.0770 ext 223
The High Holidays
are approaching...
CONFIRM
YOUR SEATS!
www.themtc.com/HHS
514.739.0770
[email protected]
This Shabbat - Shabbat Nachamu - has
been designated community-wide for
the opportunity to sponsor a kiddush,
the merit of which is dedicated to the
success of those seeking their bashert.
PLACE YOUR AD
IN THE MTC CALENDAR.
Co-sponsors of this special Kiddush:
Henri & Peggy Bybelezer
Ronnie & Debbie Cons
Meir & Helen Hakak
Rabbi & Nechama New
Mendy & Shternie Rosenfeld
Sharon Schmerer
Julie & Ephram Shizgal
Judge Michel & Barbara Shore
Ellen & Shmuel Spicer
Aziel & Jo Ann Stock
Solange Saraga in honor of
Elazar Yehuda ben Solange Sarah Solika
Levi Yitzchok ben Solange Sarah Solika
Contact Velvel
[email protected], 514-739-0770
Our kiddush hall is under repairs.
Kiddush this Shabbos will take place upstairs.
SUMMER SHABBOS LEARNING
LEARNING
One Small Step
4 th Annual Walkathon
for PraderPrader- Willi Research
WITH RABBI LEVI one-and-a-half hours before Mincha
NOVI IN-DEPTH: half-hour
FOUNDATIONS OF TORAH. TEXTUAL STUDY: 45 minutes
This Sunday August 2, 10:00 am
at Hampstead Park, Corner Fleet/Queen Mary
THE BAIS HAMIKDASH– PART II: The Mitzvah and its Purpose
In this class, we will discover the reason and purpose for why G-d commands us to build a temple. The
texts will reveal the age old dichotomy between the Rationalists and the Spiritualists.
Eric & Stacey Howard
Followed by SHOOT OF THE WEEK
Montreal Torah Center Bais Menachem Chabad Lubavitch Joanne and Jonathan Gurman Community Center Lou
Adler ShulExpress
Mosaic
28 Cleve Road, Hampstead Quebec H3X 1A6 514. 739.0770 Fax 514.739.5925 email: [email protected] WWW.THEMTC.COM
l1
WEEKDAY PRAYER SCHEDULE
Sunday …………….……….….. 9:00 am
Monday –Thursday………….7:30 am
VAETCHANAN ALIYAH SUMMARY
Breakfast following weekday services
Mincha - Maariv
In cherished memory of
R’ Yeshaya Aryeh ben Menashe Treitel obm
SUNDAY - THURSDAY:
Mincha - 8:15 pm, Maariv - 8:50 pm
and finally… Mrs. Friedman, the third grade
Hebrew teacher, needed some supplies from a
supply cabinet that was seldom used and was
secured with a lock.
She didn't know the
combination, and called Rabbi Weinstein to give it a
try. Rabbi Weinstein placed his fingers on the lock's
dial and raised his eyes heavenward for a moment.
Then he confidently spun the dial and opened the
lock. Seeing how impressed Mrs. Friedman was with
this demonstration of faith, he smiled and confided,
"The numbers are written on the ceiling."
General Overview: In this week’s
Torah reading, Va’etchanan, Moses
continues his attempt to impress upon
the Israelites the importance of
following G‑d’s commandments, the
rewards which will result from obeying
G‑d’s words, and the punishments they
will incur if they neglect to do so. Moses
recounts the story of the giving of
Torah at Mount Sinai, and repeats the
Ten Commandments. Moses designates
cities of refuge. This portion also
contains the Shema.
First Aliyah: Moses recounts how he
pleaded with G‑d to allow him entry
into Israel. G‑d refused this request, but
instructed Moses to climb a mountain
from where he would see the Promised
Land. Moses enjoins the people to
follow G‑d’s law, and never to add to or
detract from it. Moses uses the Baal
Peor incident to demonstrate that those
who remained faithful to G‑d survived
and thrived.
Second Aliyah: Moses implores the
Israelites to treasure the Torah, praising
its wisdom, its righteous and just
precepts, and the closeness to G‑d it
affords. He admonishes them to never
forget the day when G‑d gave them the
Torah, and vividly describes that
awesome event, enjoining them to
recount that day’s events to their
children and grandchildren. He then
focuses on the divine revelation,
reminding them that G‑d did not
appear as any image or form.
Worshipping graven images, Moses
warns, will result in national exile and
decimation. But even when exiled, G‑d
will not forsake His people, and
eventually they will repent and return
FOR RENT
6 1/2 UPPER DUPLEX
6725 Macdonald
between Vezina and Plamondon
please call 514-621-8770
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to G‑d. This section concludes with
Moses extolling the Israelites’
uniqueness: the only nation personally
delivered by G‑d from bondage, and
the only people to whom G‑d revealed
Himself.
Third Aliyah: Moses designates three
cities of refuge on the eastern side of
the Jordan River. These cities provided
refuge for an individual who
inadvertently murdered another.
Fourth Aliyah: Moses repeats the Ten
Commandments, reminding the
Israelites that the Sinai covenant was
not limited to those who were
physically present at Mount Sinai.
Fifth Aliyah: Moses describes the
fright which gripped the nation
following the revelation on Sinai. The
leaders of the tribes approached Moses
and pleaded that he be the
intermediary to transmit G‑d’s words to
them, and G‑d agreed.
Sixth Aliyah: This section begins with
the first section of the Shema prayer.
This p ar ag raph co ntains the
fundamental mitzvot of belief in G‑d’s
unity, love of G‑d, tefillin, mezuzah and
Torah study. The section continues with
G‑d’s promise to give the Israelites a
land filled with bounty and spoils.
Moses admonishes the people to never
forget the Creator who provided them
with this wealth. Moses instructs the
nation what to respond to their
children who might inquire why they
observe all the commandments: “We
were slaves in Egypt, and G‑d took us
(Continued on page 6)
LOOKING FOR RENTAL
Student from Paris looking to rent a
studio or shared apartment in the
Jewish community.
Please contact André Chetrit
[email protected] 06 62 36 16 21
LOU AND JOEY ADLER LEARNING INSTITUTE CLASS SCHEDULE
SUNDAY
TUESDAY
8:00 - 9:00 am
8:00 - 9:00 pm
Tanya
Beth Midrash
The primary, classic work of Chabad chassidus. A
blend of mysticism, philosophy & psychology
Francais. Rav M. Pinto
10:00 - 10:30 am
WEDNESDAY
Chumash
Study of the daily portion of the current Parsha
6:15 - 6:55 am
Chassidus
FRIDAY
6:15 - 6:55 am
Chassidus
Textual study of Chassidic discourses related to
the weekly Parsha or approaching holiday
8:15 - 9:00 am
Gemara
with Rabbi Levi
Textual study of Chassidic discourses related to
the weekly Parsha or approaching holiday
8:10 - 8:45 am
Chassidus
8:10 - 8:45 am
Study of the daily portion of the current Parsha
Textual study of Chassidic discourses related to
the weekly Parsha or approaching holiday
Chumash
Study of the daily portion of the current Parsha
12:15 - 1:15 pm
MONDAY
6:15 - 6:55 am
8:10 - 8:45 am
8:15 - 9:00 am
Chumash
Gemara with Rabbi Levi
Study of the daily portion of the current Parsha
8:15 - 9:00 am
Gemara
with Rabbi Levi
8:30 - 9:30 pm
8:00 - 9:00 pm
Kabbalah
A tapestry of Divine wisdom woven from strands
of the Talmud and the Kabbalah
SPONSORED BY THE MIRYAM & BATYA MEDICOFF
Chassidus for Young Adults
LECTURE FOUNDATION
With Rabbi Levi
4:45 - 5:45 pm
7:00 pm
Rap with the Rabbi
Class for Students
for High School students. Pizza and fries dinner
RSVP a must. Please contact the office.
An analysis of a collage of texts drawn from all
parts of Torah related to the Torah portion of
the week or approaching holiday. For women.
at Rabbi Levi & Ita’s home, 29 Aldred Cr.
Chumash
Lunch & Learn C&C PACKING
A discussion on the Torah portion of the week,
current events or approaching holiday
SHABBAT
8:15 - 9:00 am
Insights into Prayer
Understanding the deeper meaning of the
prayers as illuminated by the teachings of
Chassidus
45 minutes before Mincha
Women’s Torah Class
8:00 pm
Studies in the weekly Parsha or approaching
holiday
Cours de Gemara
1.5 hours before Mincha
En francais, avec le Rav Pinto
Men’s Torah Class
Novi - Prophets with Rabbi Levi
TUESDAY
6:15 - 6:55 am
Chassidus
Textual study of Chassidic discourses related to
the weekly Parsha or approaching holiday
8:10 - 8:45 am
Chumash
Study of the daily portion of the current Parsha
8:15 - 9:00 am
Gemara
THURSDAY
6:15 - 6:55 am
Chassidus
Textual study of Chassidic discourses related to
the weekly Parsha or approaching Yom Tov
8:10 - 8:45 am
Chumash
Chiour Talmud et Hala’ha en Français
avec le Rav M. Pinto
15 minutes before Mincha
SHOO”T
SHaalos OO”Tshuvos - Halachic Q&A
with Rabbi Levi
Study of the daily portion of the current Parsha
8:15 - 9:00 am
with Rabbi Levi
Gemara with Rabbi Levi
11:00 - 12:00 am
12:15 - 1:15 pm
Women’s Torah Class
Une heure avant MInha
Lunch & Learn EMPIRE AUCTION
A discussion on the Torah portion of the week,
or approaching holiday. In a private home.
A discussion on the Torah portion of the week,
current events or approaching holiday
12:15 pm
9:00 pm
Lunch & Learn at PromoTEX Productions
Tanya for Students
600-9100 S. Laurent
with Rabbi Naftali Perlstein
l’iluy nishmas R’ Yeshaya Aryeh ben Menashe a”h
For men. with Rabbi Levi
/MontrealTorahCenter
Mosaic Express
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Where Did ‘Roving Rabbis’ Observe Tisha
B'Av? Just About Everywhere
By Menachem Posner JULY 23 2015
T
he summertime travels of “Roving
Rabbis”—young Chabad-Lubavitch
rabbinical students and newly minted rabbis
who visit isolated Jews and small Jewish
communities all over the globe—are filled
with exciting, hectic days and nights in
which they share the joys of Judaism with
others. But on Tisha B’Av, they have a
unique opportunity for a relatively quiet day
of reflection, in which they can learn more
about the local Jewish community and
deepen their times with them.
The Ninth of Av, Tisha B’Av commemorates,
among other things, the destruction of the
Temples in Jerusalem and the subsequent
dispersion of the Jewish people throughout
the world.
“We plan on observing the fast together
with the local congregation, which is
currently without a rabbi,” says Rabbi Peretz
Lazaroff, who is on the island of Curaçao in
the Caribbean with Rabbi Yisroel Wolff. “We
haven’t yet ironed out details like our meals
before and after the fast, but we will
certainly be in the synagogue with the very
lovely people we’ve been meeting since our
arrival, and we are doing our utmost to
muster up a minyan so we can hold full
services. If not, we will still be able to
observe the central element of the evening:
reading the book of Lamentations.”
For others, the day will be a welcome respite
from weeks on the road.
After a grueling three-week tour of Greece—
and soon to take up a second posting in
Dubrovnik, Croatia—Rabbi Mendy Tubul took
the chance to “recharge his spiritual
batteries” in Israel. He plans to
commemorate the saddest day on the
Jewish calendar at the Western Wall in
Jerusalem, literally steps away from the
epicenter of the destruction nearly 2,000
years ago.
“This summer,” he says, “I have met Jewish
people living in some of the oldest extant
Diaspora communities—Greek Jews, whose
ancestors have lived there back when the
Second Temple was standing in Jerusalem—
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and now I am able to trace their steps in
reverse.”
The symbolism also extends to his next
destination, Dubrovnik, a charming port city
that juts into the Adriatic Sea.
The community flourished in the 16th
century, where it was a haven for Sephardic
Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition. It was
on the ninth of Av in 1492 that Spanish
Jews were faced with the grim ultimatum of
either converting to Catholicism or leaving
the country they had lived in for hundreds
of of years. Some of them moved to
Dubrovnik, which was then known as
Ragusa, where they turned a small Jewish
community into a vibrant center of SpanishJewish culture for several hundred years.
Across the globe, Rabbi Nosson Huebner and
Rabbi Yecheskel Posner will observe the 25hour fast at the Chabad House in Lima, Peru,
taking a break from their six-week tour of
the country, where they comb cities and
towns frequented by Israeli backpackers and
other tourists. Since Chabad there runs a
kosher bakery and restaurant, the duo
welcomes the opportunity to enjoy complete
meals both before and after the fast,
perhaps the last full-fledged kosher meals
they will have until their travels bring them
back to the capital city next month.
Mendy Tubul stands near the ancient
mikvah in Heraklion, Crete, which
borders the sea. The adjacent
synagogue was destroyed during the
Holocaust, along with most of Crete’s
Jewish community.
Rabbi Mendy Tubul and Rabbi Mendel
Wolowik pose with the president of
the Jewish community of Ioannina in
the Romaniote synagogue, said to be
more than 1,000 years old.
Out in the American heartland, Rabbi Zushi
Rivkin and Rabbi Mendy Wilschansky will
take a break from their six-week crosscountry tour to join the Chabad community
in Kansas City.
But they plan on doing more than just
praying and fasting. Earlier this week, in
Shreveport, La., an elderly Jewish couple
they’d met gave them the contact info of a
friend in Kansas City, whom they felt would
appreciate a visit from the pair of rabbis.
“Assuming we feel up to it, in the afternoon,
when the mourning restrictions ease up
somewhat, we hope to visit them,” says
Rivkin. “Even if we are fasting, we are still
very much on our mission to meet as many
Jews as possible, and encourage as many
mitzvahs as we possibly can.”■
Rabbi Yecheskel Posner shares
a
Torah
thought
at
the Chabad House in Lima, Peru.
Worst Day Ever?
Brooklyn Teen’s Poem Goes
Viral, Sharing Chassidic
Inspiration With the World
CBS New York — A Brooklyn girl’s poem is
taking over the Internet.
Chanie Gorkin, a 17-year-old about to enter
the 12th grade at the Lubavitch high school
Beth Rivkah, originally wrote the poem
entitled “Worst Day Ever?” for an assignment
at school.
“I don’t think there is such a thing as the
worst day ever,” Gorkin told 1010 WINS in an
exclusive interview Monday.
The poem is inspired by Talmudic teachings.
“It comes from Hasidic philosophy, which I
learn daily and try to take to heart, so I try
my best to live what I wrote,” Gorkin said.
The complex poem contains a surprise. From
top to bottom it reads negatively, but when
read in reverse the message drastically
changes.
It was posted online last year as part of a
contest on PoetryNation.com, but went viral
after it was recently spotted hanging on a
wall in North London by a man who then
tweeted it out. It garnered thousands of
shares and made its way onto Facebook.
The poem has been viewed more than 1.3
million times on imgur.com.
Gorkin said she is overwhelmed by the
response.
“I knew that it was shared on Facebook
before and people liked it, but I didn’t know it
was going around like this,” Gorkin said. “I
was kind of overwhelmed, but I’m happy that
so many people were inspired.”
She hopes her message will continue to
spread.
“I’m very happy that so many people got this
message and if it made people think a little
more and inspire people to change their
perspective then I’m very happy,” Gorkin said.
“I just hope that if people were really inspired
by this then they should try to do something
to inspire other people and spread this
attitude everywhere.”
Today was the absolute worst day ever
And don’t try to convince me that
There’s something good in every day
Because, when you take a closer look,
This world is a pretty evil place.
Even if
Some goodness does shine through once in a while
Satisfaction and happiness don’t last.
And it’s not true that
It’s all in the mind and heart
Because
True happiness can be attained
Only if one’s surroundings are good
It’s not true that good exists
I’m sure you can agree that
The reality
Creates
My attitude
It’s all beyond my control
And you’ll never in a million years hear me say
Today was a very good day
Now read it from bottom to top, the other way,
And see what I really feel about my day.
ABC NEWS by Meghan Keneally
— Ronnie Joice "was a bit worn out" after
spending a day going on informational
meetings for a prospective job when he
stopped in a "bohemian" bar called
Nambucca. He told ABC News that he
spotted a poem that had been posted on the
wall, and later tweeted a photo of it.
Zachery Stephenson, the events manager at
the bar, told ABC News that he posted the
poem on the wall on Tuesday after a cousin
in New York sent it along after Stephenson
posted a message on Facebook "moaning"
about a friend who had let him down.
"It just kind of struck a chord and really made
me change my perception of things,"
Stephenson told ABC News.
It was the first time Stephenson had ever
posted a poem in the bar, he said, and he is
pleased with the response, as the poem has
now gone viral.
The poem originated as a school assignment
in which the students were told to write
about their worst day ever, Dena Gorkin said,
adding that her family is Hasidic and studies
Hasidic philosophy.
"One of the major tenets of Hasidic
philosophy is that the mind rules over the
heart, that we are able to channel our
emotions to the positive ... that there is God
in everything, and it is part of our mission in
life to look for the good, and to find it and to
spread it," Gorkin said.
So when Chanie was given the assignment,
she told the teacher that she doesn't believe
in a worst day ever, and used her writing
skills to turn the question around.
TODAY by Meghan Holohan - "What
amused us the most is that she's not even old
enough to get into a bar" but her poem is in
one, Dena Gorkin, Chanie's mom, told
TODAY.com.
Poetry is a tradition in the Gorkin family.
Dena Gorkin says her mother started writing
poems for family members and Gorkin
followed. She remembers winning a poetry
contest when she was 12. But her entire
family enjoys it. If something funny happens
or there's a celebration, it's not unusual for
her, her husband, or one of her six kids to
write a poem as a gift for another. Chanie
certainly inherited some major talent.
"We all hope that the poem will continue to
bring good into the world, that people will be
inspired to pay the good forward," says
Gorkin.
AOL.com — While at first the text seems
dreary and depressing, the poem actually
has a really beautiful message. Life throws
us curveballs sometimes, and this poem is
just that - a huge curveball. ■
Mosaic Express
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Parsha Insights
From the book Daily Wisdom
Moshe Wisnefsky
True Individuality
Moses described G-d’s forgiveness of the
Jewish people.
:‫וְּתֶם ַה ְּד ֵבקִים ּבַה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם ַחּיִים ֻּכ ְּלכֶם הַּיֹום‬
(‫ד‬:‫)דברים ד‬
]Moses told the Jewish people that in
contrast to the rebels among them, who
had died out,] “all of you who are alive
today are [lovingly] attached to G-d.”
Deuteronomy 4:4
One might think that the more we are
devoted to G‑d, the more our personal
individuality disappears. The Torah
teaches us here that the opposite is true:
Our true individuality depends directly
upon the depth of our attachment to
G‑d. What we normally mistake for our
personality is really our secondary,
animalistic side. Since we share the same
animal drives with the rest of humanity,
(Continued from page 2)
out in order that we serve Him, so that
we could reap the rewards for doing
so.”
Seventh Aliyah: The Israelites are
directed to destroy the inhabitants of
Canaan along with their idols, and the
prohibition against intermarriage is
discussed.■
‫ּתָה ָה ְר ֵא ָת ָל ַדעַת ּכִי ה' הּוא ָהאֱלֹקִים אֵין עֹוד‬
(‫לה‬:‫ )דברים ד‬:‫מ ְּלבַּדֹו‬
ִ
]Moses told the Jewish people that at
Mount Sinai,] “You were shown in order
to know that G d is the only deity. There
is nothing other than Him.” Deuteronomy
In contrast, since G‑d is infinite, the
avenues through which His Divinity can
manifest itself through us are also
infinite; thus, it is only our Divine
personality that makes us truly unique. It
follows that the more we allow the
animalistic side of our personalities to
dissolve as we draw closer to G‑d, the
more we allow our unique, Divine
personalities to shine forth.■
4:35
Overcoming the Limits of
Creation
Moses then proceeded to describe the
revelation of G-d at the Giving of the Torah at
Mount Sinai.
By revealing His essence, which is beyond
Creation, G‑d enabled us to transcend
the limits of nature, as well. In order to
overcome life’s challenges and tests, we
need only remind ourselves that “there is
nothing other than Him,” i.e., that
nothing can constitute a real obstacle to
fulfilling G‑d’s intentions, since
everything, in the final analysis, is part of
G‑d’s essence. Evoking this awareness
elevates our Divine consciousness to the
level of truly perceiving G‑d’s essence
everywhere. This, in turn, serves to hasten
the Messianic Redemption, when “the
glory of G‑d will be revealed and all flesh
will see it together.”■
Mandate Unmasked
By Tzvi Freeman
As impossible as it sounds, as absurd as it may seem:
The mandate of darkness is to become light;
the mandate of a busy, messy world is to find oneness.
We have proof: for the greater the darkness becomes
and the greater the confusion of life,
the deeper our souls reach inward to discover their own essence-core.
SHOO”T OF THE
How could it be that darkness leads us to find a deeper light?
That confusion leads us to find a deeper truth?
with Rabbi Levi New
Only because the very act of existence was set from its beginning
to know its own Author.
What are the obligations connected
with 'adding' to the Shabbos?
SHABBOS AFTERNOONS
15 MINUTES BEFORE MINCHA
6
the personality born of these drives is, at
best, a variation on the common theme
by which everyone lives. Thus, the
apparent individuality of this aspect of
our personality is in fact an illusion.
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As it says, “In the beginning . . . G‑d said, ‘It shall become light!’”
Maamar V’nachah Alav 5725; Likkutei Sichot, vol. 10, pp. 7ff.
An inspiring story for your Shabbos table
HERE’S
my
STORY
Generously
sponsored
by the
‫ב“ה‬
‫ תשע״ה‬,‫ ט׳׳ז מנחם אב‬,‫שבת פרשת ואתחנן‬
Shabbos Parshas Vaeschanan, August 1, 2015
“A SMILE THAT LIT UP
THE WORLD”
RABBI ELIEZER LAINE
be attending the gathering. Although it was primarily
Lubavitch children from the neighborhood who took part,
the Rebbe singled my camp out for inclusion. I felt this was
a great honor.
We collected the children and we came to 770 Eastern
Parkway. When the afternoon prayers were finished, the
Rebbe announced, “Leizer Laine and his camp should come
up to receive coins to give out to charity.”
We walked up with the camp in two groups — boys and
girls — and the Rebbe gave each child a coin.
Now some of the counselors had just come from an outing
and they were not dressed properly for a synagogue and
they were embarrassed to go up to the Rebbe in shorts and
flip-flops. They felt that would not be respectful.
I
n 1973, I was offered a job to establish and direct
a Jewish day camp in Flatbush, New York. It was a
significant project enrolling about 75 to 100 children at
the start. But my wife and I threw ourselves into the job so
wholeheartedly that, when the camp opened, we had more
than 200 children.
That summer — which was not long before the Yom Kippur
War — the Rebbe was speaking at every opportunity about
the obligation of each Jew to see to it that every Jewish
child get a Jewish education, and he also spoke in favor of
day camps for all Jewish children.
Although the organization that had hired me was not a
Chabad organization, since I was Lubavitch, I naturally
wanted to fulfill the Rebbe’s instructions. So I met with the
board of directors and asked them to expand the camp to
children who could not afford the tuition. The board agreed.
I dedicated one full bus for non-paying children, and I wrote
to the Rebbe that this is what I did. The Rebbe responded
with a blessing that the camp should be a great success.
In the middle of the summer, I received an invitation from
the Rebbe to bring my children to the next children’s
rally at the Rebbe’s synagogue. The Rebbe himself would
After the Rebbe distributed the coins to the children, he
turned to me and asked, “Did everybody in your camp get
money for charity?”
I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t say yes because I knew
that some of the counselors did not come up. So I didn’t say
anything. I just stood there and looked at the Rebbe.
So the Rebbe announced, “All those that didn’t get yet,
should come up and get.”
I walked over to my group, and I said, “Apparently the
Rebbe noticed that there is a group that didn’t come up
to get coins for charity. The Rebbe doesn’t care how you
are dressed. So come up. Get a coin from the Rebbe, and it
should be for a blessing.
And they all walked up. They came up to the Rebbe, and
the Rebbe gave each of them a big smile along with the
coin.
Every time I remind myself about that smile of the Rebbe,
I get the shivers. I bumped into some of the counselors
many, many years later. And they said to me, “The smile
that we got from the Lubavitcher Rebbe stayed with us.
We live with it.”
While I am speaking about the Rebbe’s smile, I’d like to tell
another beautiful story on the subject.
continued on reverse
An oral history project dedicated to documenting the life of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson,
of righteous memory. The story is one of thousands recorded in the over 1,100 videotaped interviews
conducted to date. Please share your comments and suggestions. [email protected]
continued from reverse
I don’t remember exactly when this happened — it was in
the mid-1980s when I was in business, running a furniture
store.
A gentleman came into my store and started looking
around, walking up and down the aisles. I asked him if I
could be of help, but he said, “No, thanks,” and he walked
out. He came back again a few more times, and each time
he didn’t buy anything and didn’t want my help, although
each time he chatted
with me. Then, one
day, he walked in with
his wife, and he asked
if I would join them for
a conversation.
I wasn’t busy, so I said,
“Sure.”
He said, “We know
you’re a Lubavitcher,
and this is why we’d
like to tell you about a problem we have. We’ve been
married a few years, and we don’t have any children yet.
We have consulted with various doctors… we have gone
to various rabbis for blessings. And we want to ask you:
Could you go to the Lubavitcher Rebbe and ask him for a
blessing for us?”
By then, I knew this man well enough to know that he was
raised in an environment totally opposed to chasidic ways
and particularly opposed to Chabad-Lubavitch. So I was
shocked.
Still, I told him, “Listen, the Rebbe answers anyone that
writes to him. Sit down, write a letter to the Rebbe, tell him
your problem and ask for a blessing.”
He said, “We don’t believe in writing to the Rebbe. Why
can’t you speak to the Rebbe for us?”
I said, “I would also only write a letter. But your cry is
coming from a deeper place than any request I could make
on your behalf.”
He refused, but then he asked, “Is there ever a time that
I could walk up to the Rebbe as he passes by and talk to
him?”
I said, “Erev Rosh Hashanah, the Rebbe’s door is open and
whoever wants can pass by the Rebbe and get a blessing
for a good new year. So you could stand in line and you can
ask for a blessing for children.”
He liked that idea. He came with me and we stood in line
for about two hours. But when his turn came up, he couldn’t
In honor of the Rebbe,
whose bracha will always
keep our father safe.
You can help us record more testimonies
by dedicating future editions of Here’s My Story
speak. It was as if his lips were glued together and nothing
came out.
Afterwards, he was practically crying, and he wanted to go
back in line and try again.
I told him, “You know what — here’s what you should do:
In a week’s time, Erev Yom Kippur, the Rebbe will be giving
out lekach, honey cake. If you’d like, we can meet in the
same place, same time, and we’ll do the same thing. You’ll
pass by the Rebbe, and you’ll have another chance to ask
when he gives you a piece of lekach.”
So now this is what happened: We stood in line, and when
he came up to the Rebbe, he stuck his hand out for the
lekach, but instead of asking for the blessing, he just cried
out with his whole heart, “Rebbe!” He couldn’t say anything
more. And the Rebbe said to him, “Zara chaya vekayama —
May you have healthy and viable children.”
He was totally shocked. He couldn’t believe what just
happened. He said, “But I didn’t say anything. How did he
know?!”
I said, “The Rebbe read your eyes!”
Now, that’s not the end of the story, because the following
year, he came to see the Rebbe again Erev Yom Kippur,
carrying his newborn baby.
He walked over to the Rebbe holding that tiny baby, opened
the baby’s hand, and the Rebbe put a piece of lekach there.
When he did it, the Rebbe gave him such a smile. I’ve seen
smiles, but this smile I lack the words to describe. It was a
smile that lit up the world.
______________
Rabbi Eliezer Laine lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York. He
was interviewed in the My Encounter studio in August of 2014.
‫לע“נ ר‘ ישראל יעקב וזוגתו מרת קריינא ע“ה לאקשין‬
‫ע“י בניהם ר‘ נחמן ור‘ אברהם ומשפחתם שיחיו‬
This week in….
>5
705 - 1945, in connection with the first yahrzeit
of his father, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, the
Rebbe donated one hundred dollars to Colel Chabad,
eighteen dollars to Yeshivat Toras Emes in Jerusalem,
and twenty-five dollars to Chevra Tehillim Haolomi. 1
21 Menachem Av
1. Igros Kodesh Vol. 2, p. 42
A project of:
JEWISH EDUCATIONAL MEDIA
[email protected] | myencounterblog.com | 718-774-6000
784 Eastern Parkway | Suite 403 | Brooklyn, NY 11213
© Copyright, Jewish Educational Media, 2015
Generously printed by
LA
SIDRA
DE LA SEMAINE
VAET’HANANE
CHABBAT NA’HAMOU
SAMEDI, 1 AOUT 2015
16 MENAHEM AV 5775
AVOT 3
VIVREAVEC LA
PARACHA
L
a Paracha Vaét’hanane est toujours
lue le Chabbat qui suit le jeûne de
Ticha BeAv, jour-anniversaire de la
tragédie de la destrucon des premier
et second Temples de Jérusalem, de la
révolte de Kora’h, de l’exil d’Espagne et
de nombreux autres graves événements
de notre histoire.
L’on raconte qu’un grand Rabbi, Rabbi
Avraham Yehochoua Hechel d’Apt
rencontra un jour son ami, Rabbi Israël
de Roughin. Rabbi Yehochoua observa
que Rabbi Israël avait pleuré. Il lui
demanda la raison de ses larmes.
Je pleure, répondit Rabbi Israël, à
cause des terribles souffrances que subit
le Peuple Juif et des terribles
souffrances qu’il devra subir dans le
futur.
Ne t’inquiète pas, répondit Rabbi
Yechochoua, d’un ton apaisant. Nous
avons reçu l’assurance que les Juifs
n’endureront pas des souffrances qu’ils
n’ont pas la force de supporter.
C’est justement pour cela que je
pleure. Les Juifs ont tant de paence et
de tolérance qu’ils semblent capables de
tolérer les formes les plus cruelles de
souffrances.
Vaet’hanane
La Paracha commence par la supplique
de Moché pour entrer en Terre d’Israël.
Nos Sages relatent que Moché pria 515
fois pour entrer en Terre Sainte. Il est
évident que Moché ne se souciait pas de
voir ou de goûter les fruits du pays. Il
voulait y entrer parce que c’était «la
Terre Sainte». Mais pourquoi était-ce si
important pour lui ? Après tout, lors de
trois occasions, il avait passé quarante
jours, seul avec D.ieu sur le Mont Sinaï.
Quelle expérience spirituelle pouvaitelle dépasser celle-là ? Que pouvait lui
apporter le fait de pénétrer en Terre
d’Israël ?
Nos Sages expliquent que Moché voulait
entrer en Terre Sainte pour accomplir
les mitsvot, les commandements de
D.ieu. L’accomplissement d’un grand
nombre d’entre elles est relaf à la
Terre Sainte, ses récoltes, etc. En dehors
d’Israël, l’on ne peut observer ces
injoncons.
Cependant, Moché avait reçu la Torah
toute enère, y compris les lois
concernant ces commandements. Il
savait et comprenait chacune de leurs
dimensions et bien plus que la façon de
les observer : leur significaon
spirituelle. Que pouvait donc lui
apporter de plus leur simple observance
concrète ?
Pour répondre à ces quesons, il nous
faut comprendre l’importance du
respect des mitsvot, dans un sens
cosmique.
Certaines
religions
considèrent la méditaon, la prière et
l’étude comme le but ulme des efforts
humains. Car ces actes élèvent l’homme
au-dessus de son statut physique et de
sa dimension matérielle pour le
connecter avec le spirituel. Elles
considèrent que l’observance d’actes
rituels sert à maintenir un lien entre la
religion et les gens simples, incapables
de s’impliquer dans les acvités
spirituelles évoquées plus haut. Ou bien
elles les envisagent comme moyens de
créer un certain climat. Après tout, les
acvités que nous accomplissons
influencent notre pensée et en se
lançant dans différentes acons, il nous
est plus facile d’a%eindre différents
états de méditaon.
Le Judaïsme a sur le sujet une
perspecve différente.
Il faut accomplir les mitsvot, parce que
D.ieu
désire
que
nous
les
accomplissions. Pourquoi ? Nous ne le
savons pas et nous n’avons pas besoin
de le savoir. Nous savons qu’Il désire
leur observance et que c’est une raison
(Connuer à la page 11)
Mosaic Express
l9
LE RECIT DE LA SEMAINE
Y a-t-il un Cohen dans la ville ?
J
’ai passé une semaine et demie à
chercher. Non pas ma recherche
habituelle d’un dixième homme pour le
Minyane. Non. Je recherchai un Cohen. Nous
avons plusieurs personnes qui s’appellent
Cohen dans notre communauté mais,
malheureusement, ce ne sont pas de vrais
Cohen. Et j’avais besoin d’un vrai Cohen. Le
dernier délai était le lundi man 19 Tamouz
(6 juillet 2015) et, si je n’en trouvais pas d’ici
là, une grande Mitsva serait repoussée à
bien plus tard !
J’essayais avec tous les Cohen vivant dans un
rayon de milliers de kilomètres d’ici. Je finis
même par m’intéresser à des Cohen qui
viendraient spécialement d’Israël. Tous
étaient prêts à m’aider, à modifier leurs
emplois du temps, à acheter un cket, à
vérifier la date de leur passeport… Mais
comme pour se jouer de mes efforts, aucun
n’était vraiment disponible : l’un se trouvait
à l’étranger, l’autre devait assister à un
événement important, le troisième ne
trouvait pas de billet d’avion… et moi, je ne
savais plus quoi faire.
Un des Cohen me fit remarquer – soi-disant
avec humour : «Il est écrit que c’est le père
qui amène l’enfant au Cohen et pas le
contraire !» comme pour signifier :
«Pourquoi t’angoisser tellement ? Tu
trouveras encore une autre occasion de
racheter cet enfant à un Cohen et, après
tout, celui qui a tout essayé mais n’a pas
réussi, est quie de son obligaon, n’est-ce
pas ?»
que sa fille n’épouse un non-Juif. Plus elle
avait essayé de l’en dissuader, de lui
expliquer l’importance d’établir un foyer juif,
plus elle avait sen qu’elle s’adressait à un
mur ! Depuis quelque temps, la mère s’était
rapprochée du judaïsme et son fils l’avait
suivi. Mais son mari et sa fille de 19 ans
restaient en arrière, obsnément. Tous deux
appréciaient très peu les changements
intervenus dans la famille, d’habitude unie
et paisible. La maman s’était résolue à prier
de tout son cœur pour que D.ieu ouvre les
yeux de sa fille et qu’elle ne s’embarque pas
dans un chemin dangereux. Elle lisait chaque
jour le chapitre de Tehilim (Psaumes)
correspondant à l’âge de sa fille, écrivit au
Rabbi et espéra le miracle.
Et voilà que, soudain, la jeune fille se
présentait au Beth 'Habad avec une seule
requête : qu’on lui trouve un mari juif ! Nous
avons cherché fiévreusement, nous avons
contacté d’autres Chlou’him (émissaires du
Rabbi), nous avons téléphoné à des
«marieuses», des directeurs de Yechiva et
d’internats… Elle rencontra effecvement
plusieurs jeunes gens, chez nous ou dans
d’autres villes ; entretemps, elle se
rapprocha elle aussi du judaïsme et devint
l’une des étudiantes les plus sérieuses et les
plus intéressées par ce qu’elle apprenait
grâce au programme STARS spécialement
conçu pour les jeunes de Russie.
Oui, c’est vrai, il avait raison mais il me
semble que pour cet enfant, c’est une toute
autre histoire !
Et un jour, il arriva. Une «marieuse» de
Moscou avait fait sa connaissance : ‘Haïm,
un homme d’affaires, jeune, sérieux,
respectant les Mitsvot principales. Bien vite,
tous les deux se trouvèrent de nombreux
points communs et, au bout de quelques
rencontres, décidèrent de se marier.
Quand elle était arrivée chez moi un beau
jour en me demandant de lui trouver un
mari juif, j’étais resté hébété. Dans mon
esprit, je me répétai la formule : «Béni soit
Celui qui écoute les prières !».
Dans la lere de remerciement qu’ils
écrivirent au Rabbi, ils spécifièrent qu’ils
acceptaient de prendre sur eux les trois
Mitsvot principales de tout foyer juif : la
cacherout, le Chabbat et la Pureté Familiale.
Peu de temps auparavant, la mère de cee
jeune fille m’avait contacté, elle craignait
A la demande de son fiancé, elle choisit un
prénom hébraïque dans une longue liste que
nous lui avons proposée : par Hachga’ha Prat
(Providence Divine), on lui donna son nouveau
prénom le jeudi 22 Chevat : ‘Haya Mouchka,
justement le jour de la Hiloula de la Rabbanite
‘Haya Mouchka de mémoire bénie !
Tout allait bien mais… le jeune homme, ‘Haïm,
habitait au Birobidjan, près de la fronère
chinoise, vraiment très loin ! Pour voyager de
Tioumen où nous habions jusque là-bas, il
fallait prendre l’avion, deux heures et demie
jusqu’à Moscou, puis huit heures d’avion
jusqu’à Khabarovsk puis deux heures de train
pour arriver à cee république autonome, au
fin fond de l’Asie, là où Staline, que son nom
soit effacé, voulait se débarrasser des Juifs. Elle
devait donc parr s’installer là-bas et accepter
de vivre si loin de sa famille.
L’année dernière, environ une semaine avant
Pourim, nous avons célébré le mariage, le
premier mariage juif à Tioumen depuis de très
nombreuses années. On peut difficilement
imaginer la joie qui brisa toutes les limites.
Depuis, le jeune couple suit fidèlement le
programme auquel il s’est engagé et qui n’est
pas facile dans leurs condions : ils achètent
uniquement des produits cachères ; pour
Chabbat, ils sont invités chez le Chalia’h local,
Rav Eli Riss et son épouse Mi’hal. Quant au
Mikvé (bain rituel)… c’est chaque mois, un
voyage de plusieurs heures jusqu’au Mikvé le
plus proche mais ils sont déterminés à observer
scrupuleusement ces lois, même si cela
implique de réels sacrifices !
A ‘Hanouccah est né leur fils aîné ; la Brit Mila
s’est déroulée un Chabbat à Tioumen, le
Mohel, Reb Yoel Gelber accepta de passer tout
un Chabbat dans notre ville malgré la difficulté.
Quant au Pidyone Habène, le rachat du
premier-né qui s’effectue normalement au
trenème jour, il n’eut pas lieu car la pete
famille était déjà retournée au Birobidjan.
Quand j’ai entendu «par hasard» que ‘Haïm et
‘Haya et leur pet Yossef étaient revenus faire
une visite aux grands-parents à Tioumen, j’ai
commencé à rechercher un Cohen ; voyant que
tous mes efforts étaient vains, j’ai eu l’idée de
demander à mon neveu, Israël Gotlieb qui
dirige une colonie de vacances pour les enfants
de Chlou’him s’il ne disposait pas, dans son
(Connuer à la page 12)
10
l Mosaic Express
(Connuer de la page 9)
suffisante pour nous mover à les
observer.
La prière, la méditaon et l’étude
élèvent une personne au-dessus de la
matérialité, mais seulement dans une
certaine mesure. Après tout, ces
acvités dépendent de notre esprit et
de nos émoons. Or, nos pensées et
nos senments ne peuvent dépasser le
niveau d’un mortel. C’est la raison pour
laquelle nos Sages avancent qu’avant le
Don de la Torah, il y avait un décret qui
séparait le monde et D.ieu, parce que
notre esprit et notre cœur ne pouvaient
L’a%eindre par eux-mêmes.
Comment
donc
pouvons-nous
L’a%eindre ? En faisant ce qu’Il dit. Le
mot mitsva partage une racine
étymologique avec le mot tsavta, qui
signifie «lien». Parfois, l’observance des
mitsvot peut susciter en nous des
pensées et des senments et parfois
non. Mais tout cela est immatériel.
L’essence profonde des choses est
qu’en accomplissant une mitsva, nous
nous lions à D.ieu comme Il existe, dans
Ses propres termes.
Cela va encore bien plus loin. Les
LE COIN DE LA
Avant de parr en voyage, il est
nécessaire de se munir Tseda Ladérè’h, de
provisions pour la route et pour le séjour
– si on n’est pas sûr de trouver des
aliments cachères à l’arrivée. Même si la
compagnie d’aviaon s’engage à fournir
des repas cachères, il est nécessaire
d’emporter à manger et à boire pour le
voyage car il n’est pas rare que se
produise un « oubli » ou que le voyage
soit plus long que prévu. Il est aussi
conseillé d’emporter un Kéli, un récipient
grâce auquel on pourra se laver les mains
rituellement avant de manger du pain.
Ladérè’h,
ce
sont
C’est ce type de lien auquel aspirait
Moché. Et c’est pour ce%e raison qu’il
pria D.ieu de lui perme%re d’entrer en
Terre d’Israël pour qu’il puisse y
observer les mitsvot.
Perspecves
Certains commentateurs expliquent que
l’intenon de Moché était encore plus
profonde car il était homme à ne jamais
penser
à
entreprendre
des
accomplissements spirituels individuels.
Il était totalement et absolument
dévoué à son peuple. Pourquoi donc
désirait-il pénétrer en Terre Sainte ?
Parce qu’étant celui qui avait guidé le
Peuple Juif vers sa terre, il se serait
révélé comme le Machia’h et toutes les
épreuves, toutes les tribulaons qui ont
accablé le Peuple juif, depuis lors,
auraient été évitées.
Pourquoi donc ses prières ne furentelles pas exaucées ? On peut avancer, à
un premier niveau, que le Peuple Juif
n’était pas méritant. Leurs péchés et
leur manque de foi en D.ieu, tout au
long des quarante années d’errance
dans le désert, avaient affecté leur
statut spirituel et ils n’étaient pas prêts
pour recevoir le Machia’h.
Mais à un niveau plus profond, ce n’est
pas en guise de punion que la venue
de Machia’h fut retardée. La raison en
est que le monde n’avait pas encore été
assez raffiné pour le recevoir. Si la
prière de Moché avait été acceptée, la
venue de Machia’h se serait produite
contre la nature du monde et cela serait
allé à l’encontre du but lui-même de la
Rédempon Ulme. Car il ne s’agira pas
simplement d’une Révélaon de la
Divinité dans Ses termes mais
également du raffinement de ce monde
matériel et de l’intériorisaon de ce%e
Révélaon. Le monde n’était pas prêt à
cela à l’époque de Moché. Tel est le but
des milliers d’années de service divin
qui ont suivi : préparer le monde et lui
perme%re d’intérioriser les révélaons
de l’Ere Messianique.■
HALACHA
Comment se prépare-t-on à un voyage ?
Tseda
mitsvot représentent de notre part un
«service» car elles étendent ce lien au
monde matériel, en englobant ces
objets concrets avec lesquels la mitsva
est observée. Quand un juif donne une
pièce à la charité, tout comme lorsqu’il
accomplit n’importe quelle mitsva avec
un objet matériel, il établit un lien entre
cet objet et la Sainteté de D.ieu.
aussi
les
provisions « spirituelles » : ainsi on
emportera ses Téfilines et son Talit et on
ne comptera pas sur ceux des autres.
D’ailleurs on garde Talit et surtout
Téfilines avec soi dans l’avion et on ne les
met pas dans les valises qui seront dans
la soute à bagages, de crainte de perdre
les valises. Le Rabbi recommandait
d’introduire d’abord le Talit et les
Téfilines
dans
les
bagages
et,
éventuellement, de les en sorr pour les
mere dans un autre sac mais c’est par
eux qu’il faut commencer. Dans le sac
qu’on gardera avec soi en permanence,
on mera (de façon respectueuse) des
livres de prières, des Psaumes, des livres
d’étude de la Torah, une boîte de
Tsedaka (charité) : tous ces objets
représentent une protecon et une
garane de succès (et devraient d’ailleurs
toujours être disponibles dans une
voiture). On emportera également des
brochures de Torah et des guides pour les
Mitsvot qu’on pourra distribuer en cours
de route à des Juifs désireux d’en
apprendre davantage.
On a la coutume de donner de l’argent à
celui qui part en voyage afin qu’il le
donne à une cause charitable quand il
arrive : ainsi il est considéré comme
Chalia’h Mitsvah, un émissaire à qui rien
de fâcheux ne devrait arriver. Il est
recommandé de donner la Tsedaka avant
de parr.■
Mosaic Express
l 11
HORAIRE
DES COURS
DE LA SEMAINE
Mercredi
Cours de Paracha………..20h00
Chabbat
Talmoud et Hala’ha .…….19h 05
Seu'da Chelichit………….…20h 20
RESERVER VOS PLACES.
À l’occasion des fêtes, le minyan
francophone, dirigé par le Rabbin Pinto,
se endra à MTC. Nous vous
demandons s'il vous plaît de réserver
vos places aussi tôt que possible, en
nous contactant au:
514.739.0770
[email protected]
www.themtc.com/HHS
EDITORIAL
A l’heure des « vacances »
C
’est une phrase du Talmud pleine
de sagesse : « Tu t’en vas pour la
ville, conduis-toi selon ses habitudes. »
On ne saurait mieux dire à quel point
les usages sociaux ennent une large
place dans la vie quodienne de
chacun. C’est donc là chose bien
naturelle. Mais voici que nous vivons
une époque où la période en cours est
ressene
comme
une
sorte
d’interrupon. Tout ce qui constue
habituellement la trame des jours
semble se distendre : le travail, l’école,
l’acvité de manière générale. Osons le
mot : on appelle cela les « vacances ».
C’est là un concept étonnant. Pendant
l’année écoulée, nous avons bien
souvent mené une course effrénée.
Nous nous sommes parfois plaints de
ne pas avoir assez de temps pour
réaliser ce qui devait l’être et,
brutalement, tout doit s’arrêter.
Comme s’il était évident qu’au milieu
du plus grand tumulte le silence se
fasse tout à coup. Est-ce du reste un
hasard si le mot « vacances »
s’apparente étymologiquement à «
vacuité – vide » ?
Pourtant, pour nous qui vivons aussi sur
ce rythme général, n’y a-t-il pas ici
quelque chose d’autre qui émerge ?
Car, si ce temps de vacances est bien
celui où les contraintes du monde se
relâchent, n’est-ce pas aussi pour que
nous puissions jouir d’un authenque
espace de liberté ? Certes,
physiquement, nous ressentons sans
doute le besoin d’un arrêt de ce type.
Mais, spirituellement, le besoin n’estil pas encore plus criant ? Il est clair
qu’il nous faut reconstuer nos
forces. Mais cela n’implique-t-il pas
de rendre à l’âme toute sa vigueur ?
Reste à définir comment.
Du temps pour sa famille, pour soi,
pour ses aspiraons les meilleurs,
pour se soucier de ceux qui nous
entourent : c’est tout cela qui s’offre
à nous. Et puis du temps pour
regarder autant en soi qu’autour de
soi, du temps pour réfléchir, se
souvenir, prendre conscience. Bien
solennel tout cela pour des
vacances ? Et si, justement, la
conscience et la connaissance étaient
joyeuses ? Et si la joie du savoir
l’emportait sur bien des choses. Le
soleil éclaire le monde mais c’est
l’âme et l’esprit qui nous guident, le
judaïsme pour chacun de nous. Alors,
que ces vacances ne soient pas
justement « vides ». Il nous revient
de leur apporter le sens qui peut leur
faire défaut. Des vacances ? Oui, bien
sûr, celles d’hommes véritablement
libres qui savent s’y ressourcer.■
(Connuer de la page 10)
équipe de moniteurs, d’un Cohen. Eh oui ! Il
y avait un Cohen ! Et le directeur de la
colonie acceptait de le laisser venir chez
nous pour un jour avec deux amis. Et, de
plus, ce Cohen tenait à se tremper au Mikvé
car il ne se passait pas de jour sans qu’il se
trempe au Mikvé ! Je me suis donc engagé à
trouver un endroit tranquille où nous
pourrions nous tremper dans une rivière
proche, bien qu’il fasse encore assez froid.
Le père de l’enfant accepta lui aussi d’aller
se tremper dans ces condions.
Ce fut la première fois que nous avons
assisté à un Pidyone Habène, au rachat du
premier-né à Tioumen ; tandis que la
communauté connuait les fesvités, le
12
l Mosaic Express
jeune couple était déjà en route vers
l’aéroport pour leur long voyage de retour.
Je pouvais respirer : à la dernière minute,
nous avions réussi à accomplir la Mitsva le
mieux possible et, de plus, ce jeune Cohen
nous avait encouragés à l’accomplir dans la
pureté la plus grande.
Mais après tout, cet enfant né lui aussi
grâce au sacrifice de ses parents pour la
pureté familiale avait lui aussi bien mérité
qu’un Cohen vienne à lui, dans la plus
grande pureté. Un Cohen pur, un enfant
pur…
« Que viennent ceux qui sont purs et qu’ils
s’occupent de sujets purs » !■
Rav Yerachmiel Gorelik
Traduit par Feiga Lubecki