MOSAIC EXPRESS

MOSAIC EXPRESS
T o rah Po rtio n Be s hal ach
Friday Jan 30, 2015 — Shevat 11, 5775
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TORAH READING
Parshat Beshalach……..………..….Page 320
Haftorah…………………..……..…..Page 1104
CLASSES
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Men’s Class……………………………...3:40pm
SHOO”T………………...…….……….…..4:25pm
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Shevat 10
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MTC extends its deepest sympathies to
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Dr. Andria Cohen obm. Florence's husband and
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of the Chevra Mishnayos in Chomedey.
Part 2
May the family be spared any further
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MTC wishes a hearty Mazal Tov to
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daughter, Chana, to Zalman & Nechama Bendet
Wednesday February 4
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Quiet
by Tzvi Freeman
There are questions to which G-d says to be
quiet, to be still, to cease to ask.
The quietness, the stillness, the abandonment of
being, that itself is an answer.
and finally…
One of life's greatest mysteries is how the boy
who wasn't good enough to marry your
daughter can be the father of the smartest
grandchilden in the world
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BESHALACH ALIYAH SUMMARY
General Overview: In this week's reading,
Beshalach, Pharaoh pursues the Israelites
into the desert. The Red Sea splits, the
Israelites cross the sea while the Egyptian
army is drowned. Moses and the Israelites
sing a special song thanking G‑d for this
miracle. The Israelites complain about a lack
of food and drink. G‑d sends Manna and
quail for them to eat, and miraculously
produces water from a rock. Amalek attacks
the Israelites and is soundly defeated.
First Aliyah: After Pharaoh sent the
Israelites from his land, G‑d did not allow
them to take the most direct route to the
Promised Land, fearing that any
confrontation would then frighten the
Israelites, causing them to return to Egypt
via this short route. Instead G‑d had them
take the circuitous desert route, leading
them with a pillar of cloud during daytime
and a pillar of fire after dark. G‑d then
commanded the Israelites to backtrack and
encamp along the Red Sea. They would thus
appear to be hopelessly lost, which would
prompt the Egyptians to pursue them. The
Israelites followed this instruction, and,
indeed, the Egyptians armies set out after
the "lost" and cornered Israelites.
Second Aliyah: The Israelites noticed the
approaching Egyptian armies, and they
panicked. "Is it because there are no graves
in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the
desert?" they screamed at Moses. "Don't be
afraid," Moses reassured. "Stand firm and
see G‑d's salvation that He will wreak for
you today . . . G‑d will fight for you, and
you shall remain silent."
Third Aliyah: G‑d instructed Moses, "Speak
to the children of Israel and let them travel!"
G‑d told Moses to stretch out his staff over
the sea and divide it, and the Israelites
should then proceed through the split sea.
"And the Egyptians shall know that I am
G‑d, when I will be glorified through
Pharaoh, through his chariots, and through
his horsemen." Meanwhile, the pillar of
cloud that normally led the Israelites moved
to their rear, insulating the Israelites and
plunging the Egyptian camp into darkness.
Moses stretched out his staff and the sea
divided, and the Israelites walked on the
seabed, on dry land. The Egyptians quickly
pursued them into the sea.
Fourth Aliyah: Moses stretched his hand
over the sea and the waters that had been
standing like walls now fell upon the
Egyptians, drowning them all. Moses then
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led the Israelites in song, praising G‑d for
the wondrous miracle that had transpired.
Miriam, Moses' sister, then led the women in
song and dance, with musical
accompaniment. The Israelites traveled on in
the desert, journeying three days without
encountering water. They then arrived in
Marah, where there was water—but bitter
water. Moses miraculously sweetened the
water.
Fifth Aliyah: One month after the Exodus,
the Israelites' provisions ran dry. They
complained to Moses, mentioning
nostalgically "the fleshpots of Egypt," that
they left behind. G‑d responded that He will
rain down bread from heaven in the
mornings, and meat will be provided every
night.
Sixth Aliyah: The meat, in the form of
quails, appeared in the evening and covered
the Israelite camp. In the morning, bread –
called manna – fell from heaven, encased
between layers of morning dew. Moses told
the Israelites to gather one omer (a biblical
measure) of manna per household member
every day. Miraculously, no matter how
much manna one picked, he arrived home
with precisely one omer per head.
Furthermore, Moses commanded the
Israelites not to leave any manna over from
one day to the next. Some disregarded this
instruction, and next morning found their
manna worm-infested. On Friday everyone
picked two omers. Moses explained that the
second portion was to be prepared and set
aside for Shabbat—when no manna would
fall. Again some disregarded Moses'
directive, and went out pick manna on
Shabbat. G‑d was angered by this
disobedience. G‑d instructed Moses to take
a jar of manna and place it in the (yet to be
constructed) Tabernacle, as a testament for
all future generations.
Seventh Aliyah: The Israelites journeyed
further and as they arrived in Rephidim their
drinking water ran out again. The Israelites
complained, and G‑d instructed Moses to
smite a certain rock with his staff. Water
came pouring out of the rock and the
people drank. The Amalekites then came and
attacked the Israelites. Moses directed his
student Joshua to assemble an army and
battle Amalek. Joshua did so, and the
Israelites were victorious—aided by Moses'
prayer atop a mountain. G‑d told Moses to
record in the Book that He will "surely erase
the memory of Amalek from under the
heavens."■
LOU AND JOEY ADLER LEARNING INSTITUTE CLASS SCHEDULE
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TUESDAY CONT
FRIDAY
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Chumash
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Mosaic Express
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IN PRAISE OF CHASSIDIC FOLLY
Excerpt of an article by Michael Kigel
T
he tenth of Shevat was the yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) of the previous rebbe’s
grandmother, Rebbetzin Rivkah. In the year 5710 (1950), the tenth of Shevat fell on
Shabbat. In honor of the occasion, the Rebbe submitted for publication a discourse entitled Basi Legani (“I have come to My garden”).
On that Shabbat morning, the Rebbe passed away at the age of 69.
On the previous Rebbe’s first Yartzeit, after a full year of pleading and cajoling on the
part of chassidim, the Rebbe’s son-in-law, Rabbi Menachem Mendel accepted upon himself the leadership of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. In traditional Chabad chassidic
form, he did so by delivering a chassidic discourse during a farbrengen (chassidic gathering) on that historic day.
The new Rebbe’s discourse was also entitled Basi Legani. It was based upon the very
discourse that his father-in-law had submitted a year earlier.
In the decades that followed, every year on the 10th of Shevat, the Rebbe would host a
grand farbrengen, and say a chassidic discourse beginning with the words Basi Legani.
The following is an abbreviated adaptation of some of the major themes discussed in the
discourse.
T
he discourse entitled Basi Legani recalls
a classic example of holy folly. It cites
the talmudic account of the curious
behavior displayed by the talmudic sage
Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak. At
weddings, Rabbi Shmuel had the custom of
dancing before the bride in a highly
animated fashion while juggling sprigs of
myrtle. “This venerable Sage is
embarrassing us,” a colleague was heard
saying about the Sage. Eventually,
however, the colleague recanted his
criticism when a wondrous pillar of fire
appeared after Rabbi Shmuel’s passing to
distinguish him from his peers. In other
words, Heaven gave a sign that, yes, true
religiosity is occasionally marked by
displays of folly that are unseemly,
undignified, even embarrassing, precisely
un-sage-like, beyond sagacity.
Wherein lies the need to overstep social
norms and to transcend the etiquette of
sagacity? As the discourse goes on to say,
marriage, while it may be a “normal”
phenomenon, is in essence
a metaphysical pleat in the fabric of the
cosmos which harbours the potential for
the most exquisite revelation of the Divine
presence, the Shechinah.
This potential revelation is encoded into
the very etymology of the words “man”
(‫ )איש‬and “woman”,(‫ )אשה‬each of which is
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composed of the elemental word “fire”
(‫ )אש‬plus one soft consonant (‫ י‬and ‫ה‬
respectively). When a man and a woman
are fused in holy matrimony in a
meritorious manner, these two soft
consonants unite to form G‑d’s Holy
Name. Rabbi Shmuel’s mystical vision of
the Divine Name at the heart of a happy
marriage and his ecstatic performance
dramatizing this vision was perhaps the
most encouraging, joy-infusing spectacle
a bride and groom could hope for. The
spectacle of the cheerful certainty of an
ecstatic Sage who is able to leap above
the usual constraints of the
spatiotemporal continuum, by virtue of
his light-footed “dance,” from which
elevated vantage he could see this future
blessedness of theirs as a fait accompli—
right there before his eyes. From this
height, above time, Rabbi Shmuel could
see their very house, built above time
itself, “an everlasting edifice.”
Such a vision would have to be a little
prophetic. And, in fact, as the discourse
goes on to point out, it belongs together
with the prophetic powers that we find at
work in the “crazy” behaviour of some of
the biblical prophets who “cast off their
clothes” in moments of divine inspiration
(e.g. I Samuel 19:24). What this gesture
represented is a divestment of their
corporeal existence. After all, how could a
prophet attain the necessary altitude for
his far-reaching vision, his higher sight,
were his eye tethered to his cumbrous
natural body with its five viscous senses?
To attain a supernatural view he must
have an “uncovered eye”.
We have noted the holy folly of Rabbi
Shmuel at weddings. But the range of holy
folly is wide. The Rebbe Rashab gives an
example that displays none of the wild
exuberance of Rabbi Shmuel’s ecstatic
dance. The example of a busy businessman
who, despite the enormous pressures
placed on his time by his business affairs,
nevertheless obstinately sticks to his
schedule of praying three times a day and
studying Torah on a daily basis. This
obstinacy is an old inheritance. “For they
are a stiff-necked people” (Exodus 34:9).
“The fact that they are stiff-necked is a
virtue … namely the resoluteness that
inheres in souls to turn away from evil and
do good without any rationalization and
without
any
excuses
or
explanations.” Such stubbornness too is a
species of holy folly. As the more prudent
business associates of such a man will say,
only a fool can devote himself in such a
way to an invisible God when the color of
money is right there before his eyes.
Being a Jew is something that transcends
reason; more, it even transcends the
transcendence of reason that takes place
through the critique of reason. It is the
quintessential identity of the self which
Chassidic teaching calls yechidah, the
point of absolute “onlyness” where the
soul is at one with G‑d.■
TNGA
Sunday January 25
Part 1
On Sunday, Jan 26, TNGA had a
blast doing a special IDF mission!
Thank you Sara Eldor for sharing
your experience in the IDF. We
really enjoyed!!
On Tuesday, over 300 people came to the Montreal Torah
Center to enjoy an eye opening lecture by Dr. Mordechai Kedar.
Due to the weather in the north east US, the Kabbalist Rabbi
Weisberg could not make it. He will be here to enlighten us on
WEDNESDAY, FEB 4 at 7:30 in Jerusalem On Fire part II.
Did you miss Dr. Kedar's talk? Watch the full video at
www.theMTC.com/Jerusalem
CTeen
Sunday January 25
On Sunday, CTeen did some AMAZING Tikkun Olam at TFS Young Leadership, had
pizza for lunch and than had a blast at ISaute - Laval
Thank You to our incredible Chairpersons Aviva Smith and David Rogo!!
Mosaic Express
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Tu B’Shvat
Shabbat Shira
T
his week's Torah reading contains the
"song at the sea" sung by the Children
of Israel upon their deliverance from the
Egyptians, when the Reed Sea split to allow
them to pass and then drowned their
pursuers. Hence this Shabbat is designated
as Shabbat Shirah, "Shabbat of song."
Our sages tell us that the birds in the sky
joined our ancestors in their singing. For
this reason it is customary to put out
food for the birds for this Shabbat. To
avoid the possibility of transgressing the
laws of Shabbat, the food should be put
out before Shabbat.■
SHOO”T OF THE
with Rabbi Levi New
When does a microwave
need koshering?
SHABBOS AFTERNOONS
15 MINUTES BEFORE MINCHA
Clarification
SHOO”T
to
Last
Weeks
Many have asked for clarification on
the prohibition of smearing (spreading),
and when it is permissible to smear a
spread on a slice of bread, a cracker or
the like.
The following is a (free) translation of
the Ketzos Hashulchan[1]: “. . . the
entire essence of the prohibition to
smear the apples[2] is specifically when
ones intention is to smear so as to
beautify the food; than it is considered
‘smearing’. But when one does not
intend to beautify the food, rather to
bring it [=the spread] to where it is not;
it is not considered part of the
Meloocho (forbidden “labor” on
Shabbos) and it is permitted . . . and it
is [therefore] obvious that the
permissibility to spread butter on bread
is to spread the butter to the point that
it would cover the surface of the slice.
But if the butter is [already] equally
spread over the entire surface, but he
continues to spread in order to beautify
it, as restaurants do when they present
bread with butter smeared on it for
their guests; . . . it is forbidden . . .” [3].
In accordance with this ruling, the
prohibition to smear food on Shabbos,
is only when the smearing is being
done for the sake of beautification. It
does not make a difference if one
wanted more than one layer of the
spread, or how thick the spread is; so
long as it is done for the sake of the
desire to eat it in that manner, but not
for beautification, it is permitted.
Notes and Sources:
[1] By Rabbi “Avraham Chaim Naeh (1890–1954)
was a Lubavitcher Chassid and major Posek
(Halachik authority) active during the first half of
twentieth century” (Wikipedia).
[2] Apples are mentioned here in reference to the
words of the Sma”k quoted by the Magen
Avrohom 321, 29. The same law applies to other
spreads as we shall see further (translators note).
[3] OC 146, Baday Hashulchan section 12.
Tu B’Shevat, the 15th of Shevat on
the Jewish calendar—celebrated this
year on Wednesday, February 4,
2015—is the day that marks the
beginning of a “new year” for trees.
This is the season in which the
earliest-blooming trees in the Land
ofIsrael emerge from their winter
sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing
cycle.
Legally, the “new year” for trees
relates to the various tithes that are
separated from produce grown in the
Holy Land. These tithes differ from
year to year in the sevenyear shemittah cycle; the point at
which a budding fruit is considered
to belong to the next year of the
cycle is the 15th of Shevat.
We mark the day of Tu B’Shevat by
eating fruit, particularly from the
kinds that are singled out by
the Torah in its praise of the bounty
of the Holy Land: grapes, figs,
pomegranates, olives and dates. On
this day we remember that “man is a
tree of the field” (Deuteronomy
20:19), and reflect on
the lessons we can
derive
from
our
botanical analogue.
SUPPER and LEARN
Soulmates
Wednesday February 18
Dinner 7:00 pm, Class 8:00 pm
$25 for the evening
$10 for the class only
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available for sponsorship
Siddur- $36
Tehillim- $20
Please contact the office to sponsor.
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An inspiring story for your Shabbos table
HERE’S
my
STORY
Generously
sponsored
by the
‫ב“ה‬
‫ תשע״ה‬,‫ י׳׳א שבט‬,‫שבת פרשת בשלח‬
Shabbos Parshas Beshalach, January 31, 2015
THE SHABBOS
MEVORCHIM KIDDUSH
MR. CHARLES ROTH
I
n the early 1940s, when I was about fifteen or sixteen,
my family moved from Coney Island to Crown Heights.
We didn’t move to Crown Heights because it was the
seat of Chabad-Lubavitch — we were not Lubavitch, so
that did not attract us at all. As a matter of fact, there
were very few Lubavitchers in Crown Heights at that
time, but the Lubavitcher Rebbe — the Previous Rebbe,
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak — lived there, and he had just
established his headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway.
Once we were living in the neighborhood, for one reason
or another, my father took a liking to the Lubavitchers,
and he began to attend prayer services at 770. At that
time, I was enrolled in Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, but when I
heard that a yeshiva for my age group was about to open
at Lubavitch, I decided that I wanted to enroll.
But my father had misgivings about this. He said, “You’re
an American kid, you’re not going to succeed in a chasidic
yeshiva. It’s not like the yeshivas you’re used to — it’s a
European yeshiva, not an American yeshiva.”
I said, “Well, they speak Yiddish at Torah Vodaas, and
they’ll speak Yiddish at the Lubavitch yeshiva.”
My father said, “If you want to go, it’s okay with me —
just be prepared that you may find it unpleasant.” But I
didn’t find it unpleasant at all.
Meanwhile, my father’s minyan in the Lubavitch shul had
expanded to include other men who were not chasidim.
My father came to know these people because they
would all sit down to make a kiddush together after
Shabbos prayers. This was not a Lubavitch custom — the
Lubavitchers went home, but these men stayed behind.
And that brings me to a story I want to tell about Rabbi
Yosef Yitzchak, the Previous Rebbe, and also about the
future Rebbe, who was then the Rebbe’s son-in-law. We
knew him as Ramash — an acronym for Rabbi Menachem
Mendel Schneerson.
In the summer of 1945, the Previous Rebbe was
vacationing in Morristown, New Jersey, and my father
—because he had a car — was asked to drive some
chasidim there. When they arrived, my father stayed in
the car waiting for them to complete their business, but
the Previous Rebbe asked if he might like to come in.
My father said, “I’m not going to pass up an audience
with the Rebbe,” and he went in.
When the Previous Rebbe asked him, “What can I do
for you?” My father took that opportunity to voice a
complaint. He said, “Please tell your chasidim to stop
ostracizing us.”
The Rebbe was shocked. “My chasidim do that?! How
so?”
“Well, after Shabbos prayers we make a kiddush,” my
father replied. “But your chasidim don’t participate, they
just go home, and that makes us feel like we’re outsiders.”
When he heard that, the Rebbe laughed and he gave
my father three dollars. He said, “Tell my chasidim that
I gave you money for vodka and they’ll make a kiddush
with you.”
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 1,000 videotaped interviews
conducted to date. Please share your comments and suggestions. [email protected]
continued from reverse
My father put those three dollars to good use — he
gave one dollar to a chasid, Berel Chaskind, who agreed
to supply cake for the kiddush for a whole year; he gave
another to someone else, Shlomo Palmer, who agreed to
provide vodka for the whole year; and he himself kept the
third dollar and bought herring for the whole year.
Having
arranged
everything, my father
then asked the Ramash
— the future Rebbe — to
please say a few words of
Torah at the kiddush. But
he refused. My father
didn’t let go. He said, “You
must do it. The Rebbe
gave us three dollars, and
he said this will bring us
cooperation from all the
chasidim, so you have to
cooperate too.”
Finally, the Ramash agreed to teach Torah once a month,
on Shabbos Mevarchim, the Shabbos before the new
month.
The first time he did it, he taught a Mishna of Rabbi
Meir. I think he may have done it in honor of my father
whose name was Meir. He spoke for two hours without
stopping. He cried twice during his talk, though we didn’t
understand why.
And from then on, every Shabbos Mevarchim, he would
not only teach but would also lead the gathering in song.
And this became a Chabad custom — to have a Shabbos
Mevarchim Farbrengen.
Some years later, after the Ramash became the Rebbe,
he asked me, “Why don’t I see you at the Farbrengens
anymore?” So I said, “Because I’m more concerned with
how the Rebbe is going to respond to my l’chaim than I
am with anything else. And I don’t think that is a good
reason to go to a Farbrengen.”
I was owning up that, when I did come to the Farbrengens,
I didn’t come for the Rebbe’s blessings, but to be able to
brag about what he said to me, because he had a clever
way of responding to each person.
My admission brought a big smile to his face and he said,
“It’s nice that you’re being honest and open, but you
should come to the Farbrengens anyway.”
I was in my thirties already — he asked me why I hadn’t
gotten married yet.
“I haven’t found the right lady yet,” I replied. But he must
have sensed that I was being very choosy and passing
up many appropriate marriage partners. So he said to
me, “Getting married is pretty much like learning how to
swim. You don’t learn how to swim by reading a book on
swimming — you learn to swim by jumping in the water.
And that’s how you should go about getting married. If
you want to get married, don’t think about it too much —
just find a lady and do it.”
And I’d just like to say that whenever he gave me
advice — even though I, personally, was not observant
— he always made me feel that he was concerned
about me. He was always caring, and he never
admonished me in any way or made demands. He was
just very, very warm to me, and I shall never forget it.
______________
Charles Roth served as the executive director of the National
Jewish Post for 29 years and also worked as a broadcaster for ABC
News. He was interviewed in August of 2009.
‫לע“נ ר‘ ישראל יעקב וזוגתו מרת קריינא ע“ה לאקשין‬
‫ע“י בניהם ר‘ נחמן ור‘ אברהם ומשפחתם שיחיו‬
This week in….
>5
710 — 1950, thousands of Jews from throughout
the US and Canada gathered on Eastern Parkway for
the funeral of the Previous Rebbe. Before interring
the coffin at Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, the
Rebbe declared, “…This burial is on condition that
if we go to Israel, we won’t go without you…” 1
11 Shevat
>5
719 — 1959, in a private audience with Mr.
Zalman Jaffe of Manchester, England, the Rebbe
granted special permission for him to make a copy
of the audio recording of the six-hour-long Yud
Shevat Farbrengen of that year, so that the Jewish
communities in England would be able to relive the
experience of the Farbrengen, in addition to learning
from the Rebbe’s teachings. 2 16 Shevat
1. Yemei Bereishis, p. 77
2. Personal diaries of Mr. Zalman Jaffe
On another occasion — this was in the mid-1950s when
Honoring our daughter
A project of:
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On her birthday ‫ט”ו בשבט‬
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LA
SIDRA
DE LA SEMAINE
BECHALA’H
SAMEDI 31 JANVIER 2015
11 CHEVAT 5775
VIVREAVEC LA
PARACHA
Bechala’h
Les femmes et la sore d’Egypte
La dimension féminine
Nos Sages enseignent que Chir Hachirim,
«le Canque des Canques», ne doit pas
être compris dans son sens liéral mais
comme une allégorie décrivant la relaon
qui se développe entre D.ieu et Sa
promise, le Peuple Juif. Les différentes
phases de rapprochements et de
séparaons, relatées dans ce texte,
servent d’analogie pour les états d’exil
subis par notre peuple et les rédempons
qu’il a vécues et vivra.
Le concept même de la rédempon est
intrinsèquement
lié
aux
femmes.
L’exprimant en termes d’émanaons
divines, les Sefirot, la Cabbale explique
que la Sefira de Mal’hout (liéralement
«la souveraineté») reflète la dimension
féminine. Durant les périodes d’exil,
Mal’hout est dans un état d'abaissement
et ne reçoit pas le déversement direct
d’énergie spirituelle dont elle bénéficie
ordinairement de la part des autres
Sefirot avec lesquelles elle est liée.
Métaphoriquement, cet état décrit
l’obligaon pour la femme d’être séparée
de son mari. Inversement, à l’Ere de la
Rédempon, «une femme de valeur (sera)
la couronne de son mari» (Michlé 12 :4 ;
Yirmiyahou 31 :21) ; la source supérieure
de Mal’hout se révélera alors, le lien
direct entre Mal’hout et les autres Sefirot
sera rétabli et Mal’hout deviendra une
source d’une importance vitale, ranimant
la totalité de l’existence.
Ces concepts se sont reflétés tout au long
de l’histoire juive. Nos Sages enseignent
que «par le mérite des femmes
vertueuses, les Juifs furent délivrés
d’Egypte» (Sotah 11b) et il en va de même
pour les généraons postérieures. Quant
au futur, il nous a été promis : «comme
aux jours de votre sore d’Egypte, Je vous
(au peuple) montrerai des merveilles». Le
AriZal écrit que la généraon de la
Rédempon ulme sera une réincarnaon
de la généraon de l’Exode d’Egypte.
Puisque la Rédempon future suivra le
même modèle que la rédempon
archétypale, elle surviendra également
par le mérite des femmes justes de cee
généraon.
Un foyer pour la famille : un Sanctuaire
pour D.ieu
Le rôle du Peuple juif, la fiancée de D.ieu,
et tout parculièrement des femmes
juives, dans la préparaon du monde pour
la Rédempon, est analogue à celui de la
femme dans son propre foyer. Nos Sages
nous enseignent que D.ieu créa le monde
pour qu’Il puisse avoir une résidence
parmi les mortels. Cet idéal sera
complètement réalisé à l’Ere de Machia’h.
Développons cee analogie : une
personne ne désire pas seulement
posséder une résidence mais elle souhaite
qu’elle soit accueillante et décorée avec
goût. Il revient convenonnellement à la
femme d’enjoliver l’environnement du
foyer. Par le même biais, dans la mission
de faire de ce monde une Résidence pour
D.ieu, c’est la femme juive qui le rend
arayant et lumineux.
Ce rôle éminent, que jouent les femmes
dans le monde, doit se retrouver dans
leurs acvités à l’intérieur de leur propre
maison. C’est très largement grâce aux
efforts de la maîtresse de maison que
chaque foyer est transformé en «un
sanctuaire en microcosme», un lieu où se
révèle la Divinité, d’une manière qui est
parallèle et conduit à la révélaon qui se
répandra dans le monde ener à l’Ere de
Machia’h.
Ces efforts se retrouvent, non seulement
dans l’influence spirituelle qu’inslle une
femme dans le foyer, mais également
dans la manière dont elle dessine son
intérieur. En effet, c’est elle qui s’assure
que chaque membre de la maisonnée
possède un Sidour, un ’Houmach, un
Tanya, une boîte de Tsedaka bien mise en
évidence. C’est elle qui décore la chambre
de ses enfants de symboles juifs comme
(Connué à la page 11)
Mosaic Express
l9
LE RECIT DE LA SEMAINE
A qui ai-je l’honneur de parler ?
quelqu’un qui vous ressemble. Mais pour
vous, j’ai répondu non parce qu’il n’est
pas pour vous !»
A
près
le
séminaire
pour
enseignantes d’écoles juives, je fus
engagée à l’école Loubavitch de Londres
et j’eus aussi l’occasion de me rendre à
New York pour rencontrer le Rabbi.
J’avais voyagé avec Madame Shagalov
mais j’étais entrée seule dans le bureau
du Rabbi. Il était assis derrière une table
sur laquelle s’entassaient des piles de
leres venues du monde ener et je fus
stupéfaite de le voir prendre justement
ma lere de cee pile énorme ! Elle se
trouvait au milieu de ce tas mais il savait
exactement où elle était !
Il commença : «J’ai lu votre lere mais
vous n’avez pas indiqué toutes vos
acvités !». Et il se mit à toutes les
énumérer : des cours, des groupes
d’Oneg Chabbat, des clubs pour les
petes filles… Moi je n’avais rien écrit de
tout cela !
Et il connua : «Cela fait beaucoup en
quanté. Vous avez non seulement la
quanté mais aussi la qualité parce que
tout ce que vous enseignez aux enfants,
c’est de la qualité ! C’est très bien !».
Le Rabbi me donna aussi des conseils
pour ma santé – j’avais beaucoup de
problèmes d’oreilles au point que je suis
complètement sourde d’une oreille – et
il demanda des nouvelles de mes
parents : il me demanda comment cela
se passait à la maison car j’étais devenue
praquante tandis que mes parents ne
l’étaient pas encore.
Ensuite, je sors et Madame Shagalov
entra. Elle me raconta par la suite que le
Rabbi lui avait aussi demandé comment
cela se passait avec mes parents – s’ils
étaient genls avec moi et me laissaient
praquer le judaïsme comme il convient.
Madame Shagalov l’assura que tel était
le cas.
10
l Mosaic Express
Il se produisit quelque chose d’étrange
pour elle : elle avait écrit sur un papier
tout ce qu’elle voulait demander au
Rabbi et lui avait tendu ce papier comme
le veut la coutume. Le Rabbi répondit à
toutes ses quesons, une par une.
Étonnée, je demandai avec la politesse
anglaise si caractérisque :
- A qui ai-je l’honneur de parler ?
- Rabbi Schneersohn !
Ce n’est que quand elle sort de son
bureau qu’elle réalisa qu’elle avait
encore dans son sac le papier qu’elle
avait écrit pour le Rabbi et qu’elle ne le
lui avait pas du tout donné ! Elle ne lui
avait tendu que la liste des
commissions !
Je tentai de comprendre ce qui se
passait :
Elle était horrifiée par son étourderie.
Mais, en même temps, elle était
stupéfaite que le Rabbi ait connu tous
ses problèmes et lui ait répondu comme
si elle lui avait tendu le vrai papier !
J’avoue qu’il me fallut un certain temps
pour assimiler tout cela !
Quand je retournai en Angleterre, les
gens commencèrent à m’encourager à
accepter des proposions de mariage.
Mais je ne me sentais pas encore prête.
Néanmoins, on me proposa de
rencontrer un certain jeune homme et la
rencontre s’avéra fructueuse. Le jeune
homme écrivit au Rabbi pour demander
son consentement au mariage et moi
aussi, j’écrivis. Le secrétaire Rav Groner
téléphona au jeune homme : il avait reçu
une réponse posive mais moi, j’avais
reçu une réponse négave ! Les
personnes concernées esmèrent que
j’avais mal entendu et me demandèrent
de rappeler New York pour obtenir des
clarificaons.
Quand j’appelai et expliquai le problème
à Rav Groner, il me demanda d’aendre
un moment. Puis une autre voix se fit
entendre à l’autre bout du fil : «Au jeune
homme, j’ai dit oui, parce que votre
caractère lui convient et il doit chercher
- Vous voulez dire… le Rabbi ? demandaije, estomaquée.
- Oui, le Rabbi ! répondit-il.
Puis il ajouta :
- Je voudrais vous prévenir encore
d’autre chose : vous ne devez pas encore
vous intéresser au mariage. Avec l’aide
de D.ieu, vous rencontrerez la personne
qui convient plus tard et vous vous
marierez. Mais ce n’est pas encore le
moment !
Je le remerciai et la conversaon était
terminée.
Sur le coup, je ne réalisai pas vraiment
que ce qui m’était arrivé était
absolument inhabituel. Mais je réalise
maintenant combien j’ai eu de la chance
de recevoir tant d’aenon de la part du
Rabbi. Je venais d’une famille pauvre,
pas praquante et le Rabbi avait veillé
personnellement à ce que j’emprunte le
bon chemin. Maintenant que je suis
devenue une Chlou’ha (émissaire du
Rabbi) à Birmingham depuis 1974, je lui
en suis pour toujours reconnaissante.■
Leah Rivka Arkush – JEM
(Vivre avec la Paracha
Connuer de la page 9)
un Chir HaMaalot. Tous ces efforts
concrets témoignent de la manière dont
le
Judaïsme
imprègne
même
l’environnement matériel dans lequel
nous vivons.
Eclairer la
Sanctuaire
maison
:
illuminer
le
L’on se réfère à Chabbat comme à un
«microcosme du Monde Futur» et
réciproquement, l’Ere de la Rédempon
est évoquée comme «le Jour qui sera
enèrement Chabbat et un repos éternel
pour la vie». Au niveau de notre monde,
c’est la maîtresse de maison, qui fait
pénétrer l’atmosphère du Chabbat en
allumant les bougies. Dans cet esprit, pour
rappeler l’analogie avec le monde comme
Résidence de D.ieu, c’est donc à la femme
qu’il revient de faire entrer la lumière de
la Rédempon dans le monde.
En fait, cee mitsva elle-même, l’allumage
des bougies de Chabbat, est un moyen
puissant pour parvenir à cee fin. Car la
lumière visible, générée par les bougies,
reflète la manière dont chaque mitsva, et
dans un sens plus large chaque acte posif
entrepris par un Juif, comme une parole
amicale ou un acte bienveillant, augmente
la lumière Divine dans le monde.
Les femmes comme ferment de la
Libéraon
Les efforts des femmes juives pour servir
d’éléments catalyseurs de la Rédempon
ont des précédents historiques. Au cours
de l’exil égypen, c’est Myriam qui relaya
la prophée qu’un sauveur se lèverait. Et
même lorsque les dirigeants de cee
généraon n’entrevoyaient pas l’issue de
la servitude et de l’oppression, elle
propagea l’espoir et la confiance dans son
peuple.
Quand sa mère fut obligée de placer
Moché, le futur sauveur des Juifs, sur le
Nil, son père, Amram, s’approcha d’elle et
lui demanda : «Quel sera le résultat de ta
prophée ? Comment pourra-t-elle
s’accomplir ?».
Miryam resta sur les rives du Nil et se nt
à distance pour voir ce qui lui arriverait.
Nos Sages expliquent qu’outre son
appréhension pour le futur de son frère,
elle se souciait du sort de sa prophée.
Comment réellement la Rédempon
pourrait-elle se produire ?
Dans son sens métaphorique, le récit
s’adresse à toutes les femmes juives,
celles qui vivent aujourd’hui et celles dont
les âmes sont dans le royaume spirituel.
Concernées par l’avenir du Peuple Juif,
elles aendent la Rédempon avec
impaence et anxiété : ad mataï !
Combien de temps encore le Peuple peutil rester en exil ?
Célébrer en avance
L’impaence empreinte d’anxiété pour la
Rédempon, que ressenrent Miryam et
toutes les femmes juives en Egypte,
trouva son équivalent dans les
célébraons pleines d’exultaon qui
furent les leurs quand s’amorça la
Rédempon, après les miracles de la Mer
Rouge. Après que les hommes se furent
joints à Moché Rabbénou dans le chant,
les femmes se mirent à chanter et à
danser, remerciant D.ieu dans un esprit
de réjouissance qui dépassa celui des
hommes (Chemot 15 :20).
(Cee descripon de leur joie aeste
également de la foi profonde inhérente
aux femmes juives. Les commentaires de
ce verset relatent que lorsque les femmes
de l’époque se préparèrent à quier
l’Egypte, elles étaient si sûres que D.ieu
accomplirait des miracles pour leur
peuple dans le désert, qu’elles prirent des
tambourins pour pouvoir se réjouir, le
moment venu.)
Dans un avenir très proche, notre peuple
célébrera la venue de la Rédempon
ulme et «le Saint béni soit-Il fera une
danse pour les justes. Nous pouvons
dores et déjà avoir un avant-goût de cee
célébraon imminente. Bien que nous
soyons toujours en exil, la confiance en
une Rédempon imminente doit nous
inspirer de la joie. Car le Peuple Juif a
achevé tout le service divin nécessaire
pour faire venir le Machia’h. Pour
emprunter une analogie à nos Sages, «la
table est déjà dressée pour le fesn
célébrant la Rédempon, tout a déjà été
servi et nous sommes assis avec
Machia’h. Il ne nous reste qu’à ouvrir les
yeux».
Exprimer cee joie démontre la force de
notre confiance dans la promesse de la
Rédempon et l’expression de cee foi
hâtera, à son tour, sa réalisaon. Et alors,
«couronnés d’un bonheur éternel», nous
nous dirigerons ensemble «avec nos
jeunes et nos anciens… avec nos fils et
nos filles», chantant, «un chant nouveau
pour notre Rédempon et la délivrance
de nos âmes».■
LE COIN DE
LA HALACHA
Qu’est-ce que Tou Bichevat ?
L
e 15 («Tou») du mois juif de Chevat est
un jour parculier : il est un des quatre
«Roch Hachana» (début de l’année), en
l’occurrence le Roch Hachana des arbres.
On ne récite pas la prière de Ta’hanoune
(supplicaon).
Ce mardi 3 février au soir et mercredi 4
février 2015, on mangera davantage de
fruits, en parculier des fruits qui font la
fierté de la terre d’Israël : blé, orge, raisin,
figue, grenade, olive et dae. On s’efforcera
également de manger des caroubes ainsi
que des fruits nouveaux. On n’oubliera pas
de réciter les bénédicons adéquates avant
et après manger.
On aura soin de prélever la «Terouma» et le
«Maasser» des fruits provenant d’Israël.
La Torah compare l’homme à un arbre des
champs : lui aussi est supposé produire des
fruits, c’est-à-dire des Mitsvot, des bonnes
acons. De même que le fruit peut produire
des arbres qui produiront des fruits etc., de
même nos Mitsvot entraînent d’autres
Mitsvot, encouragent d’autres Juifs à assumer leur judaïsme, à retrouver leurs
racines et à s’enraciner dans un sol riche
d’étude de la Torah et de praque des
Mitsvot. C’est ainsi que le peuple juif se
perpétue, se développe et produira d’autres
fruits.
À Tou Bichevat, nous mangeons des fruits,
nous «produisons» des fruits, nous plantons
des graines de bonnes acons.■
Mosaic Express
l 11
HORAIRE
DES COURS
DE LA SEMAINE
EDITORIAL
Un 10 Chevat pour notre temps
MARDI
Cours de Talmud………………..20h 00
C
’est une évoluon naturelle : le
temps passe et les émoons les
plus fortes s’estompent peu à peu.
Les graves événements que nous
avons
collecvement
traversés
échappent difficilement à cee règle
même si les drames dont ils ont été
porteurs empêchent que le processus
soit trop rapide. Du reste, les
déploiements
sécuritaires,
évidemment
nécessaires,
y
contribuent largement. Pourtant, il
nous faut connuer notre chemin. Et
nous ne devons pas le faire comme
par obligaon ou faute d’un autre
choix. Il nous apparent de
poursuivre la route avec toute la
force, tout l’enthousiasme de ceux
qui savent qu’ils déennent les
secrets de la victoire éternelle.
Certes, cee victoire-là ne sera pas
celle de l’épée mais bien celle de
l’esprit. Elle n’en sera que plus
grande, le peuple juif l’a toujours su
au long de son histoire.
Pour cee raison, le bonheur d’être
juif est constamment en nous, avec
cee forme de joie et d’assurance
que seule peut donner la conscience
de ses choix et de leur portée.
Décidément, notre peuple avance
dans sa voie éternelle et rien ne
saurait l’en détourner. Justement,
cee semaine nous célébrons le 10
Chevat – à la fois jour-anniversaire du
départ de ce monde du précédent
Rabbi de Loubavitch, Rabbi Yossef
Its’hak, et date à laquelle lui succéda
son gendre, le Rabbi. On a sans doute
12
l Mosaic Express
du mal aujourd’hui à ressenr les
choses comme en cee époque déjà
si lointaine. Nous sommes alors en
1950 ; cinq années seulement se
sont écoulées depuis la Shoah. Nul
n’ose envisager alors ce que sera
l’avenir et l’opmisme n’est
généralement guère de mise quand
il s’agit du judaïsme. Dès son arrivée
aux Etats-Unis, Rabbi Yossef Its’hak
avait clairement annoncé son
projet : mere à bas une certaine
désespérance, redonner vigueur à la
vie juive sur cee terre nouvelle.
Mais en 1950, après l’obscurité
profonde descendue sur le monde,
qui
pouvait
imaginer
un
développement réel ?
Le Rabbi sait, dès le premier jour,
répondre aux quesons du temps. Il
sait aller à la rencontre de chacun. Il
sait dire que le judaïsme a des
messages importants à transmere.
Et ses mots sont entendus et ils
rendent un sens aux choses. C’est
tout cela que nous célébrons le 10
Chevat et cee célébraon prend
encore plus de relief à présent. Des
barbares se sont levés et ils croient
pouvoir répandre frayeur et
désespoir. La puissance du 10
Chevat est là et la force invese par
le Rabbi nous y est transmise.
Laissons-la entrer en nous, nous
pénétrer. C’est vers le temps de
Machia’h qu’elle nous conduit, où
seules règneront la paix et la
sérénité. ■
MERCREDI
La Paracha dans notre vie..20h 00
CHABBAT
Talmud et Hala’ha ..….……15h 40
Seu'da Chelichit……..……….16h 55
ETINCELLES DE
MACHIAH
Un pet instant
Quand le Machia’h viendra, il
apparaîtra comme toute la si longue
période d’exil aura été, en fait, très
courte. C’est à ce sujet que le prophète
Isaïe (54:7) dit : « Un pet instant, Je
t’ai abandonné et avec une grande
miséricorde Je te rassemblerai. »
Lorsque la « grande miséricorde » de la
Délivrance se révèlera, chacun verra
que l’exil n’aura finalement constué
qu’un « pet instant ».■
(D’après Séfer Hamaamarim 5700 p. 10)