Friday, Nissan 27, 5785 / April 25, 2025

Shalom. I’m writing this Torah Fax from Israel, where we came to celebrate our grandson’s Bar Mitzvah, which took place this morning at the Kotel. May we all have Nachas and celebrate many family simchas.

In this week’s Parsha Shemini, the Torah tells how on the day of the dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), and in the midst of all the festivities and celebrations of the Jewish people, tragedy struck and two of Aaron’s sons died.

The Torah says, that after Aaron finished the service on that special day, he and Moshe came out and blessed the people, and the glory of G-d appeared to all the people, and the people praised G-d. “Then, each of Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, took his own fire pan. They put fire in them and placed incense on top, and they brought a foreign fire, which He had not commanded them to bring. And fire came out from before G-d and consumed them and they died before G-d.”

Moshe consoles his brother, “When G-d said, ‘I will be sanctified through those whom I have chosen,” it is your two sons He has chosen, for they are greater than me and you.” And Aaron was silent.” Moshe consoles Aaron by saying that the fact that his two sons died at this time when G-d’s glory filled the Mishkan, was a sign of theirgreatness and righteousness,rather than their lacking.

Aaron’s response was silence.He didn’t complain. He didn’t ask, “Why me?” He accepted his fate because this was G-d’s will. The Torah emphasizes that this was one of Aaron’s great virtues, for which he was immediately rewarded, by G-d speaking to him.

This story of the Parsha is in connection with Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Memorial DayToday we experienced a minute of silenceat the Kotel, in honor of Yom HaShoa. A day established to reflect and remember the six million Jews who were murdered just for being Jewish.

Yom HaShoah is one of those important days in the Jewish calendar which we could have done without. Yet, it’s a day we must never forget. This is especially true with the rise of anti-Semitism in our time.

“Be of the disciples of Aaron,” our sages tell us in Pirkei Avot. In spite of our many questions, we must continue to go forward and perform our mission in this world to the best of our ability.

King Solomon in Ecclesiastes says, “There is a time to be silent and a time to speak.” We must never forget the Holocaust and at the same time we must be determined to continue the legacy of our brothers and sisters who perished in the Holocaust and who gave their lives for being Jewish. They will continue to live on through us, through our children and grandchildren, through the good deeds we will perform in their memory. Am Yisrael Chai – Israel lives and will live forever. Amen.

Shabbat we bless the new month, Iyar. Rosh Chodesh will begin Sunday night, Monday & Tuesday.

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 7:36 / Shabbat ends: 8:44

UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW