Friday, Sivan 3, 5781 (47th day of the Omer) / May 14, 2021

Sunday night we celebrate the holiday of Shavuot, the day when we received the Torah at Mount Sinai. In Israel one day is celebrated. In the Diaspora, we celebrate two days – Sunday night thru Monday & Tuesday. The first day of Shavuot we read from the Torah the Ten Commandments. The Book of Ruth is read on Shavuot.

Q.  Except for receiving the Torah, what else happened on Shavuot?

A. King David passed away on Shavuot. Also, the Baal Shem Tov (Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov), founder of the Chassidic movement, passed away on Shavuot.

Q.  Why is the Book of Ruth read on Shavuot in many congregations?

A.  Because King David, who passed away on Shavuot, was a direct descendant of Ruth.

Ruth was a convert to Judaism. She converted for no ulterior motives and for no personal gain. When her mother-in-law, Naomi, tried to dissuade Ruth from becoming Jewish, Ruth replied, “Wherever you go, I will go; where you will lodge, I will lodge; your people are my people; your G-d is my G-d; where you die, I will die and there I will be buried.”

The story of Ruth is very appropriate to the holiday of Shavuot.  At the time of the Giving of the Torah Jews were like converts as they became a new nation and a new people. His people and His nation.

Q.   Shavuot is also called "Atzeret."  What is the reason for this name?

A.  Atzeret means Completion - Shavuot is in a sense the completion of the Passover holiday, because the purpose of the Exodus was for the sake of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai on Shavuot.  Only at Mount Sinai, when they received the Torah, did they achieve complete freedom.

Q.  Why is it customary to eat dairy on the first day of Shavuot?

A.Here are two of the many reasons: 1) On Shavuot, when Jews received the Torah, they were considered as newborns.  Just as an infant is nourished through milk, we, too, eat dairy on Shavuot to symbolize the birth of the Jewish nation. 2) Moshe was on Mount Sinai forty days. The numerical value of “Chalav” (milk) is 40.

The Yizkor prayer, remembering our loved ones who passed away, is recited on Shavuot.  In the Diaspora, where two days of holiday is observed, the Yizkor is recited on the second day Shavuot -  Tuesday.  In Israel, where only one day is celebrated, it is said on Monday.

Remember to attend and listen to the reading of the Ten Commandments on Monday morning.

Next Torah Fax, G-d willing, next Wednesday, after the holiday.

SHABBAT SHALOM & CHAG SAMEACH – HAPPY SHAVUOT

Montreal candle lighting time: 7:59 / Shabbat ends: 9:11

B"H

Thursday, Sivan 9, 5781 / May 20, 2021

I hope you had a great Shavuot holiday. Although the holiday is over, yet, the spirit and lessons of this holiday continues throughout the year. The purpose for G-d giving us the Torah was so that we should study it and live by it every day of our life. 

We say each day in the evening service, “The Torah is our life.” Our sages compare the Torah to water. Just as fish cannot survive without water and one cannot live without water, so too, we cannot survive without Torah and if our body doesn’t realize it, our Neshama-soul feels it.

One of the remembrances which G-d commanded a Jew is to remember each day is, “Remember the day you stood at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah.” The Torah is a present which G-d gave and continues to give us each day. That’s why it’s called a present.

The Ten Commandments are recorded twice in the Torah, in the Book of Exodus and again in Deuteronomy. At the conclusion of the Ten Commandments as they appear in Deuteronomy, G-d tells Moshe to tell the Jewish people who were all standing at Mount Sinai, “Now return to your tents.”

Why did G-d tell them to return to their tents? G-d is telling them that the purpose of giving them the Torah and mitzvot is to observe the Torah in their homes. The commandments were given not to be left at Mount Sinai or to be kept in synagogue etc., but to make their homes a Jewish home and a Torah home.

The true barometer if we actually accepted the Torah on Shavuot is how we keep it the rest of the year.

This week’s Parsha is Naso, which is the longest Parsha in the Torah. It is usually read on the Shabbat after Shavuot.

In Parshat Naso we find the three-fold priestly blessing, which was recited by the Kohanim (priests) in the Holy Temple.  "May the L-rd bless you and guard you.  May the L-rd make His countenance shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the L-rd turn His countenance toward you and grant you Shalom-peace.  And they [the Kohanim-priests] shall put My name upon the children of Israel and I will bless them."

This blessing is recited by the Kohanim each holiday in the synagogue. In many communities, especially in Israel it is recited by the Kohanim every Shabbat and in some communities the Kohanim recite it every day.

Our brothers and sisters in Israel are going through exceedingly difficult days. The three-fold blessing is very appropriate at this time, for them and for us all. "May G-d bless us and guard us.  May G-d make His countenance shine upon us and be gracious to us. May G-d turn His countenance toward us and grant us Shalom-peace.  AMEN.

HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL AND WONDERFUL DAY

B"H

Friday, Sivan 10, 5781 / May 21, 2021

This week’s Parsha is Naso, the second Parsha in the Book of Numbers. As mentioned yesterday, in most years, as in this year, it is read on the Shabbat after Shavuot.

In this Parsha we find the Three-fold blessing which the Kohanim bless the Jewish people. Blessing others, although it’s a mitzvah (commandment) only to the kohanim, however, it’s a Jewish custom to give each other blessings. G-d gave Abraham the power of blessing and G-d told him that all those who will bless him will themselves be blessed.

Q.   What is the connection between the Three-fold Priestly blessing and the fact that it is read from the Torah on the Shabbat after Shavuot?

A.    Blessing in Hebrew is “Beracha” which begins with the letter, “Bet.”  The Torah also begins with the Letter “Bet” (“Breishis”). 

Our sages ask, why doesn’t the Torah begin with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet (Aleph)?  They reply, G-d wanted to begin the Torah with the “Bet” for it is the letter which means “blessing.”  G-d wanted to tell us that through Torah we acquire blessings.

Thus, the Shabbat after the holiday of Shavuot we read Parshat Naso in which G-d gives us His Three-fold blessings, to let us know that through the Torah, which was given on the holiday of Shavuot, one acquires G-d’s blessings.

Q.   The Kohanim bless the people, but who blesses the Kohanim?

A.  At the conclusion of the Three-fold blessing, the Torah says, “And they [the Kohanim-priests] shall put My name upon the children of Israel and I will bless them."  “Them” refers, not only to the people who are being blessed by the Kohanim, but also to the Kohanim themselves who are doing the blessing.  G-d blesses the Kohanimfor their role in blessing the people. Through blessing others, they also get blessed. 

Q.Why does the person called up to the Torah (Aliyah) hold the Torah with both hands while reciting the blessing over the Torah?

A.   This is in accordance with the words of Proverbs concerning the Torah, "It is a Tree of life to those who hold on to her (Torah)."

Q.   Why is it customary that when one's Aliyah is finished they don't leave right away, but wait at the side until the next person's Aliyah is finished?

A.  This is to avoid giving the impression of, "a child who is impatient to leave the classroom." Staying at the Torah until after the next person's Aliyah is complete, is a sign of respect for the Torah.

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 8:07 / Shabbat ends: 9:21