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
B"H
Friday, Nissan 13, 5785 / April 11, 2025
WISHING YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES A CHAG KOSHER V’SAME’ACH
A WONDERFUL PESACH-PASSOVER HOLIDAY.
MAY THIS HOLIDAY OF FREEDOM BRING TRUE AND EVERLASTING FREEDOM TO US ALL.
TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL & THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
MAY OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY MERIT TRUE FREEDOM,
ON THIS HOLIDAY OF FREEDOM & RETURN TO THEIR FAMILIES IN GOOD HEALTH IMMEDIATELY.
MAY WE MERIT THE COMPLETE REDEMPTION
WITH THE COMING OF MOSHIACH.
MAY YOU BE BLESSED WITH MUCH NACHAS FROM YOUR LOVED ONES
AS YOU CELEBRATE THE PESACH SEDER TOGETHER.
HAVE A WONDERFUL, HAPPY & HEALTHY PESACH.
CHAG SAMEACH
Montreal candle lighting times:
Friday, April 11: 7:18 / Saturday, April 12: 8:23 / Sunday, April 13: 8:25
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TORAH FAX WILL, G-D WILLING, RESUME AFTER THE PESACH HOLIDAY.
TORAH FAX WILL, G-D WILLING, RESUME AFTER THE PESACH HOLIDAY.
B"H
Tuesday, Nissan 10, 5785 / April 8, 2025
A Passover story
Rabbi Yechezkel Landau (1713-1794) was the chief Rabbi of Prague. At the time, a Melamed (Hebrew teacher) lived in Prague who had a daughter to marry off. Unfortunately, the Melamed didn't earn enough to afford the wedding expenses and dowry for his daughter. So, with his wife's blessings, he went to seek his fortune in another city. There, a wealthy man hired the Melamed to teach his children. Three years he saved every penny, until finally he had enough money for the wedding.
To save the travel expenses back to Prague, the Melamed found a wine merchant who was transporting a large shipment of wine to Prague for Passover. In exchange for a ride back to Prague the Melamed offered to act as Mashgiach (Kashrut supervisor) for the wine so that the merchant will obtain, from the Rabbi of Prague, the “Kosher for Passover” certificate. The wine merchant agreed. The merchant along with the Melamed, acting as Mashgiach for the wine, left for Prague.
When Friday came, they stopped off at an inn to spend Shabbat. Now the Melamed had a problem, "I don’t know anyone here. Where will I hide my money over Shabbat?" he thought. He decided to hide the money between the barrels of wine.
As soon as Shabbat was over he went out to the wagon to retrieve his money. “Oy Vay!” the Melamed screamed, when he realized that the money was gone! The Melamed was devastated.
Rethinking his terrible situation, the Melamed realized that the only one who might have seen him hide the money was the wine merchant. He approached the merchant and said, "I left my wallet containing all my savings between the wine barrels before Shabbat. When I went to retrieve it all the money was gone! Did you perhaps take it?"
"How dare you accuse me of stealing. It was silly of you to hide your money there in the first place!" the wine merchant roared. Realizing that arguing with the merchant will accomplish nothing, the Melamed let the matter rest till he arrived in Prague. As soon as he came to Prague, the Melamed ran to Rabbi Yecheskel Landau and cried to him how all his savings of three years were gone, and as a result his daughter's wedding will not occur!”
Shortly afterwards, the wine merchant came to Rabbi Yecheskel Landau. He said, "Rabbi, this year’s wine is especially Kosher. It has been supervised by one of your former students. I would like to get your Kosher for Passover certificate.”
"This year I cannot give you the certificate," replied Rabbi Landau to the wine merchant. "The Melamed was here before and told me that the money which he hid between the wine barrels before Shabbat, was stolen!" "Rabbi, are you suspecting me of being a thief?" the merchant protested.
"Of course not!” answered Rabbi Landau. "But that is the problem! If you didn't take the money, then obviously there must have been someone else snooping around the wine barrels without any supervision. In that case, I cannot be sure that the wine is still Kosher!" The merchant turned pale. He had invested everything in this wine business and without the Rabbi's certification he would be ruined. "Rabbi," the merchant said embarrassingly, "I confess, I took the money! I will return the money at once."
"The matter is not so simple," answered Rabbi Landau. "How can I be sure that no one else had access to the wine? Maybe you are saying this so that you shouldn't lose the business!" The merchant begged the rabbi to believe him. "I will do anything you say to repent!"
"In that case," Rabbi Landau told him, "I will give you the certificate only on the condition that, in addition to paying back the Melamed what you stole from him, you will also make him a partner and share the profits of this year’s wine with him. This way, you will compensate him for all the aggravation you caused him!"
The merchant had no choice and agreed. Rabbi Landau then called the Melamed from the next room and gave him the good news. The Melamed not only received his lost money but also did very well as a partner with the wine merchant.
As the saying goes, “Where there is Torah there is wisdom.”
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
Monday, Nissan 9, 5785 / April 7, 2025
The holiday of Pesach (Passover) begins this Saturday night, April 12.
The holiday of Pesach has a few names. The two common names for this holiday are: Chag HaPesach (the holiday of Pesach) and Chag HaMatzot (the holiday of Matzot).
Reason: “Pesach” means to “Pass over.” This name came about because when G-d brought the plague of the First-born on the Egyptians and the eldest of every Egyptian household was killed, He skipped over the Jewish homes, and they were spared. Therefore, we call the holiday Pesach.
Pesach is also a combination of two words, “Peh”(mouth)“Sach”(to speak). On Pesach there is a mitzvah to SPEAK and TELL the story of Pesach (Passover). Although we have to remember the Exodus each day, on Pesach there is a special mitzvah to TELL our children the story of Pesach.
The name “Chag HaMatzot” - “Holiday of Matzot” is because of the fact that when G-d told the Jewish people that He will take them out of Egypt into the wilderness, they had such great faith in G-d that they didn’t even prepare enough food for the way. They took the dough they had, placed it on their shoulders and left Egypt. The sun baked the dough into matzah. Thus, Chag HaMatzot is an expression of their faith in G-d that He will provide all their needs.
We find something very interesting. In the Torah the holiday is called, “Chag HaMatzot. However, we commonlycall this holiday, “Pesach.”
Q. Why does the Torah call it, The Holiday of Matzot and we call it, The Holiday of Pesach?
A. As mentioned before, the name “Pesach” tells of G-d’s compassion for the Jewish people that HE skipped over the Jewish homes and spared them from the plague of the First-born. However, the name “Matzot” is about the virtue of the Jewish people that they had such great trust in G-d.
G-d calls the holiday “Chag HaMatzot” to stress the wonderful quality of the Jewish people that they had great faith in G-d. But, we call the holiday “Pesach” to glorify G-d for His passing over our homes and sparing the Jewish people from the plague.
Q. One of the items on the Seder Plate is “charoses.” Before eating the bitter herbs (maror), we dip it in the charoses. The bitter herbs symbolize the hard labor and bitterness Jews suffered in Egypt. What is the symbolic meaning of the charoses? Also, what is the meaning of the name charoses?
A. Charoses is a combination of fruits, nuts and wine mixed together and looks like mortar or clay. This symbolizes the hard labor, which Jews endured in Egypt when they were forced to make the bricks to build the cities of Pisom and Ramses. “Charoses” comes from the word, “cheres” which means “clay.” The maror dipped in the charoses reminds us of the bitterness in Egypt which was a result of their being forced to produce the bricks, mortar, and clay.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
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