B"H

Thursday, Nissan 10, 5777 / April 6, 2017

Today is the 10th day in the month of Nissan– on this day, Moshe's sister, Miriam, passed away. 

Miriam was older than Moshe. According to the Midrash, when Pharaoh ordered the Egyptians to drown every newborn male, Miriam's father, Amram, didn’t want to have any more children and separated from his wife, Yocheved. 

Miriam then told her father, "Your action is even harsher than Pharaoh's!  Pharaoh's decree threatens only boys.  However, if everyone followed your decision, there wouldn't be any Jewish children at all!" 

Amram realized that his young daughter was right.  He reunited with his wife and Yocheved gave birth to Moshe, who became the leader of his people and who took them out of Egypt.

When, at three months Moshe was placed in the basket on the Nile, it was his sister Miriam who looked out for him from shore.  When Pharaoh's daughter pulled Moshe from the river it was due to Miriam’s suggestion that Moshe was given back to his mother for nursing.

During the forty years in the desert, a well which supplied all their water needs, traveled with the people of Israel.  The well was in the merit of Miriam.  It is in fact called, “Be’eirah shel Miriam” - “The well of Miriam.”

Friday, the 11th of Nissan, marks the 115th birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe - Rabbi M. M. Schneerson, of blessed memory. Although the Rebbe is not with us physically, his love for every Jew is still felt just as strongly and vibrantly as before, through his Torah teachings, through his dedicated emissaries in every corner of the globe and through the many activities he instituted and his educational networks which bring the light of Torah to every corner of the world. May his memory bring us only blessing.

Q.   What is the reason for filling the "Cup of Eliyahu (Elijah the Prophet)" at the Seder?

A.  The four cups at the Seder commemorate our past redemption. The "Cup of Eliyahu" symbolizes our future and ultimate redemption with the coming of Moshiach.  Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet) will be the one to inform us of Moshiach's arrival.  May it occur speedily in our days!

CHAG SAMEACH - A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND KOSHER PASSOVER

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** NEXT TORAH FAX IN 2 WEEKS – AFTER THE HOLIDAYS**

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In loving memory of Moshe Altman - Moshe Aharon ben Chaim Yehuda - of blessed memory

Yartzeit is Friday, 11th of Nissan.  May his soul rest in peace in Gan Eden.

From the family

Friday, Nissan 25, 5777 / April 21, 2017

The holiday of Pesach, when we celebrate the Exodus from Egypt, is over. Yet, the mitzvah to remember the Exodus is not limited to Pesach. The Torah commands us, "You shall remember the day you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life." In the Torah the Exodus is mentioned at least fifty times! 

Q. Why does the Torah repeatedly (50 times!) remind us about the Exodus?

A. The Magid of Dubna explains it with the following parable:  A person had to send an important letter to his relative in a distant city. He searched and found a wealthy businessman from that city who was returning home in a few days. He asked him to deliver the letter to his relative.

That day, the man who wrote the letter heard that a fire destroyed the businessman's factory. Realizing that when he returns home he will be distressed and busy with his great loss, the man returned to the businessman and reminded him again to please not forget to deliver his letter.

"I told you that I would deliver the letter. Why are you reminding me again?" Not wanting to reveal what he knew about the fire, he persisted, “Please make sure to deliver the letter."

"Why are you so worried? It's no big deal. I will make sure he gets the letter," the businessman answered with a bit of annoyance. "I'm sorry for repeating myself.  But there is very important information which my relative must have. Please do see to it that the letter gets to him." "What a nudnik," thought the businessman.

Upon returning to his city, he found that everything he owned was gone. His family had no place to live and his debts were staggering. He was now totally occupied with putting his life back together and completely forgot about the letter. Then one day, he remembered the letter, and the many reminders he got.

Looking back he now realized that the man was not a nudnik at all. "He must have known about my unfortunate situation and was concerned that I would forget about the letter."

The same is with G-d’s repeated reminders to the Jewish people about the Exodus.  The Torah is everlasting and speaks to every generation.  Knowing that the Jewish people will experience trials and tribulations time and again and, due to their suffering, may in time, G-d forbid, “forget their Exodus” - i.e. lose hope. Thus, G-d commands us, again and again, to Remember the Exodus-- for just as we have been freed from Egypt over 3300 years ago, we will again be freed at the time of the ultimate redemption with the coming of Moshiach. May it be speedily in our days.  Amen.

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montrealcandle lighting time: 7:30 / Shabbat ends: 8:38

Monday, Nissan 28, 5777 / April 24, 2017

Today isYom HaShoa – Holocaust Memorial Day, designatedto remember our Six Million martyrs, who were murdered for no other reason, except for beingJewish.

Martyrdom is nothing new to our people. We have been exiled, persecuted and murdered for the past two thousand years, even by, so called, peace loving religions. Jews were always the easy scapegoats for other nation’s problems. From the Egyptian exile up to our days, anti-Semitism existed in one form or another. In our time, when it is politically incorrect to call it anti Semitism, it is called BDS.. but the concept is the same. No matter what the official name, it always derives from hating Jews and Israel.

But somehow, throughout the past three thousand years, it is we, the victims, who always came out on top, in the greater picture. Our strength lies in the fact that we never forget. We do not forget our past and as a result have a very distinct GPS system to guide us on our path to the future.

I saw this so vividly, during this Pesach in Sea Gate, N.Y., where we spent the holiday with our children. There was a major fire in the Shul where I prayed and where my son-in-law is the rabbi. The fire began about midnight. By the time we came to the Shul it was full of smoke and over 100 firemen working to extinguish the blaze.

Our first reaction was to save the nine Torahs in the Shul. Against the advice and warnings of the police and firemen, we ran into the building, disregarding the heavy smoke, and, thank G-d, managed to save all the Torahs. Everyone’s utmost concern was the Torahs. Even Jews who never stepped into this, or any other synagogue, their first question and concern was, “Were the Torahs saved?”

It was amazing to see the sigh of relief when people heard that the Torahs were taken out of the burning building. The Torah is our GPS. It is our link between the past, present and future.

Many of the nations who tried to annihilate us are long gone and completely forgotten. But we are still here, greater and stronger than ever. Yes, in too many cases they were able to take our bodies, but they were never able to take our spirit. Even when they were able to rob us of our physical possessions, they were never able to take away our Torah and spiritual inheritance.

“Am Yisrael Chai” – “The nation of Israel lives on,” is our eternal slogan. The Torah is our life! The Torah and the Jew are inseparable. Thus we are both everlasting.

As we remember the six million Holocaust victims, including the one million infants and children, who were murdered over 70 years ago, let’s also not forget who we are. We mustgive our children the education and exposure to our heritage. Our continuity depends on our children and grandchildren. If, G-d forbid, they forget, then who will remember?

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY