MOSAIC EXPRESS 1

VIRTUAL TORAH LEARNING ON ZOOM

MOSAIC Adar 24, 5780 - Friday, March 20, 2020

EXPRESS

ב"ה

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TORAH PORTION VAYAKHEL-PEKUDEI פקודי–ויקהל Candle Lighting: 6:49 pm

Shabbat Ends: 7:53 pm

PARSHAT HACHODESH

BLESSING OF THE NEW MONTH OF NISAN, ROSH CHODESH THURS MARCH 26

2 MOSAIC EXPRESS

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KOLEL MENACHEM OF HAMPSTEAD

Rabbi New’s morning Chassidus class and daily story, as well as Rabbi Levi’s daily Talmud class (for beginners as well as those a bit more advanced) are uploaded daily to YouTube.com/MontrealTorahCenter Please take a moment to explore the channel for an archive of lectures, classes and playlists on a variety of topics. Follow us on FB.com/MontrealTorahCenter where we’ll be going live from time to time with classes, including Rabbi Levi’s Monday night Haggadah class at 8:30.

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SHABBAT SCHEDULE*

Mincha & Maariv…….…….....….....7:00 pm Tehillim.….…….................................9:00 am Shacharit………….……...…...….10:30 am Followed by Kiddush Mincha………..………..…………7:00 pm Maariv………..………..…………7:53 pm

TORAH READING** Parshat Vayakhel Pekudei….......................... Maftir—Parshat Hachodesh.......................... Haftorah…..................................………….

*Join from home!

**Read summaries on pages 3 and 5.

On-Line Farbrengen

Everyone, men and women, are invited to join an on-line Farbrengen in honour of Shabbos Mevorchim Nissan; Shabbos Parshas HaChodesh and

the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka’s birthdate anniversary.

Saturday night, Motzoei Shabbos, 9:30 pm

themtc.com/zoom

Virtual Torah Classes & Prayer Services LEARNING:

Sunday morning at 8:20 for a class on the upcoming Yom Tov of Pesach. This is a class geared for both the novice and the more advanced student.

Monday thru Friday morning from 7:20 to 8:00, a more advanced class on Chassidus related to the Parsha and Holidays. This is followed by a chassidic story.

Friday morning 6:45 to 7:20, a more advanced class on Pesach Tuesday 11:00am, a class on Pesach for women, held until now in the home of Debbie

Cons. PRAYER TIMES:

Shacharis: Monday through Friday - 8:15 am. Sunday, 9:00 am.

Mincha/Maariv this week, 7:05 pm. Join a live class or prayer service where all the participants can see and hear each other.

VISIT THEMTC.COM/ZOOM

THE RABBI’S (PRE) SHABBAT SERMON

Friday, live on-line, at 5:00pm

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MOSAIC EXPRESS 3

General Overview: In this week 's portion, Vayakhel-Pekudei, Moses gathers the Jews and relays to them all the details regarding the construction of the Tabernacle, its vessels, and the priestly garments. The actual construction and assembly is also described. This portion repeats many of the details described in the portions of Terumah and Tetzaveh, wherein G-d instructed Moses regarding the assembly of all these objects. The Tabernacle is erected, and G-d's presence dwells therein. First Aliyah: On the day after Moses descended from Mount Sinai with the Second Tablets, after successfully securing atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf, he gathered all the Jewish people. The primary purpose of this assembly was to inform the Jews of G-d's desire for a Sanctuary to be constructed. He began, however, with a brief reminder regarding the observance of the Shabbat. This was followed by a description of the materials needed to construct the Tabernacle, and a list of the vessels, Tabernacle parts, and priestly garments which were to be produced. The men and women came forward and generously donated all the materials which Moses enumerated. Second Aliyah: Moses announces G-d's choice of Bezalel and Oholiab to serve as foremen of the Tabernacle construction project, and he transfers to them all the donated materials. The people, however, continued donating generously, until the craftspeople report to Moses that they have more than enough materials to complete their task, causing Moses to issue a proclamation requesting everyone to cease donating materials. The craftspeople began their work. The tapestries which covered the Tabernacle were assembled, and the craftspeople construct the Tabernacle wall panels, their sockets, the curtains which covered the entrance to the sanctuary and which separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the sanctuary, the Ark, and the Showbread Table.

Third Aliyah: This aliyah desc ribes the construction of the menorah (candelabra) and the Incense Altar. The anointing oil and the incense are also prepared. Fourth Aliyah: The Tabernac le's construction is capped off with the construction of the Outer Altar, the copper wash basin, the mesh curtains which surrounded the Tabernacle courtyard, and the beams and hooks which anchored them. The Torah then gives an exact accounting of the amounts of gold, silver and copper donated for the construction of the Tabernacle, as well as the vessels and building materials constructed with these supplies. Fifth Aliyah: The High P riest's ephod — a reversed apron which covered the back — and its precious-stone-studded shoulder straps were made. The High Priest's Choshen Mishpat ("Breastplate of Judgment") was assembled. It contained four rows of precious stones, each row containing three stones. Artisans engraved the names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel upon these twelve stones. The Choshen Misphat was then secured by straps which connected it to the ephod. Sixth Aliyah: The rest of the priestly garments were completed: The High Priest's me'il (blue robe adorned with golden bells and cloth "pomegranates") and tzitz (a golden band worn on the forehead, which was engraved with the words "Holy to G-d"); and the four garments worn by both the High Priest and the regular priests: tunics, turbans, sashes and pants. With this, the construction of the Tabernacle and all its vessels and accoutrement were finished. The craftspeople brought their finished products to Moses. Moses saw that all the work had been done exactly to G-d's specifications, and he blessed the workers. Seventh Aliyah: G-d instructed Moses to erect the Tabernacle on the first of Nissan. G-d also instructed Moses to place all the Tabernacle's vessels in their proper places,

(Continued on page 5)

ALIYAH SUMMARY

By Sarah Chana Radcliffe

When a child provokes us, we may be tempted to tell her "You are making me very upset right now!" However, doing so lays an unfair burden of guilt upon the youngster. Even if she happens to be writing on your walls at the moment, she is not actually MAKING you upset...she's only part of the problem. Other factors affecting your emotional reaction to her behavior include the overall state of your nerves (the quality of your sleep, diet, exercise, relationships, work stress), your life history (including your childhood experiences and the parenting you received), the way your day is going and much more. If this child had just been released from hospital after suffering a life-threatening illness, Heaven Forbid, you might be thrilled to see her writing on your wall! Or, if you had just come home from a parenting class, you might be able to calmly and "professionally" deal with the misbehavior, without the upset. So you see, it is not the misbehavior itself that is responsible for your emotional state, but rather a host of other factors that co-exist with it. What IS true, and what you can honestly and fairly say is, "I'm starting to get very upset right now." This small difference in wording can make a huge difference in psychological impact. Follow this statement with an action plan that your child can learn from: "I need to sit down, calm down and think about what I want to do about this."⬢

PARENTING POST

DOSE OF INSPIRATION

TWO PATHS by Tzvi Freeman

There are two paths:

One: Everything is for the good. Perhaps not immediately, but eventually good will come out from it. The other: Everything is truly good—because there is nothing else but He who is Good. It’s just a matter of holding firm a little longer, unperturbed by the phantoms of our limited vision, unimpressed by the paper tiger that calls itself a world, and eventually we will be granted a heart to understand and eyes to see.

Indeed, it's that very faith of yours that will make this become obvious good in our world as well.⬢

4 MOSAIC EXPRESS

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MOSAIC EXPRESS 5

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and to anoint all of the items with the anointing oil, thus sanctifying them. Moses is also directed to dress Aaron and his sons in the priestly garments, and to anoint them, too. When Moses finished this task a Cloud of Glory and the Divine Presence filled the Tabernacle. This cloud also served as the Jews' guide throughout their desert sojourn: when the cloud lifted, the people would travel, following the cloud until it rested, where they would set up camp until the cloud would lift again.⬢

PARSHAT HACHODESH This being the Shabbat that falls on or before the first of Nissan, we also read the section of Hachodesh (Exodus 12:1–20), which relates G-d’s words to Moses in Egypt two weeks before the Exodus, instructing us to set the Jewish calendar by the monthly new moon, and to regard Nissan as the “head of months.” G-d also instructs to bring the Passover offering, to eat it with matzah and bitter herbs, and to abstain from leaven for seven days.⬢

HAFTORAH IN A NUTSHELL This week's haftorah describes the dedication of Solomon's Temple, following the theme of this week's Torah reading: the dedication of the desert Tabernacle. The construction of the Holy Temple was completed. King Solomon assembled the leaders and elders of the tribes to Jerusalem, and amidst great fanfare the Levites transported the Ark from its temporary location in the City of David and installed it in the Holy of Holies chamber in the Holy Temple. Immediately, G-d's presence appeared in the Temple, in the form of a smoky cloud. King Solomon then blessed G-d. He recalled the history of the sanctuary, how his father, KinG-david, had wanted to build it—but was told by G-d that it would be his son who would accomplish this feat. "And the L-rd has established His word that He spoke, and I have risen up in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the L-rd spoke, and have built a house for the name of the L-rd, the G-d of Israel. And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein (is) the covenant of the Lord, which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt."⬢

6 MOSAIC EXPRESS

PARSHA INSIGHTS

The Family Store—COVID 19 The Family Store extends our deep appreciation to the MTC community for an impressive volunteer response. The MTC volunteers, together with volunteers from the Federation CJA, are ensuring that the elderly, infirm, or quarantined are able to procure fresh groceries and supplies. The Family Store is on the front line to meet the need as we work to help provide for over 10,000 daily meals during these challenging times. With thanks and blessings for your health and safety on behalf of over 500 families. The Family Store www.thefamilystore.org

with peanut butter—because you feel like it.

G-d, too, desires a home—a place where He can be fully and uninhibitedly Himself. The chassidic masters ask: Why did G-d create the physical world? What can our coarse, finite, strife-ridden existence give Him that the spir-itual dimensions of creation cannot? And they answer: G-d created the physical world be-cause He wanted a home—a place where He can do things because He feels like it.

G-d’s first home was a two-room, 45-by-15-foot building. According to Exodus 25, it was made of the following materials: gold, silver, copper, blue-, purple- and red-dyed wool, flax, goat hair, animal hides and wood. It was made to order, from detailed specifications given to Moses at Mount Sinai. It sat in the very center of the Israelite camp in the desert, and was designed so that it could be dismantled and reassembled as they wandered from place to place for the forty years between their exodus from Egypt and their entry into the Holy Land. Later, a larger and more permanent version was constructed on the Temple Mount in Jeru-salem.

Said G-d to man: I created wisdom, knowledge and understanding, and in these creations My mind dwells. I created love, justice and com-passion, and in these my character resides. I created beauty, splendor and majesty, and in these I invest My personality. But none of these are My home, any more than the office at which you work or the theater at which you are entertained is yours. So I created physical mat-ter—the most undivine thing I could conceive of—so that I should have a place in which there are no roles for Me to play and no char-acteristics for Me to project. Only My will to fulfill.

When you take your gold (your material excess-es), your silver (your stolid middle-class wealth) and your copper (your pauper’s subsistence pennies) and use them to fashion a reality that conforms to My will, you have made Me at home in My world.⬢

By Yanki Tauber

HOME

Nations go to war over it, families sign away a sizeable chunk of their income for the next thirty years to acquire one. The sages of the Talmud go so far as to say that “a man without a homestead is not a man.”

A home is more than a roof to keep out the rain, walls to keep out unwanted visitors, a kitchen in which to prepare food and a bed in which to sleep. Forts, office buildings, hotels and restau-rants can perform those functions as well, or better, than any residence. But only at home is a person at home. Home is where you can make faces at the mirror, wear an old green sweater with a hole under the armpit, and eat pickles

MOSAIC EXPRESS 7

A GATHERING WITH THE REBBE IN 1992

To build a brick wall you need bricks. To make a watch you need gears, springs and balance wheels. To create a community you need peo-ple.

You can't build a lasting building out of half-baked bricks. You can't assemble an accurate timepiece unless each of its components has first been honed to precision. Nor, it would seem, can you put together a perfect world out of imperfect individuals.

The 25th of Adar I, 5752 (February 29, 1992) was a Shabbat like many others for the Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidim residing in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York.

Because it was Shabbat Mevarchim (the Shab-bat preceding the start of a new month in the Jewish Calendar) they joined their Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, in his synagogue at 8:30 am to recite the book of Psalms, as is the Lubavitch custom. This was followed by the usual Shabbat morning service, in the course of which the Torah section of Vayak'hel (Exodus 35-38) was read. Following the service, some rushed home for a quickly-eaten Shabbat meal. Within the hour they were back, joining those who had remained in the synagogue as well as numerous other com-munity residents who had prayed that morning in other neighborhood shuls. By 1:30 p.m., the time that the Rebbe's weekly Shabbat far-brengen (gathering) was scheduled to begin, several thousand Chassidim crowded the large room at 770 Eastern Parkway.

Shortly thereafter, the Rebbe entered. For the next three hours he spoke, expounding on a variety of Torah subjects. In the short intermis-sions between his talks, the Chassidim sang and raised small plastic cups of wine to say lechaim to the Rebbe. A Shabbat like many others for the Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidim of Crown Heights.

In one of his talks, the Rebbe dwelled on the fact that the Torah reading of the day, Vayak-hel, is on many years read together with anoth-er section, Pekudei. Because of the varying length of the Jewish year, the annual Torah reading cycle includes certain sections that are sometimes combined with each other to form

into a single reading. An interesting feature of these potential "pairs" is that often their names express opposite meanings. For example, Nitza-vim, which means "standing," is often joined to Vayeilech, which means "going."

Vayakhel and Pekudei form one of these para-doxical pairs: Vayakhel, which begins by telling how Moses assembled the Children of Israel, means "And he assembled" and is related to the word kehillah, "community"; Pekudei, which begins with an audit of the Sanctuary's compo-nents, means "the counted things" and "the remembered things"--the emphasis on the item within the whole and the individual within the community.

In other words, explained the Rebbe, Vayakhel and Pekudei express the contrasting values of community and individuality, and the need to unite the two: to build a community that fos-ters, rather than suppresses, the individuality of its members; and to cultivate an individuality that contributes to, rather than conflicts with, the communal whole.

Then the Rebbe asked a question: If that is the case, why does Vayakhel come before Pekudei? Don't we first need to develop and perfect the individual, before hoping to make healthy communities out of him and his fel-

(Continued on page 8)

8 MOSAIC EXPRESS

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What came first, the Chicken or the Egg? Safety. Safety always comes first.⬢

AND FINALLY...

the Rebbe's words (it being Shabbat, no elec-tronic recordinG-devices were employed at the farbrengen). Within 24 hours, the Rebbe's words were transcribed, translated into half a dozen languages, and faxed to hundreds of Chabad-Lubavitch centers around the world. The Rebbe's Chassidim now had "material" to study, disseminate and implement until next Shabbat's farbrengen, if the Rebbe did not deliver a weekday address before then (as he often would).

But on Monday afternoon, 27 Adar I, 5752 (March 2, 1992), the Rebbe suffered a stroke that paralyzed his right side and, most devas-tatingly, robbed him of the ability to speak. There was no farbrengen on the following Shabbat, nor on the Shabbat after that. In the summer of 1994, the Rebbe's soul ascended on high, orphaning a generation.

The Rebbe's Chassidim are still waiting for the next farbrengen. In the meantime, they're making communities.⬢

CHASSIDIC STORY

by Rabbi Yochanan Rivkin, New Orleans:

In light of everything that is being cancelled, including the prayers at Congregation Anshe Sfard of New Orleans, I want to share a Cha-sidic story.

The two brothers, the famed Rabbi Elimelech of Lizensk and Rabbi Zushe of Anipoli, often wandered about together, posing as simple beggars. They would mingle with the mass-es, listening, teaching, speaking, helping and guiding whomever and whenever they could.

Once, while they were traveling with a group of vagabonds, members of the group were accused of being thieves, resulting in the entire bunch being thrown into jail. Confident of their innocence and eventual release, the two brothers sat quietly. As the afternoon progressed, Rabbi Elimelech stood up to prepare himself to pray the afternoon service.

"What are you doing?" his brother asked.

"I'm getting ready for minchah," replied Rabbi Elimelech.

Rabbi Zushe pointed at the pail in the corner of the room. "It is forbidden," he said, "to pray

lows?

But this, the Rebbe explained, is the Torah's very point: Make communities, even before you have perfect individuals. People are not bricks or gears, which must be individually forged to perfection before they can be assembled together in a con-structive way. People are souls, with the poten-tial for perfection implicit within them. And noth-ing brings out a soul's potential as much interact-ing and uniting with other souls. Imperfect indi-viduals, brought together in love and fellowship, make perfect communities.

The farbrengen having ended, those who had not yet done so went home for the Shabbat meal; they, too, had to hurry, as the short winter day was already drawing to a close. As soon as Shab-bat was over, a group of scholars (called chozrim, or "repeaters") gathered to recall and write down

(Continued from page 7) in this cell, because the odor coming from that pail makes the room unfit for prayer."

Dejected, the holy Rabbi Elimelech sat down.

Soon after, Rabbi Elimelech began to cry. "Why are you crying?" said Rabbi Zushe. "Is it because you are unable to pray?" Reb Elimelech answered affirmatively.

"But why weep?" continued Rabbi Zushe. "Don't you know that the same G-d who commanded you to pray, also commanded you not to pray when the room is unfit for prayer? Be happy that G-d has afforded you the opportunity to obey His law at this time, no matter what it is."

"You are right, my brother!" exclaimed Rabbi Elimelech, suddenly smiling. The feelings of dejection banished from his heart and mind, Rabbi Elimelech took his brother's arm and began to dance from joy as a result of per-forming the mitzvah of not praying in an inappropriate place.

The guards heard the commotion and came running. Witnessing the two brothers danc-ing, the guards asked the other prisoners what had happened. "We have no idea!" they answered, mystified. "Those two Jews were discussing the pail in the corner, when all of a sudden they came to some happy conclusion and began to dance."

"Is that right?" sneered the guards. "They're happy because of the pail, are they? We'll show them!"

They promptly removed the pail from the cell!

* * * *

As Jews, we need to know that refraining from a Jewish practice such as attending synagogue because of a danger to life and health is as much a mitzvah as engaging in those practices under normal circumstances. We need to joyously thank G-d for allowing us to fulfill his Holy Will, whatever it is. And, perhaps, in merit of that joy, He might just take the pail away.⬢

Iam a Persian Jew, born in Tehran, Iran. As a young man, I immigrated to the United States where I was educated

at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Then, just about the time when I finished graduate school, the Islamic Revolution happened, and I became involved with the Rebbe’s efforts to rescue the Jewish children of Iran. And this is the story I would like to share in brief.By way of background, I need to point out that there were some 100,000 Jews happily living in Iran under the rule of the Shah. In those days they had a great deal of freedom, both personal and religious (even if there were some restrictions). This was true until the overthrow of the monarchy in January 1979, and the establishment of an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Khomeini. The Persian Jews did not want to get rid of the Shah; they loved him. He was a peaceful man, a behind-the-scenes friend of the State of Israel, and when the demonstrations against him started in October of 1977 and grew more intense throughout the following year, they got very nervous. If the Shah lost his throne, the Muslim hardliners would attack them, they feared, and so they appealed to people in the United States to at least get their children to safety.Rabbi Sholom Ber Hecht — the son of Rabbi J.J. Hecht who headed many of the Rebbe’s educational programs — led a Sephardic synagogue in Queens, and many Persians came to him asking for help. He went to his father, who in turn went to the Rebbe. And the Rebbe gave Rabbi J.J. Hecht the green light to do whatever it took to bring the kids out of Iran. At that point I became involved and I sat down with Rabbi J.J. Hecht to begin planning. First, we needed to organize proper documentation — the I-20s required by the US government — showing that we accepted all the responsibility for these children and that they would not become a burden on the United States of America. Rabbi Hecht – through the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education of which he was the executive director — guaranteed the financial support of every child, which was about $6,000 per kid (equivalent to about $22,000 today). As well, we got Chabad schools for boys and

girls, and also Touro College, to agree to formally accept them as students, which was another requirement of the documentation process. Once these guarantees were in place, we notified the Jews in Iran to go to the US Embassy in Tehran and get visas for their children. The kids came, not too many at first — less than handful — but this was when the unrest was still in its early stages.Once the revolution actually happened and the Shah was overthrown, the Persian Jews went into a state of extreme panic. And then, a year later when Iraq invaded Iran, the Islamic government started drafting kids and sending them to the front, where tens of thousands of boys died — seventeen, sixteen, fifteen years old, some even younger.The Persian Jews wanted their kids out, but the US embassy in Tehran was no longer functioning, having been raided by the Islamists in November of 1979, with the American diplomats taken hostage. So the British agreed to help us, as long as we acted in total secrecy. Once the children were in London, we would be able to bring them to the US. The Rebbe advised that those involved in the rescue effort, myself included, should travel to England. The flights from

continued on reverse

Marking 70 years from the anniversary of the Rebbe’s leadership, each week, JEM will be focusing on one event, idea or personality in the Rebbe’s life.

HERE’S my

STORYGenerously

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mystory@jemedia.org | myencounterblog.com | © Copyright, Jewish Educational Media, 2020

ROLLING OUT THE PERSIAN CARPET MR. MOSHE CHAYEMPOUR

ערב שבת פרשת ויקהל - פקודי, כ׳׳ד אדר, תש״פErev Shabbat Parshat Vayakhel - Pekudei, March 20, 2020

I S S U E

375T H I S W E E K S T O P I C :

The rescue of Iranian Jewish children after the revolution

For more on the topic, visit 70years.com

ב“ה

Iran were coming into London, and we would meet the plane on the tarmac, call out the names of the kids on the list and take them by chartered buses to the Chabad House in Stamford Hill. I was the only one who spoke Farsi, and I made sure to greet each child with a big smile and a big hug.

From London, they would be transferred to the United States or to Israel, wherever they chose. The Rebbe instructed us that the main goal was to bring them to safety and that the decision of where to go should be left up to them.It took about six months to get all the visas organized. Meanwhile, we operated a program in England, with the local yeshivahs helping out. Everything that we did had to be done in extreme secrecy so that the Iranians didn’t get wind of what we were doing. The children that came were between the ages of seven and twenty-two. Once in the US, they went to Chabad’s educational institutions — the boys to yeshivahs and the girls to Bais Rivka or Machon Chana. The older ones went to Touro College and other universities in the US. Many people volunteered and several organizations helped with donations to run these programs and fulfill all the myriad needs of the children, which were not limited to housing and education, but included health care and emotional support as well. Rabbi J.J. Hecht deserves the lion’s share of the credit for spearheading this effort with the guidance of the Rebbe.Our aim was to train these kids so that they would grow up as good Jews, and so that — when they entered the mainstream of American society — they would not lose their identity. But some people misunderstood. The program actually had opponents who began complaining loudly that we were

taking Sephardic Jews and turning them into chasidim. It became a very hot issue.We consulted the Rebbe about this and he gave us a beautiful answer, which I am going to paraphrase to the best of my recollection: “The children who are Torah observant and have traditions from home should be encouraged to continue to practice their traditions. As far as the kids who have no Jewish background, they can learn from their brethren, or they can learn our customs.” In other words, the kids should be allowed to choose. Altogether, we brought out over 1,100 children. Today most of them are living in Los Angeles and New York, where a large number of them have kept up their connection with Chabad. They still have such wonderful memories from their stay in Crown Heights where the community — following the example of the Rebbe — embraced them so warmly.One of the most memorable things that the Rebbe did was to give a huge basket of goodies to each child on Purim. He paid out of his own pocket for these beautiful baskets which his wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, arranged to be filled with fancy fruits, chocolates, cookies and candies. When they were distributed from the Rebbe’s home on President Street, some of the smaller kids needed help carrying them because they were so large. And on Passover, the Rebbe came to visit all the boys and the girls as they were holding their seders and to say a few words which were translated for them.What amazes me is that the Rebbe had plenty to do leading his own community, yet he took on the additional responsibility of rescuing the Jewish children of Iran. This really goes to show how much he cared for every Jew. He was the fire, the engine, the accelerator for all the people who worked on this tremendous project and made it a success.______________Mr. Moshe Chayempour is an author who resides in Los Angeles, where he was interviewed in September of 2011.

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continued from reverse

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ואתה תצוה… להעלות נר תמיד

While we have done our utmost to authenticate these stories, they reflect the listener’s recollection and interpretation of the Rebbe’s words.

> 5751 — 1981, in a public letter to “the sons and daughters of Israel, wherever they may be” the Rebbe recognized the miraculous defeat of Saddam Hussein during the Gulf war and compared it to the miracles that took place during the story of Purim.1

25 Adar1. Sefer Hasichot 5751 vol. 2 page 883

This week in….

Dedicated in loving memory

of our dear fatherReb Chaim Kaneti

yahrzeit, 22 Adar

By Michael and Ricki Verbitsky and family

לע“נ ר‘ ישראל יעקב וזוגתו מרת קריינא ע“ה לאקשין

In honor of Shlomo Ben Mazal

MOSAIC EXPRESS 11

CHABBAT PARCHAT VAYAKHEL - PEKOUDEÏ PARCHAT HA’HODECH

21 MARS 2020 - 25 ADAR 5780

LA SIDRA DE LA SEMAINE

VAYAKHEL

Moché réunit le peuple d’Israël et réitère le

commandement d’observer le Chabbat. Il

transmet alors les instructions de D.ieu

concernant la construction du Michkane (le

Tabernacle). Le peuple fait don, en

abondance, des matériaux requis, apportant

de l’or, de l’argent et du cuivre, de la laine

teinte en bleu, violet et pourpre, des poils de

chèvre, du lin tissé, des peaux de bête, de la

laine, du bois, de l’huile d’olive, des herbes et

des pierres précieuses. Moché doit leur

demander de cesser leurs dons.

Une équipe d’artisans au cœur sage construit

le Michkane et son mobilier (comme cela a

été décrit dans les Parachiot précédentes :

Teroumah, Tétsavé et Ki Tissa) : trois couches

pour les couvertures du toit, 48 panneaux

muraux plaqués d’or et 100 socles d’argent

pour les fondations, le Paro’hèt (voile) qui

sépare les deux chambres du Sanctuaire et le

Massa’h (écran) pour le devant, l’Arche et son

couvercle avec les Chérubins, la Table et ses

Pains de Proposition, la Menorah à sept

branches avec son huile tout spécialement

préparée, l’autel d’or et les encens qui y sont

brûlés, l’huile d’onction, l’autel extérieur pour

les offrandes que l’on doit brûler et tout son

équipement, les cintres, les poteaux, et les

socles de fondation pour la cour et enfin le

bassin et son piédestal, fait de miroirs de

cuivre.

PEKOUDEÏ

On procède au décompte de l’or, de l’argent et

du cuivre donnés par le peuple pour la

fabrication du Michkane. Betsalel, Aholiav et

leurs assistants fabriquent les huit habits

sacerdotaux : le tablier, le pectoral, le

manteau, la couronne, le chapeau, la ceinture

et les pantalons, selon les instructions

communiquées par Moché dans la Paracha

Tétsavé.

Le Michkane est achevé et tous ses

composants sont présentés à Moché qui

l’érige et l’oint avec l’huile d’onction. Il initie à

la prêtrise Aharon et ses quatre fils. Une nuée

apparaît au-dessus de Michkane, signifiant

que la Présence Divine est venue y résider.

LES PARTIES ASSEMBLÉES

Le nom donné, en Langue Sainte, à quoi que

ce soit, constitue son âme et son essence.

Ainsi en va-t-il du nom de la Paracha et

notamment de celui des deux dernières

Parachiot qui ferment le livre de Chemot :

Vayakhel et Pekoudé.

Ce qui est toutefois intéressant est le fait que

les noms de ces deux Parachiot, qui se suivent

dans la Torah ou qui, comme cette année, sont

unies dans une seule lecture, expriment deux

idées opposées. Le nom Vayakhel, lié au mot

hébreu signifiant « communauté », évoque le

concept de collectivité, alors que le mot

Pekoudé, « être décompté », renvoie à l’idée

de l’individu comme unité singulière.

De plus, on a l’impression que leurs noms ont

été inversés et que le nom de chacune serait

plus approprié pour désigner l’autre.

Vayakhel commence en relatant la façon dont

Moché rassembla le Peuple d’Israël pour

l’instruire de l’observance du Chabbat et de la

construction du Tabernacle. Mais le reste de

la Paracha consiste dans la description de

tous les détails particuliers de la construction

du Sanctuaire avec leurs mesures, leurs

matériaux et leur architecture.

Pekoudé signifie « le décompte » et la Paracha

commence avec la déclaration : « voici les

décomptes du Tabernacle », ce qui exprime

l’idée d’attention particulière au détail. Mais

la majeure partie de la Paracha concerne

l’assemblage du Tabernacle.

En d’autres termes, Vayakhel décrit la nature

particulière des constituants du Sanctuaire

alors que Pekoudé montre comme ils sont

rassemblés pour former la structure globale, le

contraire-même de ce que signifie son nom.

CINQ LEÇONS

Résumons :

La Torah inclut une Paracha appelée

Vayakhel et une autre : Pekoudé.

Certaines années, elles sont jointes et

(Continued on page 13)

VIVRE AVEC LA PARACHA

12 MOSAIC EXPRESS

Quand je lis certains messages sur les

réseaux sociaux, je perçois instinctivement

que je veux les garder dans un tiroir de mon

esprit parce qu’ils m’ont touchés. Tel est le

cas de celui qu’avait envoyé il y a quelques

années Rav Tsa’hi Yits’hak Parnessiss,

Chalia’h du Rabbi dans la région de la Mer

Morte et que je vais rapporter ici.

J’ai lu cette semaine que sa mère est

décédée et qu’il observait actuellement la

semaine de deuil.

Voici donc ce qu’il écrivait alors et puissent

ces lignes être un hommage à sa défunte

mère, cette grande dame, Ziva bat Be’hor

‘Haïm, que son âme soit liée au faisceau de

la vie.

« Quand ma mère a compris que j’avais

décidé de devenir pratiquant et, qui plus est,

Loubavitch, elle se précipita chez Sarah,

notre voisine du 2 rue Herzl, au 2ème étage.

Sarah Oren avait un visage un peu effrayant.

Elle était toujours assise sur une chaise

roulante. Enfant, j’avais peur d’elle, de sa

façon de parler, de vous regarder… C’était

une rescapée des camps : elle avait subi

d’horribles expériences « médicales » du

terrifiant Mengele – que son nom soit

effacé. Ce monstre l’avait torturée, soi-

disant au nom de la science et elle en porta

les séquelles toute sa vie.

Sarah savait écouter et donner de bons

conseils. Pour ma mère, c’était la personne

à consulter pour exposer son « problème »,

comment réagir quand son fils devenait

pratiquant et Loubavitch en plus !

- Loubavitch ? s’intéressa Sarah. Je vais te

raconter quelque chose à propos du Rabbi

de Loubavitch. Cela s’est passé il y a

quelques années, alors que je devais subir

une opération importante aux États-Unis. On

m’avait dit qu’il y avait un grand Rabbi à

New York : il distribuait des dollars à

remettre à la charité et ses bénédictions se

réalisaient. J’ai décidé d’aller le voir.

Pourtant tu me connais, les rabbins et la

religion, très peu pour moi… Mais bon, je

suis passée devant le Rabbi et j’ai demandé

une bénédiction pour la réussite de cette

opération. Le Rabbi s’est étonné : « Vous

avez besoin d’une bénédiction de ma part ?

Mais vous-même, vous avez la capacité de

bénir ! ».

Sarah ne comprit pas le sens des paroles du

Rabbi. Elle redemanda, un peu plus fort,

mais le Rabbi répéta : « Vous avez la

capacité de bénir, après tout ce que vous

avez enduré dans les camps, vous possédez

des forces spéciales, vous n’avez pas besoin

de mes bénédictions ! ».

Sarah expliqua à ma mère que, depuis ce

jour, sa vie s’était transformée, sa vision du

monde avait changé, son appréciation de la

religion avait évolué. Et elle s’était rendu

compte qu’elle avait une capacité spéciale

pour conseiller et bénir les gens autour

d’elle.

Ma mère est d’origine bulgare, ses parents

avaient été des communistes convaincus,

elle votait pour les partis les plus à gauche

et voilà que son fils devenait pratiquant !

Peut-être ne mangerait-il plus chez elle,

peut-être ne le verrait-elle plus… Mais

maintenant elle comprenait qu’il existait un

grand Rabbi, très érudit et très

compréhensif, qui s’occupait de tous et qui

aimait chaque Juif – quelles que soient ses

convictions. Elle cessa de s’inquiéter et

observa avec intérêt la suite de mon

évolution ».

Tel était le message que Tsa’hi avait posté

sur son compte.

Je n’avais pas prêté attention aux réactions

que son message avait suscitées. Mais en y

regardant de plus près, je n’ai pas pu

m’empêcher d’essuyer une larme de mes

yeux. En effet, j’ai distingué parmi tous les

commentaires suscités par son texte un

message posté par sa propre mère :

« Mon fils ! Il manque quelque chose, il

manque la fin de l’histoire ! C’est que…

moi aussi je suis devenue pratiquante ! ».

Rav Tsa’hi, « que l’Omni Présent te console

parmi les endeuillés de Tsione et Jérusalem

» !⬢

Rav Zalmen Wishedski – Chalia’h à Bâle

(Suisse)

Traduit par Feiga Lubecki

LE RECIT DE LA SEMAINE

MOSAIC EXPRESS 13

LE COIN DE LA HALACHA

QU’EST-CE QUE LA MATSA

CHMOURAH ?

En hébreu, « Chmourah » signifie « gardée »

et ce terme décrit parfaitement ce qu’est

cette Matsa. La farine utilisée pour sa

fabrication est gardée, protégée de tout

contact avec de l’eau, depuis le moment de

la moisson. En effet, si elle venait à être

mouillée, elle pourrait lever et devenir

impropre à la consommation pendant

Pessa’h.

forment une entité unique appelée

Vayakhel-Pekoudé.

Les autres années, elles sont séparées et

constituent chacune la lecture d’une

semaine différente.

Vayakhel signifie « communauté » mais

son contenu souligne la valeur de

l’individualité. Pekoudé implique l’ «

individualité » mais elle parle de

l’avantage de l’union et de l’intégration.

Vayakhel vient d’abord, suivi de Pekoudé.

Chacune de ces nuances est significative.

Chacune illumine la relation entre notre

identité individuelle et notre identité

communautaire.

Leçon 1 : Nous avons les deux et avons besoin

des deux. Le fait que la Torah contienne deux

Parachiot nommées Vayakhel et Pekoudé nous

enseigne que notre besoin d’une communauté

et celui d’une différenciation individuelle sont

deux des composants importants et désirables

de l’âme humaine.

Leçon 2 : Nous pouvons parvenir à la synthèse

des deux. Si Vayakhel et Pekoudé ne devaient

individualités.

Leçon 4 : La Torah va encore plus loin. Elle

nous enseigne que même lorsque chacune est

considérée comme une fin en soi, les deux

sont inexorablement liées l’une à l’autre.

Cette leçon vient du fait que le contenu de

Vayakhel concerne des éléments individuels

alors que Pekoudé décrit l’assemblement de

parties diverses en un tout plus grand. La

Torah indique ici que quand bien même

l’objectif n’est que la création d’une parfaite

communauté, la meilleure d’entre elles est

celle qui est faite d’individus qui expriment

totalement leur individualité.

Leçon 5 : Des individus imparfaits forment

une communauté parfaite. La question qui

subsiste est : qu’est-ce qui devrait être

prioritaire ? Dans la Torah, Vayakhel vient

avant Pekoudé, nous enseignant que notre

tout premier dessein doit être de rassembler,

quel que soit le statut personnel de chaque

individu. Le perfectionnement de chacun

suivra, nourri par l’amour des uns pour les

autres.⬢

Ces Matsot sont rondes, pétries à la main

et ressemblent à celles que les enfants

d’Israël consommèrent lorsqu’ils quittèrent

l’Egypte. Elles sont cuites en moins de dix-

huit minutes sous stricte surveillance

rabbinique, afin de s’assurer qu’elles ne

puissent en aucune façon augmenter de

volume et devenir levain pendant la

fabrication. La Matsa Chmourah doit être

utilisée pendant les deux nuits du Séder,

c’est-à-dire mercredi soir 8 avril et jeudi

soir 9 avril 2020, en particulier pour les

trois Matsot posées sur le plateau. Chaque

toujours apparaître dans la Torah que comme

deux Parachiot séparées, cela impliquerait

que, tout en étant toutes deux nécessaires,

chacune doit intervenir à un moment et à un

lieu précis.

Le fait-même que, certaines années, elles

soient jointes pour constituer une lecture

unique nous enseigne que nous devons

parvenir à une synthèse des deux : une

communauté d’individus, chacun contribuant

par sa personnalité au but commun, alors que

la communauté donne le cadre général où

chacun peut exprimer le meilleur de lui-même.

Leçon 3 : Il nous faut également considérer

chacune des deux comme quelque chose de

valeur en et par elle-même. Le fait que ces

Parachiot apparaissent également sous la

forme de deux lectures indépendantes nous

enseigne que la communauté et l’individualité

sont également des objectifs à atteindre en

eux-mêmes. La perfection individuelle

possède une valeur indépendamment du rôle

qu’elle joue dans le bien commun. Et la

création d’une communauté est également

une fin en elle-même car elle représente un

statut plus grand que ne l’est la somme des

convive à la table du Séder mangera de la

Matsa Chmourah. Certains ont la coutume

d’en consommer pendant toute la fête.

Le Zohar appelle la Matsa Chmourah :

l’aliment de la Foi et l’aliment de la

Guérison.

Il n’est pas nécessaire d’avoir terminé son

ménage de Pessa’h pour acheter les

Matsot ; il suffira de les stocker à l’abri de

tout ‘Hamets et de toute humidité.⬢

14 MOSAIC EXPRESS

Que peut-on faire encore lorsqu’on a déjà

vécu la grandeur, la victoire et le

bonheur ? Comment envisager un au-delà

de cet absolu que la fête de Pourim vient

d’incarner pour chacun ? Ce sont là des

sentiments bien mélangés qui nous

envahissent alors que Pourim s’éloigne

inéluctablement à l’horizon des jours. Il

est vrai qu’on ne peut pas toujours

respirer l’air des sommets et qu’il est

sans doute nécessaire de redescendre

parfois dans la vallée. Cependant, n’a-t-

on pas alors l’impression que la

perspective se rétrécit ?

Mais le calendrier juif est une admirable

construction. Œuvre de D.ieu, il scande le

temps des hommes et lui donne ce sens

sans lequel il ne serait que déroulement

des jours, monotone et parfois

désespéré. Voici donc que la libération de

Pourim ne nous abandonne pas sur le

sable après le reflux de la vague

conquérante. Au contraire, elle nous

entraîne vers une autre aventure. Et celle

-ci a déjà de hautes couleurs : elle

s’appelle Pessa’h et arbore celles de la

liberté. C’est que Pourim, toute libératrice

soit la célébration, nous a laissés, selon

les termes des sages, « serviteurs

d’Assuérus ». En d’autres termes, l’exil

historique de Babylone ne se termina pas

à ce moment même si, avec cette

victoire, un temps nouveau commençait.

Nous nous dirigeons à présent vers un

temps où la servitude n’a plus place.

C’est un temps où toutes les chaînes

se brisent. En un certain sens, c’est à

notre propre naissance que nous

allons assister.

Pessa’h : un mot qui renvoie à l’idée

de « saut ». C’est bien de cela qu’il

s’agit. Il existe deux moyens

d’avancer. Le plus évident est de

progresser pas à pas mais le plus

audacieux, et sans doute, le plus

révolutionnaire au sens strict, est de «

sauter », passant sans transition d’un

niveau à un autre infiniment supérieur.

C’est à cela que nous convie la fête à

venir et nos sages savent parfaitement

l’exprimer quand ils voient dans la

célébration successive de Pourim et

Pessa’h un « rapprochement d’une

libération à une autre ».

La liberté est une grande idée. Pour

nous, elle n’est pas qu’une théorie

séduisante qu’il faudrait peut-être

limiter dans la crainte d’incontrôlables

excès. Elle est une réalité qui se

construit jour après jour et dont le

développement ne peut s’arrêter. Entre

la fête passée et celle qui vient, c’est

sur son chemin que nous marchons. Il

faut nous y préparer, c’est un chemin

des cimes que nous empruntons ainsi.

Il conduit plus loin et plus haut que

l’on pense. Se préparer, un bien grand

mot… Mais si la liberté était au bout

de l’effort ?sance !⬢

NOTRE NAISSANCE

EDITORIAL

DE L’AUTRE MONDE À CELUI-CI

Quand le Machia’h viendra, tous les

Justes des générations passées

reviendront. Tous, y compris Moïse et

les patriarches, descendront du « lieu »

où ils se trouvent, au plus haut des

mondes spirituels. Ils reviendront dans

ce monde, se revêtiront de corps

matériels et ressusciteront.

Pourquoi cela en vaut-il la peine ? Car,

en ce temps nouveau, la révélation

divine dans ce monde-ci sera bien plus

haute que celle dont on jouit dans les

mondes spirituels⬢

ETINCELLES DE MACHIAH