ב ס ״ ד Torah The Missing Moses A characteristically, the chassidic Moses, but v’atah—“and you.” commentaries, reflecting the A name is only a name, but here seemingly dubious distinction inner dimension of Torah, go a G-d talks to Moses in the second belongs to this week’s Parshah, Weekly step further—and deeper. What’s person directly. You. And Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20–30:10). in a name? they ask. Who needs the you represents something far It is the only reading in March 1-7, 2020 a name? Does a person require a deeper than a mere name; it is the Torah—from the first 5-11 Adar, 5780 name for himself? Not really; he the you symbolizing the spiritual Parshah of the book First Torah: Tetzaveh: knows who he is. So, a name is essence of Moses. And what is Exodus 27:20 - 30:10 Second of Exodus (in which he is born) essentially for other people to be that essence? His unflinching Torah: 27:17-19 until the end of the book able to attract his attention, so commitment to his people, come Haftorah: of Numbers—where the name they can call him, address him, what may—even if it be at his Samuel I 15:1-34 of Moses is not mentioned. (The etc. In other words, a name is own expense. This is the very PARSHAT TETZAVEH Torah’s last book, Deuteronomy, only an external handle, a vehicle soul of Moses, the faithful consists wholly of Moses’ We have Jewish for others to identify or describe shepherd. The you that goes closing words to the people of

Calendars. If you a person; but it is all outside of beyond the superficial, and before his passing.) would like one, the person himself and peripheral beyond what any name could Tetzaveh’s opening words to his own true, inner identity. possibly encapsulate. It please send us a are V’atah tetzaveh—“And you Names are secondary to the represents the deepest core of letter and we will shall command.” The “you” is essence of an individual. The his neshamah, deeper than any send you one, or Moses, and G-d is telling him essence of every person, who he appellation or detailed

Calendars ask the what to instruct the Jewish or she really is, is beyond any description could hope to /Chaplain to people. But the verse only says name, beyond any title. So, why portray. Moses’ name may be “you”—no name, no “Moses.”

contact us. is Moses’ name not mentioned? missing, but his spiritual Why? Some explain that the day Because he said “Erase me” after presence is felt in a way that no Do you have family of Moses’ passing, 7 Adar, the golden calf? Because he name could ever do justice to. on the outside almost always occurs in this spoke with chutzpah before the May all our leaders take note and week, and the absence of his struggling? Almighty? You think it is a be inspired. By Rabbi Yossi name is an appropriate symbol of Please contact or punishment? Not at all, says Goldman his demise. Others suggest that it have them contact the Rebbe. On the contrary, this is as a result of Moses’ own The Menorah’s Dual our office to learn was perhaps the greatest moment words. Remember the golden in the life of our greatest spiritual Message This more about our calf episode? The people had leader. What would we imagine week’s Torah portion begins family programs. sinned, and G-d was going to to be Moses’ finest hour? with the mitzvah of kindling You and they are wipe them out and start over Receiving the Torah? Leading the menorah in Family Programs not alone, we are again with Moses and his own the to the Exodus? Splitting the Tabernacle (and eventually, here to help. dynasty. Moses defended his the sea? Would you be shocked if

the Holy Temple) every errant flock before the Almighty, I told you it is none of the above? afternoon. Light is a metaphor arguing for their forgiveness. Indeed, Moses’ finest, most for the Torah, which sheds light We offer free Grape And if not? Well, Moses used glorious, absolutely greatest in a world of darkness, Juice and Matzoh some very strong words there. moment on earth was when he illuminating it with G-dly for you to be able to “Mecheini na misifrecha—erase stood his ground before G-d, wisdom. In a world where the make the blessings me from Your book that You pleading for his people, fighting divine truth is concealed, the every Shabbos. have written!” Moses himself for their forgiveness. His most Torah is a beacon of light which Please have your said that his name should be brilliant, shining hour was when illuminates the path to a spiritual, erased from the Torah if G-d chaplain / Rabbi he put his own life and future on meaningful and fulfilling life. would not forgive His people. contact us to enroll the line and said: “G-d, if they go, The menorah is also a symbol of So, even though G-d did forgive (available to all I go! If You refuse to forgive Jewish unity. Every Jewish soul them, the words of Grape Juice & Matzah prisons). these sinners, then erase my is unique, possessing a

a tzaddik (perfectly righteous name from Your holy Torah!” It distinctive nature and person) are eternal and leave an Hyman & Martha Rogal Center was through Moses’ total temperament. This is because impression. The effect of those 5804 Beacon Street commitment towards his people each individual soul emanates words, therefore, was that Pittsburgh, PA 15217 that the faithful shepherd saved from a unique combination somewhere in the book, in the 412-421-0111 his flock from extinction. And of G-d’s seven attributes: Torah, his name would be erased. Fax: 412-521-5948 G-d Himself was pleased with kindness, discipline, harmony, Moses would be missing where www.alephne.org His chosen shepherd’s words, perseverance, humility, he normally should have [email protected] and acceded to his request. So the attachment and royalty. The appeared. Thus it is that in the absence of Moses’ name this seven branches of the golden week when we remember his week, far from being a negative, menorah symbolize the idea that, passing, Moses’ name is gone. carries with it a profound although we may express So say a variety of blessing. It does not say the name ourselves differently and possess commentaries. But,

IN different dispositions, we an essence of pure gold. In fact, March 1, 2020 --- 5 Adar, 5780 all share the same essence, the menorah wasn’t a Moses' Last Day of Leadership (1273 BCE) Moses passed away on the 7th of Adar. Following G-d's instruction that combination of parts which were screwed—or even welded— together; rather, it was a single golden slab which was Joshua should succeed him and lead the Jewish nation into the Land of hammered into the shape of a menorah. Not only are we all of Israel, Moses transferred leadership duties to Joshua on the day before he the same substance, but we are actually a part of a single non- passed away. Thus the fifth day of Adar was the last day of Moses' composite entity, one large menorah. Why is the menorah, a leadership. metaphor for the Torah, also the symbol of Jewish unity? March 2, 2020 --- 6 Adar, 5780 There were many vessels in the Tabernacle; why, of all of Moses Completes the Torah (1273 BCE) them, was the menorah chosen to depict the oneness of our Moses completed the book of Deuteronomy, concluding his review of the nation? And if one were to argue that Jewish unity is Torah which he began several weeks earlier, on the 1st of Shevat. He then contingent upon our adherence to the Torah, this too can be wrote down the completed Five Books of Moses, word for word, as questioned: are we not intrinsically brothers and sisters, dictated to him by G-d. This scroll of the Torah was put into the Holy Ark, members of one nation? Why is our unity dependent on the next to the Tablets of Testimony. Torah? A similar question can be asked with regards to our First Print of Torah with Onkelos & (1482) relationship with G-d. The states that “three knots The first edition of the Five Books of Moses (Torah) with the Targum connect to each other: the Holy One, blessed be He; the Torah; Onkelos (Aramaic translation of the Torah) and the commentary of the and [the people of] Israel.” This is to say that through famed commentator Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known as Rashi, was connecting to the Torah, the Jew connects to G-d. This is published on this date in 1482. It was published in Bologna, Italy, by puzzling, for in fact the bond between the Jew and the Creator Joseph b. Abraham Caravita, who set up a printing-press in his own home. precedes the existence of the Torah. This is evidenced by the March 3, 2020 --- 7 Adar, 5780 fact that the Torah is replete with phrases such as “Speak to Moses' Birth & Passing (1393 and 1273 BCE) the children of Israel,” “Command the children of Israel,” etc. Moses was born in on the 7th of Adar of the year 2368 from creation Obviously, the Torah was written as a guidebook for the Jewish nation, which conceptually existed before the Torah. (1393 BCE) and passed away on his 120th birthday -- Adar 7, 2488 (1273 Why, then, is it necessary for the Jew to connect to G-d BCE) through the Torah, if we enjoyed a relationship with Him March 5, 2020 --- 9 Adar, 5780 before the Torah was even conceptualized?! The chassidic First Torah Dispute (1st century CE) masters explain that though the Jewish soul always enjoyed The schools of Shammai and Hillel for the very first time disagreed an intimate relationship with G-d, this relationship is regarding a case of Jewish law. This occurred around the turn of the 1st concealed when the soul descends into the human body. century. In the ensuing generations, the schools argued regarding many Instead of yearning to develop the soul’s relationship with different laws, until the law was established according to the teachings of G-d, the person is naturally consumed by the pursuit of the "House of Hillel" -- with the exception of a few instances. According materialism. Just as it is impossible to tune in to an AM to tradition, following the arrival of the Moshiach the law will follow the broadcast with an FM radio, so too the spiritual voice of the rulings of the House of Shammai. soul cannot be heard by one who is tuned in only to All throughout, the members of the two schools maintained friendly materialistic radio waves. The Torah, which as mentioned relations with each other. above is likened to light, exposes the soul and its G-dly nature. Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe arrives in America (1940) A person who studies Torah becomes aware of the triviality After a 12-day sea voyage, the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef of physical pursuits; becomes involved in a holy, spiritual Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880-1950), disembarked at the New York harbor world; and reveals his soul and connects to it. Studying Torah on the 9th of Adar II of 1940, following his miraculous rescue from Nazi- doesn’t create a connection with G-d; it merely removes the occupied Warsaw. layers which have obscured it. The same can be said regarding March 7, 2020 --- 11 Adar, 5780 Jewish unity. True love for another Jew can be felt only by First Print of Rashi (1475) one who is in tune with his soul. As Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Rashi, the most basic commentary on the Torah, was printed for the first Liadi writes: (Tanya, ch. 32.) “The [souls] all have one Father, and it is on account of this common root in the One time, in Reggio di Calabria, Italy. In this print, the commentary on the Five G-d that all of Israel are called ‘brothers’—in the full sense of Books of Moses, authored in the 11th century by Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, the word. Only the bodies are distinct from each other. was not on the same page as the text of the Scriptures, as it is normally Therefore, there can be no true love and fraternity between printed today. those who regard their bodies as primary and their souls This was the first time that the rounded Hebrew font was used, the font secondary, but only a love based on an external factor.” The which has since become known as "Rashi Letters." lesson of the menorah is that true Jewish unity, a unity which March 7, 2020 --- 11 Adar, 5780 stems from the soul, is a result of the illumination provided Passing of the "Chida" (1806) by the study of Torah. Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai, popularly known as the Chida, an By Rabbi Naftali Silberberg acronym of his four names, was a master talmudist, kabbalist, decisor of halachah, historian, bibliophile and traveler, who raised funds on behalf of the Jews of the Holy Land. His prolific writings cover virtually every area *Passover order forms have been sent to the Chaplains and of Jewish tradition, history and belief. Born in 1724 in , he . Order forms must be submitted by March 6. studied under the greatest Sepharadic sages in the holy city, which teachings heavily influenced his prolific writings. His chronicles of his travels offer invaluable insights into Jewish life of his times, and his Torah teachings are studied until this day. Toward the end of his life, he settled in , where he passed away in 1806.