B”H

THEWEEKLY MAGAZINE SHUL

SPONSORED BY MR. & MRS. MARTIN (OBM) AND ETHEL SIROTKIN & DR. & MRS. SHMUEL AND EVELYN KATZ

SHABBOS PARSHAS CHUKAS TAMMUZ 8 - 9 JUNE 18 - 19

CANDLE LIGHTING: 7:57 PM SHABBOS ENDS: 8:54 PM

The Shul - Chabad Lubavitch - An institution of The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem M. Schneerson (May his merit shield us) Over Thirty five Years of Serving the Communities of Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Indian Creek and Surfside 9540 Collins Avenue, Surfside, Fl 33154 Tel: 305.868.1411 Fax: 305.861.2426 www.TheShul.org Email: [email protected] www.theshulpreschool.org www.cyscollege.org THE SHUL WEEKLY MAGAZINE EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK NACHAS AT A GLANCE CONTENTS MAZAL TOV TO AVA GREENWALD - VALEDICTORIAN - LEC 8TH GRADE Weekly Message: 3 MENDEL DIAMONT - VALEDICTORIAN - KLURMAN MESIVTA - 8TH GRADE Thoughts on the Parsha - Rabbi Sholom D. Lipskar AND CHAYALE LIPSKAR - SOLUDATORIAN - BEIS CHANA - 12TH GRADE WE ARE SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU AND MAZAL TOV TO ALL OUR COMMUNITY GRADUATES Celebrating Shabbos 4 - 5 Schedules, classes, articles & more... Everything you need for an “Over the Top” Shabbos experience

Daily Study: 6 - 7 A complete guide to all classes and courses offered at The Shul

Community Happenings: 8 -9 Sharing with your Shul Family

All Things Sephardic: 10 - 11 Schedules, classes, articles & more

Inspiration, Insights & Ideas: 12 - 24 Bringing Torah lessons to LIFE

Get The Picture: 25 - 29 The full scoop on all the great events around town

French Connection: 30 Reflexions sur la Paracha

Latin Link: 31 Reflexion Semanal

In a Woman’s World: 32 Issues of relevance to the Jewish woman

Networking: 33 Effective Advertising

Numbers To Know: 34 Contacts at The Shul

Get The Picture: 35 - 36 The full scoop on all the great events around town THOUGHTS ON THE PARSHA FROM RABBI SHOLOM LIPSKAR SHABBOS PARSHAS CHUKAS his Torah portion, Touching the core beyond the rational, it is the conduit containing many for energizing and giving nutrition to our souls. Literally, Textraordinary we wake up our souls with that awareness and allow it experiences in the Jewish to illuminate our inner being and, through our bodies, our People’s final sojourn to environment. the Holy Land, is primarily centered around its It is why the Rebbe emphasized Jewish actions that did name “CHUKAS”/supra- not make so much logical sense to many people, like rational statute. “THIS IS wrapping Tefillin or putting a Mezuzah on the door or THE STATUTE OF THE lighting Shabbos candles etc. The holy act awakened TORAH” begins the text the inner being, touching and oft times igniting the Jewish and addresses the law Core. of the red heifer, dealing with spiritual purity and impurity. The wisest of all men, King Solomon, stated that though It’s time to get it done. It works, as the laboratory of history he was able to understand most statutory laws that have has already proven and the latest Pew reports confirm. no fundamental rational basis, yet this law escaped his capacity for understanding. Have a wonderful Shabbos and a great week

It is interesting that this statute relates to the red heifer, yet is called the “statute of the Torah” giving it a more Have a great Shabbos and a good week. encompassing tenor.

Why give us a law that we cannot understand when it is Rabbi S. Lipskar so much more pleasant to observe concepts that you can understand? When something fits in the logic of the mind, it can be so much more internalized with meaning and feeling.

Why give this particular statute that transcends all rationality (with only Moses being privy to the secret of its reason) the unique distinction of being called THE STATUE OF THE TORAH?

This teaches us a vital lesson in our relationship to our spirituality and Jewishness. When one limits their behavior to that which fits into their limited perspective and understanding, it is generally motivated by self, usually driven by some emotion and very subjective. Another driving force is the simple animal material physical factors that are the motor of physical continuity in existence, which is pleasure, power, ego, self-gratification etc. The soul,

3 CELEBRATING SHABBOS EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR AN “OVER THE TOP” SHABBOS EXPERIENCE KIDDUSH THIS WEEK: Kiddush this week is available for sponsorship. SHABBOS SCHEDULE Early Mincha 6:25 p.m. SHALOSH SEUDOS THIS WEEK: Shalosh Seudos this week is available for Candle lighting 7:57 p.m. sponsorship Mincha / Kabbalas Shabbos 8:00 p.m.

Shabbos Day Hashkama Minyan 7:15 a.m. The caterer for this week’s Kiddush and Shacharis (Morning Services) 8:30 a.m. Shacharis 2nd Minyan (Morning Services) 10:30 a.m. Shalosh Seudos is Food Art Children’s Programs 11:00 a.m. KIDDUSHIM AT THE SHUL Kiddush 12:00 p.m. Please help us to provide our weekly Shabbos Kiddush and Daf Yomi 7:00 p.m. Shalosh Seudos by becoming a sponsor. Or join the Kiddush Men’s Shiur 7:15 p.m. Bank by becoming a Partner ($770 annually ) Women’s Shiur 7:15 p.m. or Patron ($360 anually) Mincha 8:00 p.m. Call Milena at (305) 868-1411 ext. 328 or email Shabbos Ends / Ma’ariv & Havdalah 8:54 p.m. [email protected] Weekly Video of The Rebbe

Next Week: Shabbos Parshas Balak Candle Lighting 7:58 p.m. Mincha 8:00 p.m. PARSHA IN PICTURES

Eruv Information We would like to emphasize that every Erev Shabbos, individuals should call the Eruv Hotline to make sure that the Eruv is operational. The number to call is 305- 866-ERUV (3788). The Eruv message is recorded approximately two hours prior to candle lighting. Surfside: The Eruv in Surfside now includes the walking paths along the beach. Pushing strollers and carrying is permitted on the paths, but not beyond the path or onto the beach. Bal Harbour: The Eruv in Bal Harbour included the inner (western) walking path only. The pier at Haulover Cut is not included.

To pay your annual dues visit: www.miamibeacheruv.com 4 5 A TIME TO PRAY DAVENING SCHEDULES AND LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK

SHACHARIS MINYANIM (MON - FRI) SUNDAY SHACHARIS MINYANIM Main Minyan 6:45 7:30 9:00 Main Minyan 8:00 am 9:00 am Sephardic Minyan 8:00 Sephardic Minyan 8:30 am

DAILY CHUMASH & TANYA AFTER EVERY MINYAN

MINCHA / MAARIV MINYANIM SUNDAY MINCHA / (MON - THURS) MAARIV MINYANIM

Main Minyan 2:00 pm Early Mincha 8:00 pm 10:00 pm Main Minyan 7:50 pm Sephardic Minyan 8:00 pm Following Late Maariv 9:00 pm

HALACHIC TIMES BASED ON TIMES FOR JUNE 23

Alot Hashachar / Dawn 5:05 am Earliest Talit & Tefillin 5:43 am Netz Hachamah / Sunrise 6:30 am (Earliest Amidah) Latest Shema 9:54 am Zman Tfillah 11:04 am Chatzot / Midday 1:22 pm Earliest Mincha 1:58 pm Plag HaMincha 6:53 pm Shekiah / Sunset 8:16 pm (Preferable latest time for Mincha) Tzeit Hakochavim / Nightfall 8:42 pm (Earliest preferable Ma’ariv) To our beloved Soldiers in the Israeli Defense Forces, courageously protecting and defending Times taken from www.chabad.org Eretz Yisroel. We pray for you and all of Please note that during the week times may the soldiers safety and well being daily. Vary by a minute or two. Menachem Mendel ben Chaya Leah Menachem Mendel ben Aurit Eden Chana bat Karine Cecile

6 DAILY STUDY A COMPLETE GUIDE TO ALL CLASSES AND COURSES OFFERED AT THE SHUL HTTPS://ZOOM.US/ 6457054016 PASSWORD: 699576 MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 7:20 - 7:50 am 7:20 - 7:50 am 7:20 - 7:50 am 7:20 - 7:50 am 7:20 - 7:50 am CHASSIDUS CHASSIDUS CHASSIDUS CHASSIDUS CHASSIDUS Derech Mitzvoisecha Derech Mitzvoisecha Derech Mitzvoisecha Derech Mitzvoisecha Derech Mitzvoisecha Rabbi Zalman Lipskar Rabbi Zalman Lipskar Rabbi Zalman Lipskar Rabbi Zalman Lipskar Rabbi Zalman Lipskar PHL-101 / PHL-301 / PHL-501 PHL-101 / PHL-301 / PHL-501 PHL-101 / PHL-301 / PHL-501 PHL-101 / PHL-301 / PHL-501 PHL-101 / PHL-301 / PHL-501

7:50 - 8:05 am 7:50 - 8:05 am 7:50 - 8:05 am 7:50 - 8:05 am 7:50 - 8:05 am CHITAS SYNOPSIS CHITAS SYNOPSIS CHITAS SYNOPSIS CHITAS SYNOPSIS CHITAS SYNOPSIS Chumash, Tanya, Chumash, Tanya, Chumash, Tanya, Chumash, Tanya, Chumash, Tanya, Rambam’s book Rambam’s book Rambam’s book Rambam’s book Rambam’s book of Mitzvos of Mitzvos of Mitzvos of Mitzvos of Mitzvos Rabbi Zalman Lipskar Rabbi Zalman Lipskar Rabbi Zalman Lipskar Rabbi Zalman Lipskar Rabbi Zalman Lipskar PHL-320 PHL-320 PHL-320 PHL-320 PHL-320 8:05 - 9:05 am 8:05 - 9:05 am 8:05 - 9:05 am 8:05 - 9:05 am 8:05 - 9:05 am DAF YOMI DAF YOMI DAF YOMI DAF YOMI DAF YOMI Tractate Pesachim Tractate Pesachim Tractate Pesachim Tractate Pesachim Tractate Pesachim Rabbi Dov Schochet Rabbi Dov Schochet Rabbi Dov Schochet Rabbi Dov Schochet Rabbi Dov Schochet (Men) (Men) (Men) (Men) (Men) TXT-220 / TXT-601 TXT-220 / TXT-601 TXT-220 / TXT-601 TXT-220 / TXT-601 TXT-220 / TXT-601 9:05 - 9:35 am 9:05 - 9:35 am 9:35 - 10:00 am 9:05 - 9:35 am 9:05 - 9:35 am RAMBAM RAMBAM MEGILLOT RAMBAM RAMBAM One chapter a day One chapter a day Mishlei - Book of Proverbs One chapter a day One chapter a day Rabbi Aryeh Schottenstein Rabbi Aryeh Schottenstein Rabbi Dov Schochet Rabbi Aryeh Schottenstein Rabbi Aryeh Schottenstein PHL-120 / PHL-510 PHL-120 / PHL-510 (Men & Women) TXT-121 PHL-120 / PHL-510 PHL-120 / PHL-510

1:30 - 2:30 pm 9:35 - 10:05 10:00 - 11:30 am 11:15 am - 12:00 pm 10:30 - 11:00 am THE BOOK OF DANIEL PARSHA OF THE WEEK PARSHA OF THE WEEK PARSHA OF THE WEEK FOOD FOR THOUGHT Rabbi Dov Schochet Rabbi Aryeh Schottenstein Rebbetzin Chani Lipskar Rabbi Shea Rubinstien Dobie Rubinstien (Men & Women) (Men & Women) (Women Only) (Men & Women) (Women Only) TXT-120 TXT-112 / TXT-113 / TXT-501 TXT-112 / TXT-113 / TXT-501 TXT-112 / TXT-113 / TXT-501

8:45 - 9:45 pm 11:00 am - 12:00 pm 11:30 - 12:15 pm 12:00 - 1:00 pm 5:30 - 5:45 pm PARSHA IN SPANISH SHABBOS TANYA SENIOR TORAH ACADEMY SHABBOS INSPIRATION Exploring customs w/ Rabbi Sholom Lipskar Rabbi Dov Schochet Rabbi Shea Rubinstein chassidus and Kabbalah Rabbi Sholom Lipskar (Men & Women) Rabbi Shea Rubinstien (Men & Women) Book of Judges TXT-112 / TXT-113 / TXT-501 (Men & Women) PHL-320 / PHL-501 (Men & Women) TXT-201 / TXT-211 / TXT-601

12:00 - 1:00 pm 3:00 pm 2:00 pm PIRKEI AVOT TANYA IN ENGLISH PARSHA IN SPANISH Rabbi Dov Schochet Mrs. Vivian Perez Mrs. Vivian Perez (Women Only) (Men & Women) (Women Only) ETH-101 https://zoom.us/j/758161843 https://zoom.us/j/758161843 Passcode 540360 password 5899 TXT-112 / TXT-113 2:00 pm 6:50 pm PARSHA OF THE WEEK Tractate Sotah Mrs. Vivian Perez Dov Schochet (Women Only) https://zoom.us/j/758161843 Passcode 540360

8:00 pm 8:00 pm PARSHA OF THE WEEK Tanya in Portuguese Rabbi Sholom Lipskar Moshe Lerman (Men & Women) TXT-112 / TXT-113 / TXT-501 7 COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS SHARING WITH YOUR SHUL FAMILY BIRTHDAYS YAHRTZEITS 9 Tammuz Ms. Rivka Kamhazi 9 Tammuz Binyomin Aaron ben Yaakov obm 9 Tammuz Mr. Edward Khalily Son of Mr. Alex Gross 9 Tammuz Mrs. Diana Menucha Shemtov 11 Tammuz Abraham Benarroch ben Simon obm 10 Tammuz Dr. Samuel Davit Father of Mrs. Mercedes Ivcher 10 Tammuz Mr. Daniel Phillip Farago 11 Tammuz Yoel Dovid ben Aryeh Leib obm 10 Tammuz Mrs. Chava Fux Father of Mrs. Susan Gellman 10 Tammuz Mr. Shimon Laber 12 Tammuz Esther bas Itzchak obm 10 Tammuz Mr. Tzvika Yehoshua Hirsch Salzhauer Mother of Mr. Nochum Litkowski 10 Tammuz Ms. Danielle Wietschner 12 Tammuz Yisroel Isser ben Zvi obm 11 Tammuz Rabbi Yisroel Shimon Chudaitov Grandfather of Mr. Isi Halberthal 11 Tammuz Mrs. Carolina Goldfarb 13 Tammuz Chaim Zev ben BenTzion obm 11 Tammuz Mrs. Pearl Halberthal Grandfather of Lieutenant Commander 11 Tammuz Mrs. Carolena Herz Yitzy Rosenberg 11 Tammuz Mrs. Tatiana Wertheimer 13 Tammuz Chava Raisa bas Moshe Shmuel obm 12 Tammuz Ms. Daniella Abraham Mother-in-law of Mrs. Mildred Nyman 12 Tammuz Mr. Yosef Chriqui 13 Tammuz Yehoshua Mordechai ben Menachem 12 Tammuz Ms. Melissa Groisman Mendel obm 12 Tammuz Mr. Zalman Lekach Husband of Ms. Marta Feigenbaum 12 Tammuz Ms. Tova Tuchman 14 Tammuz Chana bas Yitzchok obm 13 Tammuz Rabbi Chaim Zvi Lipskar Mother of Mrs. Rosita Retelny 14 Tammuz Mr. Zalmy Medalie 15 Tammuz Chayah Etel obm 14 Tammuz Mr. Harry Mizraji Mother of Mr. Monroe Milstein 14 Tammuz Ms. Rachel Melody Moore 15 Tammuz Yaakov ben Efraim Fishel obm 14 Tammuz Mrs. Yuliya Sokol Father of Mr. Victor Weingarten 14 Tammuz Mr. Joseph Weingarten 15 Tammuz Mr. Niv Alexander 15 Tammuz Ms. Natalya Sara Cohen ANNIVERSARIES 15 Tammuz Mr. Zachary Danial 15 Tammuz Mrs. Libe Lapidus Aizenman Mr. & Mrs. David and Hannah Shear 15 Tammuz Mr. Feivel Meir Moteles Mr. & Mrs. Gleb and Ashley Klioner 15 Tammuz Mrs. Jane Scheinfeld Mr. & Mrs. Shneur and Chaya Wolff 15 Tammuz Mrs. Orit Schloss Mr. & Mrs. Andrew and Elisa Septimus KID’S BIRTHDAYS Mr. & Mrs. Jacky and Aviva Koenig 9 Tammuz Rachel Attias Mr. & Mrs. Andres and Jennifer Leimdorfer 9 Tammuz Batsheva Bryna Lipskar Mr. & Mrs. Simon and Jana Falic 9 Tammuz Yehudah Lipskar Dr. & Mrs. Jared and Tami Benveniste-Plitt 9 Tammuz Esther Rosa Rubashkin Mr. & Mrs. Aryeh and Raquel Rubin 10 Tammuz Itay Haroush Mr. & Mrs. Saul and Janet Spitz 11 Tammuz Julia Malove 11 Tammuz Adam Ohayon Mr. & Mrs. Sam and Aviva Greenberg 12 Tammuz Natan Dominitz Mr. & Mrs. Steve and Annick Azoulay 12 Tammuz Yakov Massri Mr. & Dr. Morris and Judy Tuchman 13 Tammuz Benyamin Chaim Dominitz 13 Tammuz Doran Dubner 13 Tammuz Dov Michael Kavana 14 Tammuz Isaac Shapiro 15 Tammuz Edith Koenig WELCOME NEW MEMBERS 15 Tammuz Zachary Shlomo Moyal Mr. Israel Dubner

8 COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS SHARING WITH YOUR SHUL FAMILY TAMMUZ LIGHT & POWER THANKS TO OUR DONORS We sincerely thank the following members and supporters of The Shul Light & Power and Wine for Kiddush & for donations received between 6/05/21 and 06/11/21 Havdalah for the month of TAMMUZ We apologize for any errors or omissions that we may have made. Mr. & Mrs. Raphael Ammar Mr. & Mrs. Robert Mayer Klein Sponsored By Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Amram Rabbi & Mrs. Baruch Knight Anonymous Ms. Judy Kugelman Mr. & Mrs. Menahem Banon Mr. & Mrs. Mendi Labkowski Sabrina and Ighal Goldfarb Dr. & Mrs. Daniel Belecen Mr. David Lekach Mr. Azari T. Benjamin Mrs. Pola Lekach In honor of our Mr. & Mrs. Gabriel G. Berenfus Mr. Alan Levin Parents and Children Mr. & Mrs. Abbey Berkowitz Mr. & Mrs. Harry Mamane Mr. & Mrs. Landon Berns Mr. & Mrs. Ronen Michael “Those who establish Synagogues for prayer and those who come there to pray, Mrs. Estela Berry Mr.Alberto Michanie those who provide lights for illumination, wine and grape juice for kiddush Mr. & Mrs. David Brecher Mr. Moshe Morgenstern and havdalah, food for the wayfarers and charity for the needy, and all those Mr. & Mrs. Laszlo Brett Mr. & Mrs. Armando Mouyal who occupy themselves faithfully with communal affairs - may The Holy One, Mr. Philip Buchsbaum MTS Jewelry blessed be He, give them their reward, remove them from all sicknesses, heal Mr. Michael Cases Mr. & Mrs. Temuri Nanikashvili their entire body, pardon all their sins, and send blessing and success to all Mr. Raul Chami Mr. & Mrs. Isser New their endeavors, together with all Israel their brethren; and let us say Amen.” Mr. & Mrs. Sholom Chazanow Mr. & Mrs. Eyal Nir Rabbi & Mrs. Moshiach Chudaitov Mr. Mordechai Olesky Mr. & Mrs. Abraham Cohen Mr. & Mrs. Ariel Peretz Mr. & Mrs. Barry Cohen Mr. & Mrs. Howard Rosenbaum Dr. Brad Kenneth Cohen Mr. & Mrs. Jason Saka Mr. & Mrs. Emilio Liba Cohen Mr. & Mrs. David Meir Sasson Mr. & Mrs. Levi Y. Danzinger Mr. Moses Sasson MEN WOMEN Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Diament Mr. & Mrs. Jaime Schapiro Shmuel ben Rivka Leah bas Alta Miriam Chaya Mr. Israel Dubner Mr. & Mrs. Mark Schnapp Mordechai ben Devorah Esther Yocheved bas Raizel Mr. & Mrs. Boruch Duchman Mr. & Mrs. Shea Schneider Yehonatan HaLevi ben Malka Bracha Mr. & Mrs. Zalman Duchman Mr. & Mrs. David Schottenstein Eliezer ben Sarah Shima Leah bas Gittel Aharon ben Beylah Chana Bayla bas Masha Dr. & Mrs. Jean Jacques Edderai Mrs. Rose Schreiber Meyer Eliezer ben Sarah Genya Bailah bas Gietel Sura Mr. & Mrs. Maurice Egozi Mr. & Mrs. Jorge Schvetz Menachem Mendel ben Sara Sonia Simcha bas Sultana Mr. David Eisen Mr. & Mrs. David Schwartz Yehoshua ben Tamara Tzipora Pnina bas Slava Mr. & Mrs. Michael Elchadif Mr. Eli Serebrowski Isaac Gilbert ben Nelly Esther Feige bas Krandel Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Englard Mr. Kobi Shalhon Bentzion ben Nomi Rachel Chaya Miriam Yehudit bas Mr. Yossef Ezekiel Mr. & Mrs. Zalman Shapiro Margalite Chava Mr. & Mrs. Jorge Farago Mr. & Mrs. Bentzy Shemtov Chaim Zelig ben Eidel Clara bas Corina Mr. & Mrs. Isaac Farkas Mr. & Mrs. Effi Shmuel Ari ben Na’ama Rivka bas Shoshana Mr. & Mrs. Moshe Feiner Mr. & Mrs. Amihai Shoshan Tzvi Yitzchak ben Chaya Miriam bas Risha Raizel Mr. & Mrs. Leon Franco Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Sragowicz Chaim Tzvi Hirsch ben Guttel Mr. Avi Fried Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Stauber Mr. & Mrs. Michael Gad Mr. & Mrs. Eric Stein Mr. Arturo Garcia Mr. & Mrs. Moris Tabacinic Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Gartenberg Mr. Yosi Tanami Mr. & Mrs. Abraham Gewirtz Mr. Boris Vertsberger CONDOLENCES Mrs. Perla Gilinski Mr. & Mrs. Richard Waserstein Mr. & Mrs. Roberto Goldfarb Mr. & Mrs. Richard Waserstein Our Heartfelt Condolences to Marilyn Susser and Gayle Susser Mr. & Mrs. & Mrs. Berel Golomb Mr. & Mrs. Leon Weinschneider on the passing of their beloved sister and aunt, Mrs. Sylvia Mr. & Mrs. Sam Greenwald Mr. & Mrs. Paul Weintraub Moses - Sarah bas Pinchas, obm. May her dear neshama be Mr. & Mrs. Mendy Halberstam Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Weisman bound with the Eternal Bond of Life. and may the family be Ms. Lydia Hasson Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Weiss comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. Hershman Family Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Wolf Dr. & Mrs. Ronnie Hershman Rabbi & Mrs. Aryeh Wuensch Mr. Guy Ifrati Mr. & Mrs. Jacky Yerushalmy Mr. & Mrs. Manuel Jaimovich Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Yosef Mr. & Mrs. Paul Jaimovich Mr. & Mrs. Adam Ziefer Mr. & Mrs. Elan Katz Mr. Maurice Kaufman 9 10 11 DAILY WISDOM Inspiring insights on the Torah Shabbos, 9 Tammuz Sunday, 10 Tammuz

The Need for Leadership G‑d is in Control Israel sent messengers to Sichon, king of the Amorites. [Balaam told Balak’s messengers,] “I cannot do Numbers 21:21 anything – small or great – that would transgress the word of G‑d.” Numbers 22:18 The medieval sage Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (known universally by his initials as “Rashi”) points out that the Torah says here that Evil possesses no autonomy; it is nothing more than a Israel sent messengers to Sichon, even though Moses actually sent tool that G‑d uses to hide Himself from the world, thereby the messengers on behalf of all the Jewish people (as described enabling us to choose freely between good and evil. The elsewhere in the Torah). As Rashi notes, this teaches us that Moses Zohar, the classic work of Jewish mysticism, likens evil to a and the Jewish people are essentially equivalent. The true Jewish prostitute hired by a king to entice the prince. Although she leader does not just represent the people, he is one with them in makes full use of all her seductive powers to ensnare the essence. His affairs are not divided into his private and public lives. prince, she really hopes – as does the king – that the prince He is a public servant to his very core. will be strong enough to withstand her advances. Similarly, evil tries to confuse us and entice us into misbehaving, but The true Jewish leader’s total identification with his people and his it is in fact only doing its job and would rather we not pay selfless devotion to them makes him the conduit through which attention to it. G‑d provides all their material and spiritual needs. Therefore, not only is he one with them: they are one with him. As such, they can When we are aware of the true nature of evil, it is much rise to his perspective on reality and share his Divine consciousness easier for us to resist it. and his inspired life, even if they have not yet refined themselves enough to be worthy of these on their own.

Monday, 11 Tammuz Tuesday, 12 Tammuz Love Conquers Hatred Balaam arose in the morning and saddled his donkey. Numbers 22:21 Hidden Treasure [Balaam said,] “Who can count the Balaam loathed G‑d and His emissaries, the Jewish people, with a passion. By rising dust of Jacob?” Numbers 23:10 early to set out on his mission of evil, he hoped to “remind” G‑d how quick the Jews had been to rebel against Him. But G‑d informed Balaam that his quickness The Jewish people are here compared had been preempted by that of the patriarch Abraham. Abraham had risen early in (positively) to dust. Just as there are the morning in order to lovingly and devotedly fulfill G‑d’s command to sacrifice hidden treasures buried in the earth, so his son Isaac. The merit of Abraham’s love of G‑d counterbalanced Balaam’s hatred. are there treasures of pure faith in G‑d and Abraham’s love had been inherited by the Jewish people; their rebellions in the deep love and fear of Him hidden in every desert had merely been temporary lapses in their inherent, undying devotion to Jew. These treasures may at times be hard G‑d. to uncover, just as the treasures buried in the earth are often buried deep below the Similarly, whenever we find ourselves having to repair the damage we might surface. But they are there, nonetheless, have caused by having deliberately disregarded G‑d’s will, the surest way to make and with sufficient effort they can be amends for such misdeeds is to bolster our love for Him. This love will in turn revealed. transform past misdeeds into the motivation for doing good deeds. Just as G‑d transformed Balaam’s curses into a blessing, we too can always transform “curses” into blessings.

12 Wednesday, 13 Tammuz Thursday, 14 Tammuz Our Infinite Divine Potential The Power of Modesty [Balaam said, “G‑d] does not look at the evil in Jacob [Balaam said,] “How good are your tents, O [i.e., the Jewish people] . . . G‑d, their G‑d, is with Jacob, your encampments, O Israel.” Numbers them.” Numbers 23:21 24:5

The reason G‑d does not see any evil in us is because He views us The lesson for us here is that we must never think that as having already fulfilled our potential to reorient our animalistic it is important to be concerned only about the “larger” sides toward Divinity, i.e., to harness our inner animal’s raw power issues of modesty and intimacy, but that we can be lax in the pursuit of higher, Divine consciousness. What enables us about the “smaller,” “innocent” details. Even the smaller to perform this transformation is our Divine soul. The spark of details are important – important enough to be able to Divine consciousness within each of us possesses a spark of G‑d’s transform a curse into a blessing (or an accursed situation irresistible power, and can therefore overcome our inner animal. into a blessed one).

Thus, Balaam said, “He does not look at the evil in Jacob – i.e., G‑d Lest we think that this alertness to the details of modesty sees that we can conquer our inner animal, because G‑d is with is only required in our day-to-day behavior but not in him – i.e., within him, referring to the Divine soul, which enables temporary situations (such as when we are on vacation), us to transform our inner animal. we see here that the tremendous power of even the minor details of modest conduct was demonstrated when our forefathers lived in tents, their temporary homes in the desert.

Friday, 15 Tammuz Dreaming G‑d’s Dreams [Balaam said,] “A ruler will come out of Jacob.” Numbers 24:19

One might ask: “Once we know what G‑d requires of us in the here and now, why do we need to know about our ultimate goal and reward? Why not trust G‑d to provide the reward when the time comes instead of being concerned now about what and when?”

The answer is that having a clear vision of what it is we are working toward makes all the difference in the quality of our work and the effort we invest in it. G‑d wants us to serve Him in an inspired way; He wants our vision to be His vision, our goals to be His goals. Of course, our relationship to G‑d must be based on the absolute, unconditional devotion every creature owes its Creator, but that is only the basis, the beginning. Ideally, G‑d wants us to dream about what He dreams about; this is why He shares with us His dream for the Messianic future.

It is therefore vital to study the prophecies and statements of our sages about the Messiah and the immanent Redemption. This will enable us to form a clear picture in our mind of what the world is really meant to be and how we can make this dream a reality.

13 PARSHAH MESSAGES HEALING THE TRAUMA OF LOSS By Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

t took me two years to recover from the death of my father, of blessed Imemory. To this day, almost twenty years later, I am not sure why. He did not die suddenly or young. He was well into his eighties. In his last years he had to undergo five operations, each of which sapped his strength aI knew what grief looked like little more. Besides which, as a rabbi, I had to officiate at funerals and comfort the bereaved.

The rabbis were critical of one who mourns too much too long. They said that G‑d himself says of such a person, out of focus with the sound turned but he had never lost his temper “Are you more compassionate than I off. The mood eventually passed but before. In Exodus 15 the Israelites at am?” Maimonides rules, “A person while it lasted I made some of the Marah complained that the water was should not become excessively worst mistakes of my life. undrinkable because it was bitter. In broken-hearted because of a person’s Exodus 17 at Massa-and-Meriva they death, as it says, ‘Do not weep for I mention these things because they complained that there was no water. the dead nor bemoan him’ (Jeremiah are the connecting thread of parshat G‑d then told Moses to take his staff 22:10). This means, ‘Do not weep Chukat. The most striking episode and hit the rock, and water flowed excessively.’ For death is the way is the moment when the people from it. So when in our parshah G‑d of the world, and one who grieves complain about the lack of water. tells Moses, “Take the staff … and excessively at the way of the world Moses does something wrong, and speak to the rock,” it was surely a is a fool.” With rare exceptions, the though G‑d sends water from a forgivable mistake to assume that outer limit of grief in Jewish law is a rock, he also sentences Moses to G‑d meant him also to hit it. That is year, not more. an almost unbearable punishment: what He had said last time. Moses “Because you did not have sufficient was following precedent. And if G‑d Yet knowing these things did not help. faith in Me to sanctify Me before the did not mean him to hit the rock, why We are not always masters of our Israelites, therefore you shall not did He command him to take his emotions. Nor does comforting others bring this assembly into the land I staff? prepare you for your own experience have given you.” of loss. Jewish law regulates outward What is even harder to understand is conduct not inward feeling, and The commentators debate exactly the order of events. G‑d had already when it speaks of feelings, like the what he did wrong. Was it that he told Moses exactly what to do. commands to love and not to hate, lost his temper with the people Gather the people. Speak to the rock, halakhah generally translates this into (“Listen now, you rebels”)? That he and water will flow. This was before behavioral terms, assuming, in the hit the rock instead of speaking to Moses made his ill-tempered speech, language of the Sefer ha-Hinnukh, it? That he made it seem as if it was beginning, “Listen, now you rebels.” that “the heart follows the deed.” not G‑d but he and Aaron who were It is understandable if you lose your responsible for the water (“Shall composure when you are faced with I felt an existential black hole, an we bring water out of this rock for a problem that seems insoluble. This emptiness at the core of being. It you?”)? had happened to Moses earlier when deadened my sensations, leaving me the people complained about the unable to sleep or focus, as if life was What is more puzzling still is why lack of meat. But it makes no sense happening at a great distance and as he lost control at that moment. He at all to do so when G‑d has already if I were a spectator watching a film had faced the same problem before, told you, “Speak to the rock … It will 14 pour forth its water, and you will bring us when we are in a state of grief. and dissolved in “living water,” are water out of the rock for them, and so Moses at the rock was not so much sprinkled over one who has been in you will give the community and their a prophet as a man who had just lost contact with the dead so that they livestock water to drink.” Moses had his sister. He was inconsolable and may enter the Sanctuary. received the solution. Why then was not in control. He was the greatest he so agitated about the problem? of the prophets. But he was also This is one of the most fundamental human, rarely more so than here. principles of Judaism. Death defiles. Only after I lost my father did I For most religions throughout history, understand the passage. What had Our parshah is about mortality. life-after-death has proved more real happened immediately before? The That is the point. G‑d is eternal, than life itself. That is where the G‑ds first verse of the chapter states: “The we are ephemeral. As we say in live, thought the Egyptians. That is people stopped at Kadesh. There, the Unetaneh tokef prayer on Rosh where our ancestors are alive, believed Miriam died and was buried.” Only Hashana and Yom Kippur, we are the Greeks and Romans and many then does it state that the people “a fragment of pottery, a blade of primitive tribes. That is where you find had no water. An ancient tradition grass, a flower that fades, a shadow, justice, thought many Christians. That explains that the people had hitherto a cloud, a breath of wind.” We are is where you find paradise, thought been blessed by a miraculous source dust and to dust we return, but G‑d many Muslims. As Jews we believe in of water in the merit of Miriam. When is life forever. life after death and the resurrection of she died, the water ceased. the dead, but Tanakh is almost silent At one level, Moses-at-the-rock is on this subject. “The dead do not However it seems to me that the a story about sin and punishment: praise G‑d,” says the Psalm. G‑d is deeper connection lies not between “Because you did not have sufficient to be found in life, this life, with all its the death of Miriam and the lack of faith in me to sanctify Me … therefore hazards and dangers, bereavements water but between her death and you shall not bring this assembly and grief. We may be no more than Moses’ loss of emotional equilibrium. into the land I have given you.” We “dust and ashes,” as Abraham said, Miriam was his elder sister. She had may not be sure what the sin exactly but life itself is a never-ending stream, watched over his fate when, as a baby, was, or why it merited so severe a “living water,” and it is this that the rite he had been placed in a basket and punishment, but at least we know of the Red Heifer symbolizes. floated down the Nile. She had had the ball-park, the territory to which the courage and enterprise to speak the story belongs. With great subtlety the Torah mixes to Pharaoh’s daughter and suggest law and narrative together – the law that he be nursed by a Hebrew, thus Nonetheless it seems to me that – before the narrative because G‑d reuniting Moses and his mother and here as in so many other places in provides the cure before the disease. ensuring that he grew up knowing the Torah – there is a story beneath Miriam dies. Moses and Aaron are who he was and to which people the story, and it is a different one overwhelmed with grief. Moses, for he belonged. He owed his sense of altogether. Chukat is about death, a moment, loses control, and he and identity to her. Without Miriam, he loss and bereavement. Miriam dies. Aaron are reminded that they too are could never have become the human Aaron and Moses are told they will mortal and will die before entering face of G‑d to the Israelites, law- not live to enter the Promised Land. the land. Yet this is, as Maimonides giver, liberator and prophet. Losing Aaron dies, and the people mourn said, “the way of the world.” We are her, he not only lost his sister. He lost for him for thirty days. Together they embodied souls. We are flesh and the human foundation of his life. constituted the greatest leadership blood. We grow old. We lose those team the Jewish people has ever we love. Outwardly we struggle to Bereaved, you lose control of your known, Moses the supreme prophet, maintain our composure but inwardly emotions. You find yourself angry Aaron the first High Priest, and we weep. Yet life goes on, and what when the situation calls for calm. You Miriam perhaps the greatest of we began, others will continue. hit when you should speak, and you them all. What the parshah is telling speak when you should be silent. us is that for each of us there is a Those we loved and lost live on in us, Even when G‑d has told you what to Jordan we will not cross, a promised as we will live on in those we love. For do, you are only half-listening. You land we will not enter. “It is not for love is as strong as death, and the hear the words but they do not fully you to complete the task.” Even the good we do never dies. enter your mind. Maimonides asks greatest are mortal. the question, how was it that Jacob, a prophet, did not know that his son That is why the parshah begins with Joseph was still alive. He answers, the ritual of the Red Heifer, whose because he was in a state of grief, ashes, mixed with the ash of cedar and the Shekhinah does not enter wood, hyssop and scarlet wool 15 THE LETTER SENT BY THE PREVIOUS REBBE FOR THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF YUD-BEIS TAMMUZ IN 5688 (1928) A discourse by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson of Lubavitch; translated by Eli Touger

y the Grace of G‑d, Sunday, 15 Sivan, 5688, Riga. BTo our friends, the members of the chassidic brotherhood, and to all those who love the Torah and study it — wherever you may be: May G‑d be with you. Greetings and blessings: Today marks the first day of my incarceration in the Spalerno Prison in Leningrad, in Section Six, Cell 160, during the night preceding the Wednesday of the week in which one reads the Israel (irrespective of his particular level in with all of our brethren of the House of verse [in Parshas Shlach1 ], “And now, let the the observance of the mitzvos) is perfectly Israel, abounding life and endless blessing; strength of G‑d be magnified” — on the fifteenth bound with G‑d and His Torah. may He fortify their hearts so that they will of the month of Sivan, 5687 [1927]. There I courageously extend their dissemination of was maltreated until the Sunday preceding Today, the twelfth of the month of Tammuz, Torah knowledge and their buttressing of the Shabbos on which one reads the verse [in is the Festival of Liberation of all Jews Yiddishkeit; and may we all be spared to see Parshas Balak2 ], “How goodly are your tents, O who are involved in the dissemination children and grandchildren engaging in Torah Yaakov, and your dwelling-places, O Yisrael” — of Torah knowledge, for on this day it and mitzvos, free of care or want. the third of the month of Tammuz. On that day became known and manifest to everyone I was forced to leave for a three-year exile in that the great work in which I labored in * * * Kostrama. the dissemination of the Torah and in the strengthening of the religion is permitted At the beginning of the year 5687 (1926) I It is clear to everyone that the imprisonment and according to the law of the land, which made a request to the chassidic brotherhood exile were brought upon me by the calumnies of grants freedom of worship to those who — that every group of worshipers in the our brethren who hate us and despise us, by men observe the [Jewish] religion as it does to synagogues after Shacharis should make a who — in defiance of the laws of the land and its all the citizens of this country. regular practice of reading the daily allotment government — persecute those who observe the of Tehillim as apportioned throughout each laws of Moshe and Israel. This is the day on which the light of the month, and that this be followed by Kaddish, merit of public Torah study banished the according to custom.5 This request still These people could not bear to see how the rose misty gloom of calumnies and libels. It stands — for the public good. (Indeed, it of Yaakov flourished, as the study of the Torah is fitting that such a day be set aside as would be proper to institute this practice in was disseminated throughout the length and a day of farbrengen — a day on which every shul, for it is not relevant to chassidim breadth of this land. They therefore trumped up people arouse each other to fortify Torah alone.6) And by virtue of this reading, may all false libels in order to bring about my downfall, study and the practice of Yiddishkeit in those concerned be blessed by the Source and thereby (G‑d forbid) to destroy the House of every place according to its needs, a day of Blessings with all manner of bounty both Yaakov. on which to offer blessings to our brethren spiritual and material. in Russia (who are suffering from such But G‑d’s acts of kindness are never-ending, and * * * the merit of our holy forefathers has not been libelers and informers), that G‑d strengthen exhausted — and will never be exhausted — their hearts and the hearts of their children For all the members of our chassidic in protection of those who walk in their paths. so that they will remain faithful Jews, and brotherhood I am enclosing the maamar Thus it was that freedom was granted to me never again be persecuted by the above- which begins, Asarah SheYoshvim VeOskim on the twelfth day of Tammuz, on the Tuesday mentioned evildoers. BaTorah, Shechinah Sheruyah Beineihem. preceding the Shabbos on which one reads the With the auspicious approach of the May our eyes witness the ascending glory of verse [in Parshas Pinchas3 ], “I hereby grant him Festival of Liberation of all those who the Torah, of Israel, and of our brotherhood, My covenant of peace.” engage in the dissemination of Torah, and may we behold the goodly light. It was not myself alone that the Holy One, I hereby offer my blessings to all our Your unswerving friend, who seeks the blessed be He, redeemed on Yud-Beis Tammuz, brethren who love the Torah and study welfare and success of yourselves and your but also those who love the Torah and observe its it, and to all those who publicly teach children and grandchildren, and who blesses commands, and so too all those who merely bear the Torah: May G‑d open up His goodly you all both materially and spiritually, the name “Jew”4 — for the heart of every man of storehouse and grant them, together 16 STALIN VS. SCHNEERSOHN

By Rabbi YY Jacobson

A Vain Battle If there was ever a battle fought in vain, this was it. Or at least, so it seemed at the time. The year is 1924. Vladimir Lenin, the father of the communist revolution, is dead; over 900,000 people pass through the Hall of Columns during the four days and nights that Lenin’s body lay exposed to the public. Josef Stalin succeeds him as the new leader of the Soviet Union. During the following thirty years, he would murder 50 million of his own people. Jews and Judaism would be one of his primary targets. He sets up a special government organization, the Yevsektzye, to ensure that Russian Jewry in its millions embraces the new ethos of Communism, introducing a paradise (the secret Russian police) discovered they lost their patience with this man. The constructed of bullets and gulags. a school, the children were expelled, the rabbi behind the counter-revolutionary work Stalin would rule with an iron fist till his death teacher arrested. A new one was opened was arrested and sentenced to death by a in March 1953, when four million people would elsewhere, usually in a cellar or on a roof. firing squad. Foreign pressure and nothing gather in Red Square to bid farewell to the tyrant less than a miracle convinced the KGB to alter One of the nine young men was sent to still revered and beloved by much of his nation the sentence to ten years in exile. It was then Georgia. There were dozens of mikvaot and by many millions the world over. converted to three years, and then—quite there, all shut down by the communists who unbelievable in the Soviet Regime where At his home in Leningrad (today Petersburg), buried them in sand and gravel. This young clergy and laymen alike were murdered like a 44-year-old rabbi, heir to some of the great man decided to do something radical. He flies—he was completely exonerated. The Jewish thinkers and leaders of Russian Jewry, falsified a letter written supposedly by the 12th and 13th of the Hebrew month of Tamuz, summons nine young disciples. He offers them KGB headquarters in Moscow, instructing mark the anniversary he was liberated from an opportunity most would refuse: to take the local offices in Georgia to open two Stalin’s death sentence in 1927. responsibility for the survival of Judaism in the mikvaot within 24 hours. communist Soviet Union; to ensure that Jewish The individual behind the spiritual mutiny was The local officials were deceived. Within life and faith would survive the hellish darkness the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak a day, two mikvaot were open. Several of Stalin’s regime. He wants them to fight—in his Schneersohn (1880-1950), who became the months later, when they discovered the words—“till the last drop of blood.” leader of Chabad in 1920, after the passing lie, they shut them down again. of his father. He selected nine of his young They embrace the mission. He gives his hand to And so it went. A mohel (the person pupils to wage battle with him. The one sent each of them as a sign that they are accepting performing the mitzvah of circumcision) to Georgia, falsifying the KGB document, an oath, one that would transform their destiny was arrested, and another one was was my grandfather, Simon Yakabashvili, forever. “I will be the tenth, he says; together we dispatched to serve the community; a my father’s father (1900-1953). He, together have a minyan”... yeshiva was closed, and another one with hundreds of his colleagues, Chassidim An Underground Revolution opened elsewhere; a synagogue was throughout the Soviet Union, was arrested in 1938, tortured mercilessly and given a 25- The nine men were dispatched throughout destroyed and another one opened its year sentence in the Gulag. Most of his eight the country. With assistance from similar- portals in secrecy. It is a chapter in Jewish colleagues who accepted the oath never minded colleagues, they created an impressive history unbeknownst to most. made it out of Stalin’s hell. They perished in underground network of Jewish activity, which But it sure seemed like a lost battle. Here the Soviet Union. included Jewish schools, synagogues, mikvaot was an individual rabbi, with a small group (ritual baths used by Jewish woman for spiritual of pupils, staging an underground rebellion (My grandfather, Reb Simon, made it out of feminine reinvigoration), adult Torah education, against a mighty empire that numbered in the USSR, but died several years later at the Yeshivot (academies for Torah learning for the hundreds of millions, and aspired to age of 53 in Toronto. He died on 2 Tamuz, students), Jewish textbooks, providing rabbis dominate the world. It was like an infant 5713-1953, leaving behind there young sons, for communities, teachers for schools, etc. Over wrestling a giant, an ant attempting to Gershon, Bezalel and Sholom. My father died the 1920s and 1930s, these individuals built defeat a military tank. The situation was in 2005, my uncle Bezalel died seven years six hundred (!) Jewish underground schools hopeless. ago. Their mother, Freida, passed on in 1954, throughout the U.S.S.R (1). Many of them last one year after her husband. She was 44. One for only a few weeks or months. When the KGB Finally, in 1927—ninety-three years ago— child remains, may he enjoy many long and 17 healthy years). Investing in Eternity More than nine decades have passed. This passage of time gives us the opportunity to answer the question: Who won? Stalin or Schneerson? one century ago, Marx’s socialism and Lenin’s communism heralded a new era for humanity. Its seemingly endless power and brutality seemed unbreakable. Yet one individual stood up, a man who would not allow the awesome war machine of Mother Russia to blur his vision, to eclipse his clarity. In the depths of his soul he was aware that hours to visit a mikvah. He just completed is today a clod of darkness. The ideology of history had an undercurrent often invisible to building a magnificent mikvah in Tuman, the Soviet Empire which declared “Lenin has most but discernible to students of the long and Siberia! not died and Stalin will not die. He is eternal,” dramatic narrative of our people. He knew with is now a mockery. Stalin and Lenin are as full conviction that evil might thrive but it will die; And the Chabad couple in Birobidjhan, dead as one can be. But the Mikvaot built by yet goodness, holiness, G-dliness—embodied in located on the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1927, they are still Torah and Mitzvos—are eternal. near the China-Russia border, where here, from Siberia to Moscow, to Tashkent. Stalin wanted to exile three million Russian And he chose to invest in eternity. Jews, opened a Glat kosher restaurant If you will visit Russia this coming Shabbos, there. I am not sure you will find anybody He probably did not know how exactly it would celebrating the life and vision of Stalin, or work out in the end. I am not sure he believed he Last Chanukah, a large menorah stood even Khrushchev, Brezhnev and Andropov. would survive. But he knew that his mission in life tall in the Kremlin, casting the glow of But you will find tens of thousands of Jews was to sow seeds, though the trees were being Chanukah on the grounds where Stalin celebrating the liberation of the Lubavitcher felled one by one. walked with Berya and Yezhov. On Lag Rebbe in 1927 and the narrative of one Baomer (a Jewish holiday), thousands of holy man’s triumph over one of the greatest Cynics scoffed at him; close friends told him Jewish children with kippot on their heads mass-murderers in human history, sharing he was making a tragic mistake. Even many marched the streets of Moscow with signs his vision, committing themselves to continue of his religious colleagues were convinced that proclaiming, “Hear oh Israel... G-d is One.” saturating the world with the light of Torah and he was wasting his time and energy fighting an Jewish life is bustling in Russia, Belarus, Mitzvos. impossible war. They either fled the country or Ukraine, Lithuania, Uzbekistan, etc. maintained a low profile. Some great rabbis at So on this 12th of Tamuz, lift up your glasses the time felt he was trying to do the impossible Visiting Russia last summer, Russia’s and say L’chayim! L’chayim to a Rebbe who and it was futile. Chief Rabbi, Berel Lazar, pointed to a inspired such heroism in so many disciples, massive Jewish school he built in Moscow many of them who paid the ultimate price. But 90 years later, this giant and what he stretching over a full block. “Right across L’chayim to the incredible Jews of Russia represented have emerged triumphant. Today, in from here were some of the main offices who maintained the embers burning for seven 2020, in the republics of the former Soviet Union of the KGB, where the orders to decimate decades, and then—when the opportunity stand hundreds of synagogues, Jewish day Judaism came from,” he said. came—fanned them into glowing flames. schools, yeshivot, mikvaot, Jewish community L’chayim to my dear Zeide, Reb Simon, whom centers. Since communism fell, the Lubavitcher Across the street was a massive Jewish I never met but whose life-story is engraved in Rebbe (the son in law of the sixth Lubavitcher museum, one of the nicest I have ever the core of my heart. Rebbe who was liberated in 1927) sent hundreds seen, attracting thousands of weekly of ambassadors to create a Jewish renaissance. visitors, telling the story of the Jewish Today, we have many battles to fight, and They span the entire length and breadth of the people and its heritage. “How did you get plenty of darkness to conquer. It is easy to country, from Siberia to Tashkent; from Tbilisi till the money for this?” I asked Rabbi Lazar. become cynical or depressed, leading to Krasnoyarsk. Over the last 30 years, they have He smiled and said that the first million emotional paralysis. But our greatest leaders built more than one hundred (!) full-time Jewish came from the private charity of Vladimir always knew better. They never allowed the day schools, in which more than 100,000 Jewish Putin. “The rest was easy.” mask of evil to define the narrative of history; children received a Jewish Torah education. As they ensured that another story would this summer season began, dozens of Jewish I then entered, two streets over, the Marina dominate our imaginations and actions. day camps opened up throughout the former Rashtze synagogue in Moscow, a massive Soviet Union with tens of thousands of Jewish and beautiful 8-story structure. Hundreds So can we. children who will enjoy a blissful summer coupled of Jews were praying and studying Torah. with the celebration of Jewish life. Joseph Stalin I have a cousin, Rabbi Yerachmiel Garelick, who Comrade Stalin is dead; communism serves as the Chabad ambassador to Western has faded away as hopelessly irrelevant Siberia. Jewish women had to travel for seven and destructive. The sun of the nations 18 MY ENCOUNTER WITH THE REBBE THE ONLY KID WITH A KIPPAH RABBI MICHAEL KANTEROVITZ peers. This was more than fifty years Bay, Ontario, Canada. He told me that ago, so I do not remember his exact the community had 120 Jewish families words, but I can testify that his advice and that the Hebrew school which met had a tremendous impact on me. It in the afternoons has forty students, has been my guiding light from that but no rabbi was willing to come there day forward. because there was no proper school for In 1962, I finished my studies and the rabbi’s children. “We received your joined the IDF. I served in the military information from Yeshiva University, rabbinate as an assistant to Rabbi and we understand that you are a Shlomo Goren, then the chief rabbi young couple without kids, so you must of the Israeli forces. For three years, come to us!” he and his deputy, Rabbi Yehuda Shulman, were my study partners. I had no idea how Yeshiva University This is how I gained the Torah heard about me but I said to my wife, knowledge I was missing due to a “This must be what the Rebbe had lack of formal yeshivah education. in mind. Obviously the Rebbe was Although I was raised in a secular home sizing me up to see if I could be sent in Tel Aviv, already as a child, Chasidic After my military service, I met my to a far-off Jewish community to spread teachings captured my imagination. future wife, Malka, who was visiting Yiddishkeit there.” Israel as an exchange student from As a teen, I was sent by my widowed Canada. Her father, Avraham Dovid I later learned that, after our meeting, mother to an agricultural school in Kfar Dalfen, who was close to Chabad, the Rebbe’s secretariat informed the Silver, near Ashkelon. I was the only one sent word to the Rebbe about our office of Yeshiva University in charge among 400 students who wore a kippah, wedding and set up an audience for of appointing community rabbis that and I would stand in the dining hall every me to receive the Rebbe’s blessings. I would be a good candidate. I was Friday night, sing Lecha Dodi and make asked to come to New York, where Kiddush for all the others. During that meeting, the Rebbe asked I was tested and received rabbinic me many questions. He remembered ordination, and then I served as the At one point, I managed to convince one my involvement in Kfar Silver; he rabbi in Thunder Bay for five years. of the American tourists who came to visit asked me about that and I told him the school to donate a Torah scroll, and I about everything I accomplished This is how my career in the rabbinate arranged a festive Hachnasat Sefer Torah there. Then he asked me about my got started. ceremony complete with a parade. The service in the IDF, and I filled him in school’s administration provided a room on my relationship with Rabbi Goren. Subsequently, as my children grew where we built an ark to house the Torah His questions were pointed and and required schooling that was not and, on Shabbat mornings, I would wake detailed, and I gave detailed available in the area, I moved on to up the Sephardic students who came from answers. After more than a quarter become a rabbi in Leeds, England. traditional homes so we could make a of an hour, the audience came to After some years, I felt I had to move minyan and participate in a prayer service, an end and I began to back out. again for the sake of my children. complete with a Torah reading. Suddenly I remembered that I had I wrote to the Rebbe and received forgotten to ask him whether my wife a reply: “Gedolah erkah uzechutah It was also at this time — in 1958 when I and I should stay in Montreal after derabanut — The value and merit of was fifteen — that my connection to the the wedding or return to Israel? the rabbinate is great.” As a result of Rebbe began. I felt I needed guidance, and that letter, I stayed in Leeds for four when I heard about his reputation of caring The Rebbe looked at me with his additional years — one year for each for every Jew, I wrote to him for advice. I penetrating eyes and said, “Let’s see word in the Rebbe’s letter. described the unique situation in which I about that next year.” found myself and I asked: “Since I live in The Rebbe was a guiding light in my a place where Torah is not practiced, and I I was not sure what to do with that life, and he is the one who sent me myself know little, how should I behave in answer and when I came back to on my first assignment to a faraway this environment?” Montreal my wife and I continued to Jewish community to spread Torah deliberate where we should reside. and Yiddishkeit. I hope and pray that The Rebbe wrote back — which in itself But just one week after my meeting the tremendous undertaking that he shocked me, because I did not expect a with the Rebbe, I got a phone call began so many years ago will continue response — saying that what I was doing from Mr. Paul Cooper, who identified to grow by leaps and bounds. was a great mitzvah and encouraging me himself as the president of the Shaar to continue spreading Judaism among my Shamayim congregation in Thunder 19 STORIES WITH SOUL he 12th of Tamuz is the anniversary sight, So why shout?” “We belong to our father’s party,” they of the Previous Rebbe’s release from replied, “We are non-partisan daughters Their spokesman responded: “I’m not Communist imprisonment. What follows of Israel. We are fond of the old ways of T shouting; that’s just the way I talk. It our Patriarch Israel, and detest the new are excerpts from the book Likutei Diburim, looks like you’re not yet familiar with authored by the Previous Rebbe, concerning aspirations.” the ways of officers dispatched by the his incarceration. GPU. Show us all the ins and outs We heard Nachmanson’s demand: “But A lifetime spans a certain number of changing of your home so that we’ll be able to why?” stages-childhood, boyhood, youth, young watch it as the law prescribes. You, My daughter Sheine answered: “Why? adulthood, adulthood, advancing years, as head of the family, will accompany I’m not obliged to answer that question. and old age. People also vary in their us to observe our search through the You asked for my views and I answered gifts - whether common and mediocre or house.” you, but as to the question ‘Why?,’ I’m not wonderfully luminous; likewise in their natures “True,” I replied, “I don’t know the ways obliged to reply nor to give reasons. After - for example, whether bashful and morose, of your administration’s officers, nor do all, you didn’t come here to rummage or jolly and exuberant. But apart from all these I want to know them. It is clear to me through all my notes and letters just for the variables, in the course of a lifetime Divine that you have either made a mistake, sake of conducting a discussion! What we Providence engineers particular periods or else there is an intentional libel. It’s have now, we are telling you, irrespective which sometimes change a man’s very all the same to me. As to the officers of whether it makes you happy or not.” nature. They develop his gifts and set him of the said administration, I have not up at a particular height, so that he can gaze “You should really take into account our feared them, I do not fear them, and upon the ultimate purpose for which a man power and our opinions,” Nachmanson I shall not fear them. And as to the lives his life on the face of the earth. warned. “The GPU administration which ins and outs of my home, the man in we represent can open even a dumb Above all, a man’s personality and gifts are charge of the courtyard can show you mouth, and make it talk about whatever is most intensely escalated by a period rich around. My home is in your hands: you hidden under the heart. Our interrogators in suffering which is inflicted on account of can search and probe according to are remarkable craftsmen: people tell his vigorous endeavors for an ideal. This is your desires, or according to the law them everything. Over there there’s particularly so if he struggles and battles with of which you speak. At any rate, I am no saying ‘no’; over there people talk, his pursuers and persecutors for the sake of sure that you will not disturb me at the sometimes willingly and sometimes not; preserving and advancing his religious faith. supper table.” over there everything melts; even a stone Such a period, though fraught with affliction This cool and unimpressed response will become talkative.” of the body and suffering of the spirit, is rich - or, more precisely, the naive “That’s the whole calamity,” replied my in powerful impressions. Such days are the scornfulness of a Lubavitcher citizen daughter. “People want to take everything luminous days in a man’s life. - left a deep imprint even on those by brute force. What a repulsive and rocklike men. Their wings drooped Every single incident in such a period is unjustifiable thing it is to take hold of men for a moment; they looked at me in significant. In particular, if imprisonment is with minds and opinions by the might of a astonishment; the house fell silent. involved, the resultant spiritual benefit is fist and by the threat of a revolver!” so great that it warrants the recording not A couple of minutes passed before I cannot deny that I found it pleasing to only of days and nights but even of hours Nachmanson spoke up. He was a hear the way she spoke so sensibly, in and minutes. For every hour and minute of Jewish lad from Nevel whose father such a decisive voice, and with such cool- torment gives rise to inestimable benefits: it used to visit Lubavitch; he himself had headed (though simulated) calm. At the makes a man so resolute that even a weakling gone to school in Nevel. He gave the same time, however, I was anxious lest is transformed into the most courageous of armed men their orders: “Go out and this Nachmanson, who boasted so loudly men. stand guard at the doors. If anyone about his power and violence, should wants to enter, open wide. If people A few minutes after midnight, weary and have her punished by a prison sentence. want to move about, even from room fatigued, I washed my hands in preparation to room, or even to talk with each other, They spent about an hour and a half for the evening meal together with my family. don’t let them! You’ve been warned!” ransacking every room, but this did not Before ten minutes had passed the doorbell appear to be their real purpose. Next, they rang noisily. The door opened and two men He turned to Lulav, his aide, one of the wrote up a document and handed it to me rushed into the dining room, shouting: “We Lulav family of Riga, and added: “Let’s to sign. It stated that they had searched were sent by the administration of the GPU. get down to work.” To me he added: the house, that I testified that all the Who is Schneersohn? Where is he?” “We won’t disturb you from eating - if laws governing such a search had been you’re able to eat ...” I answered coolly and clearly: “I don’t know observed, and that I had been informed which Schneersohn you are looking for. If you With that, he posted one of the armed that I was under arrest. come to a man’s home you no doubt already guards in the dining room to police his I explained that I could not sign that know who lives there. So there’s no need for orders. everything had been according to the law all the threatening noise. Say what you have They began their search in the room of when the whole notion of a house search to say, what you want and whom you want. my daughters...and asked them: “What appeared to me to be questionable. Besides, the official in charge of the courtyard party do you belong to?” Everyone, I explained, knew the identity is with you, and he knows all the residents by 20 of Rabbi Schneersohn and his activities. It ordered everyone to move quietly so that was clear to me that here was a case either My sisters and I will happily go to jail in she should not be woken. I do not know of a mistake or a libel; I could not sign and his place. He is weak, and his doctor how she found out, but at this point she give my assent to either. doesn’t allow him to go outside. Bring walked in and discovered the uninvited I continued: “As to your desire to arrest me, it a doctor to examine him and establish guests. whether he can be taken to jail. Take appears that the requests of my family here “What is this?” she exclaimed, and clapped us, and leave a guard here until the are to no avail - but I too have something to her hands together in consternation. doctor decides that our father can go say about your desire. “Why did they come? Would they force out. You are human beings, too, aren’t their hands even on innocent people like “Whether this is a mistake or a libel, it will be you? Surely you, too, have what the you, my son, who work for the good of clarified in a day or two. Everyone knows who world calls feelings? Surely you, too, others?!” I am and what I do. I have not hidden myself have what the world calls decency?” away. I live in one of the largest cities in the And she burst into tears. Quickly sizing up the situation, she country; my home is in the center of town; I declared boldly: “No, my soul’s precious Smiling, I explained to my wife and have a synagogue; and I deliver discourses one! I will not let them take you away. I will daughters: “Only wishful thinking could on Chassidus on Sabbaths and festivals. go instead of you.” She addressed herself imagine that tears and pleas could to Nachmanson. “Take me!” she pleaded. “From this you see that I am not in hiding. help. There’s nothing in common “Don’t disturb the repose of my only son, It would appear to me that such an arrest between a cruel gentile and pleas.” I who is always responsive to the distress of would arouse undesirable publicity. I think it addressed Nachmanson in a voice of others. Do you judge even honest men so would be preferable to wait with the arrest authority: “Why did you not let me finish harshly? No, no! Not arrest!” She sobbed until you can establish the truth - that is, if the talking? All your threats and your moral bitterly: “My husband! They’re taking our truth interests you. If, instead, you intend to explanations about how people should son Yosef Yitzchak! becloud the mistake or the libel with layers of talk you can tell me in jail. Here, you untruth, it is clear to me that you will regret have to hear what I have to say. I am They’re taking your only son, who it. You are capable of doing anything - but still within the walls of my home, and sacrifices his very life to do good! Your only you will not arrest Schneersohn with ropes of I want it all to be heard by my family, son, who fulfills your instructions with self- libelous deception!” by reliable witnesses whose testimony sacrifice! Brigands have come, murderers Nachmanson interrupted me: “The you will not be able to refute.” of an upright soul - and for what? Holy forebears: They want to extinguish your administration of the GPU is responsible for “Your words,” said Nachmanson, lamp! My son: Come what may, I won’t let its own activities. It is not afraid of criticism “smack of poison. So you don’t like the m take you away!” from the surrounding world. When it issued the laws of the new regime? Well, the order to have you arrested it obviously we’ll have time to talk about that.... Nachmanson now turned to me: “Please had the necessary power. I am surprised that Now, say whatever you have to say be so kind as to calm her down. Take her you speak as you do. At any rate: For your so that it will be heard by your family, to her room. It’s not my fault that she is so information, you are under arrest.” by reliable witnesses whose testimony upset. We were quiet enough; we didn’t I replied: “But I do not understand why I was we will not be able to refute.” And he want to disturb her rest. Just talk to her interrupted before I managed to express my winked at Lulav and the three armed gently.” At that moment it appeared to request.” men who were there at the time. It was me that even in the depths of evil there is my turn to speak: “I demand that I be an ingredient of good. Words of this kind Nachmanson was losing patience: “If you given permission to put on tefillin and sounded incongruous when mouthed have a request, then you’re allowed to make to pray, and if the law allows it, that my by a cruel individual whose hands were it. That’s a right that every prisoner has. But food be brought to me by no one apart stained with human blood. This man of why are you talking so harshly? Don’t you from members of my family.” rock, I mused, does he too have a heart? understand the situation? We didn’t come Does he, too, have a sense of decency? “You’re asking for permission to pray?” here to make conversation! Nor did we Does he, too, have a conscience? Can said Nachmanson. “I’m telling you that come here to listen to the requests of your he, too, feel compassion? Can it be that you can take along your tefillin, as daughters or the rest of your family! As to he realizes that the sobbing woman well as books, and pencil and paper. I you,” - he turned in anger to my daughters - standing before him is the Lubavitcher promise you faithfully that no one will “get out of here! Just talk one minute more Rebbitzin, whose good name is known far disturb you from praying, or reading and you’re all arrested!” and wide? Can it even be that he feels a and writing. You’ll be back here today. flutter of regret over the stroke of fortune He held up his revolver and said: “With this I’ll When you arrive there, the officer in by which he has come to be an official of talk to you, and then you’ll give up your pretty charge will be waiting for you. He’ll ask the GPU...? phrases!” you a few questions and you’ll be able to return to your home.” My daughter Chanah spoke up: “We speak I accompanied my mother to her room, where I spoke of things which could not be the language spoken by those who at all At that moment, when all the talking discussed in the presence of our visitors. times have been human. We don’t speak was over, and they were simply waiting In fact they did not disturb me at all: they the language of those who have just come for the vehicle that was to take me had gone out for a stroll, leaving behind up out of the mire, who are unable to speak to the new building of the Spalerno only armed guards to wait for the van. honestly, and who are interested only in Prison, my revered mother walked in. pointing revolvers and making threats of Until this moment she had been in her imprisonment. Leave our father alone! Don’t room and had not known what was take away the apple of our eye! going on, because Nachmanson had 21 JUDAISM, JAILS AND JUSTICE: A CONVERSATION WITH JUDGE JACK B. WEINSTEIN By Dovid Margolin While the issues Weinstein and his fellow judges On a rainy afternoon this summer, Judge Jack must grapple with are often complex—Weinstein B. Weinstein called a recess on the case he has called sentencing “the most excruciatingly was presiding over at the federal courthouse difficult task” that a trial judge faces—there is a in Brooklyn, N.Y., to meet with an old friend simple yet profound idea that sits at the heart and comrade-in-arms, Rabbi Sholom Lipskar. of his worldview: He sees the men and women The two have known each other since 1981 who come before him not as criminals, but as when Lipskar, spurred on by the Rebbe— individuals who have made mistakes, human Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous beings animated by a spark of G‑d. memory—founded the Chabad-Lubavitch- “The other day, I had a man say, ‘I know I’m no novice Lipskar, who needed advice and help. affiliated Aleph Institute, the leading Jewish good, Judge,’ ” Weinstein tells Lipskar as they sit Weinstein, whose vast district includes Brooklyn— organization caring for the incarcerated and in his chambers. “I said, ‘Did you ever hear me home to Lubavitch World Headquarters in the their families. Back then, Lipskar made a cold say that? Did you ever hear me say that? You are Crown Heights neighborhood—was already a call to set up a meeting with Weinstein—chief good, you are a person and you’re going to be towering figure in the criminal justice world. When judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern helped.’ But that’s why I’m here, to help people.” the two met, Lipskar discovered an eminent, like- District of New York—already then known, in minded judge, while Weinstein saw in the young the 1982 words of The National Law Journal, Weinstein’s recent reunion with Lipskar in rabbi a fellow traveler. During their conversation, as a “living legend.” The rabbi and the judge Brooklyn took place just as the Aleph Institute’s Weinstein learned of the Rebbe’s outlook on hit it off, and Weinstein, moved by the vision “Rewriting the Sentence” summit was underway criminal justice—views that mirrored his own so and wisdom of the Rebbe’s teachings on at Columbia University Law School in Manhattan. closely. Over the next decade, Weinstein would criminal justice reform and Lipskar’s passion, The groundbreaking gathering, held June 17- take the opportunity to personally meet the Rebbe became a foundational supporter of Aleph’s 18, brought together some 400 leading jurists, as well, encounters, he says, that have remained work. including federal and state judges, district with him to this day. attorneys, members of Congress, probation At age 98, Weinstein is by far the longest- and parole officers, academics and activists for “I was so honored to be in [the Rebbe’s] presence serving active federal judge, having been multiple days of in-depth conversations about because not only did he have that fine grasp, appointed to the bench in 1967 by President alternatives to incarceration. Weinstein, who has which I didn’t have, of religion and the Jewish Lyndon B. Johnson. In the half-century-plus cut down on public appearances to preserve his religion, but he was trained in secular matters,” since, he has become known for his vast energy for his work, did not attend, but over the recalls Weinstein. “He was brilliant in secular scholarship, talent and imagination, and course of the summit his name kept cropping up matters, and as a result, he could relate to our above all, his humanity. These attributes during speeches and presentations, uttered each society and all its problems on the secular as well and his famously boundless energy have for time in tones usually reserved for rock stars. as the religious level.” decades placed him at the forefront of the battle for criminal justice reform in the United Lipskar started the Aleph Institute after hearing In the early 1980s, something as elementary as States. the Rebbe comment at a Shabbat gathering not a prisoner’s access to religious materials or even long after Passover 1981 that although much kosher food remained an uphill battle, with the Weinstein has time and again used his effort was being expended by Chabad activists government routinely denying such requests. position to highlight policies he has called to reach out to every Jew, there were hundreds And so, with Weinstein’s enthusiastic support, “unnecessarily cruel” to both defendants and or even thousands of Jewish people behind the nascent Aleph got to work reaching out to their families. He has made his fair share of bars just waiting to be connected with, and no prisoners of all faiths and denominations and headlines along the way, including sparking one dedicated to doing that work. The very next assisting them however it could with their spiritual, a national furor in 1993 when, not long after day, Lipskar, a longtime Chabad emissary who religious and personal needs. taking senior status, he publicly announced was already busy as executive director of the at an Aleph conference that he would no But as incarceration in the United States continued Shul of Bal Harbour, Fla., wrote a note to the longer hear drug cases due to overly harsh to climb at alarming rates—and with it the belief that Rebbe asking whether he should begin working mandatory minimum sentences. Weinstein the nation could police and incarcerate its way out with prisoners. The Rebbe—an early pioneer has also made waves for pointing out the of the high crime and societal dysfunction rocking of criminal justice reform who in a number of wasted human potential of men and women its urban centers, a process that has led to what is public talks spoke of the fundamental flaw in incarcerated for crimes that garner little public commonly known as “mass incarceration”—Aleph incarceration disconnected from re-education sympathy, even those convicted of violent broadened its scope. Soon, it began advocating and rehabilitation—responded with his emphatic crimes. Calling it “the third-rail of the criminal- for sentences that would serve as meaningful blessing, and the Aleph Institute was born. justice system,” a 2017 New York Times profile alternatives to incarceration for all convicted of Weinstein cited his striking denouncement Ahead of the Curve individuals. In June of 1988, Aleph held its very of the “‘lack of sentencing alternatives’ for It was difficult in the beginning. The Bureau of first symposium, titled “Alternative Punishments young violent criminals who are often written Prisons was a massive bureaucracy, and just Under the New Federal Sentencing Guidelines,” off ... as ‘society’s unredeemables.’ ” breaking in to the system proved difficult for the at Weinstein’s federal courthouse in Brooklyn. The 22 conversation included Weinstein; Ilene Nagel, had met the Rebbe. Following the passing in a commissioner on the Federal Sentencing early 1988 of the Rebbe’s wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Commission; J. Michael Quinlan, director of Mushka Schneerson, Weinstein paid a shiva call. the Bureau of Prisons; David Trager, dean of “I’m here also on behalf of all the judges of the the Brooklyn Law School; Lipskar; and others. Eastern District, and it is our great honor to “The Aleph Institute, primarily operated by have the [Rebbe’s] presence in our district,” Orthodox Jews, sponsored a conference on Weinstein told the Rebbe before wishing that he alternative sentencing along with Brooklyn be “comforted among the mourners of Zion and Law School in my court in June ... ,” Weinstein Jerusalem.” stated at a lecture later that year, subsequently Beginning in the mid-1980s, each Sunday the “May G‑d Almighty bless you to make all your published in the Albany Law Review. “It is Rebbe would famously greet long lines of people judgements—and you are a judge over many doing extraordinary fine work. Its pre-prison from all walks of life, both Jews and non-Jews, judges—according to the real tzedek v’yosher counseling, in-prison education, and post- outside of his office at 770 Eastern Parkway in [‘justice and honesty’], and it will be a [preface prison assistance to defendants and their Crown Heights and give a dollar bill meant for to the words of the prophet] ‘And I will restore families provide standards of compassion charity to each one. When Lipskar passed by, your judges as at first,’ ” the Rebbe replied to and aid worthy of emulation. Rabbi Sholom the Rebbe would invariably turn the conversation Weinstein. “And certainly every judge of our times D. Lipskar, the guiding force of the Aleph to Aleph. is contributing, by making the right decisions, Institute, and his associates understand and to speeding up the fulfillment of the [prophet’s] force us to face the fact that each and every “There was almost never a time when I passed promise that the highest court, the Sanhedrin person deserves to be treated with respect by the Rebbe for dollars that he didn’t mention Gedolah, will return [to its seat in Jerusalem] as an individual personality and not as an Aleph,” says Lipskar, who would also send the together with our righteous Moshiach.” integer, a faceless number ... ” Rebbe regular reports on the organization’s activities. “He would give me a dollar especially “I shall give your message to all the judges of our In these few short lines, which Weinstein for Aleph and say, in Yiddish, ‘For the entire court,” responded Weinstein. would repeat countless times in the years Aleph,’ or ‘Aleph [the first letter in the Hebrew to come, the judge underlined the Rebbe’s alphabet] guides all the letters that follow,’ or This experience, too, made an impression on views on criminal justice, as reflected in the something of that nature.” the judge. Over the course of the shiva week, core mission of the Aleph Institute. Every countless public officials and Jewish leaders from single human being is created in the image On Sunday, Dec. 17, 1989, Weinstein joined across the spectrum came to pay their respects. of G‑d, no two alike, and each with their own Lipskar in the dollars line to see the Rebbe, a brief They included rebbes from other Chassidic mission in this world. The purpose of any exchange captured on video. Weinstein tells the groups, many of them dressed in the traditional correctional facility worthy of its name, the Rebbe that the next day, he would be meeting with garb respective of their communities. Weinstein Rebbe stressed, was not merely to remove the Federal Sentencing Commission, “and I am had never seen anything like it. those convicted of crimes from society, going to tell them your views on imprisonment.” “There were groups of rabbis from all different— but to correct their behavior by illuminating “You will support my views also, not only report from all over the world—and it was like being in a for them, through education, especially my views?” the Rebbe quizzes him. medieval, feudal period,” says Weinstein. “I felt I moral education, the path of responsibility, had been picked up and flown back 400 years to accountability, industry and achievement. When Weinstein assures the Rebbe that he will indeed support them as well, the Rebbe tells him: medieval times—all these rabbis in their garments “If a person is being held in prison, the goal ... each had different colors.” should not be punishment, but rather to give “May G‑d Almighty bless you to go from strength him the chance to reflect on the undesirable to strength, and to reach the time when there For Weinstein, the Rebbe was a bridge between actions for which he was incarcerated,” the will be no prisons, only preventive education to these seemingly different worlds, someone who Rebbe said in Yiddish in a 1976 talk. “He prevent people from going astray from the right connected age-old Jewish practice and thought should be given the opportunity to learn, way.” with the modern era. That’s why neither the improve himself and prepare for his release That evening, Weinstein and his children Rebbe’s advocacy for criminal justice reform nor when he will commence an honest, peaceful, headed to Manhattan, where they took in a Lipskar’s foray into that world as his representative new life, having used his days in prison show at Lincoln Center. When it was over, the struck the judge in the least. toward this end. judge crossed the street to purchase a drink in “It didn’t surprise me because there’s so much of “In order for this to be a reality, a prisoner a neighborhood bodega, outside of which sat that kernel of goodness in 2,000 or more years must be allowed to maintain a sense that he a panhandler. Weinstein turned to his children of literature and learning and rabbinical wisdom,” is created in the image of God; he is a human and told him he had just the right money for the observes Weinstein. “This was crying out for your being who can be a reflection of Godliness in woman, the $2 for charity he had received from help.” this world.” the Rebbe earlier that day. The Kansas-born, Brooklyn-raised Weinstein has The Rebbe, Weinstein asserts, was “miles “What did you say, sir?” the woman asked him. lived a long and momentous life. He enlisted in the ahead of the curve.” “These came from the rabbi in Brooklyn? You Navy and served as a submariner in the Pacific can’t give away those dollars!” theater during World War II, went to Columbia Law ‘You Will Support My Views?’ Weinstein chuckles recalling the scene. “It was School on the G.I. bill—where he taught beginning From the start, the Rebbe paid keen attention so incongruous.” in 1952—and was a member of the NAACP’s to the Aleph Institute’s every development. team of lawyers who successfully litigated Brown That Sunday wasn’t the first time Weinstein v. Board of Education, a monumental Supreme 23 Court decision that found racial segregation cases. In Leadership on the Federal Bench, in public schools to be unconstitutional. Jeffrey B. Morris’ 2011 biography of the judge, the Nevertheless, so deep was the Rebbe’s author quotes Weinstein as saying he was glad he impact upon Weinstein that when he gave did because in many of the cases “I’ve provided a talk about his own life’s journey at the for rehabilitation and kept people out of prison Brooklyn Historical Society and set up a and kept families together. I think I made the right map of Brooklyn with multicolored pins to decision by going back.”) denote important places in his life—the most Of course, incarceration in and of itself can end influential places marked with red pins—he up doing more harm than good if it ends up that dropped a red one on 770 Eastern Parkway the prisoner is, in the Rebbe’s words, “denied [the] in Crown Heights. direction. The bill, which was backed up by sense [that he can be a reflection of G‑dliness in “You know what this pin is?” he asked Lipskar the statistical success of alternative programs the world] and feels subjugated and controlled, at the time. “It’s the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s throughout the country, incentivizes programs of never allowed to raise up his head.” house!” moral betterment by offering time-reduction for “When a person is imprisoned for years, they can A Little Piece of Earth a prisoner’s furthering their education, whether lose their spirit, their character, their self-esteem,” Incarceration as an end, the Rebbe would higher or a GED, participating in job training or says Lipskar as Weinstein nods in agreement. often highlight, is not ever a consequence religious study, among other steps. Indeed, the “Because they can’t make an entry into society prescribed by the Torah. It is true that those Aleph Institute played a key role in the First Step again,” adds Weinstein. “The lines that draw them who commit crimes must atone for their Act’s formulation and eventual passage. into society and that society thinks of them, when sins, and some crimes can—if they meet Questioning the morality of merely warehousing they think of them as human beings, has been the Torah’s stringent requirements for what individuals in prisons for increasingly long cut. And that is a terrible sin,” he says, rapping his is considered a capital crime punishable by periods of time is something Weinstein has done knuckles on the big wooden desk before him, “to man (as opposed to G‑d)—even carry the for decades. It was at a conference organized cut a person’s relationship with the rest of society.” death sentence. But even in such extreme by the Aleph Institute at Cardozo Law School in cases, the guilty party must be treated with April of 1993 that Weinstein made his dramatic Weinstein recalls giving a talk to a group of men dignity, and the sentence is regarded not as a announcement that, exercising his right as a for the Aleph Institute. The men were bearded, punishment but as an atonement. “From the senior judge, he would no longer hear drug and so the judge figured they were Lipskar’s deeper mystical perspective that underlies cases. Calling himself “a tired old judge who has rabbinic colleagues. Torah law,” write Philip Wexler, Eli Rubin and temporarily filled his quota of remorselessness,” “I assumed I was talking to rabbis about the work Michael Wexler of the Rebbe’s theorization Weinstein and his announcement sparked calls you were doing,” he tells Lipskar, “and so I was of Torah’s concept of justice in their 2019 for his resignation or impeachment, and that of putting it on that level, talking about you and book, Social Vision: The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s his statement co-signer, the late Judge Whitman your work. And then you came up to me and Transformative Paradigm for the World, “all Knapp of the Southern District of New York. whispered in my ear, ‘These aren’t rabbis; these punishments should actually be construed Opposition came not only from the right of the are sentenced criminals who got a little leave to as corrective, or reparational, rather than political spectrum. In a letter to the editor printed come and listen to you ... .’ I mean, how can you retributive or punitive in the ordinary sense. in The New York Times, then U.S. House Rep. tell the difference?” One undergoes punishment only as part of Charles Schumer, a Democrat who today serves the process of atonement and repair (tikun).” as Senate Minority Leader, wrote that Weinstein Reflecting on Aleph’s work in the years since its founding, Weinstein chalks up its success to the “Torah does not cause damage, and even and Knapp’s action was “destructive and sets a righteousness of the cause. “It’s not only your the punishments prescribed by Torah are dangerous precedent.” enormous drive,” he tells Lipskar. “It’s a good not simply for the sake of punishment, but Weinstein responded to the uproar later that thing, and it’s easier to go forward with a good are rather for the sake of repairing the sin,” summer in an op-ed in the Times, in which he thing than it is with a bad thing. ... You’ve given the authors quote from a Yiddish talk given called for a federal commission to investigate [people] something good to believe in. ... What by the Rebbe in the fall of 1950. “Therefore the country’s drug policies. “In the debate over you’ve done is now in the statute, and you’re still the punishment of incarceration cannot be national drug policy,” he wrote, “too many policy the model.” entertained, because we thereby deny the makers, unsure of what might work and why, perpetrator the possibility of fulfilling his appear to rely upon what seems politically safe: Back in 1989, the Rebbe blessed Weinstein to go purpose and mission.” harsher law enforcement based on more prison from strength to strength, and to reach the day when there will no longer be any prisons. At age The only way imprisonment can be time.” Acknowledging that the nation’s drug 98, the judge is still at it. justified, then, is if its goal is education and problem was a complicated one, Weinstein rehabilitation. This also means that other wrote that “moral and religious issues” must “When you look out at the world and all the bad methods must be explored, including home be considered. “Would decriminalization imply things that are happening, there’s so much that we confinement, substance-abuse rehabilitation, society’s approval?” But, he asked, should have to do,” he reflects. “So the work of improving job training and restorative justice initiatives this be the only question raised? “Is there an mankind, womankind, goes on. ... We’re placed that help those convicted understand the overlooked moral dilemma in our penal approach on earth, and we have to do our little thing to consequences of their actions. The 2017 that results, for example, in one in four black improve, and things get better and better. So I First Step Act, a transformational criminal males in their 20’s being under the control of the have a little piece of earth. You have yours, and justice reform bill that was passed with criminal justice system?” we try to cultivate people that are on it so that this broad bipartisan support, was a step in this (Weinstein eventually did return to hearing drug is a better world for everybody. Everybody!” 24 25 26 27 28 29 FRENCH CONNECTION REFLEXIONS SUR LA PARACHA Vivre avec la paracha Le sens des Mitsvot l’alimentation cachère, nous les acceptons et les observons. Ces lois sont des « organes Nos Sages nous enseignent qu’il y a un lien » du corps de la Torah qui ont une fonction entre les 613 commandements (les mitsvot) vitale, même si la manière exacte dont ils et le corps humain. Ils soulignent que les 248 fonctionnent nous échappe aujourd’hui. commandements actifs et positifs – les choses que nous devrions faire – correspondent Notre service de D.ieu ne peut pas se limiter aux 248 membres ou parties du corps. Il y au champ de notre compréhension. Dans a 365 commandements négatifs, restrictifs la vie, on consomme de la nourriture bien – choses que nous ne devons pas faire – avant de comprendre comment fonctionne le qui correspondent au nombre de tendons. système digestif. Nous utilisons un ordinateur L’objet des commandements est d’exprimer sans avoir la moindre idée de comme ça la sainteté au moyen de notre corps physique marche « à l’intérieur ». Nous nous rendons dans la vie quotidienne : vivre en tant qu’êtres chez le médecin et prenons les médicaments humains, en exprimant la Divinité. qu’il nous prescrit, y compris l’homéopathie, sans pour autant comprendre le mécanisme Pour réfléchir au sens des commandements, de leurs effets curatifs. considérons la nature biologique du corps. Celui-ci forme une entité dont Quand nous accomplissons un chaque partie joue un rôle vital dans le commandement sans en comprendre la fonctionnement de l’être humain. Année pleine signification, nous démontrons que après année, la recherche médicale a révélé nous agissons ainsi parce que nous savons des connaissances sur les fonctions des qu’il a été commandé par D.ieu dans la Torah différentes composantes du corps, jusqu’à Le commencement de la Paracha de ‘Houkat et que nous croyons et avons confiance que l’échelle des enzymes, des hormones, de (Nombres 19, 1 - 22, 1) nous en fournit un c’est bon pour nous en tant qu’individus et, au l’ADN et du code génétique. exemple important, bien que nous n’ayons bout du compte, pour le monde entier. Cela plus, de nos jours, la possibilité de mettre nous lie à D.ieu, et c’est là le véritable objet Pourtant, certains processus restent encore cette loi en pratique. Il s’agit du processus de des Mitsvot. En même temps, D.ieu nous très peu connus. On a arrêté d’enlever purification au moyen de la « vache rousse ». demande d’utiliser notre intellect autant que systématiquement les amygdales et les Une personne qui a été en contact avec un possible pour en comprendre toujours un peu végétations suite à la découverte de mort contracte une certaine forme d’impureté, plus. fonctions jouées par ses organes et jusque-là résultant dans le fait qu’il ou elle ne pouvait inconnues. pénétrer dans le Temple. Les cendres de Ceci s’applique également aux lois que la vache rousse étaient mêlées à de l’eau nous pensons comprendre. Dans chaque Il est clair que le corps est un système et quelques gouttes de ce mélange étaient enseignement juif, il y a de nombreux niveaux, merveilleux. Et si quelque chose ne peut aspergées sur la personne impure. Elle était de même qu’il y a d’innombrables choses qui encore être élucidé à son sujet, nous dès lors pure et apte à entrer dans le Temple. restent à découvrir sur le fonctionnement savons que nous pouvons nous attendre La Torah utilise le mot « statut », ‘houkat, particulier de chaque organe du corps et la à ce qu’un jour, nous en apprenions plus pour désigner ce commandement. façon dont il œuvre au sein du tout. Chaque et en comprenions plus. Chaque détail est Mitsva nous relie à D.ieu, et nous donne significatif. Nous ne comprenons pas le sens de l’opportunité d’aller sans cesse plus avant l’impureté, ni pourquoi la procédure de la dans l’exploration de sa signification. On peut en dire de même à propos des vache rousse rend la personne pure. Cette commandements de la Torah. Bon nombre loi est le symbole de toutes les lois que nous d’entre eux peuvent être compris, jusqu’à un ne pouvons réduire à de simples termes certain point. Mais d’autres restent obscurs. rationnels. Ce sont ceux qu’on appelle les ‘houkim, les statuts inexpliqués. Ils sont nombreux dans Un exemple d’une telle loi dans notre vie la vie juive. quotidienne est la Cacherout. Bien que nous ne comprenions pas le fondement des lois de

30 LATIN LINK REFLEXION SEMANAL Parasha de la Semana Recuerda todos los días la Este es el episodio que la Torá no nos permite Cuando Miriam descubrió que Moshé se había historia de Miriam olvidar jamás. separado de Tzipora, se encontró en un dilema. Por Ester Vilenkin Por un lado, ¿se atrevía a hablar contra Moshé? Este relato se entiende clásicamente como un Junto con todo el pueblo judío, había sido testigo Quién no ha oído hablar de Miriam, la recordatorio diario sobre lo dañino del lashón de la comunicación exclusiva que había tenido profetisa, hermana mayor de Moshé? Una hará (el discurso negativo), y sobre lo sensibles con Di-s en el monte Sinaí. Ella lo vio descender ¿mujer que inspiró a toda una generación de y cuidadosos que debemos ser con nuestras con las tablas. Él fue el conducto de las misivas judíos esclavizados en Egipto. Una mujer que palabras. Miriam adoraba a Moshé, y sus palabras de Di-s hacia el pueblo. No había duda de su puso su vida en riesgo para salvar a los niños que no tenían intención de dañarlo. Ni siquiera habló grandeza. Era claro que desafiar cualquier cosa el Faraón había ordenado asesinar. Una mujer mal de Moshé, más allá de compararlo con otros que hiciera podía tener consecuencias graves; tan honrada que profetizó la redención; una profetas. El objeto de su conversación, Moshé, ¡una ofensa contra el siervo predilecto de Di-s mujer tan creyente que preparó instrumentos era demasiado humilde como para sentirse estaba a la altura de una ofensa contra Di-s musicales para los rezos de acción de gracias ofendido. Sin embargo, Miriam fue castigada. mismo! Por otro lado, ¿cómo podía contenerse? que los judíos entonarían tras su liberación. ¡Cuánto más entonces debemos nosotros tener ¿Podía permanecer callada ante semejante Luego del Éxodo, fue gracias a ella que, mientras cuidado de no hablar negativamente sobre los desperdicio de potencial? andaban por el desierto, los judíos encontraron demás! agua fresca que manaba de una roca llamada “el Lo que ocurrió luego es historia. La conclusión pozo de Miriam”. Pero esto trae una pregunta: de todas las de Miriam fue que si había incluso una mínima historias sobre Miriam, ¿por qué la Torá eligió posibilidad de que sus esfuerzos condujeran A pesar de que hay tanto para aprender sobre este episodio que la favorece poco y nos obliga a que Moshé y Tzipora se volvieran a unirse y Miriam, la Torá destaca un acontecimiento de su a recordarlo? ¿No hay otra manera de lograr el tuvieran otro hijo, estaba dispuesta a asumir el vida, y nos exige siempre “recordar lo que Di-s resultado deseado (hacernos conscientes de riesgo. Haría ese sacrificio. hizo con Miriam en el camino desde Egipto” los males del lashón hará? ¿Por qué una mujer (Devarim 24:9). De hecho, este es uno de los tan inspiradora y honrada debe ser recordada En el análisis final, Miriam se equivocó; no únicos seis acontecimientos que debemos por un error (cometido una sola vez, sin malas logró apreciar el nivel único de las profecías de recordar todos los días. intenciones)? Esta historia debe transmitir Moshé, ni su relación con Di-s, que acabó con su también algo positivo sobre Miriam, un mensaje matrimonio. Precisamente debido a su grandeza, ¿A qué episodio se refiere este versículo? oculto tras la superficie. el castigo por este pequeño error fue tan severo. Di-s tiene expectativas muy altas para los justos. Miriam descubrió que Moshé se había separado Desde la perspectiva judía, el matrimonio es un Sin embargo, no hay duda de que las intenciones de su esposa, Tzipora, debido a la elevación de ideal y una institución sagrados. Debió de haber de Miriam fueran nobles y puras, de que su su espíritu. Al discutir la cuestión de su hermano habido una circunstancia muy excepcional sacrificio tuviera valor y de que su perspectiva Aarón, Miriam elogió a Tzipora por ser una mujer para que Moshé y Tzipora hicieran semejante fuera loable y digna de emular. Por eso, todo el bella y perfecta en todo sentido, y expresó que sacrificio personal y se separaran. Miriam pueblo —con el Tabernáculo, el Arca y la Divina la separación de Moshé no estaba justificada. entendía esto, pero no podía reconciliarse Presencia— esperó con respeto su regreso antes Según la estimación de Miriam, el nivel con la situación. Ella era una decidida devota de continuar con el viaje. espiritual de Moshé no era una razón adecuada del pueblo judío. En Egipto no le importó que para separarse; después de todo, ella y Aarón corriera riesgo su vida y sirvió, junto con su Recordar esta historia todos los días nos eran ambos profetas casados. madre Iojéved, como partera. La apodaron “Puá”, permite abstenernos de hablar mal de otros, gracias a su facilidad para calmar a los recién pero también enfatiza la importancia de tener Miriam subestimó a Moshé y su nivel superior nacidos. Ella y su madre salvaron numerosos hijos. El sacrificio y la determinación de Miriam de profecía. Moshé no tenía comparación: Di-s bebés desafiando las órdenes del faraón. sirven como una inspiración siempre presente. se le aparecía todo el tiempo. Tenía que estar “de guardia” en todo momento, día y noche, y esa Los niños eran la pasión de Miriam, lo que más Este ensayo está dedicado a mi querida madre, situación no era compatible con el matrimonio. amaba. La continuidad del judaísmo era su la Rebetzin Tzivia Miriam Gurary, de bendita causa. Miriam entendía que cada niño que nace memoria, en honor a su séptimo iartzeit. Di-s castigó a Miriam: “¿Por qué, pues, no fortalece a todo el pueblo judío; cada alma es temiste hablar contra mi siervo, contra Moshé?” otra vela que ilumina el mundo. Por hablar de forma impropia acerca de Moshé, Di-s afligió a Miriam con lepra, y ella estuvo Miriam no podía evitar soñar con que Moshé en cuarentena durante siete días, fuera del y Tzipora tuvieran otro hijo.2 Si cada niño que campamento judío. A pesar de que los judíos nace tiene un valor incalculable para el pueblo debían seguir su viaje, por respeto a Miriam, la judío, ¡cuánto más un niño nacido de semejantes esperaron hasta su regreso. gigantes espirituales y criado por ellos! 31 IN A WOMAN’S WORLD ISSUES OF RELEVANCE TO THE JEWISH WOMAN WEEKLY CLASSES Women’s Mikvah: Please call Mrs. Devorah Failer for an appointment: 305-866 1492 or PLEASE CHECK 305-323-2410 Please Note: Shabbos & Yom Tov visits must be Prepaid OUR VIRTUAL CLASS SCHEDULE FOR ALL THE SHUL CLASSES THAT ARE The Shul Sisterhood

HAPPENING Who we are... The Shul Sisterhood organizes all of The Shul’s programming and USING THE ZOOM APP / ONLINE classes geared toward women in the community. Our objective DURING THIS TIME. is to bring women of all ages and backgrounds together to learn, laugh, experience, and rejuvenate their mind, body and soul. Meet new friends, relax and get inspired! HTTPS://ZOOM. US/J/6457054016 If you would like to be a part of The Shul Sisterhood, PASSWORD: 699576 please call 305. 868.1411

CHICKEN YAKITORI PREPARATION By Steven Weinberger 1. Slice the chicken into long strips. Combine the meat with half of the Yakitori sauce and refrigerate overnight. INGREDIENTS

4 chicken cutlets 2. Heat the grill to high. Thread the chicken onto your skewers of 1 recipe Yakitori Sauce choice. Easy Yakitori Sauce

3. Cook the chicken, turning often and brushing regularly with the 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce 1/2 cup mirin other half of the Yakitori sauce, to an internal temperature of 165°F 2 tablespoons sugar degrees. 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced or microplaned EASY YAKITORI SAUCE 1. Mix all the ingredients together in a small pot. 2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. 3. Allow to cool.

32 PLEASE READ ONLY NETWORKING AFTER SHABBOS EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING

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CONTACTS AT THE SHUL 305.868.1411 Rabbi Rabbi Sholom Lipskar [email protected] Ext 311 Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Chani Lipskar [email protected] 305.992.8363 Associate Rabbi Rabbi Zalman Lipskar [email protected] Ext 345 Rabbi’s Executive Assistant / CYS Ms. Lydia Hasson [email protected] Ext 311 JLAC / Adult Ed/ Singles Rabbi Shea Rubinstein [email protected] Ext 342 CYS College / Kolel Rabbi Dov Schochet [email protected] 305.790.8294 Youth Director / Hebrew School Rabbi Shaykee Farkash [email protected] Ext 329 Pre-School Director Mrs. Chana Lipskar [email protected] Ext 325 Accounting Mrs. Geri Kelly [email protected] Ext 341 Controller Mrs. Janice Barney [email protected] Ext 318 Events / Office Manager Ms. Milena Liascovitz [email protected] Ext 328 Director of Events and Marketing Mrs. Devorah Leah Andrusier [email protected] Ext 313 Operations / Maintenance Rabbi Shlomi Katan [email protected] Ext 319 Reception Mrs. Mindy Natoli [email protected] Ext 0 Sephardic Minyan Rabbi Yair Massri [email protected] 917.982.6165 Hashkama Minyan Mr. Lazer Milstein 305.349.3040 Editor Mrs. Aurit Katan [email protected] 786.382.9006 Mashgiach Mr. Mordechai Olesky [email protected] 786.262.9115 Mikvah Mrs. Devorah Failer [email protected] 305.323.2410

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Sidney Feltenstein - Chairman Alberto Kamhazi Simon Falic Shmuel Katz M.D. Matias Garfunkel Leo Kryss Ambassador Isaac Gilinski Rabbi Sholom D. Lipskar Jaime Gilinski Lazer Milstein Max Gilinski David Schottenstein Saul Gilinski Ryan Shapiro Sam Greenberg Claudio Stivelman Abel Holtz Morris Tabacinic Mike Izak BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jacob Givner - President Anita Givner Steven M. Dunn - Vice President Sam Greenwald EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE David Wolf - Vice President Sharon Hakmon Joey Givner - Chair Rabbi Sholom D. Lipskar Mitchell Feldman - VP Oversight Ben Jacobson Devorah Leah Andrusier Rabbi Zalman Lipskar Rabbi Zalman Lipskar - VP Development Albert Lichy Janice Barney Lazer Milstein Eric P. Stein - Treasurer Rabbi Sholom D. Lipskar Joel Baum Orit Osman Joel Baum - Financial Treasurer Alexander Matz Steven Dunn Brian Roller Dovid Duchman - Secretary Ezzy Rappaport Velvel Freedman - Associate Secretary Elliott Rimon Maurice Egozi Ryan Shapiro Carolyn Baumel Yaacov Saidof Henry Eichler Marc Sheridan Max Benoliel Seth Salver Mitchell Feldman Daniel Sragowicz Betzalel Camissar Alex Tauber Daniel Gielchinsky Cynthia Stein Barry Cohen Jordan Wachtel Evelyn Katz Eric P. Stein Boruch Duchman Rebbetzin Chani Lipskar Michael Tabacinic Henry Eichler 34 GOVERNOR RON DE SANTIS SIGNED TWO MOMENTOUS BILLS THIS WEEK AT THE SHUL