Exodus Magazine - May 2019

May 2019 • Iyyar 5779

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May 2019

Iyyar 5779

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5 | JEWISH SOUL

Mastering Time

8

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10 | JEWISH THOUGHT

Morality Matters, More Than Ever

We are accustomed to thinking of time as a fixed yardstick against which our lives are measured. Yet physical science has since refuted this cursory perception of time.

What happens to national identity when everything holding a nation together disintegrates or disappears? What happens to society when the focus of a culture is on the self and its icon, the “selfie”?

— From the Rebbe's correspondences

.— by Jonathan Sacks

6 | MADE YOU THINK

18 | PERSPECTIVES

Can We Change Our Personalities?

The Suffering of Gaza's Population

The counting of the Omer is a journey toward emotional refinement.

Whenever addressing the issue of self-refinement and personal growth, we must ask the big question: Can we indeed change our personalities?

Much has been written about the terror Hamas aims at Israel and Egypt.

But what about the suffering and terror inflicted on its own people, the oppressed residents of Gaza?

.— by Simon Jacobson

— by Dr. Mordechai Kedar

8 | LIFE ON EARTH

20 | JEWISH THOUGHT

Progress is possible only because of humanity’s common values.

And it is good only when we stick to those values. Here are some examples of Jewish values that shaped human progress.

Why do we celebrate the Pesach Sheini nowadays?

We celebrate its spiritual meaning, the added capacity to achieve a higher degree of spiritual connection.

— by Tzvi Freeman

— by Moshe Wisnefsky

What Are Jewish Values?

May 2019

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Never Too Late!

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The soul descends from its pristine, spiritual abode into a dirty world of half-truths and outright lies, where slight-of-hand magicians and con artists rule by virtue of their mastery of the art of illusion. Transcendental consciousness is replaced by confusion. Perfect unity is exchanged for a fragmented, chaotic existence.

And throughout it all, the soul is forced to endure the most humiliating indignations imaginable, to eat and breath and sleep like an animal, to be held prisoner by a physical body and an animal soul, trapped within our natural, earthly tendencies.

In spite of all this, the soul wants to come here. Though this may be the world of lies, it is also the world of purpose. Though it may be a world of illusions, it is also the world of action. The soul’s purpose is to refine the pit into which it is thrown, and make a beautiful castle out of it. For the soul to remain spiritual is hardly a great feat. For the animalistic within us to be boorish is obviously pointless. In either case, we do not achieve anything worthy of the soul’s descent. Our job is to transcend both and live in a state in which they are one – we are to become transmetaphysical. To live on a level in which the animal and the spiritual within us work together, like a horse and rider, to pursue the same agenda.

The Israelites of ancient Egypt left the most powerful and advanced civilization of their time to faithfully follow G-d and Moses into a desolate, blistering desert full of snakes and

scorpions. Imagine a North American today choosing to give up the comfort and security we enjoy to go live in a war-ravaged, diseaseinfested nightmare of a country for the purpose of spiritual enlightenment. And this act is perceived as the defining moment that marks the foundation of the Jewish nation, emblematic of our capacity to overcome the trappings of materialism and connect to G-d – even if it means you have to do something a little outrageous.

This is our spiritual inheritance, our gift to humanity and our mission in life: To embody the loftiest of spiritual experiences within a material reality and to disregard the status quo – or create a new one; not to divest from worldly realities or to fight against them, but to transform them, to rebel with them against the prevailing structure, and create a new world order.

The counting of the Omer, marking the days between Passover and Shavuot, is a period of introspective stocktaking. Each day represents one of the soul’s unique faculties, making it an opportune time to get to know the soul, its powers and how to draw on them to fulfill our mission of making ourselves and this world into a spiritual abode.

Perhaps all that it takes is for one person to become truly transmetaphysical, to grab the bull by the horns and actually live as if the material and spiritual are one, and teach the rest of us how. Maybe it could be you.

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jewish soul

Mastering Time From the Rebbe's correspondences

W

e are accustomed to thinking of time as a fixed yardstick against which our lives are measured. We “pass through” time (or time passes us by) at an unalterable pace. Time deeply affects everything about us and everything we do, but we have no effect upon it.

Physical science has since refuted this cursory perception of time, demonstrating how time, like any other physical phenomenon, is in fact quite malleable. It can be concentrated, stretched, speeded up, slowed down, or stopped altogether. This, of course, is achieved mostly on paper or by computer simulation.

In practice, time’s dictatorial rule of our lives seems absolute. The irrevocability of the past, the uncompromising temporality of the present, the impregnable fog of the future— man still seems very much a creature subject to time, rather than the other way around.

One example of man’s triumph over time is teshuvah (“return”)—the power to reach back in time and transform the significance of one’s past deeds.

The Torah, however, insists that man can master time, transcend it, and redefine it.

One example of man’s triumph over time is teshuvah—the power to reach back in time and transform the significance of one’s past deeds.[1] And time itself, according to Torah, is a resource to be molded and developed by man, as man is charged to mold and develop all resources of G‑d’s creation. Time can be sanctified—made more porous and absorbent of the all-pervading reality of its Creator—as it is when it is utilized toward good and G‑dly ends. Time can be imbued with joy, freedom, love, awe, wisdom and a host of other spiritual characteristics—as we do when we set the calendar and thereby determine the dates of the festivals. And time can be accumulated.

Each of these forty-nine days embodies another spiritual achievement—the refinement of another aspect of our personality and character.

From Passover to Shavuot, we conduct a daily count of the days and weeks in reenactment of the forty-nine-day process of self-refinement which our ancestors underwent from their exodus from Egypt on the first day of Passover to the revelation at

May 2019

Omer process; by its final day, we shall have amassed forty-nine units of time, and the specific qualities they embody, with which to approach this year’s experience of Sinai * * *

Sinai on Shavuot. “Today is one day of the Omer,” we pronounce on the second evening of Passover; “Today are two days…,” we say on the following evening; “Today are three days…” on the next, and so on. Seven weeks later we conclude the count and climb to Sinai with the statement, “Today are fortynine days, which are seven weeks of the Omer.”

Two questions come to mind concerning the manner of the count. If we are counting the days to Sinai, why don’t we state how many remain until Shavuot, instead of the number that have passed since Passover?

Also, “Today are two days” seems awkward if not inaccurate; would it not be more correct to say, “Today is the second day,” “Today is the third day,” and so on?

But we do not merely pass through the days between Passover and Shavuot—we accumulate them. Each of these forty-nine days embodies another spiritual achievement— the refinement of another aspect of our personality and character. Each of these days becomes a component of our reborn selves, as we internalize the freedom obtained at the Exodus as the essence of our commitment to G‑d as His chosen people. On the second day of the count, we possess two days of the

This is one of the themes of the Counting of the Omer: translating intellectual endeavor into character traits — so that one’s conduct obeys the directives of the mind; so that in one’s daily life one should be what one intellectually knows in the revealed levels and inner dimensions of the Torah; so that the man and what he knows should be one inseparable entity.

Actually, this is also one of the central themes of the inner dimension of the Torah, whose revelation takes place on Lag B'Omer – to unite everything and to demonstrate that everything is oneness: physicality is merely an exterior which has to be refined so that it is no longer physical. As to material objects,2 one has to cause their innermost dimension to surface so that it fuses with their spirituality and soul.

When this is done, the person involved — his soul, his body, and all his affairs — becomes one undivided entity. EM

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made you think

Can We Change Our Personalities?

Simon Jacobson

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e are now in the forty-nine day period between Passover and Shavuot, which is marked by an intense journey toward emotional refinement. Each of the 49 days corresponds with one aspect of our seven multiplied by seven (49) emotional attributes, as outlined in detail with daily exercises in my book, The Spiritual Guide to Counting the Omer.

Day one focuses on refining the “love within love,” day two – discipline within love, and so on.

Whenever addressing the issue of selfrefinement and personal growth, we must ask the big question: Can we indeed change our personalities?

Animals, for instance, do not work on themselves and their relationships. They are who they are, controlled by their inherent instincts, and that’s that. Animals don’t go to therapy, don’t take Prozac and simply play out their lives according to their built-in mechanisms.

True, we can train an animal to jump through hoops and perform other tricks, but we cannot fundamentally change their natural patterns, as Dr. Moreau tragically discovered.

The famous parable of the proverbial cat drives the point home. Two philosophers were arguing the point whether animals can be trained and changed to behave like humans. The first thinker pointed to a cat that was trained to be a waiter in a fancy restaurant. Dressed in coat n’ tails the feline served patrons walking on two with his nose and whiskers elegantly facing upward.

The second philosopher took out a bag and opened it up releasing several mice scurrying in different directions. The cat in tuxedo and all suddenly dropped on all fours to pursue the mice, leaving the wine and dinner strewed across the cherry wood floors, and the philosopher to scratch his head…

Humans too have their inherent natures and dispositions. Just as we can’t change the color of our eyes or our height (except superficially), how can we change our emotional “stripes”?

Especially considering the contemporary prevailing Darwinian-Freudian theory of man – as an evolved beast driven by the self-

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ish preserving Id – it would appear that there is little hope for any fundamental change beyond the behavioral.

Just witness the ugliness to which man can stoop when our survival instincts are challenged. Ravenous people have been known to kill other men with cannibalistic fury to satisfy their desperate hunger. No one should ever be tested, but history is fraught with brutal examples of mans’ fall to bestial behavior capable of unimaginable atrocities when his survival (real or perceived) is at stake.

This may upset the entire billion-dollar self-help industry and therapeutic community (and conversely help the lucrative cosmetics business), but hey, if we are unchangeable creatures, let’s just call a spade a spade, and stop wasting time, energy and money trying to work on perfecting our inner selves (it may be time to buy cosmetics stock).

If, for example, someone is born with an angry gene, or acquired angry fits at young age – either due to overexposure to an angry parent, or to deeply embedded resentment built up over the years – can we actually expect that this person will cease reacting

with bouts of fury? Or if another is stingy by nature (first or second nature) can she ever become generous?

Is compassion wired into our systems, with some of us given a larger measure, while others are wired in different ways with different features?

When observing familial patterns it appears that certain traits “run in the family.”

Whether this is due to “nature” or “nurture” – heredity or acquired attitudes – doesn’t change the obvious difficulty or impossibility to change the grains of our natures, just as we can’t change the grains in wood.

So what value or hope do we have in attempting to change our natural tendencies – a seemingly doomed cause?

How many people have you actually met that have changed their personalities?

The argument can be made that we really can’t change our essential selves, but we can change our behavior. What is expected of civilized beings is not that they transform their insides, but that they live by a common law that dictates mutual respect: Superimposed “green lights” and “red lights” that allow us to co-exist. Hopefully, the façade of

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made you think

behavioral discipline will hold the inner beast at bay, with only a few anomalies in the shape of monstrous criminals put behind bars. Fear of punishment, in this system, is the determining deterrent that stops humans from gravitating back to their natural selfishness.

But left to their own, people will naturally return to their primal roots: Beasts struggling to survive at all costs.

Not a pretty picture, but do we have an alternative?

Now for the good news.

Every assumption is based on our initial premise. Every theory is defined by its axioms.

The reason we assume that we cannot change our personalities is because our initial impression is that everything in this universe doesn’t really change in any fundamental way. Minerals remain minerals, vegetables are always vegetables and leopards do not “change their spots.”

Existence as we experience it on a sensory level is a static place. Yes, things move about but they do not fundamentally change their natural personalities and do not transcend their inherent boundaries. The sun rises each day and sets at night. Then the moon rises and sets. The moon goes through its lunar cycle consistently each month. Every part of “nature” is a like a predictable clock following a pre-set unwavering program.

So just as a stone, a tree and an animal all remain the way they have always been, why should we assume that a human being is different?

Based on this premise, that existence is static and even dying, the impossibility of changing ones personality seems as inevitable as the fact that a lamb will never behave like a wolf.

Indeed, existence as we know is worse than static; it is dying. Everything we experience, even physical matter, is in the process of erosion. Life in particular is mortal. Everyone and everything ages and dies.

However all this is based on the premise of existence “as we know it.”

There is another premise – one that upsets the entire theory of an unchanging existence.

This premise is posited by the Torah. Like a true blueprint the Torah doesn’t describe

May 2019

symptoms but causes. It doesn’t define existence by the way we humans perceive it with the naked eye, but by its true inner character. When we look at a structure we see the outer layer; it’s body. When we look at its blueprint we see its internal engineering; it’s soul.

The Torah, which defines things as they truly are, opens up by describing man – not as a five or six foot skeleton, not as a creature of intelligence and feelings, not as a being that is born and dies. Who then is man? The first thing we are told is that the human being is not human but “divine,” created in the “Divine Image.” At the core each of us is a “Divine persona.”

This declaration changes the entire picture.

Were we mere human personalities then our personality could change no more than land can become water or earth can transform into heaven.

Without getting into the intricate meanings of “Divine Image,” the basic difference between human and Divine is the difference between death and life. Divine is dynamic.

Human is static. Divine is alive. Human is dead.

You see, the fact that the physical universe ages and erodes tells us that it is in fundamental demise from the outset. In Torah law there is a question about what can be categorized “mayim chayim,” live waters.

If a live spring were to dry up in seven years, the law dictates that even while the spring is “alive” during the seven years it cannot be called “live,” because its demise is an inevitability. If something will ultimately die, is it truly alive in the first place?

Eternity, in other words, is not discovered at the end of “the road,” but at the beginning.

Eternity is qualitatively, not quantitatively, different than the ephemeral, just as infinity is qualitatively equidistant from the number one as it is from a trillion.

We may not know much about the Divine, but one thing it is not is human (that is, human as we define the term). The divine is a source of constant energy flowing from the Essence of it all. It is dynamic and alive, and always open to change.

By stating that the human being is made in the “Divine Image” we are compelled to

rethink the very nature of our beings. Instead of trying to fit our spiritual “concepts” into human terms, we are asked to fit our “human” parameters into “Divine” context.

As some thinkers have noted: “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey; we are spiritual beings on a human journey.”

Indeed, the Divine behooves us to rethink the very nature of existence itself. Not just the human, but the entire universe, beneath the surface, is pulsating with vibrant and dynamic Divine energy. By seeing ourselves as Divine we can begin looking at the universe in a new way and then recognize our ability to change existence as a whole.

I have always been intrigued by the statement of some French atheists that if “G‑d didn’t exist we would have to create Him.” Beyond the sacrilegious tone of this statement, it carries a deep truth: If we allow ourselves to see life as nothing more than mortal, than we are doomed to the death of all things mortal. In effect, rendering all our life choices, all our sacrifices, all our commitments, into dying causes – dying along with us.

Our only wellspring of hope – one that infuses all our commitments with eternal meaning – is our connection with the Divine.

As one Holocaust survivor once said: “After the holocaust we have no choice but to believe in G‑d, because we no longer can believe in man…”

The implications of personality change due to our Divine (rather than human) nature are far-reaching and revolutionary. It creates an infinitely higher standard of what we can expect of ourselves and of others. It motivates us to reach places we may never have considered imaginable. Above all, it gives us the power to change our vary nature – even if it is deeply ingrained into our genes and personalities, due to heredity or training.

So, can you change your personality? No, if it’s a human personality. Yes, if it’s a Divine one. EM

Rabbi Simon Jacobson is the author of Toward a Meaningful Life: The Wisdom of the Rebbe and the director of the Meaningful Life Center (meaningfullife.org).

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7

life on earth

What Are Jewish Values?

Tzvi Freeman

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e live in a thriving world of over seven billion people, with fewer casualties of war, less poverty, longer and healthier lives than ever before in recorded history. Technology and medical breakthroughs continue to press forward, along with global commerce and communications.

But this progress is possible only because of humanity’s common values. And it is good only when we stick to those values. We value medicine only when we value life. Commerce benefits everyone only when people keep their word. Technology is beneficial only when we use it to build a kinder, fairer world with greater freedom and opportunities for all. And global communications is of value only when we want to share our ideas and collaborate with one another.

Here are some examples of Jewish values that contribute to a better world: IN G‑D’S LIKENESS It’s a very big world, and yet no two people are alike. No two people think alike, look alike or live the same life. Yet the Jewish Torah declares something very radical: that every human being is created in the likeness of G‑d.

Adult or child, man or woman, rich or poor, capable or handicapped, a member of your tribe or a foreigner—the Author of the Universe breathes within each one of us.

Each human being is a representative of the Creator within His creation, each in his or her unique, irreplaceable way. Which means that the life of each person is sacred.

The Jewish sages taught: “Anyone who takes a single life, it is as though he has destroyed the entire world. And anyone who saves a single life, it is as though he has saved the entire world.”

That is the only measure we have of a human life: Each one is worth the entire world.

HUMAN DIGNITY A city is under siege and the enemy declares, “Give us one of you, and we will leave you alone.”

What is the right thing to do?

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The Jewish sages taught that we are not permitted to hand over an innocent life, even to save many more lives. Why? Because the Torah does not permit us to take an innocent life, even for the benefit of many.

For much of the 20th century, world powers were locked in struggle. It was not just a struggle for power; it was a struggle of ideologies.

On the one side were those who believed that the good of the state overrides the rights of the individual. A person could be stripped of all he had, and entire communities could be exterminated if that benefited the state.

On the other side were those who believed in the right of every person to life, to justice, to ownership of property, and to decide how and where to live.

The experiment of the 20th century has shown clearly that the Torah way is indeed the only way that society is sustainable.

SOCIAL JUSTICE Abraham, father of the Jewish People, believed so strongly in justice that he even took G‑d to task over it. G‑d informed him that He was going to destroy the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham argued, “What if there are some righteous people in those cities? Shouldn’t you save the cities for those righteous people? Will the Judge of all the earth not do justice?”

Justice is really G‑d’s job. He created the world, and it’s up to Him to ensure it runs fairly. And so it is a great privilege that He makes us partners in this divine and vital task.

“Justice, justice, you shall pursue!” G‑d commands us in the Torah. And as the Jewish sages taught, “The world endures because of three things: justice, truth and peace.”

To a Jew, seeking justice is a way of seeking G‑d. On the morning of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Jews read

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life on earth

from the prophet Isaiah what G‑d requires of them: “to loosen all the bonds that bind men unfairly, to let the oppressed go free, to break every yoke. Share your bread with the hungry; take the homeless into your home.

Clothe the naked when you see him, do not turn away from people in need.”

FIXING UP THE WORLD Can human beings make the world a better place?

For most of history, wise people laughed at this notion. Many considered this world a dark and cursed place. No one imagined that we could make permanent and lasting change. Everything, they said, goes in cycles.

Sometimes good prevails, sometimes evil.

But the Torah of the Jews sees all of time as a story, working towards an era of peace and wisdom here on earth. It is the duty of every person to leave the world behind better than he or she found it. All of us, in our actions, are builders of a world to come.

Jews call this idea tikun, which means to fix up the world—to make it even better than its Creator made it.

G‑d created this world out of love. He loves this world, and He sustains all its creatures with love. And the greatest gift of love He can give us is the opportunity to partner with Him in the creation of the world, by setting it straight and bringing it into harmony.

THE LAND OF ISRAEL AND THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY Israel is the land of the Jewish People.

It was promised to them by G‑d as an everlasting inheritance. The books that all Christians and Muslims consider holy concur on this point.

Yet at the same time, G‑d also told the Jewish People that they must respect the stranger among them. Even if that person does not keep their rituals and is not a member of their tribe, the stranger must be treated with dignity, and Jew and non-Jew alike are responsible to keep the basic laws incumbent upon all human beings.

In the 16th century, Europe was torn by wars of religious intolerance. People thought

May 2019

that those who disagreed with their beliefs were heretics and must be converted or killed. It wasn’t until they looked back into the Torah—the Hebrew Bible—that they realized this is not the way. G‑d wants us to make peace with one another, and that is only possible when we accept each other’s differences.

Among Jews, there are always many different opinions. Jews love to debate important issues. They know from long experience that only through a wide variety of views and lively debate can we find the truth. Indeed, the Talmud, one of the most studied Jewish texts, and (along with the Bible) the foundation of Jewish law, is a compilation of arguments of the sages.

People must keep the law of their country, and accept that there is one final authority, the Author of the entire world. But to force everyone to be the same runs counter to G‑d’s plan for a diverse and beautiful world.

MORAL MONOTHEISM What difference does it make whether people have one G‑d, many gods, or no god at all? Can’t we rely on human reason and instinct to guide us to live in peace with one another?

To this question, history provides a resounding “No.” This is especially so after the 20th century, when the most educated nation on earth, one that prided itself on its achievements in science, culture, philosophy and ethics, committed the most horrific crimes against humanity. They did so not out of a fit of insanity or revenge, but with the rationale of what they considered pure science. Millions of innocent people were worked or gassed to death, simply because they were considered inferior.

Human nature and human reason are not inherently evil. Human beings naturally care for one another and are outraged by injustice. Human reason has produced a wealth of wisdom.

But the human mind is easily bribed. When morality becomes inconvenient, we find ways to dismiss it. When ethics get in our way, we find reasons to change the rules of the game.

And when it comes to people who are outside of our clan, tribe or society, we simply determine that they are not human like us, and everything is justified.

That is why it is vital, especially today in a global society, that we accept a single Authority, one who is neither human nor elected by humans, and whose word is eternal and immutable.

WORLD PEACE Is peace better than war? It’s hard to believe, but not long ago most people thought war was a great enterprise. It was the way men showed their strength and nations demonstrated their power. People who protested war were generally considered foolish crackpots.

But more than 2,600 years ago, the Jewish prophets Isaiah and Micah prophesied of a time when nations would choose never to go to war again and the world would be filled with peace.

Indeed, for Jews, peace, Shalom, is not just a word. It is a name of G‑d.

It wasn’t until the close of the First World War that people began to understand that humanity, with its vast new arsenal of technological weapons, could no longer afford to go to war. After the Second World War, the nations of the world built a great structure—the United Nations— where they would sit and discuss peace instead of war.

On a wall in the United Nations Headquarters complex are engraved the words of Isaiah and Micah: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift the sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” May that time come very soon, sooner than we can imagine. EM

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman, a senior editor at Chabad.org, is the author of Bringing Heaven Down to Earth and more recently Wisdom to Heal the Earth. To subscribe to regular updates of Rabbi Freeman's writing or purchase his books, visit Chabad.org. Follow him on FaceBook @RabbiTzviFreeman.

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9

jewish thought

Morality Matters, More Than Ever Jonathan Sacks

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hat happens to national identity when everything holding a nation together disintegrates or disappears? What happens to society when the focus of a culture is on the self and its icon, the “selfie”? What happens when Google filters and Facebook friends divide us into non-communicating sects of the likeminded? And what happens to morality when the mantra is no longer “We’re all in this together”, but rather “I’m free to be myself”?

These were some of the questions that prompted me to undertake a five-part series on morality in the 21st broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was thrilling to engage in dialogue with some of the finest minds in Britain and North America as well as with some stunningly articulate sixth formers from London and Manchester.

What emerged from this journey into the state of Western culture is that morality matters more than we commonly acknowledge. It’s all we have left to bind us into shared responsibility for the common good. Morality is our oldest and most powerful resource for turning disconnected “I”s into a collective “we”. It’s the alchemy that turns selfish genes

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into selfless people, egoists into altruists, and self-interested striving into empathy, sympathy and compassion for others.

It is no accident that the word “demoralization” means what it does: a loss of confidence, enthusiasm and hope.

Without a shared morality, we are left as anxious individuals, lonely, vulnerable and depressed, struggling to survive in a world that is changing faster than we can bear and becoming more unstable by the day.

One symptom of this was starkly revealed this week in the news that almost a quarter of 14-year-old girls in Britain had self-harmed in the course of a year. This is a deeply disturbing trend, but it will have come as no surprise to readers of iGen, the thoroughly researched study of American children born in or after 1995: the first generation to have grown up with smartphones. Jean Twenge, its author, is one of the participants in the radio series. She told me about her discovery that rates of self-ascribed life satisfaction among American teenagers plummeted after 2012, while depression and suicide rocketed upward. Again, it was girls who were the more vulnerable.

Her view is that social media and smartphone addiction have played a significant part in this pathology. Young people were spending between seven and nine hours a day on their phones. The result has been a loss of social skills, shortened attention spans and sleep deprivation, but, above all, anxiety. Seeing their friends’ posts, they are subject to Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) – and constantly comparing themselves with the burnished images of their contemporaries. iGen’ers, she says, are “scared, maybe even terrified”. They are “both the physically safest generation and the most mentally fragile”.

The second result, charted by another participant in the series, the American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, is the assault on free speech taking place in university campuses. His new book, published next week, is called The Coddling of the American Mind, subtitled, “How good intentions and bad ideas are setting up a generation for failure.”

It tells of how the new ideas of “safe spaces”, “trigger warnings” and “no platforming”, despite their good intentions, can screen out from university life views and voices that

Iyyar 5779

fail to fit the prevailing canons of political correctness. This is being done in the name of the right not to be offended – a right that would have terrified George Orwell, whose dictum, engraved on the walls of the new BBC Broadcasting House, states: “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”

This is closely related to a third phenomenon playing an ever larger part in the liberal democracies of the West, namely identity politics. There was a time, until recently, when politics aspired to be about what is best for the nation. One of the lasting unintended consequences of multiculturalism is that we no longer think of the nation as a whole. Instead the electorate has been fragmented into a series of subcultures, defined by ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. These can easily become competitive interest groups, less concerned with the common good than with what is good for those-like-me.

Each group can be encouraged, by the mood of our time, to see itself as a victim and to identify an oppressor who can be blamed for their current predicament. This gives rise to a divisive and rancorous politics that divides society, like the dualisms of old, into the children of light and the children of darkness. It also provides a justification for the use of social media to manipulate public opinion by fake news and “alternative facts”.

When it comes to defending your group against oppressors, people think that the end justifies the means.

These are dangerous tendencies at both an individual and collective level. You can see this in the spate of best-selling self-help books about anxiety and depression on the one hand, and, on the other, a string of books with titles such as How Democracies Die, The Suicide of the West and The Retreat of Western Liberalism.

What connects the personal and the political was given a name more than a century ago by the great sociologist Emile Durkheim.

He called it anomie: a state of instability, in societies and individuals, resulting from the breakdown of a shared set of moral beliefs and attitudes. This would lead, he thought, to a rise in suicides as well as a loss of social

cohesion.

Since the Sixties, we have come to believe that you can outsource morality to the market and the state. The market is about wealth, the state about power. The market gives us choices and the state deals with the consequences of those choices. Within those parameters we can do whatever we like so long as it does not directly harm others.

We are learning that this only works in the short term. In the long term, when all that matters is wealth and power, the wealthy and powerful gain and the poor and powerless suffer. That’s what has happened for at least a generation. Hence the anger and loss of trust that today divide societies throughout the West.

There is an alternative. Since civilization began, morality has been humanity’s internal satellite navigation system as we have journeyed toward the undiscovered country called the future. It has taken different forms, but it is always about caring for the good of others, not just ourselves; about decency, honesty, faithfulness and self-restraint, treating others as we would wish to be treated. It’s the world of “we” not “I”.

While the market and the state are about competition, morality is about co-operation.

It is born and sustained in families, communities, voluntary organizations and religious congregations. Altruism, Viktor Frankl taught us, is the best cure for depression. Virtue, as Aristotle noted, is the basis of strong societies. And we can each make a contribution. As Melinda Gates reminds us in the last programme of the series: change one life for the better and you’ve begun to change the world.

Morality is the redemption of our solitude.

With it we can face the future without fear, knowing we are not alone. EM

Rabbi Dr. Sir Jonathan Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of the UK and the Commonwealth and a member of the House of Lords, is a leading academic and respected world expert on Judaism. He is a the author of several books and thousands of articles, appears regularly on television and radio, and speaks at engagements around the world.

future tense

MOSHIACH MUSINGS

There is a higher truth, a truth that transcends physicality and spirituality; a truth surpasses both intellect and instinct.

G‑d is neither spiritual nor physical.

He created both realms, and is equally present in both. He provided us avenues of connection to His higher truth in both venues: prayer, for example, is a spiritual venue of connection to G‑d, while giving charity is a physical pathway. And He provided us with a guide — our rational mind — with which to navigate both areas of life.

But we also need to be connected to the higher divine truth that transcends spirit and matter. Indeed, it is only because of this connection that we can inhabit two such diverse worlds and even incorporate them both into our lives.

That's why Jacob had to spend a night on Mount Moriah, site of the Holy Temple, the place of G‑d’s deepest selfrevelation to man and man's ultimate commitment in his service of G‑d: the place where the elemental divine truth is manifest. Only an encounter with with Mount Moriah can bridge our "Eber years" and our "Laban years". Only an encounter with Mount Moriah can place our spiritual endeavors and our material pursuits in the same life, cause them to dwell harmoniously with each other and even feed and nourish each other, and impose the same standards of integrity on both.

But on Mount Moriah there are no rules and no tools. You cannot grasp or apprehend, you cannot rationalize or experience. You can only surrender to it.

You can only lie down.

Our Mount Moriah moments are extremely rare. For Jacob, a single night was enough for 34 years. What's important is not how often they come or how long they last, but that their influence should pervade everything we do.

ask the rabbi

Who was Rabbi Shimon?

by Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman

Q

Why did Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, whose passing we commemorate on Lag B'Omer, hide in a cave for thirteen years?

What was he doing there? How did he survive all those years? And what happened when he emerged from the cave after so much time?

Rabbi Shimon is one of the most oftquoted sages in the Mishnah, and Jewish law often follows his opinion. In addition, he was known for his proficiency in the realm of the miraculous and the mystical.

He is the author of the Zohar, the primary work of Kabbalah. The day of his passing on Lag B'Omer is celebrated (as per his instruction) by Jews all over the world.

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai lived about 1,800 years ago in the land of Israel, which was then under Roman rule. He was a student of Rabbi Akiva whom he admired and respected immensely.

When Rabbi Akiva was imprisoned by the Roman authorities, Rabbi Shimon followed him and continued studying with him.

Rabbi Akiva was gruesomely murdered by the Romans before having the chance to pass on rabbinic ordination to a number of his students, including Rabbi Shimon. These students later received ordination from Rabbi Judah son of Bava, who was then killed by the Romans as well.

There was once a discussion between Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Yose. Rabbi Judah praised the work of the Romans who had rebuilt the land of Israel (after having destroyed it). Rabbi Shimon protested, saying that all that they did was for selfish purposes. If they built bridges it was to collect tolls, and so on. Rabbi Yose was silent.

Word of this discussion came to the attention of the Roman authorities, who proclaimed the following: Rabbi Judah, who had praised Rome, would be given prominence over all the other rabbis.

He would be the first to speak at all gatherings. Rabbi Yose, who remained silent, would be exiled. Rabbi Shimon

12

who spoke against Rome would be killed.

Rabbi Shimon immediately went into hiding in a cave with his son Rabbi Elazar until it was safe to emerge. Miraculously, a stream of water and carob tree appeared from which they sustained themselves.

They lived a completely spiritual lifestyle, spending every waking moment in study.

It is believed that he wrote the Zohar, the primary work of Kabbalah, during that time as well.

After twelve years they emerged from the cave but had to reenter it since they were incapable of acclimating to normal society. after living such ascetic, spiritual lives for so many years in isolation.

So we celebrate Lag B'Omer to honor Rabbi Shimon. It is a day to focus on community and loving one another, as per Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Akiva's teachings. Some have the customs of lighting bonfires and playing with bows and arrows. The bonfires celebrate the immense light that was brought into the world by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (who passed away on Lag B'Omer), especially on the day of his passing. The bow commemorates the fact that during Rabbi Shimon’s lifetime no rainbow was ever seen. (This was a good thing because the rainbow appears when the earth deserves punishment. The first time a rainbow appeared was after Noah’s flood, when G‑d said that He will no longer disrupt the world, rather he would send a sign: the rainbow. During Rabbi Shimon’s lifetime, the world was filled with merit because of him and therefore never saw a rainbow.) EM Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman is the Senior Rabbi of the Jewish Russian Community Centre of Ontario. You can Ask the Rabbi at jrcc.org or fax to 416.222.7812.

To meet with Rabbi Zaltzman in person, feel free to call 416.222.7105 to book an appointment.

Appointments are generally available on Tuesday evenings after 7 p.m.

Rebbitzin Chiena Zaltzman is also available for private consultations by appointment on Wednesday evenings from 9 to 10pm by calling 416.222.7105.

Как влияют недавние решения Трампа на международное положение Израиля? В 1967 году после Шестидневной войны Вс-вышний освободил территории Израиля и отдал в руки евреев дополнительные части Израиля. Это было очень важно для безопасности Израиля. Какие именно территории? В результате войны 1967 года Израиль завладел Синайским полуостровом на юге, Голанскими высотами на севере, Иудеей и Самарией (на Западном берегу реки Иордан), а также небольшим, но густо заселенным сектором Газа. Но самое главное, у иорданцев был отбит Восточный Иерусалим, включая Старый город со Стеной Плача. А до этого эти территории были вне израильского владения? Конечно! Когда арабы начали войну, мы боялись, что будем вообще полностью уничтожены. Но Ребе в то время сказал, что нас ждут великие чудеса и нечего волноваться. К сожалению, после войны Израиль предложил арабской стороне отдать все завоеванное за то, что арабы согласятся с нами жить мирно. Это называлось «территории в обмен на мир». Первой пробой доктрины «мир взамен на территории» было отступление Израиля с западной части Синайского полуострова. Соглашения Менахема Бегина с Анваром Садатом при посредничестве президента США Джимми Картера включали также провозглашение арабской автономии в Иудее и Самарии и в секторе Газа. Стоит заметить, что территория Синайского полуострова вдвое больше территории Израиля, включая остатки занятых земель в 1967 году. По сути, Израиль пошел на «уступки взамен на мир» в масштабе двух третей территорий, находившихся в его руках. После этого премьер-министр Бегин полагал, что мировое сообщество оценит эту жертву и пойдёт навстречу ему. Однако вместо ожидаемой симпатии Бегин получил мировое осуждение.

The article above is excerpted from the Russian edition of Exodus Magazine. To subscribe, please visit exodusmagazine.org or call 416.222.7105.

Iyyar 5779

‫ב”ה‬

Our

Community T H E M O N T H I N R E V I E W. U P C O M I N G E V E N T S & P R O G R A M S .

MAY 2019 | IYYAR 5779 COMMUNITY CALENDAR

M AY 2 0 1 9 THURS

2

8:00pm SAT

CHALLAH BAKE JRCC branch near you See ad on page 14

4

WOMEN'S CLASSES BEGIN Shabbat afternoons See ad on page 15

6

FARBRENGEN: 2 IYYAR JRCC@Rockford See ad on page 15

6:00pm MON 9:00pm MON

13

7:30pm SUN

19 MON

23 MON

27

7:00pm

LARGER THAN LIFE Course for Women See ad on page 15 PESACH SHEINI The "second" Passover jrcc.org/SecondPassover LAG B'OMER ANNUAL FAMILY FAIR See ad on back page SPIRITUAL DYNAMICS with Rabbi M. Gitik See ad on page 14

JUNE2019 SUN

2

MARRIAGE LECTURE with Mrs. Goldie Plotkin See ad on page 14

4

THE AFTERLIFE in memory of Shloimele z"l See ad on page 15

8:00pm TUES 8:00pm

CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES May 3, 2019

7:31pm

May 10, 2019

7:39pm

May 17, 2019

7:47pm

May 24, 2019

8:52pm

May 31, 2019

7:56pm

www.jrcc.org

PRE-PASSOVER WORKSHOPS Preparing for Passover contains a myriad of details for holiday that is ostensibly about freedom, and can feel overwhelming, especially to the uninitiated. And even those with some experience need to refresh their memory. To help shed some light and gain from the wisdom of those with experience, the JRCC organized pre-Passover workshop-like “crash courses.”

The JRCC West Thornhill hosted “Practical Passover” for women, focused on the preparation of the home and the Seder, and the popular “Seder Leader Workshop” provided and in-depth overview and tips for running a meaningful and smooth Seder at home. The JRCC@Rockford also hosted separate Passover Workshops for men and women, while the JRCC South Richmond Hill and Maple hosted a Passover Workshop as well.

11 NISSAN FARBRENGEN

On April 15-16, people around the world celebrated 11th of Nissan, the birthday of the Rebbe, who was born in 1902 in the Ukrainian-Russian town of Nikolaev and went on to spark the greatest renaissance in Jewish history that inspired millions. The entire Chabad movement today, including the JRCC, as well as the personal Jewish connection of countless people, are thanks to the Rebbe’s vision and tireless efforts. To mark the occasion, the JRCC held a farbrengen (Chassidic gathering) at the JRCC Concord. Participants enjoyed an evening of camaraderie, infused with inspiring words of wisdom and soulful song. To learn more about the Rebbe visit jrcc.org/therebbe.

11 NISSAN

FARBRENGEN Celebrating the Rebbe’s birthday — commemorating the life and

OVER 500 ATTEND JRCC COMMUNITY PASSOVER SEDERS vision of a leader who transformed Jewish life around the world.

The Passover Seder is a universal Jewish ritual observed almost identically

by Jews around the world, regardless of their affiliation or level or observance. It is the quintessential reliving of the quintessential Jewish JRCC CONCORD 411 CONFEDERATION PARKWAY #14 Seders experience.

Over 500 people attended Community Passover organized by the Jewish Russian Community Centre in 10 locations on April Learn at jrcc.org/therebbe 19 andmore 20. The Seders provided people with the opportunity to experience a traditional Seder and observe the related mitzvahs and traditions – eating the matzah and recounting the story of the Exodus to our children – in a warm and welcoming environment with family and friends. The insightful guidance and explanations of the presiding rabbis enriched the Seder with added meaning and depth, while the camaraderie and singing enhanced the jubilant holiday atmosphere.

MONDAY, APRIL 15, 9PM

INSPIRING AND EMPOWERING CHALLAH BAKE A large contingent of 120 women from across the community came together at the JRCC West Thornhill for an empowering evening of connection, support and inspiration. The challah baking event was held in honor of Nechama Dina Jacobson, co-director of JRCC West Thornhill, in order to draw blessings from above for her complete and speedy recovery. Her presence at the event uplifted the participants, and her inspiring words emphasizing the uniqueness of the mitzvahs incumbent upon Jewish women were both insightful and empowering. The event was organized by community volunteers, who had special aprons emblazoned with the theme of the evening, “We Knead to Connect,” a play on words that symbolizes the power of connection and the special blessing that the communal baking of challah brings.

SILK PAINTING WORKSHOP There’s nothing quite like pulling your matzah out of a custom-designed, smooth, silk matzah cover. The JRCC East Thornhill Women’s Circle hosted an evening where women were invited to create their own silk matzah cover to use at the Passover Seder. In addition to the beautiful creations they proudly took home, women enjoyed a relaxing atmosphere, learned about the Miriam, the heroine of the Passover story, and shared tips for a most enjoyable Passover experience.

JRCC Our Community

13

Photo of the Month

a key to unlock blessings

Post-Passover Challah Baking

Thursday, May 2 at 8:00pm at a JRCC branch near you:

Cost: $15 in advance before April 30 RSVP: jrcc@jrcc.org | 416.222.7105

S. RICHMOND HILL & MAPLE 9699 BATHURST ST. WEST THORHILL 1136 CENTRE ST., #2 EAST THORNHILL 7608 YONGE ST., #3 SOUTH THORHILL 1 CORDOBA DR., PARTY ROOM JRCC @ ROCKFORD 18 ROCKFORD RD.

SPIRITUAL DYNAMICS

EXPERIENCING THE EXODUS TOGETHER

MINI WORKSHOP WITH RABBI M. GITIK

Part 1: Spirituality • Time, Space and Soul • Spiritual Movement • The Mystery of Prayer

Part 2: Reincarnation • What is a Soul?

• Who is the “I”?

• What is eternal?

The tables are set at the JRCC@Rockford on the even of Passover, in anticipation of the dozens of people of all ages and backgrounds who will gather together to experience the Passover Seder in an inspiring, communal setting.

Followed by Question & Answer Session

Monday, May 27 at 7:00pm

JRCC community-wide event at 18 Rockford Rd. IN RUSSIAN 416.222.7105 | jrcc.org

Visit jrcc.org/pictures FOR MORE PHOTOS OF JRCC EVENTS AND PRGRAMS

THE BEST START FOR YO

UR CHILD

Детс кий сад Евре йско го Цент ра русс кояз ычно й общи ны Онта рио

L&M Gelfand

DAYC A RE 15 M

SUMMER JOBS @ JRCC

onths - 6 Years

Faigy Kass - Daycare Supervisor

Looking for a summer job that will impact the local Jewish Russian-speaking community?

LICENSED UNDER THE MINI STRY

w w w. J r c c D a y C a r e .

jrcc.org/summerjobs | resume@jrcc.org

The JRCC East Thornhill Women’s Circle presents uoy ot thgu o b

The Ten Commandments of Marriage y

• Email: Faigy.Kass@Jrcc.org • 416.222.7105 x 501 • 5950 Bath urst St, North York, ON

OF EDUCATION AND CHIL DREN SOCIAL SERVICES

rB

An evening to enhance your relationship with Mrs. Goldie Plotkin Sunday, June 2 at 8:00pm

Pre-Shavuot lecture for women

JRCC East Thornhill 7608 Yonge St., #3

Delectable dairy buffet

Couvert: $10 Please RSVP

M2R 1Y9

TORONTO. GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES ACCEPTABLE

org

INFANTS & TODDLERS Special programs for infants and toddlers.

Your child will enjoy a unique program of dancing, singing, puppet show, finger gymnastics, painting, and more. oug Br

oug Br

h t to y o u b y

h t to y o u b y

A Taste of Klyuchik for Toddlers (18-36 months)

MAY-JUNE SESSION TUESDAYS, 10-10:45AM | RUSSIAN $75 for 8 weeks.

at JRCC East Thornhill, 7608 Yonge St. #3 Contact: chanie.zaltzman@jrcc.org Registration Required: JrccEastThornhill.org/marriage

14

May 2019 / Iyyar 5779

www.JrccEastThornhill.org/Klyuchik

416.222.7105

Faces of the Community

2 IYYAR

FARBRENGEN Celebrating the birthday of the Rebbe Maharash, Rabbi Shmuel of Lubavitch, whose legacy includes “L’chatchila ariber” – elevating oneself above life’s challenges, without hesitation.

MONDAY, MAY 6, 9PM

JRCC@ROCKFORD 18 ROCKFORD ROAD Learn more at jrcc.org

LESSON 6 On Higher Ground:

With Liberty and Justice for All

For more details & registration: jrcc.org/rcs Three convenient locations:

EAST THORHILL

WEST THORHILL

MONDAY, MAY 13 AT 7:30PM 7608 YONGE ST., #3

TIME AND DATE TBA 1136 CENTRE ST., #2

SOUTH THORHILL

TIME AND DATE TBA 18 ROCKFORD RD.

WOMEN’S CLASSES ON SHABBAT AFTERNOON Visit jrcc.org/ijs for details.

JRCC East Thornhill Mrs. Chanie Zaltzman | 6:00pm | Rotating homes JRCC West Thornhill Mrs. Nechama Dina Jacobson | 6:00pm | Rotating homes JRCC@Rockford Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman | 6:30pm | 18 Rockford Rd.

THE AFTERLIFE:

What Really Happens On The Other Side?

With guest speaker

Rabbi Leizer Gurkow, London ON Light Refreshments

TUESDAY, JUNE 4 | 8PM JRCC East 7608 Yonge St.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND. In the city of Dnipro, where I come from, I received a diploma in International Economics. Later, I developed an interest in Torah and Judaism, and they became the primary focus of my life. I spend several years in full-time Jewish study, which transformed my life and led me to work at the Shiurei Torah Lubavitch organization. I organized programs for teenagers, including “Sunday Meetings,” Shabbatons, and camps. We went on excursions with the group, and participated in the annual International Shabbaton for teenagers in New York City, organized by the global organization CTeen. After getting married, I enrolled in the Machon Chana Seminary in Brooklyn. Recently, my husband, Rabbi Shmuel Neft, became the director and rabbi of the JRCC@Rockford, a position that involved being an emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. So now I find myself as the young rebbetzin of the JRCC@Rockford synagogue and community.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN ONTARIO? We moved to Toronto from New Yorker few months ago, and are settling near our synagogue, in the North York area. We are excited to live in this neighborhood since there are many Jewish Russian-speaking families here, and we are looking forward to develop and growing the community.

WHERE DOES YOUR FAMILY COME FROM? My family is from Ukraine, from the city of Dnipro, (formerly Dnepropetrovsk). My great-grandfather and great-grandmother observed Jewish traditions. They celebrated holidays in their home, baked matzah for Passover, observed Shabbat and all the festivals. Two of my greatgrandfathers, Genin Viktor Romanovich and Dudnik Simon Solomonovich, went through the whole war, and my grandmother was a front-line nurse.

We still have the orders and medals bestowed upon my great-grandfathers, and the medical bag that belonged to my great-grandmother – as priceless family heirlooms. To this day, there remains a large Jewish community in Dnipro, as well as the largest Jewish center in the world – the famous Menorah Cultural and Business Center, the world's largest Jewish complex, – which opened in 2012. My family still lives in this city.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR FREE TIME? DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES? Before the birth of my son, I was free to study Judaism and was busy working with Jewish teenagers. But now my son Menachem Mendel is four months old, so spending time with him is currently my main (and favorite) hobby. He likes very much when someone sings nigunim – Jewish melodies – for him. He, just like my husband and I, is also an emissary of the Rebbe.

So he joins us on our excursions to get acquainted with Jewish families in the areas. Most recently, I began giving Torah lessons for women in our community. In order for the lessons to be engaging and comprehensive, I spend a lot of time preparing. I enjoy the process of researching and transforming the material into a logical sequence of knowledge and information about Judaism, so that the concepts will be easy to understand and the lesson filled with deep meaning.

IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A “L’CHAIM” WITH ANY PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE? Of course, I would have dreamed of talking with the Rebbe. In all the stories I read about meeting people with the Rebbe, everyone talks about his unusually deep eyes. I would like to look at them, to tell him about what is currently happening in my life. It is known that to everyone who came to meet the Rebbe would receive a blessing, and if it was after Shabbat or a festival he himself distributed to those present a “cup of blessing” (wine from his own glass). I would very much like to receive this wine from the Rebbe for blessing, as well as his words of wisdom.

WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE JRCC AND ITS PROGRAMS SO FAR? I believe that the JRCC organization is very successful in strengthening Judaism among Russian-speaking Jews, and this is the mission that the Rebbe defined for our generation. I am grateful to be part of the JRCC, and to have the opportunity to organize various programs together with rabbis, staff and volunteers of the center.

¡

¡

Shloimele's 10th Yahrtzeit

ESTHER NEFT COMMUNITY LEADER

Free Admission

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? My husband, Rabbi Shmuel Neft, and I are working on getting acquainted with as many of the Jews in the Rockford area as possible so that we can organize the most suitable and engaging programs for children and adults.

Our plan is to continue doing this work, which is connected to hastening the coming of Moshiach, until the coming of Moshiach. And then I’m sure we’ll be given even more interesting work to do!

To do Mitzvot or participate in campaigns in memory of Meir Shlomo ben Menachem Mendel OB"M visit www.JrccEastThornhill.org/Shloimele

www.jrcc.org

JRCC Our Community

15

JRCC Directory

JRCC Program Spotlight

416-222-7105 | www.jrcc.org Jewish Russian Community Center of Ontario

LAG B’OMER: A MYSTICAL CELEBRATION

Like communities around the world, the JRCC hosts a large-scale carnival and celebration each year on Lag B’Omer, including rides, attractions, a BBQ, refreshments, bonfires, and a children’s parade meant to inspire Jewish pride. While on the surface the day is simply a lot of quality community and family fun (which it certainly is!), there is also profound importance and unique significance to this special day.

Lag B'Omer marks the passing, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, one of the greatest sages of the Talmud and the author of the holy Zohar, the classic work of Kabbalah. He was the first to publicly teach the mystical dimension of Judaism. (Another reason we celebrate Lag B'Omer is that the epidemic which caused the death of Rabbi Akiva’s 24,000 disciples ceased on that day.)

While the passing of a great sage might seem like a strange reason for a global celebration, Rabbi Shimon specifically asked his followers to be joyous on his Yahrtzeit.

On the day of a person‘s passing, his or her entire life’s work, good deeds and teachings ascend to higher spiritual realms. It is a time when the soul reconnects to higher levels of G‑dliness, the source of life. This is the reason Rabbi Shimon asked that this day be remembered as a joyous day – to celebrate the elevation of his soul to higher spiritual levels.

Many Jews treat the day as a festival, dressing in festive clothing and holding a banquet like on Sabbath or festivals. The grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Baruch of Mezibuz, would study the entire Zohar each year, concluding its study on Lag He would then take the Zohar in his hand te? B'Omer. and dance with it for many hours with great ecstasy and rapture. For him it was a day like Simchat Torah.

Lag B'Omer is traditionally celebrated with JRCC Furniture Depot | 1416 Centre St | Vaughan, ON

mited cess to

416-222-7105 ext. 500 | www.jrccfurnituredepot.org

JRCC of Ontario: 5987 Bathurst St., #3 Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman x278 Roi Aftabi, COO x257 JRCC S. Richmond Hill & Maple: 9699 Bathurst St. Rabbi Avrohom Zaltzman x247 JRCC Concord: 411 Confederation Parkway, #14 Rabbi Avrohom Erlenwein x278 JRCC Affiliate CRC of Thornhill Woods: 8808 Bathurst St. Rabbi Chaim Hildeshaim (416) 818-8492 JRCC West Thornhill: 1136 Centre St., #2 Rabbi Levi Jacobson x240 JRCC East Thornhill: 7608 Yonge St., #3 Rabbi Mendel Zaltzman x227 JRCC South Thornhill: 1 Cordoba Dr., Party Room Rabbi Levi Blau x288

outings to the fields, bows and arrows, and bonfires.

The Rebbe encouraged communities to make Jewish Children's Parades on this day. Back in the '50s when the Rebbe invented Lag B'Omer parades, it was quite revolutionary. The prevailing attitude was that the practice of religion was very much a private matter. You do what you need to do, but why do all the neighbors need to know about it? The Rebbe’s approach, both to Lag B’Omer and to Jewish life in general, represented a major paradigm shift – one that strengthen Jewish connectedness and spread the light of Jewish life to a wider audience.

With all the challenges facing humanity today, especially the Jewish people, it is fitting to rededicate Пожертвуйте свою ourselves to celebrating our мебель Jewishness in a way нуждающимся! that demonstrates – to ourselves, our children, and the world at large – that Am Yisrael Chai, the Jewish Звоните нам @ 416-222-7105 ext. 248 people lives!

ВЕСЕННЯЯ УБОРКА?

This year Lag B’Omer is on May 22-23, 2019. The JRCC’s annual Lag B’Omer Family Celebration at Earl Partly funded by on back page.

Bales Park is on May 23.

See ad The Regional Municipality of York

FURNITURE DEPOT

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perspectives

The Suffering of Gaza's Population Dr. Mordechai Kedar

T

he Gaza Strip's borders have been under an Israeli-imposed siege ever since Hamas – a terror organization by any definition of the term – overran Gaza and turned it into a terror state, hostile both to Israel and its southern neighbor, Egypt and also to the close to two million residents of the Strip itself.

Much has been written about the terror Hamas aims at Israel by means of the rockets, explosive balloons and incendiary kites that have turned life in the Israeli communities in close proximity to Gaza, known as 'The Gaza Envelope," into hell on earth. It is important to realize that despite all the terror Hamas exports to Israel, the Jewish state continues to supply Gaza's population with food, drinking water, fuel, electricity, medicines, and more.

Much has also been written about the terror operations carried out by Hamas and the terrorist organizations under its wing in Egypt, including hundreds of tunnels used to export terror to Egypt and help to terrorist organizations in the Sinai and within Egypt.

These include the Muslim Brotherhood, Al Qaeda, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis and the remnants of ISIS, fleeing terrorists who took

18

shelter among Sinai-based tribes.

For years, Egypt has accused Hamas of fanning the flames of terror in the Sinai and Egypt and this is the main reason for the fact that the Rafah crossing – the only legal way to go from Gaza to Egypt – is closed for most of the year. Egypt, in fact, has imposed a much more severe siege on Gaza than has Israel, since Egypt does not supply the Gazans with anything, but little has been written about that.

Similarly, very little has been written about the terror Hamas inflicts on the residents of Gaza. A reign of terror began in June 2007 when the Hamas movement seized control of the Strip and attacked the Palestinian Authority security forces with extreme brutality: Scores of PA police died when a tunnel dug by Hamas under one of the PA security installations was booby trapped and set off, others were shot down in front of their families, and some were thrown from the roofs of the residential buildings they escaped to for fear of Hamas only to be hurled to their deaths on the asphalt.

Hamas terrorists eliminated at least twenty members of Amarat Beyt al-Maqdis in Rafah

when they shot them on the street in cold blood. Over the years, a good many of those who expressed opposition to Hamas died in the organization's torture chambers. Another horrible practice developed by Hamas was to swoop down on the homes of those opposed to it at night and rape their wives and daughters. These methods sealed the mouths of many of those opposed to Hamas who did not want to pay the steep price of opposition to the terrorist organization that has taken over the lives of Gaza's residents.

Recently, however, more and more complaints have been leveled at Hamas by Gazans, due to the disastrous economic situation in the Strip and the fact that it affects most of those living there. The only group whose lives continue as usual is that of the Hamas leadership, which has become wealthy by levying exorbitant taxes on food and merchandise imported to the Strip.

For example, a box of tomatoes costs the consumer 200 shekels and one of cucumbers 150 shekels, many times more than the price charged by the Israeli supplier. Hamas, naturally, blames Israel and the PA for the miserable situation, but the Gazans are not

Iyyar 5779

perspectives

stupid: They have begun pointing an accusing finger at those who appointed themselves to be responsible for Gaza's future, but who first take good care of themselves.

Dissatisfaction with Hamas has grown stronger over the past few months during which Qatar transferred – with Israeli permission - 15 million dollars each month to the Strip. At first the money came in suitcases stuffed with cash, later on by means of bank transfers. These funds were not used to rebuild the ruins of the last Israeli IDF air strikes in response to incessant shelling of Israeli civilian communities, to build schools, health facilities, support welfare or employment needs, nor were they used to subsidize foodstuffs. They went to pay the salaries of Hamas employees, as if there is no one else needy in the Strip.

On March 21 – in the midst of preparations for the "March of the Million" planned for March 30th, Land Day, protests with the mantra "We want to live" erupted in Gaza.

Someone even created a logo for these antiHamas protests, aimed at the leadership's corruption and the terrible economic situation brought about by its policies. Other signs seen at the protests were "The Revolution of the Hungry," "Religion, homeland and legitimacy have left you." This last sign is the most damaging, because Hamas bases its legitimacy on its connection to Islam, love of homeland and the legitimacy it gained in the 2006 elections when it won most of the seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council.

The Hamas leadership needed no time at all to realize the size of the threat posed by the street as well as its potential significance, because its members are fully aware of what the man in the street thinks of them.

Before the demonstrations could gain more participants, widen their scope and begin to snowball, Hamas security forces attacked the demonstrators with clubs and kidnapped some of the organizers to unknown destinations, dispersing the protestors with severe cruelty and injuring many of them with heavy blows.

The public responded by posting videos showing Hamas security forces in their camouflage uniforms mercilessly beating peaceful demonstrators, by publicizing photographs of the injuries inflicted on the

May 2019

demonstrators and by posts on social media, the likes of which had never been seen before.

Imad abu Neima wrote: "I am writing to you from Shifa Hospital, from amidst the ever growing number of injured, and out of their rock-splitting groans and I say: The condition of the injured is very bad and they are an albatross around your necks, o leaders, and need you to take a great interest in them.

Don't lose them because that will mean losing your families. Care for them as you would if it were your sons who are injured."

The writer's words hint at the impossible situation known to all Gazans: Hamas gives preference to its own families in everything, and when all of Gaza is suffering, this rankles even more than usual. The discrimination will become even greater on April 6th, when Ramadan, during which it is the custom to consume more food at night because of the daily fast, begins.

One writer posted: "Go to the Jews to learn from them [how a political leader acts towards his citizens]. Imagine! A fellow resident of my city beat me in front of my parents!! Hamas oppresses, breaks the arms and legs of women, children and the elderly."

Hamas has internalized the problem but lifts an accusing finger at Israel. Salah Albardwil, a member of the political office of Hamas, claims that all the protests and activities using the mantra "We want to live" are organized by the Intelligence Corps of the PA which incited the masses against Hamas while, at the same time, its men eliminated a poor boy from Gaza who infiltrated the PA to bring some money to his mother and brothers.

Hamas leader Yihye Sinwar outdid them all when he declared on March 30: "'Land Day'…

Our nation emphasizes its loyalty to our basic principles, it will never relinquish the right of return despite those who do (=PLO), despite the normalization of the normalizers (=Saudi, UAR, Egyptian and Jordanian officials), and in the face of the collaborators (=the PA)."

He then added: "Our people go out today to say 'We want to live with honor' (=in the face of Israeli humiliation).." By saying this, Sinwar manages to outflank the protest movement, taking the phrase used by the protestors against Hamas and re-directing it against Israel.

On another occasion, Sinwar did the same, proclaiming: "Our people say strongly that they intend to continue on their present path and will break the siege with the power of the strong or the helplessness of the weak, because our nation goes out [to the border fence] today to say 'We want to live with honor.'"

The PA did not ignore the Gaza protests and Chairman Mahmoud Abbas told the cameras: "…A curse on the fathers [of Hamas]…

Dogs…we have an exemplary people in Gaza…may Allah help them..their sacrifice will not be forgotten…they (Hamas) have to end up in the dustbin of history."

Hamas spokesmen did not take these insults lying down. They accused Mahmoud Abbas of spreading the culture of "we want to live" in the areas under his control, meaning that he prefers they seek a livelihood, support their families and give up the opposition to Israel. Hamas believes that Abbas turned the Palestinian nation into a passive, spineless people, whose only wish is to live in the present, abandoning the dream of destroying Israel, the struggle to free Falestin and the hope for "return."

This "we want to live" culture is the total opposite of Hamas, which bases all its activities on Palestinian Arab willingness – both individual and group – to be sacrificed on the altar of the homeland in order to eliminate the Zionist entity and return to the villages from which they claim their grandparents fled in the 1948 war.

Does the sacrifice expected of Gaza residents include the sons of Hamas operatives? Gazans know the answer to that, which is why they are going out to the streets chanting :"We want to live" Is this the harbinger of an "Arab Spring" in the Hamas state of Gaza?

Only time will tell. EM Dr. Mordechai Kedar is a senior lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University.

He served in IDF Military Intelligence for 25 years, specializing in Arab political discourse, Arab mass media, Islamic groups and the Syrian domestic arena. Thoroughly familiar with Arab media in real time, he is frequently interviewed on the various news programs in Israel.

exodusmagazine.org

19

jewish thought

Never Too Late!

Moshe Wisnefsky

T

he theme of Pesach Sheini (literally, "the second Passover", which takes place on the fourteenth of Iyar, one month after Passover) is that it is never too late. It is always possible to put things right. Even if one was spiritually impure or spiritually distant from his proper destination at the time of the Paschal offering, G‑d still gives him an opportunity to change the past and correct the wrongs; he may sacrifice it on Pesach Sheini, a month later. On that day, one may have both matzah and leavened bread together with it in the house; it is not a festival (there is no prohibition of work), and there is no prohibition of leavened bread except eaten together with the Temple offering.

There are two methods of serving G‑d: the path of "righteousness" and the path of "repentance" (literally "teshuva", literally "return"). The path of righteousness is represented by the regular Passover celebration. Those utilizing this method fulfill their mission directly: they stay away from impurity and do what is required. But because they operate within the context of the limited, material world, methodically elevating it and ascending through it, they must carry out their service systematically. Anyone who wishes to offer or eat the Passover sacrifice must be pure. There must not be any leaven - or the spiritual impurities it represents - to contravene divine consciousness. And, even with all of that, it takes a full seven days to fully integrate and appreciate the spiritual energies of the holiday.

Pesach Sheini, on the other hand, embodies the approach of teshuva. In order to return to the proper path, it is not enough to merely avoid impropriety; the individual must address the fact that he has succumbed to the forces of evil and use this fact to strengthen the weak point in his relationship with G‑d.

When he does this, he transforms the power of evil into holiness and his previous sin into a source of merit, thereby obtaining G‑d's forgiveness for his misdeed. This capacity the ability to change that which is already done and to overcome wrongs that have already been perpetrated - is drawn from a source of transcendent spirituality, a level beyond merit or iniquity. It taps into the

20

essential relationship between man and G‑d, which is not predicated on our obedience to His will. This connection can never waver, for it is intrinsic in nature; the essence of the Jewish soul is one with G‑d whether they obey His will or not.

Because Pesach Sheini, is an exercise in transcendence, it does not require the methodical preparation required by the regular Pesach. The leaven need not be banished, since we are ready to elevate it, too. Earlier impurity no longer matters, for it cannot destroy this intrinsic connection.

And one day is enough, for this connection transcends time as well as behavioral issues.

If, as has been explained, Pesach Sheini embodies a higher degree of divine service, why is it reserved for those who became defiled? Why could one who brought the sacrifice on the first Pesach not enjoy the sublimity of the second? How was he to achieve the advantages of transcendence?

A sacrifice manifests connection (as the word for "sacrifice", "korban", is derived from the root meaning "closeness"). One who achieved the required connection to G‑d through bringing the sacrifice in its proper time would achieve - through continuing

to grow systematically - the second level of service as well, and did not require a special "jump". Over the course of the month following the first Pesach, their original connection initiated ever more sublime degrees of connection. Hence, they did not require any further catalysts to ensure this growth. It was only those who had deviated from the proper path and had never begun a proper journey of growth that needed to skip directly to the transcendent. They required a catalyst, an offering to be brought in the second month, because without that "jump", they would have remained helpless and unchanged.

Why do we celebrate the Pesach Sheini nowadays? We were not obligated to bring the sacrifice on the first Pesach. Why do we mark the secondary choice?

The answer is that we celebrate its spiritual meaning. We celebrate the added capacity to achieve a higher degree of spiritual connection. And, we celebrate its lesson: no matter what may have happened in the past, no matter what we may have spoiled, it's never too late. We still have the ability and opportunity to change - not only our futures, but even the effects of the past. EM

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Nissan/Iyar 5779

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From the rabbis of the Jewish Russian Community Centre Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman (Senior Rabbi) Rabbi Levi Blau Rabbi David Davidov Rabbi Chaim Hildeshaim Rabbi Levi Jacobsonneeds (funeral, For all your family bereavement Rabbi Shmuel Neft unveiling, kaddish services, shiva, yahrzeit and Rabbi Mendel Zaltzman memorial plaques) the JRCC rabbis are here to Rabbi Avrohom assist you, 24 hours a day.Zaltzman Services available in Russian, Hebrew, English and Yiddish.

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marketplace Nowadays this company with more than 118 years of history holds a leading position among the manufacturers of alcoholic beverages in Moldova. Unique climate, fertile soil, hilly terrain and vicinity of the river Dniester created most favorable conditions for growing best grapes; modern equipment, advanced technologies, original recipes, respect to ancient traditions and passionate work of KVINT professionals – all these factors allow to produce admirable beverages, which compete with world renowned brands.

Locals consider KVINT a national treasure and a symbol of their country.

Its factory is shown on the 5 Transnistrian ruble banknote.

Kvint distillery is the oldest enterprise still in operation from 1897 in the region. KVINT is one of Transnistria's largest exporters, to Italy and China as well as Russia and Ukraine; its brandy has gone to the Vatican and into space.

Kvint XO brandy was first produced by the Tiraspol Wine & Cognac Distillery KVINT in 1967 as a dedication to the jubilee of the October Revolution. It is made from the premium quality “eaux-de-vie” spirits seasoned in oak barrels not less than 20 years according to classical “French methode”.

KVINT (acronym for Kon’iaki, vina i napitki Tiraspol’ia ("divins, wines, and beverages of Tiraspol") is a winery and distillery based in Tiraspol, the administrative center of Transnistria. Even though it underwent through many difficulties, being twice destroyed by

wars, becoming a part of prohibition law in the 80s, the company is now an important economic player in a region, producing more than 20 million bottles of alcoholic beverages per year.

Although the distillery's roster includes an assortment of wines, gins, and vodkas, by far the most famous of its products are its award-winning brandies. Like all top-notch spirits, the high quality of this liquor begins with the region's grapes. Occupying the land east of the River Dniester, Transnistria is in the heart of the ancient Bessarabian wine region, a gem of viniculture perched above the Black Sea that has also survived the many ups and downs of centuries of Russian rule.

Plucked from the Bessarabian vine, the grapes fortunate enough to make their way to Tiraspol are transformed into brandy using a process identical to that used to make Cognac in France—double distilled in copper pots, aged in oak barrels, and then carefully blended with water and sugar. The grapes are of a typical Cognac variety, an assortment that includes Colombard, Riesling, and Ugni Blanc. Despite the company's rigid adherence to the French production methods, Kvint is not located in Cognac, France and therefore cannot formally call their products "Cognacs." Instead they use the Moldovan word divin, hence Kvint's name, which is an acronym for the Russian phrase "divins, wines, and beverages of Tiraspol." But in a land where international laws don't seem to really apply, most local people still refer to Kvint's products as Cognacs, and it is called Brandy everywhere else in the world.

Also Kvint is focusing their efforts on making a wide assortment of wines. Along with ordinary table dry, semi-sweet and dessert wines, the KVINT’s portfolio can boast of some excellent varietal and blended wines matured in oak barriques, according to traditional production process from 9 months to 3 years.

Shop for the best selection of Kvint Wine : KVINT CABERNET SAUVIGNON KOSHER 2015, LCBO #455138 This wine is made under control of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of New York (USA), OU, it has the status of Kosher for PASSOVER, Mevushal (approved for Passover, pasteurized). This wine is made from the selected grapes grown in own vineyards of KVINT. It features pleasant astringency and harmonious acidity. Its bouquet is complex with aroma of nightshade berries enriched with hints of morocco leather.

KVINT MERLOT KOSHER 2015, LCBO # 455112 Bright berry aromas: hints of cassis, and delicate nuances of prunes and cherry.

It is velvety on the palate, with barely perceptible astringency and freshness.

BRANDY KVINT KOSHER and DIVIN KVINT KOSHER FOR PASSOVER are now available at LCBO stores, Vintage # 577817 and # 540039.

It is made under control of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of New York (USA), OU, it has the status of Kosher for Passover (approved for Passover).

It is made by special production process with eauxde-vie and wine-distilled spirits aged in oak barrels not less than a year. It features fine golden color, harmonious taste and bright floral aroma with light tones of maturity.

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