Exodus Magazine - June 2022 by Exodus Magazine

#236 | June 2022 • Sivan 5782

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Shavuot Holiday Guide

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think! again. June 2022 • Sivan 5782

| JEWISH SOUL

The Mission

| JEWISH THOUGHT

The Third Way

The Jewish people, as a nation, always be mindful of its special purpose and not underestimate its powers, and certainly must not slavishly follow or imitate other nations.

There is a vital connection between the number three and Torah. It is even written in such a way that contradictions abound, awaiting you to resolve them by finding the third key in the text.

— From the Rebbe's letters

— by Tzvi Freeman

editorial jewish soul made you think jewish thought life on earth perspectives ask the rabbi our community

| MADE YOU THINK

Mountains

10 | PERSPECTIVES

Thank Before You Think

Mountains play a central role in Israelite history. They connote elevation and transcendence, while climbing them serves as a metaphor for the methodological work required to get there.

Judaism is gratitude with attitude. Cured of letting other people’s happiness diminish our own, we release a wave of positive energy allowing us to celebrate what we have.

— by Yoseph Janowski

— by Jonathan Sacks

12 | ASK THE RABBI

| JEWISH THOUGHT

What Were They Thinking?

What Shape Were the Tablets?

How could it be that the holy People of Israel, who just received the Torah on Mount Sinai, and who, forty days earlier, heard the voice of G‑d, fall so far as to make the golden calf?

Do we know the actual shape of the tablets containing the Ten Commandments? I’ve noticed that some illustrations depict them as being rounded on top, while some are square. What is the real shape?

— by Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz

— by Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman

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The year 2448 on the Jewish calendar (1313 BCE) marked the beginning of a rebellion, one that has continued unabated for 3,327 years since. But beyond the thunder and lightning, the pyrotechnics, the booming voice and the sudden whitening of Charlton Heston’s beard, what exactly happened at Mount Sinai when the Ten Commandments and the Torah were revealed to humanity? The Midrash describes it as follows: Once there was a king who decreed: The people of Rome are forbidden to go down to Syria, and the people of Syria are forbidden to go up to Rome. Likewise, when G‑d created the world He decreed and said: “The heavens are G‑d’s, and the earth is given to man.” But when He wished to give the Torah to Israel, He rescinded His original decree, and declared: The lower realms may ascend to the higher realms, and the higher realms may descend to the lower realms. And I, Myself, will begin — as it is written, “And G‑d descended on Mount Sinai," and further, “And to Moses He said: Go up to G‑d.” Clearly, it was a monumental event that forever transformed not only the entire Jewish people, but also all of humanity and the entire world. The gateway between spirituality and materialism, sealed for 2,500 years until then, was unlocked. This altered the relationship between the two realms and revealed the true purpose behind them. Until then, the physical and the spiritual were separate, distinct realities. The Sinai experience revealed the possibility for them to share a common reality and purpose and, ultimately, become one — because, in essence, they are one. The experience at Mount Sinai had a similar effect on the individual. We are, by definition, limited. G‑d is, by definition, not limited. By definition, therefore, the two should not be able to embrace. Though he is not limited by it, G‑d created an order in which the Essence of His being is far removed from anything earthly or human. The fact that we can even

have consciousness of Him and connect to Him is already a tremendous gift. We can relate to various manifestations or revelations of G‑dliness, but we remain separate from G‑d Himself. But the Torah tells us that we should be holy because G‑d is holy. The implication is that there is some parallel between the holiness that we can accomplish and G‑d’s supreme holiness. Can we really become like G‑d? Is there even room to ask such a question? Because, in Essence, G‑d is not limited by His own Being, He doesn’t have to follow His rules. The rules dictate that we cannot become like G‑d – we might be able to become more G‑dly by working to improve ourselves spiritually, but the natural order doesn’t allow us to actually reach the Essence of G‑d. It is, however, within His power to enact a system override that bypasses the rules He created. But he only activates His system override if we activate ours. I have natural tendencies, accomplishments and talents. The rules, whether imagined, imposed or self-imposed, dictate how I should live my life. My nature forces me to live within the boundaries of this definition of self. When I break these rules in order go beyond the self to connect to G‑d, then I am breaking the rules. In essence, I am no longer me – I shed the sense of self that was a barrier between the G‑dly spark within me and its Source. Rebelling with G‑d is much more fun than rebelling against Him. Our humanity dictates that we cannot get over ourselves and get close to G‑d, but we do it anyway. G‑d’s created reality dictates that mortals should not be able to approach the Essence of the Infinite, but he allows them anyway. Thus, our system override has been accomplished, and G‑d enacts his corresponding system override, shattering together the boundaries that separate the Him above us from the Him within us.

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jewish soul

The Mission From the Rebbe's Letters

ursuant to the letter for Rosh Hashanah — Wherein the theme centered on the task which the Creator bestowed on man, the chosen one of all creatures, together with tremendous powers to carry it out in life — I wish to dwell here on a further point, namely, that just as this matter concerns every Jew as an individual, it applies also, and even more strongly, to the Jewish people as a whole, the Chosen People whom G‑d has given a special task as a nation among the nations of the world. In the words of the Prophet Isaiah: “Thus said the Lord G‑d, Creator of the heavens... the earth and its creatures... ‘I'll protect you and set you up as a covenantpeople for a light of the nations.’” And just as the Jew, as an individual, must not forget his task, but must rather be permeated at all times with the responsibility of it, and not underestimate his powers, so must also the Jewish people, as a nation, always be mindful of its special purpose and not underestimate its powers, and certainly must not slavishly follow or imitate other nations. The same applies, on a more limited scale, but in more concrete instances, to every Jewish community or organization, whatever the official purpose of its inception may be, and even to a single Jew whose status is such that people regard him as exemplary or representative of the entire Jewish nation. The said affirmation is not necessary, needless to say, in the area wherein the uniqueness of the Jewish people is plainly evident to all, namely in the sphere of the purely spiritual life, of true Judaism, Torah and Mitzvahs. But rather in the sphere of things wherein all nations are more or less comparable externally, i.e. in the sphere of the so-called general and mundane affairs, as, for example, in the relations of communities and organizations with the outside world, or with each other, as to what should be the aims and aspirations of the particular Jewish body, who should be the leaders, what priorities to establish, how the resources should be allocated, and so forth. There is a tendency sometimes to determine such endeavors on the basis of quantitative rather than qualitative criteria. Wherefore also in the area of these endeavors the Jewish people have been given the directive: “Not by might,

June 2022 / Sivan 5782

nor by power, but by My spirit, says G‑d.” To the Jewish people and Jewish community (even to the Jew as an individual) special Divine capacities (“My spirit”) have been given to carry out their task in the fullest measure. For, where Jews are concerned, their physical powers are linked with, and subordinated to, spiritual powers, which are infinite. An historic example of this is found in the time of King Solomon, when the Jewish people stood out among the nations of the world by virtue of having attained the highest degree of its perfection. Our Sages of blessed memory, referring to that state, describe it as being like “the moon it its fullness.” — For, as is well known, the Jewish people is likened to the moon, and they “reckon” their times (calendar months) by the moon. One of the explanations of this is that just as the moon goes through periodic changes in its appearance, according to its position vis-a-vis the sun, whose light it reflects, so the Jewish people go through changes according to the measure of its reflecting the Light of G‑d, of Whom it is written, “For G‑d Elokim is sun and shield.” This perfection in the time of King Solomon (notwithstanding the fact that even then Jews

constituted numerically and physically “the fewest of all the nation”) expressed itself, in quite a distinctive form, in the relations between the Jewish people and the other nations of the world. The reputation of King Solomon's wisdom aroused a strong desire among kings and leaders to come and see his conduct and learn from his wisdom — the wisdom he had prayed for and received from G‑d, and permeated with G‑dliness. And when they came they also saw how under his leadership there lived a people, even in its material life, “with security, every man under his vine and under his fig tree,” in a land where “the eyes of G‑d, your G‑d, are constantly on it, from beginning of the year to the end of year.” And this is what brought peace between the Jews and the nations all around. Thus, it was clearly demonstrated that when Jews live in accord with Torah, true peace is attained, and they serve as a guiding light for the nations — “the nations will go by your light” — the light of Torah and Mitzvoth. The said task of the Jew and of the Jewish community is not limited to the time when they are in a state of a “full moon,” but also when in exile, “spread and dispersed among the nations.” For even then they are one people, whose laws are different from those of all other nations, a fact that is known to and acknowledged by all nations of the world. Because even when Jews are in exile, it is only the Jewish body that is in exile, but the Jewish soul is never exiled and is free from any external subjugation. Consequently, also while in exile Jews must not ignore their task, nor underestimate their capacities, however limited their material powers may be, inasmuch as a Jew's material resources, as already noted, are bound up with the spiritual, and in the spiritual realm there are no limitations also during the time of exile. In plain words: Wherever Jews find themselves, in the diaspora or in the Land of Israel, even a single Jew in a remote corner of the earth — it behooves every Jew and Jewish community to remember that they are part of the whole Jewish people and representatives of the entire Jewish people, the one people ever since the Torah was given at Mount Sinai and until the end of times. EM

made you think

Mountains Yoseph Janowski

hroughout the early Israelite history recounted in the Torah, mountains play a central role in several famous narratives. When G‑d told Abraham to bring his only son as an offering, it was on a mountain, Mount Moriah, the same plateau upon which the Holy Temples would later be built. When the Divine presence was revealed to Moses for the first time in the burning bush, it was adjacent to Mount Sinai, where G‑d later gave us the Torah, encapsulated in the Ten Commandments. In other places, mountains serve as focal points for moral lessons, prophetic visions, legendary battles and burial places. What is the significance of mountains? They elevate us, offering higher perspectives to better see the world and each other, and to come closer to G‑d. Mountains connote elevation and transcendence, while climbing them serves as a metaphor for the methodological work required to get there. When Abraham and Isaac were on the mountain, Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, which he thought was G‑d’s command. G‑d told him, “I said to offer him up there. I didn't say to sacrifice him,” and the episode was revealed to be the famous test to determine if Abraham could transcend his own self to do G‑d’s will. Having arrived at the mountain, standing on higher ground in a spiritual sense, he now had the vantage point to see the message and the true purpose. When we climb higher, it enables us to discover and bond with deeper parts of our selves, and G‑d. After the Exodus from Egypt, it took fortynine days until we arrived at a mountain, Mount Sinai, “as one person, with one heart.” It was not a forty-nine day journey in the physical sense – it was forty-nine dimensions of preparation, in order to arrive at the fiftieth gate where the Torah and its Giver are revealed. Every year, starting from the second day of Passover, we count fortynine days, to prepare for Shavuot, when (just like the first time) we receive the Torah. Our sages tell us that the day we received the Torah at Mount Sinai was our wedding day, when G‑d married the Jewish people. The Jewish people later entered the land of Israel and worshiped G‑d in the Temple

on the mountain. Baseless hatred caused the Temple to be destroyed, and we were thrust, vanquished, into exile. But we didn't give up. We kept climbing higher, and became a light to the nations, revealing G‑d's presence wherever we went. About forty years ago, the Lubavitcher Rebbe said that the time is ripe to publicize the seven Noahide Laws which the Torah mandates for all nations – originally given to Adam and Noah, and later codified in the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Rebbe taught that the Noahide Laws are the blueprint for a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious world. Nowadays, with the tremendous amount of deep division and polarization we are witnessing, the need for publicizing this blueprint for peace is greater than ever. In addition to the mountain enabling us to see the landscape better, it also enables those around to witness, hear and see that which emanates from the mountain. The mountain revelations are meant to be messages for all of humanity. When Abraham descended

from the mountain, it says that he returned to his attendants, who were not directly part of the experience, yet they rose and went on their way together. The revelation at Mount Sinai reverberated across the entire world, and it is the place where the Noahide Laws became officially enshrined. In the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah, the windows were carved into the walls so that they were narrow on the inside and wide on the outside – the opposite of what one would expect if the purpose was to let light in. But the purpose of the Temple and its windows is for the spiritual light to shine outward to the world to bring about universal Divine consciousness and unity. And one day soon, we will climb the holy mountain. This time, it will be to the third Temple, where we will ascend to the utmost sublime level, loving one another, and truly united with G‑d, forever. In the meantime, let’s keep on climbing. EM Yoseph Janowski lives in Toronto, Canada.

June 2022 / Sivan 5782

jewish thought

What Were They Thinking? Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz

mong the various explanations of the sin of the Golden Calf, Nachmanides’ explanation appears to be the closest to the plain meaning of the text. In essence, Nachmanides explains that the calf was not meant to replace G‑d, but rather to replace Moses. This explanation appears to derive from a simple reading of the verse, “Up, make us a god who will go before us; for that man Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt – we do not know what has happened to him.” This is also the simplest explanation of why, when Moses descends from the mountain, takes the calf, and crushes it in front of the entire people, everyone remains silent. If the people had truly felt that their god was taken from them, they would surely have protested! Clearly, then, the whole point of the calf was to replace Moses. Now that Moses had returned, they no longer needed the calf. On a deeper level, the People of Israel made the calf because they wanted a physical dwelling place for the Divine Presence, some relatable, tangible object on which holiness could rest. In lieu of a Tabernacle, an Ark, and cherubim, they took a calf and designated it the dwelling place for G‑d’s glory. In this respect, the basic idea of the calf was not without merit; it was simply an inappropriate application of a legitimate desire. Our need for tangibility is innate, as it is very difficult to focus on G‑d in the abstract. To be devoted exclusively to G‑d on the most abstract level is very difficult, and not everyone is capable of this task; it may not even be possible for anyone to do completely. This is because life is full of questions. There are big questions – whom do we serve; in whom do we believe? – and small questions – how should we live; how will we die? And how do we, as individuals or as a community, handle all sorts of potentially fateful decisions? To be sure, the rule in all these matters is to “follow none but G‑d.” But today, when we are not on the level of, “You will hear a command from behind you, saying: ‘This is the way; follow it, whether you turn to the right or to the left,’” this becomes problematic. If G‑d would tell each and every one of us specifically what is expected of him,

June 2022 / Sivan 5782

everything would be simple. But we do not hear this voice, neither from behind us nor in front of us. All that we receive is very general instruction; as a result, people are always searching for something to hold on to. It is said that “the Divine presence speaks out of Moses’ throat.” This is because Moses himself is like the Ark and the Tablets. We receive the Torah not from the tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were written, but from Moses’ throat. Moses is the channel through which G‑d reveals Himself to us in this world. In light of this, when Moses did not come down from the mountain, the People of Israel feared that Aaron, not being on Moses’ level, would not be able to replace him in this role. Because of this, they proceeded to make the calf. Indeed, when Moses reproached Aaron, saying, “What did the people do to you, that you brought upon them such a great sin?,” Aaron answers him, “You know that this people have bad tendencies;” that is to say, they pressured me, threatened me, and then “I cast it into the fire and out came this calf.” He does not deny having made the calf; he just claims that he had intended something else. According to this approach, the sin is clear. It is not as grievous as we might have thought – that the people who had just heard “I am G‑d your Lord” then proceeded to make an idol. Rather, they began with a legitimate

desire for tangibility that grew and developed until it finally became idolatry. If that is the case, however, why is the sin of the Golden Calf mentioned so often and considered so serious? To answer this question, we must look at the origins of the calf. The whole episode began with the people’s request to celebrate “a festival unto G‑d tomorrow.” On the occasion of this festival, a symbolic religious object is made. This is how the calf came into being. But the calf does not remain symbolic; it gradually deteriorates, until it becomes actual idolatry. Often, spiritual descent does not happen all at once, but in stages, as in the case of the copper serpent, about which the Mishnah asks, “Does a serpent kill or does a serpent keep alive?.” The Mishnah answers that the serpent did neither; instead, it reminded the people to look to G‑d for solutions to their problems. But was a serpent truly necessary for this? Let them turn their thoughts above without a serpent! Apparently, it is difficult to turn our thoughts heavenward without any prompting. We need a focal point to help us relate to G‑d, and that is why in the first stage of approaching G‑d we look for something tangible. Maimonides maintains that this is precisely how idolatry first developed. In his view, the starting point is always belief in G‑d’s unity, but at a certain stage we begin to relate to

jewish thought

the intermediaries more than to G‑d Himself, until finally the center point is completely forgotten and we focus exclusively on the intermediaries. This is the essence of idolatry – taking a heavenly form and corrupting it, bringing it down to the physical realm. But idolatry takes this notion one step further. Not only is a divine construct brought low, the converse occurs as well: An earthly entity is elevated to a lofty position. Man himself, in various ways, becomes an exalted figure, an object of worship. When our sages say that “when someone becomes angry, it is as though he worships idols,” or that “anyone in whom there is haughtiness is as one who worships idols,” they are making this same point – that a person can deify himself. A person deifies himself when he rejects bounds and limits and begins to consider himself, to a certain degree, the king of the world. Even after this explanation, a major question regarding the sin of the Golden Calf still remains. How could it be that the holy People of Israel, who just now received the Torah on Mount Sinai, and who, forty days earlier, heard the voice of G‑d speaking directly to them, fall so far as to make the calf, dance around it, and “get up to revel”?! The People of Israel experience the revelation at Sinai, and for a moment they ascend to a level so high that they hear G‑d speaking. Without any preparations an entire nation ascends to this level, and immediately afterward everything disappears; even Moses is gone. So what remains? At first glance, it would appear that the situation has reverted to the pre-Sinai reality. However, the depression that followed the exaltation of the giving of the Torah was so deep that a serious crisis developed. In light of this, it is not at all surprising that the giving of the Torah was followed by the sin of the Golden Calf. For Moses, the Ten Commandments were followed by forty days and forty nights of Torah. For the People of Israel, the Ten Commandments were followed by a vacuum. When this vacuum was not filled with spiritual content, it became filled with impurity instead. In this respect, the sin of the Golden Calf was a normal phenomenon; it was

the natural reaction to the giving of the Torah. This is what often happens when someone attains spiritual exaltation that is not built progressively, stage by stage, and then experiences a sharp descent, where everything suddenly disappears. People who return to Judaism often experience this very problem. These individuals attain a certain level of exaltation that can often feel like a burning flame. When this flame inevitably goes out, the void that remains can be devastating. High, uplifting points in one’s life can thus be very dangerous times, because they present the latent danger of a serious fall – to the point of making a calf or worse. The proper way to deal with this danger is not to tarry but to immediately begin a process that will enable one to maintain the spiritual high. We engage in this kind of process each week, in the Havdalah. During the Havdalah at the end of Shabbat, we not only drink wine, as we do in the Kiddush at the beginning of Shabbat, but we also inhale the fragrance of spices. We do this because “woe, the soul is lost” – the additional soul we are granted on Shabbat departs from us. By inhaling the spices, we guard ourselves against the danger of a precipitous fall, to which we are vulnerable following the spiritual high of Shabbat. When a person experiences major changes in his life and does not have the capacity to absorb these changes, the effects of these changes can be ruinous. The story is told of a French millionaire who, when informed that almost his entire fortune had been lost and what remained was only 100,000 francs, had a heart attack and died. This millionaire had an heir, who was very poor his entire life, and when he heard that he had inherited 100,000 francs, he, too, had a heart attack and died. Neither of them had the capacity to absorb the news. The period between the giving of the Torah and Moses’ return lasted only forty days, but that was all that was needed to ignite the entire situation. But let us imagine that Moses had communicated the messages not after descending Mount Sinai but beforehand. If he had done this, all the silver and gold that people gave to make the calf would have

been channeled to holiness. The problem was that right after Sinai, the people were forced to return to a normal course of life, and this transition is what led to their fall. Times of transition are times of real trial, times of true mortal danger, and there is only one remedy for this: to take action. The saying goes that Satan accuses a person when he concludes a tractate of study, meaning that he denounces a person who completes a unit of Torah study without beginning something new. The denunciation is not for having completed a unit of study but for failing to channel the points of ascent into some new action. This understanding of the sin of the Golden Calf allows us to judge our ancestors favorably, as we can argue that their sin was only a result of human nature. The Jerusalem Talmud expounds upon the verse, “If your sins are like shanim, they will be as white as snow,” explaining that G‑d only grants atonement for certain kinds of sins: “If a person’s sins are in accordance with his years, they will become as white as snow.” When a young man commits adultery or an old man steals, G‑d grants atonement; but when the opposite is the case, He does not grant atonement. There are ages at which a person is prone to certain sins but not to others. When a person commits a sin that befits his age, there is an explanation for it. While the explanation obviously does not justify the sin, it does provide the possibility for atonement. It can indeed be said that the sin of the Golden Calf was in the category of “sins like years”; it has a natural explanation according to the chain of events that we outlined above. And in fact we see that, after the sin, G‑d not only forgives Israel but also gives a new set of Tablets, instructs the People of Israel to build the Tabernacle, and eventually brings the nation into the Land of Israel. EM Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, of blessed memory, is internationally regarded as one of the leading rabbis of the last century. The author of many books, he is best known for his monumental translation of and commentary on the Talmud. To learn more visit his website, steinsaltz.org.

June 2022 / Sivan 5782

life on earth

The Third Way Tzvi Freeman

here is a vital connection between the number three. As the Talmud states, “Blessed is the Compassionate One who gave a threefold Torah to a threefold nation through a third child, after three days of preparation, on the third month.” The Written Torah has three parts: The Five Books of Moses, The Prophets, and Scriptures (Torah, Nevi’im and Ketuvim, or TaNaCh for short.) The Jewish people comprises Kohanim, Levites, and Israelites. Moses, who brokered the Torah covenant for us, was a third child, after Miriam and Aaron. Three days beforehand, G‑d told Moses to “Prepare for the third day.” And Sivan, the month in which the Torah was given, is the third month. Indeed, Torah could be called “The Third Way.” Consider one of the major principles of learning Torah — indeed, perhaps the major principle, since it’s the principal arbiter by which we determine Jewish Law. Here it is, as articulated by the sage Rabbi Yishmael: Two verses contradict each other, until a third comes and arbitrates between them. Meaning, the Torah is written in such a

June 2022 / Sivan 5782

way that contradictions abound — but they are meaningful contradictions, awaiting you to resolve them by finding the third key in the text. The rule doesn’t just apply to verses in the Written Torah, but in every Torah discussion. When we study Torah to determine what it is instructing us, we consider and give credence to every opinion of the sages. We don’t say, “I don’t like this one. This is not true.” We say, “Why does this sage say like this and this says the opposite? What is behind their argument?” They are sages after all, and their every word is Torah — even when they disagree. By appreciating that, we come to a deeper understanding. And that ultimately leads us to a third way, one that satisfies the truth of both opinions. Think of the whole of Jewish tradition: Progress is central to Jewish tradition — we want the world to change, and that’s what Torah entered the world to do. Yet, at the same time, we have survived these 3,300+ years due to Torah’s capacity to transcend change. The text of Torah never

became brittle and dry. It remained everyouthful and fruitful, as though it was given just that day. Like it says, “These words that I command you today…” Comment the sages, “Every day, the Torah should be new.” How does that work? It works because we don’t need to adapt Torah to time and place. We don’t say, “Hey guys, this is not working anymore. Let’s just chuck out some stuff, bring in the new, and go with the flow.” Torah doesn’t need to be changed. None of its limbs require amputation, neither does it need prosthetics. Rather, our approach is to delve deeper, to ask, “Where in our Torah is the key to the current moment?” And Torah being a divine teaching, as long as we search deep enough, we will always find a key to open the door of wisdom for every time and place. Call it an “organic progress.” Living organisms such as algae, squirrels, and human beings, are great survivors because they adapt.

continued on page 19

jewish thought

Thank Before You Think Jonathan Sacks

he Ten Commandments are the most famous religious-and-moral code in history. Until recently they adorned American courtrooms. They still adorn most synagogue arks. Rembrandt gave them their classic artistic expression in his portrait of Moses, about to break the tablets upon seeing the golden calf. John Rogers Herbert’s massive painting of Moses bringing down the tablets dominates the main committee room of the House of Lords. The twin tablets with their ten commands are the enduring symbol of eternal law under the sovereignty of G‑d. It is worth remembering, of course, that the “ten commandments” are not Ten Commandments. The Torah calls them aseret hadevarim, and tradition terms them aseret hadibrot, meaning “the ten words or utterances.” We can understand this better in the light of documentary discoveries in the twentieth century, especially Hittite covenants or “suzerainty treaties” dating back to 1400-1200 BCE, that is, around the time of Moses and the exodus. These treaties often contained a twofold statement of the laws laid down in the treaty, first in general outline, then in specific detail. That is precisely the relationship between the “ten utterances” and the detailed commands of Parshat Mishpatim. The former are the general outline, the basic principles of the law. Usually they are portrayed, graphically and substantively, as two sets of five, the first dealing with relationships between us and G‑d (including honoring our parents since they like G‑d brought us into being), the second with the relations between us and our fellow humans. However, it also makes sense to see them as three groups of three. The first three (one G‑d, no other G‑d, do not take G‑d’s name in vain) are about G‑d, the Author and Authority of the laws. The second set (keep Shabbat, honor parents, do not murder) are about createdness. Shabbat reminds us of the birth of the universe. Our parents brought us into being. Murder is forbidden because we are all created in G‑d’s image. The third three (don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t bear false witness) are

about the basic institutions of society: the sanctity of marriage, the integrity of private property, and the administration of justice. Lose any of these and freedom begins to crumble. This structure serves to emphasize what a strange commandment the tenth is: “Do not be envious of your neighbor's house. Do not be envious of your neighbor's wife, his slave, his maid, his ox, his donkey, or anything else that is your neighbor's.” At least on the surface this is different from all the other rules, which involve speech or action. Envy, covetousness, desiring what someone else has, is an emotion, not a thought, a word, or a deed. And surely we can’t help our emotions. They used to be called the “passions,” precisely because

we are passive in relation to them. So how can envy be forbidden at all? Surely it only makes sense to command or forbid matters that are within our control. In any case, why should the occasional spasm of envy matter if it does not lead to anything harmful to other people? Here, it seems to me, the Torah is conveying a series of fundamental truths we forget at our peril. First, as we have been reminded by cognitive behavioral therapy, what we believe affects what we feel. Narcissists, for instance, are quick to take offence because they think other people are talking about or “dissing” (disrespecting) them, whereas often other people aren’t interested in us at all. Their belief is false, but that does not stop them feeling angry and resentful.

June 2022 / Sivan 5782

Second, envy is one of the prime drivers of violence in society. It is what led Iago to mislead Othello with tragic consequences. Closer to home it is what led Cain to murder Abel. It is what led Abraham and then Isaac to fear for their lives when famine forced them temporarily to leave home. They believe that, married as they are to attractive women, the local ruler will kill them so that they can take their wives into their harem. Most poignantly, envy lay at the heart of the hatred of the brothers for Joseph. They resented his special treatment at the hands of their father, the richly embroidered cloak he wore, and his dreams of becoming the ruler of them all. That is what led them to contemplate killing him and eventually to sell him as a slave. Rene Girard, in his classic Violence and the Sacred, says that the most basic cause of violence is mimetic desire, that is, the desire to have what someone else has, which is ultimately the desire to be what someone else is. Envy can lead to breaking many of the other commands: it can move people to adultery, theft, false testimony and even murder. Jews have especial reason to fear envy. It surely played a part in the existence of antisemitism throughout the centuries. NonJews envied Jews their ability to prosper in adversity – the strange phenomenon we noted in Parshat Shemot that “the more they afflicted them the more they grew and the more they spread.” They also and especially envied them their sense of chosenness (despite the fact that virtually every other nation in history has seen itself as chosen). It is absolutely essential that we, as Jews, should conduct ourselves with an extra measure of humility and modesty. So the prohibition of envy is not odd at all. It is the most basic force undermining the social harmony and order that are the aim of the Ten Commandments as a whole. Not only though do they forbid it; they also help us rise above it. It is precisely the first three commands, reminding us of G‑d’s presence in history and our lives, and the second three, reminding us of our createdness, that help us rise above envy.

We are here because G‑d wanted us to be. We have what G‑d wanted us to have. Why then should we seek what others have? If what matters most in our lives is how we appear in the eyes of G‑d, why should we want anything else merely because someone else has it? It is when we stop defining ourselves in relation to G‑d and start defining ourselves in relation to other people that competition, strife, covetousness and envy enter our minds, and they lead only to unhappiness. If your new car makes me envious, I may be motivated to buy a more expensive model that I never needed in the first place, which will give me satisfaction for a few days until I discover another neighbor who has an even more costly vehicle, and so it goes. Should I succeed in satisfying my own envy, I will do so only at the cost of provoking yours, in a cycle of conspicuous consumption that has no natural end. Hence the bumper-sticker: “He who has the most toys when he dies, wins.” The operative word here is “toys,” for this is the ethic of the kindergarten, and it should have no place in a mature life. The antidote to envy is gratitude. “Who is rich?” asked Ben Zoma, and replied, “One who rejoices in what he has.” There is a beautiful Jewish practice that, done daily, is life-transforming. The first words we say on waking are Modeh ani lefanecha, “I thank you, living and eternal King.” We thank before we think. Judaism is gratitude with attitude. Cured of letting other people’s happiness diminish our own, we release a wave of positive energy allowing us to celebrate what we have instead of thinking about what other people have, and to be what we are instead of wanting to be what we are not. EM

future tense

MOSHIACH MUSINGS

The Jewish people at Sinai sensed this ultimate and absolute unity joining them together. In that frame of mind, therefore, “as one man, with one mind,” they jointly desired and anticipated receiving the Torah, and that is when G‑d gave it to them. It is likewise, with the coming of Moshiach redemption. Of that era it is said that “the one preoccupation of the entire world will be solely to know G‑d.” All knowledge of G‑d derives from the Torah. Moshiach’s ultimate function, therefore, will be to “teach the entire people and instruct them in the way of G‑d, and all nations will come to hear him.” He will reveal new insights, novel understandings of the presently hidden, unknown and esoteric teachings of the infinite Torah, allowing people “to attain knowledge of their Creator to the extent of human capacity.” In order to make it possible for the world to partake in these new revelations, the times of Moshiach will thus be a time of peace and harmony, with “neither famine nor war, neither envy nor strife.” As we look forward to the bliss of the redemption, therefore, we must prepare for that new revelation even as we had to prepare for the revelation at Sinai. We must overcome all differences

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

that may lead to dissension and divisiveness, to become as “one man, with one mind” by concentrating on that which unites us, on the common denominator we all share. Peace and harmony among ourselves is assured to hasten the time of universal and everlasting peace.

ask the rabbi

Were the Tablets Round or Square? Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman

Do we know the actual shape of the tablets containing the Ten Commandments? I’ve noticed that some illustrations depict them as being rounded on top, while some are square. What is the real shape?

followed the erroneous earlier renderings. Interestingly, an early printing of the famous mystical work aptly title “Shnei Luchot Habrit” (i.e., “The Two Tablets) printed in Amsterdam in 1698 depicts the tablets as square. The question is, does it really matter?

Jewish tradition, as recorded in the Talmud, tells us that the tablets (luchot in Hebrew) containing the Ten Commandments were thick square blocks of stone – sapphire, to be precise. There are two opinions regarding the exact size; the Babylonian Talmud says they are approximately nineteen inches tall by nineteen inches wide by ten inches deep, while the Jerusalem Talmud gives the measurements as being somewhat smaller. Some scholars reconcile this discrepancy by suggesting that the larger size actually includes both sets of tablets – the two whole ones, and the broken pieces of the first ones, which were placed inside the Holy Ark together with a few other items. Why do so many illustrations typically depict the tablets as being rounded if there is no Jewish source for it? This design is likely to be the invention of non-Jewish artists and craftspeople, borrowing from various cultural traditions and norms – even though some earlier, famous non-Jewish artworks depict the tablets as square. The reason the rounded tablets also became common in Jewish sources is probably because in the early days of printing most of the printing and associated design work were completed by non-Jewish craftspeople. Censorship may have also played a role, since anything rejecting the rounded tablets may have been perceived as being anti-Christian or anti-government. As a result, you can find authentic Jewish books from the 17th Century depicting the tablets as rounded. Later depictions on book covers, paintings, and synagogue design of Jewish origin likely

According to the teachings of the Rebbe, it certainly does. He addressed the matter on several occasions and strongly urged that we should make the utmost effort to depict the tablets authentically as square or rectangular. As a result, all depictions in Chabad publications an animated children’s videos depict them as square, and many others besides Chabad have accepted this practice as well. The Tablets are perhaps the cornerstone of G‑d’s will for humanity in His world in general, and of Judaism is particular. The Ten Commandments were communicated by G‑d to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai, and then carved them onto two tablets of stone, which he gave to Moses. The Ten Commandments are not the entirety of G‑d’s instructions. However, they contain within them the kernel from which the others emerge. They contain the basic principles of a healthy relationship with the Divine, and with one another. It is therefore fitting that our depiction of them should be as accurate as possible, to underscore the importance of authenticity in all areas of life. EM

В редакцию прислали вопрос, почему был разрушен Второй Храм. Что Вы можете сказать об этом? Написано, что Второй Храм был разрушен из-за беспричинной ненависти евреев друг к другу. Нена-висть без причины – это такое чувство, когда кто-то не нравится не потому, что сделал другому что-то плохое, а просто так – вот не нравится, и все! Обычно наше хорошее отношение к человеку основано на том, сколько положительного в нем мы находим. Иными словами: нашей симпатии есть объяснение. Но для того, чтобы исправить грех беспричинной ненависти, любить нужно тоже без причины. То есть, нужно любить каждого вне зависимости от его отношения к нам. Это чувство должно быть сродни любви к ребенку. Родился ребенок, и вы еще не знаете, каким он вырастет, какими качествами будет обладать. Пока что вы пеленаете его, ухаживаете за ним, не спите ночами, но вы его уже любите! Почему? Потому что он – ваш. А любите ли вы своего брата или сестру? Конечно, ведь это близкие мне люди, члены моей семьи. Каждый человек является для меня братом или сестрой, потому что у нас один Отец – Вс-вышний в небесах. Хасидизм задается вопросом: «Почему ближнего надо любить, как самого себя? Почему не больше, чем себя?» Когда человек совершает проступки, он находит массу причин для их оправдания... The article above is excerpted from the Russian edition of Exodus Magazine. To subscribe, please visit exodusmagazine.org or call 416.222.7105.

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 Wednesday evenings after 7pm. Rebbitzin Chiena Zaltzman is also available for private consultations by appointment on Wednesday evenings from 9 to 10pm by calling 416.222.7105.

June 2022 / Sivan 5782

‫ב”ה‬ ‫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 .

JUNE 2022 | TAMMUZ 5782 COMMUNITY CALENDAR

J U N E 2 0 2 2 JUNE

04-06

SHAVUOT

JUNE

ALL-NIGHT LEARNING

JUNE

ICE CREAM PARTIES

LAG B’OMER FAMILY FESTIVAL RETURNS The GTA Jewish community experienced an amazing city-wide Lag B’Omer Family Festival once again on May 19, after a two-year hiatus due to COVID. The free event was split into two locations – the traditional location at Earl Bales Park in central Toronto, and a northern location at Woodvalley Park in Vaughan. Organized by the JRCC in partnership with a dozen local Jewish organizations, the carnival-like Lag B’Omer event draws thousands of people from different communities throughout the GTA and beyond for an afternoon of fun and unity. This year’s event featured live music, a bird show, rides, and carnival games, along with a children’s rally and parade, a bonfire, and lots of awesome food. By far the greatest aspect of the event is the mere fact that some many Jewish people from different backgrounds celebrated together – a tremendous show of unity that is very much in the spirit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, for whom the day of Lag B’Omer is established. Thank you to all the participating organizations’ staff and volunteers from across the city who helped make this year’s event amazing. COMMUNITY FARBRENGENS

JUNE

28 SIVAN FARBRENGEN

CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES Friday, June 3, 2022

8:36 PM

Shabbat, June 4, 2022

Light Holiday Candles after

9:48 PM

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Light Holiday Candles after

9:49 PM

Friday, June 10, 2022

8:40 PM

Friday, June 17, 2022

8:44 PM

Friday, June 24, 2022

8:45 PM

June 2022 / Tammuz 5782

The JRCC hosted two community farbrengen (Chassidic gatherings) last month. On May 3, which marked the birthday of the Rebbe Maharash, Rabbi Shmuel of Lubavitch, a special farbrengen was hosted by the JRCC Rockford. One of the Rebbe Maharash’s best known teachings is the approach of “L’chatchila ariber” – elevating oneself above life’s challenges without hesitation. On May 15, the JRCC South Thornhill hosted a farbrengen in its new location in honor of Pesach Sheini, the “second passover.” The festival was instituted for those who were unable to visit the Temple to perform the Passover rituals. The lesson is that no matter what area of life we think we might have missed opportunities, the truth is that when we live with the moment we’re in right now, it really is never too late to grow, to learn, to connect, to change, to try something new. Both of these lessons are cornerstones of what a farbrengen gathering is all about – listening and supporting one another trough the challenges we face in living meaningful, spiritual lives, so that we may transcend those challenges together as we learn and grow from them.

WEEKLY SUMMER WOMEN’S CLASSES Throughout the year, the JRCC organizes various events and educational programs specifically for women. As the days get longer after the Passover holiday, it is customary to set aside some time on Shabbat afternoon for the study of Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of the Fathers. Every Shabbat afternoon from after Passover until Rosh Hashana, women will gather in homes at each JRCC branch neighborhood to network, connect, and glean wisdom from the Sages through study focused on one chapter of Pirkei Aviot. Visit jrcc.org/pirkeiavot for updates about times and locations. (The text of the Ethics of the Fathers can be found in the prayerbook following the Shabbat afternoon prayers. Several volumes of books with a variety of commentaries, both classical and contemporary are available through the JRCC Bookstore at jrccbookstore.org, and material can also be read and printed before Shabbat from the JRCC website at jrcc.org/avot.)

TRIP

July 2 - 4

REBBE

An inspirational journey and

to the

tremendous opportunity to connect to and learn about the life and teachings of the Rebbe, the leader whose initiatives and teachings continue to revolutionize Jewish life around the world.

DEPARTING:

Motzei Shabbat, July 2 RETURNING:

Sunday, July 3 Departure & Arrival at 18 ROCKFORD RD. Space is limited . For more information 416-222-7105

www.jrcc.org/TripToRebbe

1,0le0jo0ined

peop t Earl South a rk a Bales P

LAG BAOMER FAMILY FESTIVAL

2,500

people join ed North at Sc hwartz/ Reisman Centre

June 2022 / Tammuz 5782

Faces of the Community

CLAIM YOUR

BIRTHDAY CAKE

Michael Kerzner Entrepreneur, Ontario PC Party Candidate Michael, can you please introduce yourself to our readers. I'm an Ontario Progressive Conservative party candidate for York Centre. I am proud that I have been an active member of the Jewish comsmunity for over twenty-five years, and I believe that the most important thing in life is to try to be “a mench” – a decent person, that we should take care of each other, sharing sorrows and joys.

Members of the Jewish Russian community can drop by on their birthday month for a birthday cake. Visit the volunteer lounge in Room 6.

Where does your family come from? What role did Judaism plan in their lives? My father's parents, Sam and Sarah Kerzner, emigrated to Canada in 1930 from Stopnica, Poland. My grandmother, Sara, insisted on leaving Poland. In my grandfather's family, everyone was killed during the Holocaust. My grandfather and grandmother were religious Jews who observed all traditions. They had to work very hard to adapt in Toronto. My maternal grandfather, Murray Penwick, was born in Toronto. After graduating from the University of Toronto, he received a degree in Pharmacology, and later opened a pharmacy on Vaughan Road. My maternal grandmother, Tilly Penwick, is from England. She emigrated to Canada in her youth, got married, and helped her husband run a pharmacy. They were Orthodox Jews and were members of the Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue.

More info: Hana Uralsky hana.uralsky@jrcc.org 416-222-7105 #291

ADVANCE IN MATH this Summer RSM is an award-winning, afterschool math enrichment program. Students can choose from a variety of K-12 courses that will be taught during our 6 week summer session. June 27th - August 4th MathSchool.com

RSM - Richmond Hill (647) 800-4114

RSM - Toronto (416) 800-9119

Saturday Night, June 4, 2022 Commemorate receiving the Torah. Contact your local JRCC branch for times and schedule or visit www.jrcc.org/Shavuot

ALL-NIGHT

SHAVUOT

LEARNING Upcoming

FARBRENGEN JRCC Willowdale, 17 Church Ave.

SUNDAY, JUNE 26 | 8PM 28 SIVAN FARBRENGEN Commemorating the Rebbe’s arrival in the U.S.A. after fleeing Nazi-occupied France.

June 2022 / Tammuz 5782

Who are your parents by profession? Tell us about them. My parents are Max and Dolly Kerzner, who are, thank G-d, both alive and well. My father was a chartered accountant who worked in accounting for many years before starting his own business. My mother, who graduated from the University of Toronto, was raising her four children and helping her father in his business. They are members of the Beth Tzedek Synagogue. My parents have always supported us, their children, in everything, and sincerely believed that everyone should contribute to the prosperity of the Jewish community. Where did you study and work? In the late 1980s, I enrolled in York University and received a bachelor's degree with honors. After university I started helping my father and his brother, Joe Kerzner, in their joint construction business. I learned how to manage the complex process of building commercial buildings. But then I abruptly changed my field of interest. In 2015, together with my friend, I started doing genetic testing at DNALabs Canada. I have always considered myself an entrepreneur, and am interested in innovative and promising ideas. How did you and your wife meet? In 1995, I was invited to the company of close friends of my parents (who turned out to be cousins of my future wife). There I met Rochelle. She was (and remains) very independent and always defends her point of view on important issues of principle. Her family took an active part in the life of the Beth David Synagogue community. My wife and I have many similar views, but above all, we both believe that it is necessary to help those in need. My wife and I have been together for almost twenty-six years, and no one has supported my desire to give back to the community like Rochelle. We enjoy traveling and visiting new places together. We especially wanted to visit Israel, which we did in 2013. Since then, we have tried our best to return there every year and feel at home there. On our last visit, in 202, we rented a car for the first time and drove around Israel like real Israelis. It was wonderful. Israel is our favorite place to travel with our kids. Have you ever encountered manifestations of anti-Semitism? Oddly enough, recently we have witnessed manifestations of aggression against Jews. During the election campaign, going from house to house, from apartment to apartment, we knocked on doors, and some asked: “Are you a Jew?” I always answer, “Yes, I am a Jew and proud of it.” Several times in response I heard an insulting: “Jew!” But we my family and members of my team - take our identity very seriously and are proud to be Jewish. Our home is a Jewish home. I would also say that in the past we have felt aggression from some of the people with whom we have dealt with our Jewishness. And it was a manifestation of disgusting discrimination. Just a few weeks ago, at the Passover table, we read in the Haggadah: “What is this service you have?” This question, unchanged for centuries, is an attempt by the younger generation to understand the elders and better appreciate what the heritage they have inherited. What are we doing to change our lives? I feel compelled to help our community address urgent Jewish needs – to secure effective funding for Jewish education, including pre-school, and to be vigilant against those who seek to divide us in our fight against anti-Semitism. I advocate finding a way to help those in need. I am a proud Jew who is possibly the first person to wear a kippah at all times in the Legislative Assembly, who went to a Jewish day school for education, who attends synagogue, who serves the community and believes in service above self. This is what our Haggadah teaches us, and I live by it.

‫ב׳׳ה‬

Exodus Magazine Holiday Companion

SHAVUOT June 4 – 6, 2022

Jewish Russian Community Centre of Ontario

All times displayed in this guide are for the Greater Toronto Area.

What is Shavuot? Shavuot, which translates as “weeks,” celebrates the completion of the seven-week Omer counting period following Passover, and commemorates the day of the receiving of the Torah over 3,300 years ago. According to Jewish tradition, each year the Torah is given anew, and we prepare and celebrate accordingly in order to receive it.

Pre-Holid

ay to-do

• Shop fo r the holi day needs • Make pl ans t the Ten Co o hear or read mmandm ents • Get som e good To rah s available online at tudy material – jrcc.org/ • Make Yi Shavuot zkor plan s

list

Shavuot Customs •

Celebrate with candle lighting, special holiday feasts and days of rest as on all Jewish holy days

•

All night learning on the first night of Shavuot (Saturday night)

•

Hear the reading of the Ten Commandments on the first day of Shavuot (Sunday), preferable in synagogue

•

East dairy foods – traditional cheese blintzes, quiches, casseroles and more (kids like ice cream)

•

Yizkor memorial service on the second day of Shavuot (Monday)

Holiday candles are lit from a pre-

•

Some communities read the Book of Ruth, since King David, whose passing occurred on this day, was a descendant of Ruth

existing

•

Some have the custom to decorate their homes (and synagogues) with flowers and sweet-smelling plants in advance of Shavuot

Shabbat and Shavuot Since Shavuot begins immediate after Shabbat on Saturday evening, June 4, holiday and food preparations must be completed before Shabbat – on Friday, June 3, before sunset.

flame

Saturday

and

Sunday evenings, after nightfall. For this purpose, light a 48-hour candle together with the Shabbat candles on Friday before sunset.

i Learn more at jrcc.org/Holidays

We’re Here to Help. The JRCC is here to assist with all your Shavuot needs. See the back page for a variety of JRCC Shavuot programs and services being offered. For assistance in making your Shavuot plans or any other assistance, visit jrcc.org/Shavuot or contact the JRCC. See JRCC Shavuot programs on back page

June 2022 / Sivan 5782

The Ten Commandments

Children and Shavuot

Forty days after the Exodus from Egypt, the entire nation stood as one at Mount Sinai and heard the Ten Commandments communicated directly from the Divine.

When G‑d was about to give the Torah, He demanded guarantors who would ensure it would be purely preserved and authentically transmitted. The people made a number of suggestions – including their ancestors and their prophets – all of whom were rejected. When they declared, “Our children will be our guarantors,” G‑d immediately accepted and agreed to give the Torah.

It was an otherworldly experience. These commandments were later carved into two tablets, which remained in the Holy Ark of the sanctuary for generations. The Ten Commandments are the cornerstone of the Torah, representing the kernel from which the entire Torah can be derived, so the event at which they were transmitted is known as the “Giving of the Torah.” On Shavuot, we relive this awesome moment by reading the Ten Commandments together and studying the Torah.

i Learn more at jrcc.org/TenCommandments

Besides the purity, sincerity and authenticity being central to Jewish life, one of the messages of this conveys is the idea that the Torah is for everyone. If the sages or the prophets were the guarantors, it would have created a “Torah caste” within the Jewish people. When every child is given the gift of his or her heritage, it ensures that every individual has the opportunity to connect. So make sure that engaging the children – our guarantors – is a central part of your Shavuot experience, especially when it comes to hearing the Ten Commandments.

i Find great Shavuot content for children at jrcc.org/Kids

All Night Learning

Shavuot Now

When: Saturday night, June 4 - the first night of Shavuot

In addition to the giving of the Torah, which is connected with Moses, Shavuot is also connected with King David, who was born and died on this day, and Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement, who passed away on Shavuot. The first letter of each of their names spells the Hebrew word “miyad,” which means “immediately.”

When the actual moment arrived to give the Torah, the Israelites were sleeping. Mystical teachings explain that it was an intentional attempt to connect to the subconscious, transcendent self in preparation for revelation of divine wisdom. Ultimately, it was not the right approach, so to rectify it we spend the entire first night of Shavuot studying Torah.

i Download and print some texts to study at jrcc.org/Torah

All three of these great leaders focused on removing the obstacles that prevent us from the immediate realization of our goals. Moses, who taught us the Torah, showed how studying Divine wisdom and observing the mitzvahs elevates our consciousness and breaks the barrier between the material and spiritual in our lives. King David, through his Psalms and the poetry of the life he lived, teaches us the power of meditation, music and prayer to achieve transformation by removing the barrier between the divine will and our personal needs and wants.

Yizkor When: Monday, June 6 Yizkor is the remembrance prayer for departed loved ones, where we implore G‑d to remember the souls of our relatives and friends that have passed on. The main component of Yizkor is our private pledge to give charity following the holiday in honor of the deceased. By giving charity, we are performing a positive physical deed in this world, something that the departed can no longer do, especially if our goods deeds emulate theirs. Yizkor renews and strengthens the connection between us and our loved one, brings merit to the departed souls, and elevates them in their celestial homes.

The teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples, especially the teachings of Chabad, empower us to overcome the disconnect between our spiritual longings and the realities of life with their emphasis on “practical mysticism” – laying the groundwork for a more holistic and peaceful existence. Tapping into the energy and teachings of Moses, King David and the Baal Shem Tov empowers us to overcome our challenges with an effectiveness and an immediacy that is not generally attainable through normal human effort alone. Ultimately, this can carry us past the greatest barrier of all – the one between exile and redemption – with the coming of Moshiach (immediately!).

i Learn more at jrcc.org/Moshiach

Shavuot concludes on Monday, June 6 at 9:50pm.

June 2022 / Sivan 5782

invitation from rabbi yoseph & chiena zaltzman WEDDING IN NEW YORK - JUNE 15, 2022

CELEBRATION IN TORONTO - JUNE 20, 2022

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A wedding is a milestone in Jewish life, a special time to celebrate with family and friends. As emissaries of the Rebbe since 1980, we have served the Jewish Russian community of Ontario, which we consider as our extended family. It is therefore our honor to invite you to share in the joy of the marriage of our son

tb ukhtuh rat ubhrhfnu ubhshshk treb cck cuyu vjnac 'uhjh duzv ,t lrcku 'ubcck ,jna ouhc 'uhsjh ub,t junak /,uhbjuru ,uhnadc ohrautn ohhju 'y"zn ,frcc 'ubkuf ub,utu 'uhjh u,hc habtu usucf ,t lrch 'lrc,h tuv 'cuyv k-tv /rac sgu apbn ,uphktn ,ufrcc 'uhjh h"cjt kkf lu,c ovhscfnu ovhrheun

Miriam Raizel Overlander B"H

SHEVA BRACHOS

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i,jv hruv

ksbhn r,xtu iuard crv rsbkrct vWg rsbkrct vtk vra ,rn

tbghju ejmh ;xuh crv inmkz

CELEBRATING THE MARRIAGE

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tstbte 'tybtrty

ovhbez

vWg rsbkrct vecr u,dzu h,ca wr tagb tdhhp u,duzu chk vsuvh wr vWg itnkrgp

inmkz wduzu rgcus ohhj crv aphk vecr ,rn vWg inmkz r,xt whj ,hbcrv vWg aphk rzgkt crv

5:00 vgac vpujv '3:30 vgac ohbp ,kcev*

kf ihgk jhanv lkn aWst eWf ,ukd,vk vfrcc ann ann shnu ;fh, sgu okugk jhanv lkn ubhcru ubrun ubbust hjh

With gratitude to Hashem we take great pleasure in inviting you to join us in celebrating the marriage of our dear children

Meir Shlomo

Miriam Raizel ’‫תחי‬ Wednesday, the sixteenth of Sivan, 5782 the fifteenth of June, 2022 Kabbolas Ponim at three thirty Oholei Menachem Ballroom 667 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York Chupah at five o’clock Lubavitch World Headquarters 770 Eastern Parkway Dinner following Chupah at Oholei Menachem Simchas Chosson V’Kallah at nine thirty May we merit to celebrate the Simcha in Yerushalayim with the true and complete Redemption and the final revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu Rabbi and Mrs. Yoseph Zaltzman Toronto, Canada

Meir Shlomo & Miriam Monday, June 20, 2022 • Chof Alef Sivan 5782 8:00 PM JRCC East Thornhill 7608 Yonge St. Unit 3

Dessert Reception Rabbi Yoseph & Chiena Zaltzman

’‫שיחי‬

Meir Shlomo Zaltzman

Rabbi and Mrs. Gershon Overlander Mrs. Sara Leah Overlander A”H London, England

Please reply by June 8 via email: yoseph.zaltzman@jrcc.org or phone: 416-222-7105 Ext 295 Indicating the following: 1. The first and last names of men and/or women attending 2. the location (Toronto or New York or both) May our families be blessed to share many joyous occasions together, especially the coming of Moshiach now!

Rabbi Yoseph & Chiena Zaltzman If desired, wedding gifts for Meir Shlomo & Miriam Zaltzman can be sent by mail: 87 Dana Cres, Thornhill L4J 3H9 or e-Transfer: meirmiriamzaltzman@gmail.com June 2022 / Tammuz 5782

continued from page 9

But that doesn’t mean they stop being what they are. Rather, in new situations, their cells look into their DNA and ask, “Where in our repertoire of chromosomes and markers are the tools we need to make this situation work best for us?” There’s a distinction, however. All those living beings have their limitations. Torah has proven itself virtually limitless. Torah has unfolded its DNA for us in the nomadic world of Sinai, the agrarian settlement in Israel, when we were a mercantile class in Arabic civilization and Europe, and through the industrialization of the past 200 years. In each era, in literally every part of the world, we studied the same 53 parshahs with its 613 mitzvahs, applied our oral traditions of interpretation, and learned how Torah was to be applied in those times. The Torah simply became more and more fascinating as we went along. Scientists test the veracity of a hypothesis by observing whether it applies under multiple conditions. The Torah has proven the ultimate veracity. Infinite depth in pragmatic application. Always the same three-step process. The past says “We’ve always done it like this.” The present says, “But now the world has changed.” And the Torah provides a third way, saying, “You don’t need to change me. You must change yourselves to understand me better. Look deeper within me, deeper into how you always understood me, into what I always really meant. There you will find your path into the future, holding me yet tighter, yet closer to your hearts.” The ultimate change is when the core never changes. Indeed, true change is the emergence of the true essence of things. We can go deeper than that. Torah is about the number three at its very core. The first word of Genesis, describing the creation of the world, is the letter bet — the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. That’s because this world as it is handed to us people is all about the number two. There’s heaven and earth. We are body and soul. We grapple with good and evil. We live, then we die. Every word we speak has its opposite. Every object that exists could equally not

June 2022 / Sivan 5782

exist. Every moment in time, every space, every sound, vision, and event can be reduced to a binary series of yes and no, is and is not. It’s a binary world. And that’s how people attempt to survive within the world. There are those who choose heaven and those who choose earth. Those who choose the body and those who choose the soul. Those who embrace life and those who worship death. Until Torah enters. Torah says that in the beginning, the same G‑d who created heaven created earth. The same G‑d who formed your body breathed within you a soul. The same G‑d who gives life takes it away. And He saw all that He created and it was good, very good. It is only that it is left up to us to find the inner truth, that brings all this into harmony. And that is the way of Torah, the third way. Torah teaches that when we see evil and suffering in the world, it is not so that we should run from it, but heal it. The needs and passions of our bodies are not to be shunned, but sublimated and even sanctified through rituals, blessings, and moderation. Even the ego itself has its place, so that a person will take responsibility for the world in which we were placed “to serve and protect.”

“Turn from evil and do good. Seek peace and chase after it.” That is the way of Torah: Not to be satisfied with obliterating evil or doing good, but to seek peace between all that G‑d has created, including the opposites within your own life. It turns out that all these dualities of our world find a divine purpose in Torah. They’re not opposites just because that’s the way the world is. They serve as a kind of dialectic of infinity, pointing to an origin that transcends all binaries. All this makes sense of an otherwise astonishing Jewish law: Shavuot, on our current calendar, falls on the sixth day of Sivan, the day on which the Torah was given. That’s an awesome day to commemorate. How do you commemorate the day on which we stood at Mount Sinai as our entire reality was shaken from beneath us, as all the world came to a silent halt and we “saw the sounds and heard the sights” — lifted for a moment into an utterly spiritual dimension? Intuitively, we would imagine such a day would have to be the most spiritual day of the year — a day to spend entirely in a synagogue, or perhaps out in a desert somewhere far from civilization, not even thinking about

life on earth

food, sleep and other mundane needs. But the Torah tells us just the opposite. Each time the Torah mentions the festival of Shavuot, it tells us it is “a festival for you.” The traditional understanding of “for you” is that we must feast and physically enjoy the holiday. Practically speaking, if a person had a frightening dream the night of Shavuot and asks his rabbi, “Am I allowed to fast? I mean, it will be painful for me to eat! I really need to fast.” The rabbi must answer, “On any other holiday, even on Shabbat, I would tell you that you can fast. But on Shavuot, you must eat. The Torah says so.” Because that is what Torah is all about: Celebrating the ultimate spiritual experience in a physical way. Because it is all one. Why now have we arrived at this ultimate message of the number three? There must be some special relevance to our times. And indeed, if at any time our world felt binary, it’s today. The algorithms of our technology, the pathways provided for information, the very nature of the medium we use to communicate, have squeezed us into a myopic us-them mentality. A recent study in America found a “perception gap” — a direct correlation between education and an exaggerated

concept of “the other side’s” political views. In simple terms, the more you read, the more distorted your beliefs about other people's views will tend to be. “This effect,” the report says, “is so strong that Democrats without a high school diploma are three times more accurate than those with a postgraduate degree.” From what I can read (through my own narrow lens), the situation in Israel, the UK and other parts of the world is not so different. Our times, it seems, demand that whatever we read, we need to stop, think, and allow ourselves to go a little deeper. Where can we learn to do that? No place better than a Torah class. As I wrote earlier, if you’re really learning Torah, you will perpetually encounter ideas that seem to contradict all you’ve learned until now. And when you learn with others, you will find your own notions and previous understanding challenged — and you may even have to admit you got it wrong. Friendly “arguments for the sake of heaven” has been a Jewish craft for millennia. Perhaps it’s time to review the rules of the game, and even teach the skill to the rest of the world — the skill of the third way. As much as technological progress threatens our relationship with one another, even more so does it challenge our inner moral compass.

We begin to imagine that for all these ages we’ve been fooled, that all those things our ancestors thought to be immoral were really good, and those things they thought proper and right were really evil. Torah tells us to think deeper. That is what wisdom is all about. Our ancestors were at least as smart as us. What did they see, what did they know, that we cannot see today? Learn the Torah they taught us, ponder its words deeply. Extract a meaning that transcends time and place, one that will work today as it did for 3,300+ years until now. Ultimately, the goal of Torah is not to simply preserve tradition, but to create change and progress. It’s only that real progress is essentially accumulative — not a rejection of past values, but a deeper understanding, an unfolding, a harmony. Until we achieve the ultimate harmony, a time when the entire occupation of the world will be divine wisdom, may that be 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.

June 2022 / Sivan 5782

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Wishes the entire Jewish Community a Happy Holidays! Visit your local NOFRILLS store to find a large variety of fine Kosher products Carlo’s NOFRILLS: 6220 Yonge St. North York, ON M2M 3X4 Vince’s NOFRILLS: 1631 Rutherford Rd. Vaughan, ON L4K 0C1 Anthony’s NOFRILLS: 1054 Centre St, Thornhill, ON L4J 3M8 Andrew & Shelley’s NOFRILLS: 270 Wilson Ave. North York, ON M3H 1S6 June 2022 / Tammuz 5782

Exodus Magazine - June 2022

Articles inside

JEWISH THOUGHT

JEWISH SOUL

MADE YOU THINK

PERSPECTIVES

JEWISH THOUGHT