Exodus Magazine - April 2019 by Exodus Magazine

April 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ Nissan 5779

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By default, the sun emanates light. The circumstances through which the light is blocked are all external obstacles – whether they be natural or man-made. As long as there is some obstacle between me and the sun, the light will never shine on me. I definitely want to let more light into my life. Who doesn’t? So, if I want to let more light into my life – more meaning, more spirituality, more goodness – then the question I have to ask myself is: What’s blocking the light? The light is certainly shining, but something is stopping it from getting to me. If I can figure out what the blockage is, then I can remove it and allow the light to shine through. Sometimes the shadow is cast upon me by external factors that are – to varying degrees – not entirely under my control. I can do my best to avoid or minimize them, but at the end of the day there are going to be situations in which there is not much I can do to remove the obstacle. I will inevitably find myself in times of darkness. Shade is a dimension of reality that I have to learn to live with, and even sometime appreciate. But, honestly, most of the obstacles are actually self-generated. Whether it be a propensity toward anger, self-aggrandizement, lethargy, or uncontrollable temptations and addictions, the negativity I generate from within and project outwards form barriers that block the light, or make me unable to appreciate it when it is there. These follies stop me from attaining the intelligence, harmony, health, wealth, world domination, or whatever it is I’m after in life. Working to correct these follies removes the obstacles and allows the light to shine into my life. On a deeper, more existential level, the obstacle that blocks the light is, ironically, me. Do I then have to remove myself so that I don’t block the light? And if I do succeed somehow in achieving this, then who will be there to benefit from the light once I remove myself?

The answer is Passover. What makes this night different than all other nights? That is the question that begins the historical and existential journey known as the Passover Seder. One of the differences, the one that most explicitly symbolizes the theme of freedom that is so central to this festival, is the custom of reclining while eating the matzah and drinking the traditional four cups of wine at the Seder. On the simplest level, the reclining is an expression of our status as a free people, one of the motifs of Passover as a whole and the Seder in particular. In Kabbalistic sources, the custom of reclining is described in more spiritual terms, perhaps exposing the mystical roots of what freedom is all about. The body can generally be divided into three sections that are organized hierarchically according to function: The head, the torso and the legs. In a standing or a seated position, the hierarchical structure is maintained; the head is a above the torso, which is above the legs. However, when a person reclines or lies down, all three sections of the body are on the same level. This is an expression of ultimate freedom. When an individual can focus all of his or her powers toward one goal, with all aspects of the individual equally humbled before the same ideals. Often, our minds and hearts and bodies each tend to have their own agendas, and the striving of each one in its own direction is the source of great internal strife. But when we focus on the common goal for which all these components were placed within us, then they recline together to serve that common purpose and we are freed of the internal conflicts they generate individually. By subjugating my entire being to something beyond my own little life, I focus all my energy together. I remove myself as an obstacle to the light, and a new, humbled self is created that can then bask in the light shining past the removed obstacle that was my old self. I pass over my self, and let the light shine.

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think! again. April 2019

Nissan 5779

how to

passover APRIL 19 – 27, 2019 Buy & Sell

• Buy Matzah, Sell Chometz by Thursday, April 18 at 5pm (JRCC office closed Friday)

FRIDAY, • Fast of t • Eat Chom • Burn Ch • Cook for • Light Sha at 7:47pm • First Pas

S e a r c h & De s t r o y

• Search the House for Chometz: Thursday, April 18 after dusk • Stop Eating Chometz: Friday, April 19 before 10:59 am • Burn Chometz: Friday, April 19 before 12:08 pm • Consult your Passover Haggadah for accompanying prayers for the above

C o o k Up a S t o r m

SHABBA • Shabbat • Light Yom • Start Co • Second

• Cook for the two Seders (April 19-20) in advance (before 7:47pm on April 19)

L i g h t Up t h e N i g h t

Shabbat & Holiday Candle Lighting each night - see schedule to the right

Proceed with Joy

SUNDAY • Yom Tov • Count th • Yom Tov

Experience a joyful and meaningful Festival of Freedom

T h e S e d e r P l at e i n g r e d i e n t s

6 | JEWISH SOUL

Freedom for One and for All

10 | JEWISH THOUGHT

Our Relationship with Money

The question has been asked, Why does it say “In the days of the Exodus,” in the plural, being that the Exodus from Egypt took place in one day?

Moses gives an accounting: Does a man who speaks to G‑d face to face really need to prove that he is not using money for a cruise in the Caribbean, for a new BMW or to build his portfolio?

— From the Rebbe's correspondences

.— by Y. Y. Jacobson

7 | MADE YOU THINK

12 | ASK THE RABBI

To Strike and to Heal

The Three Matzot • Combine intellectual and emotional humility with Divinely inspired faith, and you have the spiritual recipe for matzot. The mixture inspired our ancestors to follow G-d into the desert with such haste that there wasn’t time for the bread that would nourish them rise. The opposite of matzah is Chametz, the epitome of arrogance and self-aggrandizement. Before Passover we remove all physical Chametz and seek to root out the spiritual Chametz from within. Zeroah (Shankbone) • The Pascal Lamb, sacrificed on the eve of the exodus, is represented by the Zeroah. Mystical tradition replaces the shankbone with a chicken neck that is not eaten, as a reminder that although we approach freedom during the Seder, our ultimate freedom is soon to come with the final redemption. Betzah (Egg) • In the days of the Holy Temple a “Festival Offering” was made on Passover. Unable to do this in our current exile, the hard-boiled egg is used as a symbol of our mourning. In some ways, the choice reflects the nature of our people; the hotter the water, the stronger our spirit becomes. Maror (Bitter Herbs) • The bitterness of Egypt is brought to the table with Maror (horseradish). Through it, we realize that the purpose of hardship is only to make us stronger. One and a half ounces are eaten at two intervals during the Seder. Karpas (Vegetable) • Egypt crushed our ancestors’ spirits with endless, senseless, back-breaking drudgery. A raw vegetable, usually an onion or potato, is dipped in saltwater and eaten so we may taste their anguish—and in it realize the potential to rise above our own. Charoset (Paste) • As slaves we used mortar — symbolized by Charoset — to make bricks that formed structures which were erected only to be destroyed. The apple mixed with nuts to make Charoset symbolizes the sweetness of the Jewish women who, knowing Pharaoh would kill their infant if it were male, hid in the apple orchards when giving birth. Chazeret (Romaine Lettuce) • The initial stages of exile were pleasant, yet soon the injustices of slavery became overwhelming. So too is the first taste of Chazeret (a herb, often romaine lettuce) mild, but soon its bitter root becomes dominant. Chazeret is eaten with the Maror, and in the Korech sandwich.

Chametz on Time

Is there such a thing as absolute evil? Can we always identify good from evil? When evil is intertwined with good, how do we go about eliminating the evil without also hurting the good?

What’s the idea of selling chametz, and when did this concept originate? And why is there a specific time at which the selling and burning of the chametz need to be done?

.— by Simon Jacobson

— by Yoseph. Y. Zaltzman

8 | LIFE ON EARTH

19 | HOLIDAY GUIDE

Here’s the most basic question about the Wicked Son: What is he doing at the Passover Seder? He got himself written into the text of the Haggadah. What’s he doing there?

A simple, friendly, one-page guide for Passover. A nice checklist. All the hows, whats and whens. All in one place.

— by Tzvi Freeman

— by Exodus Staff

The Wicked Son Redeemed

April 2019

editorial

jewish soul

made you think life on earth

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THURSD • Search f

APRIL 22 • Intermed • Be merr • Count th

THURSD • Light Yom • Count th • All Night

FRIDAY, • Yom Tov • Light Yom • Count th

SHABBA • Shabbat • Yizkor • Count th • Shabbat

* = Light from

Fo (416) 222

jewish soul

Freedom

for

One

and for

All

From the Rebbe's correspondences

he question has been asked, Why does it say “In the days of the Exodus,” in the plural, being that the Exodus from Egypt took place in one day, as it is also written in connection with the Mitzvah of remembering the Exodus from Egypt: “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt,” in the singular? One of the explanations is that as from the day on which the Jewish people came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, they were taken out forever of the category of slavery, transposed into a new category, that of free men. However, the transition from slavery to freedom is not a onetime happening, but a continuous process. It demands frequent and constant reflection so as to experience once again, in a personal way, the coming out from slavery into freedom, and to make the proper conclusions therefrom, conclusions that have to be expressed not only in thought and in words, but especially in a deep penetrating feeling which permeates the whole being, down to actions, to a corresponding conduct in all details and aspects of the everyday life. Hence, although the Exodus from Egypt — of each and every Jew, together with their possessions, etc. — took place in one day, the true liberation, the spiritual liberation, including also from all constraints and limitations, is something that is accomplished through daily reflection and remembrance, as it is written, “In every generation, and in every day, a Jew should consider himself as though he personally came out this day from Egypt.” This is in keeping with the obligation to remember and mention the Exodus from Egypt every day, and in a manner in which a remembrance in Torah has to be observed, namely, “Remembered and done,” as has often been emphasized, also in the said letter. A noteworthy point that is common to both the Exodus from Egypt and the future redemptions we expect imminently is that in both cases the subject is the redemption of the entire Jewish people: Just as at the Exodus from Egypt not a single Jew remained in exile there, so also the coming redemption, when Moshiach will

take us out from the present exile, not a single Jew, man, woman and child will remain in exile. And from the redemption of the nation to the redemption of the individual Jew — though as explained the individual is also a complete world in himself; consisting of a soul and a body, with a variety of capacities, spiritual and physical, revealed and concealed, which express themselves in thoughts, words, and deeds — not a single particular aspect of each individual will remain in exile, and he will be in a state of true and complete freedom in all details and aspects; This coming complete redemption, both of the nation and of the individual, is dependent upon our “actions and our service” — the actions and Divine service of each and all Jews during the period of the exile, especially in the last period of it just before Moshiach’s arrival. And since there is always the promise of G‑d’s help whenever a person is determined to do a good thing, and, moreover, G‑d provides him with the necessary strength to carry it out — how much more so during the period when we are truly approaching the days of “I will show you wonders,” wonders also in

the manner and measure of G‑d’s help. A further point that is found both in the Exodus from Egypt and in the coming redemption is in the striving and action incumbent upon every Jew in carrying out his (her) G‑d-given task in the fullest measure — both as an individual, who is a complete world in himself, and as a part of the whole Jewish people, the eternal people that is composed of all generations of Jews to the end of time. In regard to this there are different times: there are times when the accent in more on his activity as an individual, and there are times when the emphasis is more on his activity as part of the community. In general, in the case of the Exodus from Egypt the emphasis is more on the community, namely, the Jews as a nation of Tzivos Hashem (the Army of G‑d); although at the beginning of the Golus in Egypt as well as after the Exodus from Egypt, and the giving of the Torah, we find an emphasis on the division of Jews into separate families, tribes, “banners,” into Kohanim, Levites and Israelites, and in all of them a subdivision into ten categories: Heads, etc. down to your water-drawer.” In regard to the coming redemption, the emphasis is also on uniting and unifying every Jew with all other Jews and with all of the nation of Israel, as is also underscored in the verse: “A great community shall return hither,” and as our Sages declare in Midrash: “The people of Israel shall be redeemed only when they become one union.” EM

www.jrcc.org 24 hours a day, 6 days a week. Nissan 5779

made you think

To Strike and to Heal Simon Jacobson

assover is in essence the story of the classic battle between good and evil, and how good prevails. In truth, almost all enduring narratives contain this theme in one way or another. The confrontation between good and evil is immediately recognizable to every one of us; it resonates in the struggles we each face in our own lives. At the same time, good and evil provide us with a stark contrast of opposites, a crystallized perspective – even if it may seem simplistic – on the nature of things, which, as strange as it sounds, is refreshing and even offers a measure of relief amidst the din of confusion that consumes much of our lives. The clarity of knowing your enemy is far more empowering than the doubts of not knowing who your adversary may be and when they may strike. That is why the analysis of a problem – and the identification of its root caused (as opposed to its symptoms) is the key to any solution. Awareness, our sages tell us, is half the cure of a disease. But the problem is far more complex than it may initially seem: Is there such a thing as absolute evil? Can we always identify good from evil? Especially when we know that “there is not good without bad, and no bad without good.” When evil is intertwined with good, how do we go about eliminating the evil without also hurting the good? One of the darkest phenomena bemoaned by mystics is, what they call, “taaruvot tov v’ra,” a disturbing concoction, which snowballs good and evil into one witches’ brew. This confusing “cholent” can be far more lethal than plain evil. When good and evil are two distinct entities, you can at least identify the enemy and deal with it accordingly. But when the enemy is hiding amidst your friends, when the evil is buried within the good, where do you begin? The lack of clarity allows the evil to grow, besides for demoralizing us and sapping our resolve to fight an invisible enemy. Some of the worst diseases known to mankind are the ones in which parasites or malignant cells intertwine themselves and “hide” between healthy cells. Once they embed themselves, the only way to eliminate them is by killing, G‑d forbid, good cells together with the bad ones.

April 2019

An interesting Passover related verse can teach us much a about the distinction between good and evil, and the complication involved in extricating the good while eradicating the evil: “And the L-rd shall strike (plague) Egypt, striking and healing, and they shall return to the L-rd, and He shall accept their prayer and heal them” (Isaiah 19:22). Two opinions are posited about the meaning of this verse: Rashi and the Talmud interpret that the verse refers to the first nine plagues, in which the “striking and healing” both happened to the Egyptians: first they were struck by the plagues (which were brought on by Aaron), then they were healed (by Moses’ prayer). The Zohar (II 36a), however, explains that the verse is referring to the tenth plague, when the Egyptians were “struck” and the Israelites “healed,” and both things happened at once (not in two stages). We see from this that even when the evil was being struck it was also being healed.

Until the last and final plague, which came to utterly destroy the evil. But even then, it was not about total destruction; “healing” took place for the good that remained. Chassidic literature elaborates on the midnight before the great Exodus from Egypt. On that dark and mysterious night, at the moment when the clock struck midnight, the oppressors were struck and the oppressed were healed, evil was vanquished and good prevailed. How can one distinguish between good and evil when they are all mixed together? This requires a unique Divine power, revealed at midnight, when love (chesed) meets discipline (gevurah) and opposites come together – a force that can separate between the good and the bad, and simultaneously address each accordingly. 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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life on earth

The Wicked Son Redeemed Tzvi Freeman

ere’s the most basic question about the Wicked Son: What is he doing at the Passover Seder? I don’t just mean, “Why did he come?” He didn’t just come. He got himself written into the text of the Haggadah. What’s he doing there? Moses said, “And you will tell your children on that night…” What do we tell them? The story of the Exodus. We get them to ask questions, provide the background to our descent to Egypt, elaborate on our oppression there, describe the wonders and miracles of the Ten Plagues and the Splitting of the Red Sea, and express gratitude to G‑d for liberating us, choosing us at Sinai, and bringing us to the Promised Land. So here we are, on this precious night when every moment counts and every word is counted, hurling abuse upon this chilled-out kid who can’t relate to the whole thing. “You, too, should blunt his teeth,” the Haggadah enjoins us. “Tell him, ‘If you had been there, heh! You would never have been redeemed!’” That such damnations are unlikely to charm the young man’s heart is a no-brainer. But lousy pedagogy aside, this is the opposite of what we are supposed to be doing tonight. We want to talk about leaving Egypt—this conversation is about not leaving Egypt. Wrong time, wrong place. Worse: The Haggadah itself tells us that the wicked son undermines the very basis of tonight’s agenda: “By excluding himself from the rest of us, he’s washing away the whole foundation.” What’s that foundation? He didn’t deny that G‑d exists. He didn’t deny that we left Egypt (if he did, what would be the point of telling him that if he were there, he would not be redeemed). For goodness sake, he’s sitting there at the Seder, engaged in what’s going on! Yes, he’s engaged in the Seder, but he has disengaged from the story. His question is actually a statement. He needs to make the point that he’s happy to be a part of the meal, but he’s happier to have no part in the Haggadah. Which implies that to him, Judaism is nothing more than a club that you can join or leave. Meaning, there really is no integral continuity to the Jewish people. It’s all optional, he says, “And I choose to opt out.” If there’s no Jewish people, what’s the point

of the Seder? Why are we here on this night? So some people left Egypt 3,330 years ago. If we are not a people, what’s that got to do with us? So why bring him up? There are three matzahs, let there be three sons. Pore through the commentaries and you’ll find nothing but deprecation and calumnity poured upon this kid. He epitomizes all that is bad, every attitude that we reject, indeed, the antithesis of the Seder. Which just makes our question even stronger. Until you get to one redeeming commentary— that of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory. He asks precisely the question I’ve just asked (quite a coincidence). And, with this question, he redeems the wicked son. From the earliest years of his leadership, the Rebbe insisted that we’re reading the Haggadah all wrong. Since we’re reading it wrong, we’re dealing with our fellow Jews unfairly. That’s got to change. How do you read it right? It’s all a matter of emphasis. Try this: “If you had been there, you would not have been redeemed.” Read that way, you can see it’s a starting point for a very productive conversation.

Best case scenario, the kid will respond, “No way! I sure would have been redeemed.” Then you’ve nabbed him. But if he’s super-chilled, you might get, “What do you mean by there?” To which you will answer, “There, in Egypt.” “And here, now?” he will ask. “Here, now, of course you will be redeemed.” “What’s the difference there or here, then or now?” he will demand. “I’m not part of this whole thing. I don’t even consider myself Jewish. I’m just here to make you happy. But Judaism is a religion and I have no religion. So why does your religion consider me redeemable?” “Because we don’t believe a thing you just said.” “Why not?” “If you had said it back in Egypt, we would have believed you. But now, after we were liberated from there and chosen at Sinai, now we know you are lying through your teeth…” ”Not true!” ”… even if you don’t yet know it yourself. Really, you feel yourself as much a part of this people as any of us. And so, when we leave this exile, and the whole world will become the place it is meant to be, you will come along with us to celebrate in the Promised Land.” I’m not kidding. That’s how the Rebbe learns it. The Rebbe even cites a Jewish law to prove his point—arguably the Jewish law most often quoted by the Rebbe throughout all his talks. Here’s how it goes: A wife takes her husband to a rabbinic tribunal, demanding a divorce. The tribunal finds she has firm ground for her demands. Unable to mend the situation, they order the man to provide his wife a bill of divorce. He refuses. What do we do? If we write the divorce for him, they are still married. If we throw him in the slammer and tell him he’ll rot there until he gives his wife a divorce, so maybe he’ll say, “Okay, I’ll give it to her.” But that’s not good enough. We have a basic principle throughout Jewish law that a forced transaction is not a transaction. If a person is forced to sell his house or buy some goods, and he can demonstrate that in court, we believe him and the deal is null. Same with a divorce. It’s a transaction. He has to say, “I want to give her a divorce.” So that’s what we would do—when rabbinic

Nissan 5779

life on earth

tribunals had the authority (they generally do not nowadays). “We force him,” the Jewish law instructs us, “until he says, ‘I want to.’” Hold on. So he said “I want to.” Of course he said “I want to.” He doesn’t want to rot away in a smelly cell. But does he really want to? And if he doesn’t want, what use is this bill of divorce? Maimonides, the great codifier of Jewish law, explains in his code: True, with a standard transaction, force will not help. But if the Torah says a Jew must do something, force can help. Why? Because when he says, “I don’t want to,” he doesn’t mean it. There’s something nasty inside him that’s gotten the better of him, making him say what he says. But really, every Jew wants to do whatever the Torah tells a Jew to do, and to stay far from anything the Torah says not to do. So we just give him a little treatment that will weaken that nasty germ inside. We break the outer shell that is not allowing the light of the true Jew to escape. Then, once the truth passes his lips, we go ahead and write the bill of divorce. Why am I bringing this up here? Because that’s the case with the Wicked Son. He doesn’t want to be a wicked son. He doesn’t want to be separated from us. He doesn’t mean a word he says. Like the story of the Jewish parents who sent their boy to a Catholic private school—just because it was the best in town. December came around and, much to his parents’ annoyance, the boy couldn’t stop it with the carols. Finally, his father grabbed him and blurted out, “Listen, kid! There’s only one G‑d and we don’t believe in Him!” There you have it—the not-so-subliminal, intransigent faith of a Jewish atheist. Indeed, in that voice of denial, as he coldly repudiates any attachment to his people, ridicules our practices, and vehemently condemns our insistence on chosenness—in that voice itself, we can hear an inner faith so deep-seated, so essential to his very core-being, that the mightiest hurricane could never wash it away. That’s why, as with the bill of divorce, it’s not a matter of winning arguments to convince anyone of anything. What’s needed is only to crack that outer shell, allow in some oxygen, and let the flames burst out. Often that means taking him past his comfort

zone—which is what the Haggadah means by “blunting his teeth.” You don’t have to break anything to get there. There are less hazardous and more promising means. Get him to eat a shmurah matzah. To do any mitzvah. He’ll start questioning his assumptions, attempting to justify what he just did. Among those who left Egypt were all sorts of kvetches and fickle-faith slackers. Some even brought along a few standard Egyptian idols— just in case. Yet many Midrashim describe large numbers of descendants of Jacob who stayed behind. What was different about them? They were like the Wicked Child. They said, “We are not the Children of Israel. We are Egyptians. This is our home. We’re just not part of the destiny of which Moses speaks.” They stayed behind. But this kid is coming with us. Why? What occurred between Ancient Egypt and today’s Seder that makes this kid different? The Rebbe explained: Those Jews in Egypt were connected to the Jewish people by birthright. They were children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and therefore, “My son, my first born, Israel.” It was only due to that connection through their forefathers that they were redeemed. Because, otherwise, they weren’t much better than their Egyptian oppressors. These stay-behinders denied that connection. Even if they had been taken by the hand and schlepped out of there, they would not have been redeemed. Because they refused to let that connection enter within and redeem them. But at Sinai, something entirely new happened. Those who were redeemed were charged with a mission—by the One who Created heaven and earth and every human soul. G‑d chose them and they chose G‑d. Now let me tell you something about choice. Choice is a very Jewish idea. Choice is the essence of freedom. And choice lies at the essence of Jewishness. To some, the essence of all things is wisdom. To others, it is math. To others, love. Or pleasure. Or nothingness. To a Jew, nothing has to be the way it is, or be at all. Whatever is, is only because G‑d chose it to be so. True free choice lies beyond reason—

because reason also exists only by virtue of choice. If so, choice lies at the very core of all being. Including our being. So when G‑d chose us and we chose G‑d at Sinai, it wasn’t some sort of label tacked on to us. He didn’t choose us because of some particular quality or nature. He chose us from that place where it all begins. It was a choice that defined our very being from that point on. What the Rebbe taught us, then, is to look beneath the veneer and see deep within the Jew. Beyond what he says, how he acts, what he professes to believe or not believe. Beyond all that to his very core and essence. And there you will find a pure soul. A soul defined only by G‑d’s choice in this child’s destiny, and by this soul’s choice in the G‑d of Israel. Don’t argue with him, the Rebbe said. Show him love. Get him to do a mitzvah. Then another mitzvah. Eventually, the Jew will come out. The day of the ingathering of the exiles will be difficult, as though G‑d Himself must actually seize hold of each individual’s hands, dragging him from his place, as it is said, “And you shall be gathered one by one, oh you children of Israel.” — Rashi to Deuteronomy 30:3. In previous generations, we chased such troublemakers away. Today, the Rebbe taught us, we can no longer even think of such a thing. Not just because we can no longer afford such a strategy, but because today we have the ability, and the promise, to ensure that no Jew will be left behind. Meaning, that core-essence of every Jew will one day shine. As Maimonides puts it, “Indeed, the Torah long since assured us that in the end, at the close of the period of exile, Israel will return to G‑d, and immediately they will be redeemed.” 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.

continued on page 20

April 2019

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jewish thought

Our Relationship

with

Money

Y. Y. Jacobson

he drama was almost complete. The people exiled in a foreign country for more than two centuries, and for much of that time in unbearable conditions, experienced a miraculous liberation through direct and manifested intervention by the Creator. At Mt. Sinai, G‑d and Israel enter into a mutual covenant to become partners in “tikkun olam:” repairing a world estranged from its essence. Never again in history would G‑d completely part the veils that conceal Him, communicating His presence to an entire nation. Forty days later, in a moment of collective insanity, the people deny G‑d. They substitute the moral sovereign of the universe with a golden calf. G‑d now views His attempt to mold a people into a "kingdom of princes and a sacred nation" as a colossal failure. He sees no value anymore in the Jewish experience. Moses stands up to G‑d, eliciting from Him a deeper chord in His relationship with Israel. G‑d re-embraces the people and instructs them to build a home in their midst for His elusive presence. In this sanctuary, the all-pervading truth of  G‑d would be more manifest and accessible. The Jewish people en mass present o Moses large amounts of gold, silver, copper and many other materials required for the construction of an exquisite tabernacle. Moses appoints brilliant architects, sculptors, and designers to build the home, design the vessels, carve out the furniture and craft the items that would make up the new Divine home. At the opening of the Torah portion of Pekudei, the work is complete. Soon, the sanctuary would be erected and the Divine presence would reside therein. This is a charged moment, a dramatic peak in a long and turbulent journey of a people. After all of the ups and downs, G‑d is about to "move in" with the Jewish people. The hero of the story is, no doubt, Moses. With courageous selflessness, he triumphed, over G‑d, as it were. He is the man responsible for bringing the people— and G‑d—t this extraordinary moment, when humanity would reintroduce G‑d to a world that banished Him. But wait. Right at this moment, the Torah

interrupts the narrative, shifting the story from creating a space for G‑d in this world, to the realm of bookkeeping. Moses, at this point, presents a detailed account of all the wealth contributed to him for the construction of the tabernacle. He reports to the people how many pounds of gold, silver, and copper he received, and how exactly it was used in the structure. He gives an account for every last piece of jewelry and metal that came into his hands. Why? The Midrash relates that some Jews murmured about Moses stealing some of the money, using charity funds for his own purposes. Thus, Moses gave a detailed account of the destination of every “dollar” collected in the grandiose “building campaign.” This is a simple but very telling scene. Moses, let us recall, is the spiritual giant of history, whom Maimonides defined as the greatest human being to ever walk the

earth. "G‑d would speak to Moses face to face, as a man would speak with his friend," the Bible says. "Not so my servant Moses," G‑d thunders on Aaron and Miriam after they had gossiped about him. "In My entire house he is the trusted one. Mouth to mouth do I speak to him, in a clear vision and not in riddles; he gazes at the image of G‑d. Why do you not fear to speak against My servant, Moses?" Does a man who speaks to G‑d face to face really need to prove that he is not using money for a cruise in the Caribbean, for a new BMW or to build his portfolio? The Jews, observing Moses' unparalleled devotion and love to them in the most trying of circumstances, knew full well that Moses was no charlatan. If G‑d trusts him, they could trust him too. Even if some Jewish rabble-rousers murmured about Moses stealing some of the money, we would expect Moses to ignore them.

Nissan 5779

"Who do they think they are to question my integrity," we would expect Moses to think to himself. "I gave my life for these rebels, when G‑d wanted to destroy them. After all, it was G‑d Himself who appointed me to my present position, against my will. How dare they challenge my honesty?" These feelings would be understandable. Yet, astonishingly, without even being asked or instructed to do so, Moses, in total humility, stands up and gives an accounting for every last penny that came into his hands. One of the great Jewish legal authorities, Rabbi Joel Sirkish (1561-1640), known as the "Bach," derives a law from this episode: Even the most beloved and believable collectors of charity are obliged to give a detailed account to the community of the destination of every cent they collected for charity. Nobody, writes the Bach, could be trusted more than Moses, the man whom G‑d Himself trusted. Yet even he felt compelled to give an accounting of all the contributions. An interesting historical note: The Bach was extremely wealthy. He was the Rabbi of Cracow and he lent the community enormous sums of money. He fed and supported many of his students, distributing enormous sums for charity. This is one of the great moral messages of Judaism: When it comes to somebody else’s money, be accountable for every dollar. Don’t cover up, don’t lie, and don’t deceive. You can’t lie to people and then be honest with G‑d, with your wife, with your children, with your friends. We all need and thus appreciate money. Some of us love money. Even spiritual leaders need money and often cherish it deeply. Rabbis are also only human beings. That is not evil. The story turns ugly when we become dishonest with our money. We must learn from Moses: to always be able to give an account for every dollar that came into our hand. There is yet something deeper. Moses truly believes in the dignity of the people and in their right to know what has transpired with their contributions. Moses does not allow his spiritual greatness and extraordinary

authority to implant in his psyche a sense of superiority over the masses, in which it is beyond his ego to give them a detailed account of his spending. On the contrary, he views his G‑d-given power as a means to confer dignity and greatness upon all of the people. Moses set an example for all the generations to come. The great Jewish leaders always understood that what qualified them as leaders and teachers and what bestowed upon them the rights to power was not their charisma, brilliance, skills, or even the fact that the Almighty Himself appointed them to their position. It was, rather, the fact that deep down in their hearts they really viewed their "subjects" as equals. They possessed a sincere belief that dignity was the property of all. Insecure leaders must resort to fear and tyranny in order to ensure loyalty and secure their position. They must speak in the name of authority rather than in the name of integrity. They must remain aloof and superior and never allow the simple folk too much access to the truth. Vulnerability is too dangerous. At best, they create followers. Genuine leaders, on the other hand, gain the trust, appreciation, and affection of their people, because of their trust in the people and their unyielding faith in the majesty of every individual human being molded in the image of the Divine. They create leaders. This is true about all of our relationships in life. If you wish to inspire genuine loyalty, in a marriage, in the work place, in friendships, you must learn to genuinely accept the other person as an equal, conferring upon him or her the dignity you hold dear for yourself. EM

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak (YY) Jacobson is one of America’s premier Jewish scholars in Torah and Jewish mysticism. He is a passionate and mesmerizing communicator of Judaism today, culling his ideas from the entire spectrum of Jewish thought and making them relevant to contemporary audiences. Rabbi Jacobson founded and serves as dean of TheYeshiva.net.

future tense

MOSHIACH MUSINGS

It is clearly explained both in the Written Torah, as well as in the Oral Torah, that insofar as Jews are concerned, exile comes not as a result of military circumstances, namely an outnumbered army, nor as a result of economic pressures necessitating submission to a stronger power, etc. Rather it has amply been explained again and again in the Torah (including whole parshas, such as Bechukotai, Ki Tavo, etc.) and in the books of the Prophets, and even more so in the Talmud and Rabbinic literature, that if Jews had always adhered to the Torah and Mitzvoth, they would have never been banished into Exile, regardless of the fact that "You are the smallest among the nations." For, Jews have always been outnumbered and outweighed in terms of military and physical strength, as King David puts it succinctly in one sentence, "These come in chariots, and those on horses, but we call upon the Name of G‑d." Conversely, when Jews forsake the Torah and Mitzvot, G‑d forbid, no power nor military might, nor political alliances, etc., are of any avail, as the Torah clearly states, "If you will walk contrary unto me, then will I also walk contrary unto you" etc., with the inevitable consequence of exile. In the light of the above, the true test of events, to see if they herald the redemption or not, is to see whether there has been an essential change in the causes which have brought about the exile in the first place, namely a new tendency in the direction of stronger adherence to the Torah and Mitzvot.

ask the rabbi

Chametz on Time by Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman

I have some questions regarding the idea of selling chametz on Passover. What’s the idea of selling chametz, and when did this concept originate? And why is there a specific time at which the selling and burning of the chametz need to be done? (The whole idea of times in Judaism is actually a bit confusing for me as the times seem so random.)

The sale of Chametz to a non-Jew before Passover is mentioned in the Mishnah. The Mishnah discusses a normal sale, where the Jew would get rid of his chametz before Passover by selling it to a non-Jew. Before the age of durable foods and refrigeration it was never really necessary to sell chametz for the purpose of buying it back after Passover. After all, unprocessed wheat or flour are not necessarily chametz and baked goods anyway won't last nine days. The necessity for these sort of "sales" really started when many Jews went into the liquor business and needed to find a way to preserve their stock for after Passover. The first mention of such sales is found in the words of the Bach, Rabbi Yoel Sirkis, a 17th century Jewish legal authority, and in the next century many Jewish legal authorities debated the validity and details of these sales. According to the Torah, It is forbidden to eat or own Chametz on Passover. Therefore all chametz must be consumed, destroyed, sold or given to a non-Jew before Passover. One way of getting rid of it is selling it to a non-Jew. If you want to sell your Chametz permanently, without the hope or desire of ever having it again, you can simply sell it to any non-Jew who wants to buy it. If, however, you have a pantry or freezer full of Chametz, not to mention a china closet full of Chametz dishes, and you would obviously like to have that back, you must sell your Chametz through a Rabbi who executes a complex nuanced sale with a non-Jew. The Chametz you wish to sell should be stored/covered and that area should be sealed off. The sealed off area of Chametz will be leased to the non-Jew as part of the transaction, and you may not open/ enter that area. The Rabbi sells the Chametz on the morning before Passover, and buys the Chametz back on the night after Passover. The Rabbi needs to have your “sale of Chametz” form before he executes the transaction, and you

may not use the Chametz until the Rabbi buys it back. Preferably, your local rabbi should handle the selling of your Chametz. If you do not have access to a rabbi you can sell your Chametz online at jrcc.org. The prohibition to eat Chametz is connected with the Passover offering that was brought in the Temple. It begins with the onset of the fifth halachic hour of the day before Passover, and all Chametz must be destroyed (and/or out of your possession) before the beginning of the sixth halachic hour of the day. The rabbis made the cut off time even earlier, in order to safeguard this prohibition. In Talmudic times people knew the time of day by the location of the sun in the sky. More exact time was available for those who had access to a sundial. However, on a cloudy day everyone was out of luck, and it was virtually impossible to know the exact time. Therefore, the sages added one hour to the prohibition against possessing (or receiving benefit from) Chametz, and two hours to the prohibition against eating Chametz. So the prohibition against eating Chametz starts with the conclusion of the forth hour after sunrise, and one must be rid of all Chametz by the time the sixth hour of the day enters. "Halachic time" works differently than the clocks we are used to. In Halachah, time works based on Sha'ot Zmaniyot, or "proportional hours" that depend on the season. Halachic hours are not necessarily 60 minutes; instead we take the day, from sunrise until sunset, and divide it into twelve equal parts. Each part constitutes one halachic hour. In the summer this can be up to 75 minutes and in the winter it can be as little as 45 minutes. Midday is the halfway point between sunrise and sunset, and can be quite late if Passover falls out after the onset of Daylight Saving Time. 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.

Мы знаем о том, что Тора запрещает браки с неевреями. Если мужчина, скажем, женится на нееврейке, - это просто смертельно для еврейского народа, так как его дети не будут евреями, а это означает, что умрёт целая ветвь поколений, ведущих отсчёт от Моше рабейну. Если же женщина выйдет замуж за нееврея, это плохо, но не смертельно, так как её дети будут евреями, и еврейская нить не прервётся. Это Ваше рациональное размышление, и именно так обычно люди думают. Но дело обстоит совершенно иначе. Тора передаёт нам слова Вс-вышнего о том, что брак еврея с неевреем не должен заключаться. И это даже не из-за потомства, а только потому, что Вс-вышний запретил. Дело в том, что у еврея и нееврея разные миссии в жизни. Наверное, вопрос не сводится к тому, что одна миссия «плохая», а другая – «хорошая»? Нет, конечно, - они просто разные. Это так же, как Вс-вышний запретил использовать шерстяную нить вместе с льняной в одной пряже. Разве плоха шерсть сама по себе? Да и лён является прекрасным материалом. То есть, мы беспрепятственно можем носить шерстяной костюм или льняное платье. Но использовать пряжу, в которой сочетаются шерсть со льном, является запретом от Вс-вышнего. Возможны смешаные браки между любыми народами мира, но евреям Вс-вышний запретил смешиваться с другими народами. В таком случае усиливается острота моего основного вопроса. Как же могло случиться, что во время событий Пурима Эстер (бывшая не просто обычной еврейской девушкой, а настоящей праведницей, которой конечно же был известен этот запрет Вс-вышнего) выходит замуж за персидского царя Ахашвероша? Ваш вопрос направлен ко Вс-вышнему или к Эстер? Нет, ко Вс-вышнему у меня нет вопросов: он запретил браки с неевреями, - и точка!

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

Nissan 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 .

APRIL 2019 | NISSAN 5779 COMMUNITY CALENDAR

APRIL2019 MON

8:00pm TUES

PASSOVER WORKSHOP JRCC West Thornhill See ad on page 14

PASSOVER WORKSHOP JRCC@Rockford See ad on page 14

PASSOVER WORKSHOP JRCC West Thornhill See ad on page 14

PASSOVER WORKSHOP JRCC S R-hill & Maple See ad on page 14

COMMUNITY SHABBAT DINNERS See ad on page 15

FARBRENGEN 11 Nissan Gathering See ad on page 15

PASSOVER SEDER First night of Passover See ad on back page

20 8:45pm

PASSOVER SEDER Second night of Passover See ad on back page

8:00pm THU 8:00pm SUN 8:00pm MON 8:00pm FRI 7:00pm MON 9:00pm FRI 8:00pm SAT

THU

ALL NIGHT LEARNING A Passover tradition See ad on page 14

MOSHIACH'S FEAST End of Passover celebration See ad on page 14

12:30am SAT 7:30pm

PURIM IN THE USSR On Thursday, March 21, over 1,000 people joined the JRCC’s annual Grand Purim Banquet, the largest crown attending in a decade! This year’s event took on the theme of “Purim in Soviet Union.” The cuisine, decor and costumes all took on a nostalgic Russian theme, which gave an added air of excitement that fit well with the out-of-the-box nature of the Purim holiday. It also added an extra layer to the celebration for the JRCC community in particular, since for many of us being saved from living under Soviet oppression is our personal “Purim” story. The festive dinner was accompanied by live music and dancing, and the evening featured a DJ and percussions and a Purim Shpiel comedy improv performance. A separate children’s programs, which included a show by the beloved Doo Doo the Clown, kept the kids busy and happy. It was a truly well-organized and memorable evening with a real carnival atmosphere. Special thanks to Aryeh Leib Kaushansky and the improv team for the amazing Purim Shpiel, and to Vlad and Elena Gruzman for donating the L’Chaim to help lift our spirits. PURIM PARTIES

OVER 2,000 PURIM GIFT PACKAGES DELIVERED Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of staff and volunteers, over 2,000 festive Purim “Mishloach Manot” gift packages were delivered to homes in Ontario, including 1,100 in West Thornhill and 850 in East Thornhill. Several hundred packages were also gifted by people to each other via their local JRCC Branch, which coordinated the deliveries. The community participation in delivering the gifts, and the festive atmosphere and joy it spreads, made it an enjoyable and meaningful community activity. Special thank you to all the volunteers who assisted with the deliveries in their neighborhoods. PRE-PURIM KIDS EVENTS

CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES April 5, 2019

7:31pm

April 12, 2019

7:39pm

April 19, 2019

7:47pm

April 20, 2019* April 26, 2019 April 27, 2019*

after 8:52pm 7:56pm after 9:02pm

* = Light from a pre-existing flame. www.jrcc.org

On the eve of Purim, over 1,500 people participated in simultaneous community Purim parties at JRCC Branches and other location in the GTA. Each of the parties included a Megillah reading, music, refreshments and a door prize for every child arriving in costume. All of the parties were warm and lively community events that focused on the children, and some included special entertainment, such as the JRCC S Richmond Hill & Maple and the JRCC@Rockford featuring Magic Shows, the JRCC East Thornhill party featuring a Bird Show, and the JRCC West Thornhill and JRCC Hilda featuring Balloon Art. There were also special Purim Parties for Seniors at two locations. See the full-page photo collage on page 3.

In addition to the Purim events above, there were several events in advance of Purim to help children and parents learn about the holiday in a fun way and get into the holiday spirit, with baking and craft-making, an extension of the popular Kiddie Chefs program. The JRCC East Thornhill’s event featuring a Hamentach Bake-Off and the creation of a Purim Craft. In addition, similar events were held at the JRCC S. Richmond Hill & Maple and the JRCC West Thornhill.

SUMMER STUDENTS As in part years, the JRCC will be welcoming students to fill a variety of positions at its offices this summer. The jobs are full-time, five days per week, and a great way to gain valuable experience while also making a meaningful contribution to the community. Interested students should submit resumes to resume@jrcc.org.

JRCC Our Community

THE BEST START FOR YO

UR CHILD

Photo of the Month

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

L&M Gelfand

DAYC A RE 15 M onths - 6 Years

Faigy Kass - Daycare Supervisor

LICENSED UNDER THE MINI STRY

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

OF EDUCATION AND CHIL DREN SOCIAL SERVICES

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org

SLEEPLESS

PURIM VOLUNTEERS Community volunteers have fun while packing Mishloach Manot packages at the JRCC@Rockford. Thanks to the many volunteers organized, did the packing and made the deliveries, thousands of packages were delivered to bring the holiday joy to people’s homes.

celebrate the splitting of the sea with an all-night study session at your local jrcc branch.

THURSDAY NIGHT, APRIL 25, 12:30am

Visit jrcc.org/pictures

416.222.7105 | jrcc.org/pesach

FOR MORE PHOTOS OF JRCC EVENTS AND PRGRAMS

(thursday night to friday morning)

MOSHIACH’S FEAST 2019

Passover Workshops pre-

Sunday, March 31 at 8pm | How to Prepare for Passover (for women) JRCC West Thornhill, 1136 Centre St., #2 Tuesday, April 2 at 8pm | Passover Workshop (for women) JRCC @ Rockford, 18 Rockford Rd. Thursday, April 4 at 8pm | Seder Leader Workshop (for men) JRCC West Thornhill, 1136 Centre St., #2 Sunday, April 7 at 8pm | Passover Workshop (for men) JRCC @ Rockford, 18 Rockford Rd. Monday, April 8 at 8pm | Passover Workshop JRCC S Richmond Hill & Maple, 9699 Bathurst St.

CELEBRATE YOUR FUTURE The first days of Passover relate mostly to the Exodus from Egypt. The last days are more closely connected to the coming Redemption. Join the JRCC branch near you on Saturday, April 27 at 7:30pm for a unique celebratory feast: Four cups of wine, matzah and unbounded, optimistic joy, in the tradition of the Baal Shem Tov. 416.222.7105 14

April 2019 / Nissan 5779

jrcc.org/pesach 416.222.7105

Faces of the Community

11 NISSAN

FARBRENGEN Celebrating the Rebbe’s birthday — commemorating the life and vision of a leader who transformed Jewish life around the world.

MONDAY, APRIL 15, 9PM

JRCC CONCORD 411 CONFEDERATION PARKWAY #14 Learn more at jrcc.org/therebbe

JRCC COMMUNITY

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNERS JRCC West Thornhill Friday, April 12 at 7pm 1136 Centre St., #2

ENRIQUE DANIEL WELCHER MARTIAL ARTS INSTRUCTOR CANADIAN KARATE AND KRAV-HAGANA WHERE DOES YOUR FAMILY COME FROM? My father is from Basarabia, Moldovia. His family came to Argentina when he was a baby. They chose Argentina because it was the cheapest voyage at the time among the options they were considering. My mother’s family is originally from Spain – her family was among those expelled during the Inquisition. After making their way through Mexico and a variety of South and Central American countries over the generations, they ended up in Argentina when she was 10. I was born in Argentina. At age thirty I felt the calling to move to Israel, where I spend twenty years developing my martial arts career – training and competing, and actually winning a competition at the age of fifty. Then I moved to Dallas, Texas, and eventually Toronto. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR CAREER. My work is focused on working with Jewish youth, teaching self defense and instilling individual confidence and pride in being Jewish. I was influenced to take up this cause by the rise in antisemitism in my native Argentina and around the world. I feel it is important that we as Jews learn to defend ourselves, to projects strength and not weakness. I also work with kids who have special needs, such as Down Syndrome and emotional difficulties, where I’ve seen tremendous success in using martial arts to enhance the development and wellbeing of children and their parents. YOUR STUDENTS HAVE HAS SOME RECENT SUCCESS IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THAT? Yes. One of the goals of my work is that participants who are willing to put in the extra work – and it is a tremendous amount of grueling work and training – are able to compete internationally, both for their own confidence and growth, and as a demonstration that Jews can contribute on the international stage. This past year, two of my students won medals at the World United Karate Organization’s Karate World Cup in Italy. Antony Brainin was crowned World Champion among 6-7 years old category in combat contact, second place in non-contact combat, and third place in kata (form). Etai Golan placed second in the 11-12 years old category in combat contact and in non-contact combat. They deserve tremendous credit, having trained for two years to reach that level. It was an impressive showing for our relatively new school, and a very proud representation of our country, Canada, and of the Jewish people.

JrccWestThornhill.org

JRCC East Thornhill Friday, April 12 at 7pm 7608 Yonge St., #3

JrccEastThornhill.org/Shabbaton

LESSON 6 Cause and Effect:

A Soul-ar Panel on Social Activism In recent decades, many social causes have gained widespread popularity. Among them are a strong commitment to individual and employee rights, a just but compassionate criminal justice system, and a mandate to actively aid the disadvantaged. Is the Jewish version of tikun olam different from secular social activism? What are our responsibilities as Jews vis-à-vis another’s welfare and dignity? How do I prioritize between important causes?

Three convenient locations:

JRCC EAST THORHILL

with Mrs. Chanie Zaltzman MONDAY, APR. 8, 2019 AT 7:30PM | 7608 YONGE STREET, #3

JRCC WEST THORHILL

with Mrs. Nechama Dina Jacobson TBA | 1136 CENTRE STREET, #2

JRCC SOUTH THORHILL (LESSON 5) with Mrs. Mushky Blau TBA | 18 ROCKFORD ROAD

WHAT DOES THE WORK YOU DO MEAN FOR YOU IN YOUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY AS A RECENT RETURNEE TO OBSERVANT JUDAISM? I feel that the inner dimension of everything, including martial arts, is faith, one’s connection to the Divine. This is the role of the spiritual leaders, like Rabbi Yoseph and Chiena Zaltzman, who do an amazing job channeling people’s spiritual energy. But then there is the external aspect, the vessel as it is called, the actions we take to actualize it. For example, if you want to win the lottery, you can’t just pray – you have to actually play the lottery. I believe that evert single man, woman and child has the capacity to defend themselves, to have strength and self-confidence, and the work I do it to help actualize that capacity. IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A “L’CHAIM” WITH SOME FAMOUS PERSON, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE? I would love to meet the Rebbe. I have a lot of things I would want to ask. I didn’t know about the Rebbe during his lifetime. There are so many things I would like to ask him – for guidance in my work, how to help people more, how to reach the core of the person, the soul of the person, in a way that it is received, and on a personal level how to heal things in my own life. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? To continue to build on the success and enter more students in international competitions. I recently trained two female instructors to work with girls in the community. Girls often find themselves in vulnerable situations, so it’s important for them to be prepared and know how to defend themselves. I would like to find time to further develop such programs for specific demographics within the community so that more people can participate. I would also like to integrate the programs I developed for children with special needs into our community and find partner organizations and sponsors to help make it happen. The results in Israel in Dallas and here in Toronto have been amazing, and I would like it to continue and expand. For more information visit Canadian Karate and Krav-Hagana at karatecka.org.

For more details & registration: jrcc.org/rcs www.jrcc.org

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

CHILDREN’S TORAH: THE TORAH FOR THE FUTURE ‫ב"ה‬

Of the hundreds of thousands of letters contained 12 in a Torah Scroll, which one is the most important? Youletter, will receive a beautifulBeit personalized Is it the first the opening of Bereshit certificate from Israel, the Holy Land, (Genesis)? Is it the last letter? Or perhaps one of telling you in which portion of the Torah the special letters written in a larger size or unique "your" letter written. placement? The truth is has thatbeen every letter is the most important, because a Torah Scroll is only ages. considered kosher and usable if every letter is properly written in its proper place. The makeup of the Jewish people is very much the same. Every individual is important, and if any one is “missing,” then the entire nation is incomplete, unable to fulfill its purpose. It is a beautiful lesson to share, especially with our children. The Rebbe created a campaign in which every Jewish boy and girl can purchase a letter in the Children’s Torah, as a way of expressing their sense of belonging to the larger Jewish community. In the Exodus, it was the children who first recognized G‑d; and only afterwards did their elders follow. So it was at the beginning and so it will be at the end. The final redemption will not come about through the efforts of the adults. It will be youngsters, who, patiently guiding their elders, awakening their hearts, will be instrumental in bringing Moshiach. The Children’s Torah is an amazing opportunity for each child to express his or her connection to the Jewish people, to the Torah and to the ideal of Jewish unity. When every Jewish child buys a letter in the Sefer Torah written Children's Sefer Torah especially in the name of all Jewish children, P.O. Box 8, Kfar Chabad 6084000, Israel no Date The 3-9607358 one indivisible Torah Tel: +972 te? greater unity can exist. info@kidstorah.org • www.kidstorah.org unites the one indivisible people. (‫ חב"ד )ע"ר‬to ‫ליהדות בית‬ ‫ מרכז‬facilitate this The JRCC is pleased help This brochure includes words from the Torah. PleaseIntreat it with respect. JRCC Furniture Depot | 1416 Centre St | Vaughan, ON via its kid-friendly website. addition to mited custom

cess to

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

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

Пожертвуйте свою мебель нуждающимся! Звоните нам @ 416-222-7105 ext. 248

having an actual letter written in a Torah Scroll in the child’s name, the child will receive an official certificate attesting to their letter. Learn more or Partly funded by order your letter at jrcc.org/kids/torah. The Regional Municipality of York

JRCC Steeles & Hilda: 175 Hilda Ave., Party Room Mr. Melekh Brikman x282 JRCC@Rockford: 18 Rockford Rd. Rabbi Shmuel Neft x235 JRCC Affiliate Jewish Gorsky Assn.: 465 Patricia Ave. Rabbi Dovid Davidov x255 JRCC Sheppard & Bathurst Senior’s Building 4455 Bathurst St., Party Room / Mr. Roman Goldstein x221 JRCC Lawrence & Bathurst Senior’s Building 3174 Bathurst St., Party Room / Mr. Mordechai Natarov x221

JRCC AFFILIATES Danforth Beaches Rabbi Shalom Lezell (416) 809-1365

Durham Region Rabbi Tzali Borensein (905) 493-9007 Hamilton Region Rabbi Chanoch Rosenfeld (905) 529-7458 London, Ontario Rabbi Lazer Gorgov (519) 438-3333 Niagara Region Rabbi Zalman Zaltzman (905) 356-7200 Ottawa, Ontario Rabbi Chaim Mendelsohn (613) 218-8505 Waterloo Region Rabbi Moshe Goldman (519) 725-4289

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS Leib & Mindel Gelfand Daycare Ohr Menachem Preschool x501

JRCC Hebrew School Sunday and after-school program x225

FURNITURE DEPOT

ointment*)

cc.org

An agency of the Government of Ontario. Relève du gouvernement de l’Ontario.

SPRING CLEANING? Donate your furniture to those in need! Call us @ 416-222-7105 ext. 248 to get a quote for pick-up

te?

ointment*)

JRCC BRANCHES JRCC of Ontario: 5987 Bathurst St., #3 Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman x278 Roi Aftabi, COO x257

I Have a Letter FURNITURE DEPOT in the ВЕСЕННЯЯ Children's УБОРКА? Sefer Torah

es)

mited cess to

‫ב"ה‬

5987 Bathurst Street, #3 Toronto, ON M2R 1Z3 Canada Office Hours: Sun: 12 — 5 Mon to Thurs: 9 — 6 • Fri: 9 — 3hrs before Shabbat

Gen J Activities for Young Adults (18-31) x240 Institute of Jewish Studies Classes & Lectures for Adults x221 Exodus Magazine Monthly Publications in Rus & Eng x222 JRCC Bookstore & Library jrcc.org/bookstore x221

SOCIAL PROGRAMS Furniture Depot: 1416 Centre St. #6 x500 jrccfurnituredepot.org Hospital & Jail Visitations x221 Family Counselling & Legal Advice Holiday Programs x234 Events, Parties & Holiday Awareness Jewish Identity Verification x237 Mazal Makalski jewishidentity@jrcc.org Simcha Gemach x234 Chanie Zaltzman chanie.zaltzman@jrcc.org Volunteering x0 Get involved in your community!

JRCC Furniture Depot | 1416 Centre St | Vaughan, ON 416-222-7105 ext. 500 | www.jrccfurnituredepot.org

April 2019 / Nissan 5779

Partly funded by The Regional Municipality of York

YEDinstitute – Entrepreneurial Mentorship x221 yedinstitute.org

416.222.7105

JOY! SHARE THE t he ex odus ma g azine sim cha sectio n IT’S A BOY! Shalom Dov Ber Janowski

Celebrate your Jewish birthday!

IT’S A GIRL! To Yehudah & Rivki Browd To Moshe & Adele Levit Liat Brunshtein Emma Bracha Slabodnik

BAR-MITZVAH! Zohar Kotliarov

MARRIAGE!

To learn more on when and how to celebrate your Jewish birthday visit

Sholom Ber Eagle & Goldie Wasserman Tzemach Gelman & Chaya Mushka Abrahams Velvel Shteynberg & Devorah Repka Mendel Treitel & Devorah Parshan Mendel Rubashkin & Mushka Weinstein Yossi Lasker and Mushka Cohen Alon Cherkasov & Tamar Patolsky Ezriel Goldsstein & Baila Pruss Shimon Warszawski & Mushkie Chayempour Yakov Sokolik & Rosalie Lipsh

www.jrcc.org/birthday

Wishing you much health, happiness and nachas, from the rabbis of the JRCC

Aspirals Gymnastics Centre

Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman (Senior Rabbi) Rabbi Levi Blau Rabbi David Davidov Rabbi Chaim Hildeshaim Rabbi Levi Jacobson Rabbi Shmuel Neft Rabbi Mendel Zaltzman Rabbi Avrohom Zaltzman

Classes TOTS 2 TEENS Gymnastics Recreational & Competitive Dance Acrobatics Classes for Orthodox Jewish Girls

Happy Passover! Concord 905-760-0092 www.aspirals.ca

SPREAD THE JOY!

April 2019

NAMES LISTED ABOVE AND ADS IN THIS MAZEL TOV PAGE ARE NO PROOF OF JEWISH IDENTITY

CHUPPAH

BAT MITZVAH

BAR MITZVAH

OPSHERN

BABY NAMING

PIDION HABEN

BRIS

For the next special event in your friend’s or family’s life, post a special greeting ad in Exodus Magazine’s Simcha section. Call 416.222.7105 x222 for details.

www.exodusmagazine.org

Wishing You a Happy Passover April 2019 | Nissan 5779

Dear Friends,

The festival of Passover calls for elaborate preparations to make the Jewish home fitting for the great festival. It is not physical preparedness alone that is required of us, but also spiritual preparedness—for the physical and spiritual are closely linked together in all areas of life. This is one of the guiding principles of the JRCC – to provide programs and services that cater to both the physical and spiritual needs of the community we serve. Not only are both areas equally important, we believe the two are intertwined and interdependent. When you peruse what the JRCC has to offer, you will find services that cater primarily to practice life matters, such as our extensive social services programs, as well as programs and events that focus on the religious and spiritual side of things, such as our educational programs for children and adults. Indeed many of our programs, particularly our community programs, overlap both areas and include social aspects. The past year has seen several major accomplishments, and also the satisfaction that importance of the JRCC’s projects are recognized by partnerships from the federal, provincial and municipal governments. The Anne & Ed Mirvish JRCC Furniture Depot in Thornhill underwent a significant renovation in order to increase its capacity to serve new immigrants and other families in need. Our preschool and daycare was also renovated thanks to a grant from the City of Toronto. And perhaps most significant of all, a record number of people are participating in JRCC holiday programs – we had more seats than ever at last year’s High Holidays, and we just received more matzah than ever to accommodate community seders and private order. This is just a taste of all the amazing things happening every day at the JRCC, impacting thousands of lives. Thank you for being our partner in all the good being done for our community. We rely on your continued involvement and support to make the dreams of our community a reality. It is through the dedication of our supporters and volunteers that we are able to maintain the highest levels of excellence in all our educational and community programs. There is always more to do. Just as a person who wants to truly be alive must continue striving to become better and expand his or her horizons, so, too, the JRCC as an organization and a community continuously seeks ways to live and grow and serve better each day.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORMS BELOW AND SUBMIT THEM TO THE JRCC OFFICE BEFORE THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 AT 5PM. RETURN ENVELOPE ENCLOSED.

Sale of Chametz

SUBMIT BY: April 18, 2019 at 5pm

I (We): ________________________ [Head(s) of the Household] Hereby authorize Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman to dispose of all chametz that may be in my (our) possession wherever it may be — at home, at my (our) place of business, or elsewhere — in accordance with the requirements of Jewish Law as incorporated in the special contract for the sale of chametz. Home Address: _________________________________ _________________________________ Business Address: _________________________________ _________________________________

I wish you and your family good health, continued success in all your endeavors and a very happy and kosher Passover. May we celebrate Passover this year in Jerusalem, with the coming of Moshiach now.

Signature(s):

Sincerely,

_______________

Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman Senior Rabbi & Founder, Jewish Russian Community Centre of Ontario

Yizkor Card

1 Yes, I want the name(s) of my relatives / friends to be mentioned during the Yizkor Service and for the card to be places on the wall during services. Please, fill in clearly: NAME OF THE DECEASED Name: ________________ Mother's Name: ________________

Name: ________________ Mother's Name: ________________

In memory of my family / friend I make the following donation: 1$18 1$25 1$36 1$54 1$100 1$180 1Other (please specify):$_________

Date: _________

_____________ Date: _________

Special Passover Donation Opportunities ALL DONATIONS INCLUDE A MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION TO EXODUS MAGAZINE.

1 Matzah for a needy family 1 Seder for needy family in Ontario 1 Sponsor a Community Seder

$18 $180 $1800

1 Cheque enclosed or 1 Please charge my credit card: 1Visa 1Master Card 1AmEx

Your name ____________________ Tel. _____________ Address ___________________

Card#: _______________________

1Cheque enclosed or 1Please charge my credit card: 1Visa 1Master Card 1AmEx

Exp. Date: ______

Card#: __________________________ Exp. Date: _______

Signature: ____________________

Nissan 5779

how to

passover APRIL 19 – 27, 2019 Buy & Sell

• Buy Matzah, Sell Chometz by Thursday, April 18 at 5pm (JRCC office closed Friday)

S e a r c h & De s t r o y

C o o k Up a S t o r m

• Cook for the two Seders (April 19-20) in advance (before 7:47pm on April 19)

L i g h t Up t h e N i g h t

Shabbat & Holiday Candle Lighting each night - see schedule to the right

Proceed with Joy

Experience a joyful and meaningful Festival of Freedom

T h e S e d e r P l at e i n g r e d i e n t s

April 2019

Schedule THURSDAY, APRIL 18 • Search for Chometz after Dusk FRIDAY, APRIL 19 • Fast of the Firstborn • Eat Chometz until 10:59am • Burn Chometz before 12:08pm • Cook for Seders • Light Shabbat and Yom Tov Candles at 7:47pm • First Passover Seder SHABBAT, APRIL 20 • Shabbat/Holiday services • Light Yom Tov Candles after 8:52pm* • Start Counting the Omer - Day 1 • Second Passover Seder SUNDAY, APRIL 21 • Yom Tov synagogue services • Count the Omer - Day 2 • Yom Tov ends after 8:54pm APRIL 22 - 25 • Intermediate Days (Chol HaMoed) • Be merry • Count the Omer - Days 3-5 THURSDAY, APRIL 25 • Light Yom Tov Candles at 7:55pm • Count the Omer - Day 6 • All Night Learning FRIDAY, APRIL 26 • Yom Tov synagogue services • Light Yom Tov Candles at 7:56pm* • Count the Omer - Day 7 SHABBAT, APRIL 27 • Shabbat/Holiday services • Yizkor - memorial services • Count the Omer - Day 8 • Shabbat/Yom Tov ends after 9:02pm * = Light from pre-existing flame.

For more information: (416) 222-7105 | jrcc.org/passover

exodusmagazine.org

life on earth

continued from page 9

Among those who left Egypt were all sorts of kvetches and fickle-faith slackers. Some even brought along a few standard Egyptian idols—just in case. Yet many Midrashim describe large numbers of descendants of Jacob who stayed behind. What was different about them? They were like the Wicked Child. They said, “We are not the Children of Israel. We are Egyptians. This is our home. We’re just not part of the destiny of which Moses speaks.” They stayed behind. But this kid is coming with us. Why? What occurred between Ancient Egypt and today’s Seder that makes this kid different? The Rebbe explained: Those Jews in Egypt were connected to the Jewish people by birthright. They were children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and therefore, “My son, my first born, Israel.” It was only due to that connection through their forefathers that they were redeemed. Because, otherwise, they weren’t much better than their Egyptian oppressors. These stay-behinders denied that connection. Even if they had been taken by the hand and schlepped out of there, they would not have been redeemed. Because they refused to let that connection enter within and redeem them. But at Sinai, something entirely new happened. Those who were redeemed were charged with a mission—by the One who

Created heaven and earth and every human soul. G‑d chose them and they chose G‑d. Now let me tell you something about choice. Choice is a very Jewish idea. Choice is the essence of freedom. And choice lies at the essence of Jewishness. To some, the essence of all things is wisdom. To others, it is math. To others, love. Or pleasure. Or nothingness. To a Jew, nothing has to be the way it is, or be at all. Whatever is, is only because G‑d chose it to be so. True free choice lies beyond reason—because reason also exists only by virtue of choice. If so, choice lies at the very core of all being. Including our being. So when G‑d chose us and we chose G‑d at Sinai, it wasn’t some sort of label tacked on to us. He didn’t choose us because of some particular quality or nature. He chose us from that place where it all begins. It was a choice that defined our very being from that point on. What the Rebbe taught us, then, is to look beneath the veneer and see deep within the Jew. Beyond what he says, how he acts, what he professes to believe or not believe. Beyond all that to his very core and essence. And there you will find a pure soul. A soul defined only by G‑d’s choice in this child’s destiny, and by this soul’s choice in the G‑d of Israel. Don’t argue with him, the Rebbe said. Show him love. Get him to do a mitzvah. Then another mitzvah. Eventually, the Jew

will come out. The day of the ingathering of the exiles will be difficult, as though G‑d Himself must actually seize hold of each individual’s hands, dragging him from his place, as it is said, “And you shall be gathered one by one, oh you children of Israel.” — Rashi to Deuteronomy 30:3. In previous generations, we chased such troublemakers away. Today, the Rebbe taught us, we can no longer even think of such a thing. Not just because we can no longer afford such a strategy, but because today we have the ability, and the promise, to ensure that no Jew will be left behind. Meaning, that core-essence of every Jew will one day shine. As Maimonides puts it, “Indeed, the Torah long since assured us that in the end, at the close of the period of exile, Israel will return to G‑d, and immediately they will be redeemed.” 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.

Nissan 5779