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the information. Yaakov thought that Hashem left him because one of his children was unworthy. His sons realized this and, to calm their father, they declared, "Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad," "Hear, Yisrael, Hashem our G-d is the only G-d," showing their firm belief in Hashem. Yaakov, seeing he had nothing to fear, responded, "Baruch Sheim Kevod Malchuto LeOlam Va'ed," "Blessed be his name of glorious kingship forever," thanking Hashem for his righteous sons.
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PARASHA INSIGHTS What are the most fundamental words in the Torah? Can we ask such a question? The entire Torah is holy and we should not single out any words. Yet, we know that throughout our long exile certain words have stuck to us with vigour. Perhaps the Ten Commandments, perhaps Kriat Shema, Both of these appear in our Parsha. "Our Rabbis taught, when a child begins to speak, his father must teach him Torah and Keriat Shema." (Talmud Sukka 42a) What is the Shema all about? What do these words represent and why have these words stuck through our nations history being so dear to us? Through Shema, one affirms the unity of the nation and our commitment to Hashem’s Sovereignty (Kabbalat Ol Malchut Shamayim, accepting the yoke of Heaven). Let us focus on the words and their sequence. Why do we not say Shema Yisrael Hashem Echad, (and then) Hashem Elokenu? – Listen Israel, Hashem is One, He is our G-d. Why do we need to say Hashem is our G-d before we mention that He is One? The first time we are told about the Shema is with Yakov. The Gemara Pesachim (56a) relates that Yakov wanted to tell his sons when Mashiach would come, but, as he was about to, the Divine Inspiration left him and he was unable to reveal
The brothers wished to reassure Yaakov of their unity. They thus turned to him and expressed Hashem Elokenu – Hashem is OUR G-d. We are a team, we are all servants of Hashem and we all work lovingly together. Hashem Elokenu comes to teach us that in order for the Shechina to rest on us we must be a united nation. More than that, we must realise that Hashem is Elokenu – Our G-d, He is the G-d of every single Jew. He is not just my G-d. It is not just about me going to pray and doing Mitsvot and serving Hashem in my own small world, but it is more about serving Hashem together as a united people. Hashem is first Elokenu our G-d and then we can say that Hashem is One. Through our unity, we come to the realisation and manifestation that He is One.
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The torah emphasizes the importance of the Kriat Shema by commanding us to recite this statement TWICE daily. Beshokbecha – at nighttime and Ubekumecha – in the morning. In fact, there is a debate between the Rambam who holds the recitation twice is one mitzvah and the Ramban who holds it is two separate Mitsvot! Throughout the ages from the beginning of our exile to the sad days of the holocaust, Jews have been martyred with the words of Shema. Rabbi Akiva was among those ten great personalities who died sanctifying G-d's name.
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The Gemara Berachot (61b) relates that as Rabbi Akiva was being tortured to death his students saw him reciting the Shema with joy, seemingly oblivious to the pain he was enduring.
we are forbidden from learning Torah, we read the Ten Commandments in order to re-accept the Torah, and the Shema to re-accept the "yoke of Heaven".
Rabbi Akiva's students, were amazed at their teacher's endurance and understood the moment to be far more profound than mere courage and endurance. They asked their beloved teacher, "Is the Mitzvah of reciting the Shema incumbent upon an individual under such dire circumstances?" Rabbi Akiva explained. "The Torah commands us to love G-d with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our belongings. All my life I wondered whether I would ever fulfil this Mitzvah of loving G-d with all my soul. Now that I have bee granted the opportunity of loving G-d with my very life should I not do so with joy and exultation?"
As a nation that has survived millennium of persecution and suffering, we have a fascination with how our heroes have died and how one should die. In the aftermath of the Swiss Air tragedy, a Talit was found floating in the ocean. Tragically, Mr. Klein, an observant Jew, was a passenger on that fateful flight and it was his Talit that had been recovered among the wreckage. Mr. Klein's children confirmed that their father never placed his Talit and Tefilin through the regular baggage service but always carried them with him on board. The problem was that it was night time when the flight crashed into the Atlantic and the Talit, which is usually not worn at night, should have been enclosed in its zippered velvet "zekel - bag" which was inside a zippered plastic cover. How did Mr. Klein's Talit get out of its bag? The children surmised that
Our Parsha is blessed with two wonderful gems, the Shema and the Ten Commandments. The Koshnitzer Maggid writes that since on Tisha B'Av
in the six minutes prior to the crash when the passengers knew that the plane was in trouble their father, knowing that the situation was serious took out his Talit and put it on. That is the way a true "Eved G-d - Servant of G-d" prepares for possible disaster - wrapped in his Talit and immersed in Tefilah - prayer. It is fair to assume that Mr. Klein's final words, like Rabbi Akiva's, were "Shema Yisrael…". We begin our lives with the Shema, we recite it twice daily and we hope to end our lives with the Shema. The Recitation of the Shema affirms our unity as nation and solidifies our acceptance of G-d as King. It discusses loving G-d, sacrificing for G-d, Torah study, G-d's Oneness, Tefilin, mezuzah, and many more facets to serving Him. This is unmistakably a major reason why we feel a close connection to the Shema prayer.
■ Shabbat Shalom
RABBI YEHONATAM SALEM - SHALOM LAAM DIASPORA
OUR PUPILS – OUR CHILDREN As we advance through the book of Devarim, we are actually learning how our greatest leader, Moshe Rabbenu, summarised the Torah. In this parashah he recalls the episode of our receiving the Ten Commandments at Sinai. Further on, he writes the first of the three paragraphs of the Shema – the epitaph of every Jew’s allegiance to G-d. In it (Va’etchanan 6:7) we are instructed: “veshinantam levanecha” – “and you shall teach your children.” Our Sages tell us that this verse, in fact, refers to our pupils, i.e. that we should teach our students the mitzvot, values, ethics and the ways of our Torah. This is a “legacy of life.” Our aim and goal should be to educate ourselves and the next generation, in order to ensure that our Torah is learned and upheld. Why, however, does the Torah write “you should teach your children,” if it is really referring to one’s pupils? Let it simply write “you shall teach your students?”
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We may deduce from here a key rule about teacher-student relationships. A teacher of Torah must view his students as if they were his own children. If he does not view them as such, then he cannot act as their teacher in the true sense. In practice this means, that just as a father has mercy and cares for his child, so a teacher must have mercy and care for his pupil. When this rapport is achieved, the pupil will be able to accept from his teacher. The more the student feels that his teacher relates to him as a father would to his child, the more he will be able to accept, understand and retain the Torah that he is passing on to him. Moreover, just as a child will more readily accept rebuke from his parent because he knows it is rooted in his love for him, so too, a pupil who feels a relationship of love will internalize his teacher’s reproach. Thus, he will come to grow and climb, and become a link in the chain of our eternal inheritance, the Torah. Additionally, just as a child remains the responsibility of his father, so too, a pupil always remains his teacher’s responsibility. For these reasons the Torah chooses no other description of a student, other than “your child.” The teachers that treated me “like their child” made so much more of an impression on me than those who were just “in the job” to pass on information. The Torah is not just information, and in order for one to connect
to its spirituality, it must be given over with fatherly emotions. The definition of a child is the combination of the physical, biological connection that it has to its parents, and the physical and spiritual nurturing that it receives from them. A child is a receptacle to observe their parent’s example and to learn from them. For this reason, a pupil can also fit into this category. Therefore, our Sages tell us, that anybody who teaches his friend’s son Torah is as though he bore him. He becomes a father, and the pupil, his child. Just as a biological father contributes to a child’s physical capabilities, so, one who teaches Torah bequeaths his student the spiritual capabilities necessary to acquire eternal life. For this reason, we are termed “the children of G-d,” as we learn His Torah and emulate His ways. [Just as He is kind, merciful and generous, so we must endeavour to be.] In life, we are often confronted with opportunities to teach. Let us understand that our pupils are also our children, and do our utmost to constantly give them what they need, whatever the situation. ■ Shabbat Shalom Get in touch 0207 561 6600 michael@cityprinting.co.uk
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RABBI EPHRAIM ENKAOUA To this day the Jews of Morocco evoke with awe and veneration the name of the holy Tzaddik, Rabbi Ephraim Enkaoua, may his merit protect us. Rabbi Ephraim was born in 5114 (1354) in Toledo, Spain. From his youth he distinguished himself by his exceptional abilities, intelligence, and extraordinary memory. All those who knew him felt respect and admiration for him. During his early years, he studied Torah with his father, who was a great Tzaddik. Thanks to his great intelligence and lively mind, he quickly acquired a broad knowledge of Shas and the Poskim. At the age of 13, his father sent him to Girondi, where he attended the famous yeshiva of the venerated Gaon Rabbeinu Nissim, one of the great Sages of Spain. During this time the Jews of Spain experienced a period a peace and tranquility that lasted until 5150 (1390), when King Alfonso died. At that point the inquisition began, and the Jewish communities of Seville, then of Cordova and Toledo, experienced the worst of tragedies. Some were forced to convert to Christianity, but the great majority of Jews, confronted by the cruel choice of dying or converting, chose death. It was with courage and pride that they went to their deaths in sanctifying the Name of G-d, among them being the grandson of Rosh, Rabbeinu Asher. With his own eyes Rabbi Ephraim Enkaoua saw his father die as a martyr, yet he himself, 37 years old at the time, managed to escape death. In the middle of the night he fled to the city of Malaga in the south of Spain, and two weeks later he arrived in Morocco. During this time, Jewry in North Africa was in a very poor state, both religiously and economically. Jewish communities lived in great ignorance and even ended up adopting certain irrational Berber customs. Rabbi Ephraim Enkaoua settled in the town of Marrakech and immediately began to organize community life there. He founded schools for young children, as well as a yeshiva for adolescents, and taught them Torah and Mussar. In but a short time the Jewish community was transformed; in the synagogues, merchants and craftsmen came to hear Torah discourses, and once again the voice of Torah resounded. Rabbi Ephraim Enkaoua had the reputation of being a “master of miracles.” He traveled to the villages of Morocco with the goal of strengthening Torah study and the observance of mitzvot. During this time the city of Tlemcen was forbidden to Jews. Following a series of events, however, the king of Morocco gave the authorization for Jews to once again live in Tlemcen, and he named Rabbi Ephraim Enkaoua as Rabbi of the city. The king gladly agreed and honored all his requests. Rabbi Ephraim Enkaoua founded a yeshiva in Tlemcen that quickly became one of the main centers of Judaism in Morocco. He was known not only for his knowledge of Torah, but also for the miracles that he performed. One of the most spectacular involved a lion and a snake. To the south of Tlemcen lay an immense forest populated with wild beasts. One day, a fearsome lion ventured out of the forest and killed several inhabitants of the city. This event occurred several times, and everyone in the city was panic stricken. As soon as Rabbi Ephraim Enkaoua leaned of what had happened, he enveloped himself in his Tallit, donned his Tefillin, and majestically went into the forest unarmed. After a brief moment, a raging lion leaped in front of the Tzaddik. Without losing his composure, Rabbi Ephraim Enkaoua recited a verse of Psalms: “Upon the lion and the viper you will tread; you will trample the young lion and the serpent” (Psalms 91:13). Suddenly changed, the lion approached the Tzaddik, crouched down before him, and lay at his feet. All of a sudden, a long snake came closer to them and coiled itself near the Tzaddik. Rabbi Ephraim grabbed it, climbed onto the back of the lion, and then wrapped the serpent around the lion’s head like a bridle and headed for the city. The Rabbi rode throughout Tlemcen on the back of the lion while using the serpent as a bridle. All the inhabitants of the city were shocked – their eyes wide open at what they saw. When he arrived at the Jewish quarter he assembled everyone around and said the following: “Look and you will understand. It is not the lion, nor the serpent that kills, but rather it is sin that gives wild beasts the power to harm.” Rabbi Ephraim Enkaoua descended from the lion, then he let the serpent go from his hands and it vanished from sight. Wild beasts no longer entered into Tlemcen from that moment on, and all the inhabitants of the city, both Jews and Muslims, thereafter viewed Rabbi Ephraim Enkaoua with more respect and fear than ever, seeing in him a holy man. Rabbi Ephraim enjoyed his latter years, dying in Tlemcen in 5202 (1442) at the age of 88. Since his death, the Jews of Morocco regularly come to pray at his grave on the day of his Hilloula, Lag BaOmer. ■ EE FR
BRINGING A SEFER TORAH FROM THE SYNAGOGUE TO A PRIVATE MINYAN Even after synagogues were allowed to reopen during the COVID-19 crisis, many people continue to form small Minyanim in their porches or backyards. Some are unable to go to the synagogue because they are in a risk group, and, additionally, the distancing requirements significantly limit the amount of people who can pray in synagogues, thus necessitating the continuation of Minyanim outside people’s homes. Under such conditions, the question arises as to whether a Sefer Torah may be brought from a synagogue for the purpose of a private Minyan. Is this permitted, or is this considered disrespectful to the Sefer Torah? The Talmud Yerushalmi (Masechet Yoma, chapter 7) relates that on Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol would publicly read the Torah as part of the special Yom Kippur service in the Bet Ha’mikdash, and a Sefer Torah was brought out of a synagogue for this purpose. This was allowed, the Yerushalmi states, because the Kohen Gadol was a distinguished figure, and it was thus honorable for the Torah to be brought out of the synagogue to be read by the Kohen Gadol. Otherwise, a Sefer Torah may not be brought out of the synagogue, and an exception was made in the case of the Kohen Gadol’s reading of the Torah on Yom Kippur. The Maharam Padua (d. 1565) expanded the scope of this exception, ruling that a Sefer Torah may be brought out of the synagogue not only for the Kohen Gadol, but also for a distinguished Torah scholar. Accordingly, the Rama (Rav Moshe Isserles of Cracow, 1530-1572) rules (in Orah Haim 135) that a Sefer Torah may be brought out of the synagogue for an "Adam Hashub" – "distinguished person." The Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) writes that this refers to a distinguished Torah scholar, and he adds (in Sha’ar Ha’siyun) that the Rama’s ruling is based on the position of the Maharam Padua. A further expansion of this exception was made by the Or Zarua (Rav Yishak of Vienna, 1200-1270), cited by the Rama in his Darkeh Moshe (Orah Haim 135). The Or Zarua went so far as to say that a Sefer Torah may be brought from the synagogue for the sake of an ill patient or prisoner in a jail cell who is unable to attend the synagogue and hear the Torah reading. The Mordechi (Rav Mordechai Ben Hillel, Germany, d. 1298), however, disagreed with this ruling of the Or Zarua, and maintained that a Sefer Torah may not be brought from a synagogue for the sake of a patient or prisoner. This is the ruling followed by the Mishna Berura, who adds that even on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a Sefer Torah should not be brought from the synagogue for somebody who cannot come to the synagogue, except in the case of an "Adam Hashub." Importantly, however, the Mishna Berura writes (in Be’ur Halacha) that if there is a Minyan consisting of people who, for whatever reason, are unable to attend the prayers in the synagogue, then the Sefer Torah may be brought from the synagogue so it could be read in this Minyan. Even the Mordechi, who does not allow bringing a Sefer Torah for the sake of a lone individual who cannot go to the synagogue, would allow bringing a Sefer Torah for the sake of a Minyan formed by people who cannot attend the synagogue. Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in Yabia Omer (vol. 7), concurs with this ruling. Therefore, under circumstances where people are forced to form Minyanim on their porches or in their backyards due to health concerns or limits on public gatherings, it would be permissible to bring a Sefer Torah from the synagogue to be used in such a Minyan. However, the Maharam Padua adds that when a Sefer Torah is brought from the synagogue, it should be kept in a specially-designated chest, out of respect for the Sefer Torah. Therefore, if a Sefer Torah is brought from the synagogue for a private Minyan, arrangements should be made to have a special chest to serve as the Aron. It does not have to be elaborate, but it should be especially designated for this purpose. It should be noted that the Zohar takes a far stricter approach, outright forbidding moving a Sefer Torah out of a synagogue for any purpose, even to bring it to another synagogue. The Kaf Ha’haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939), based on the Zohar, rules that one should never move a Sefer Torah from a synagogue, for any purpose. In his view, even the common practice at Sefer Torah dedications to bring the Sifreh Torah out of the synagogue to symbolically greet the new Sefer Torah is strictly forbidden. In fact, some Poskim understood the Zohar as forbidding moving a Sefer Torah even from one room in the synagogue to a different room. Nevertheless, as we have seen, other Poskim, including Hacham Ovadia, felt otherwise, based on the sources mentioned, and permitted bringing a Sefer Torah out of a synagogue to be used in a Minyan of people who are unable to come to the synagogue.
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Hacham Ovadia writes that when a Sefer Torah is transported for this purpose, then if it is carried Be’sin’a (discreetly), such as by car, then even one person may transport it alone. If, however, one is transporting the Sefer Torah Be’farhesya (publicly), then ten men must escort the Sefer Torah. If ten men are not escorting the Sefer Torah, and one person will be carrying it alone, then he must invalidate the Sefer Torah before transporting it. This should be done by unstitching the parchment, and then redoing the stitching before it is read again. One should not invalidate the Sefer Torah by spilling wax on the text, or by scraping off some ink. This entire discussion relates to a Sefer Torah in a synagogue, and which people now wish to bring out of a synagogue. When it comes to a Sefer Torah which one has in his home, the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) writes (in Torah Li’shmah, 58) that such a Sefer Torah may be brought elsewhere without any restrictions. He notes that the Yerushalmi, which is the source of this entire discussion, speaks only of bringing a Sefer Torah out of a synagogue, and, moreover, the Yerushalmi says that this is forbidden (except in the unique case of the Kohen Gadol, as discussed) because "the Sefer Torah should not come to you; you should go to the Sefer Torah." The entire issue is the fact that it is disrespectful to move a Sefer Torah to a person, instead of the person going to the Sefer Torah. But if a person has a Sefer Torah in his home, and it is needed by a Minyan, then quite obviously the Sefer Torah needs to be brought to them, because the home is not the place where the Minyan is meant to take place. Therefore, there is no prohibition at all against bringing one’s personal Sefer Torah from his home so it can be read in a Minyan. The Aruch Ha’shulhan (Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein of Nevarduk, 1829-1908) writes that when a Sefer Torah is brought somewhere, it must be read at least three times at that location before being returned. Although this is a widelyheld assumption, later Poskim note that this does not appear anywhere in earlier sources. Indeed, Hacham Ovadia dismisses this requirement, and rules that it is permissible to move a Sefer Torah – under the conditions discussed above – even to read it just once. It must be emphasized that the permissibility of moving a Sefer Torah out of a synagogue applies only when this is a necessity. And even then, as we have seen, the Zohar forbids moving a Sefer Torah, and even the lenient opinions require meeting certain conditions. Certainly, then, a Sefer Torah should not be moved out of a synagogue for the sake of convenience. Small Minyanim in porches and yards, with Sifreh Torah, are permitted under the difficult circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic, but this situation must not be seen as an ideal, or even an acceptable option that may be continued once we will, please G-d, be able to return to our normal state of affairs. When there is no necessity to pray in small private Minyanim, the Sifreh Torah must be brought back to, and kept in, the synagogue. Moreover, the Gemara teaches that prayers in the synagogue are more readily accepted because of the unique sanctity of a synagogue. In fact, one who cannot pray with a Minyan should endeavor to pray in a synagogue, because of the special status of prayers recited in a synagogue. Therefore, we must remember that although small Minyanim in porches and yards are the appropriate solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, as soon as we can all return to the synagogue, we must eagerly and enthusiastically do so. It should also be noted that it is ok to move a Sefer Torah under all circumstances if there is an Aron Kodesh to store the Sefer Torah. Summary: If a Minyan of people are unable to come to the synagogue, and are forced to form a Minyan elsewhere – such as in the case of the Minyanim on porches and in backyards during the COVID-19 pandemic – it is permissible to bring a Sefer Torah from the synagogue for this purpose. If the Sefer Torah is bring transported privately, such as by car, then it may be brought by just one person. If it is being transported publicly, then it requires an escort of at least ten men, and if not, then it must be first made invalid by undoing the stitching, and then stitched anew at its destination. It must be emphasized that moving a Sefer Torah out of a synagogue is permitted only under such circumstances – when it is needed for a Minyan of people who are unable to pray in the synagogue; this may not be done for purposes of convenience ■
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FIND THE WORDS
e m i T s d Ki TEST YOURSELF - Q&A ➊ How well-versed must one be in Torah? ➋ Where does the word Totafot come from? ➌ Who is fit to swear in Hashem's name? ➍ What does it mean that the Jews are the "smallest nation?" ➎ When someone serves Hashem with love, how many generations receive reward? ➏ Why are evil-doers rewarded in this world?
Answer ➊ 6:7 - If asked a Torah question, one should be able to reply quickly and clearly. ➋ 6:8 - Tot means two in Caspi. Fot means two in Afriki. Together they allude to the four sections of tefillin. ➌ 6:13 - One who serves Hashem and reveres His name. ➍ 7:7 - Bnei Yisrael are the humblest nation. ➎ 7:9 - 2,000. ➏ 7:10 - So that they get no reward in the next world.
Questions & Answers In this week's Parsha, we read about the mitzva of teaching our children Torah; the mitzva of Tefillin; and the mitzva of Mezuza. "And these words [the Torah], which I command you this day, shall be in your heart. And you shall teach them diligently to your children... And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand and... between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the posts of your house and your gates." (Va'etchanan 6:4-9) On the doorposts of every Jewish home, you will find a little rectangular case. Inside that case is a Mezuza. It's there because the Torah commands us to affix a Mezuza on each doorpost in our homes. What is a Mezuza? In brief, the Mezuza consists of two passages of the Torah written (in Hebrew, of course) on one klaf (piece of parchment). The two passages are, "Shema Yisroel" and "Vehaya" (Devarim, [Deuteronomy] 6:4-9 and 11:13-21). The parchment is then rolled into a scroll, wrapped in paper or plastic, usually inserted into a hard-plastic or metal case, and affixed on a slant to the upper part of the right hand door-post in a Jewish home. A Mezuza must be placed on each door-post of the house (except the bathrooms). The writing of the Mezuza must be done by a Sofer (Scribe) in the same manner and script as a Torah. It is important to remember that the Mezuza is not the casing, but the written parchment. It is ironic that some people will buy an expensive case, but overlook the fact that the actual Mezuza is not kosher.
The essence of the mitzva of Mezuza is the concept of the Oneness of G-d. The very first verse written on the Mezuza is the Shema: "Shema Yisroel Hashem Elokaynu Hashem Echad - (Hear Yisroel, - Hashem is our G-d, - Hashem is the One and Only)" It is customary, upon entering or leaving a residence, to touch the Mezuza. This reverence acknowledges our belief in the "Shema Yisroel" the Jewish declaration of faith, which expresses the unity of G-d, the duty of loving and serving Him with our whole being, and our obligation to observe the Mitzvot in and out of the home. Q. What is the meaning of the word Mezuza? A. "Mezuza" means "door post" for the Mezuza is placed on the doorpost. In olden days, an awl or other tool was used to gouge out a trough in the doorpost of the entryway to one's house. The scroll was inserted into the gouged-out space and plastered over. Today, it is customary to encase the Mezuza scroll in a decorative case. In addition, the Hebrew word "Mezuzot," found in this Parsha, is written: mem, zayen, zayen, vav, tav. If we rearrange the letters we can spell the two words, "zaz mavet" which means "pushing away death." Thus, a kosher Mezuza acts as protection even to the extent of saving from death! In Tehillim (Psalms) Dovid Hamelech (King David) says, "Hashem shall protect your exit and your entry from now and forever." Our Sages say that this applies to the Mezuza. It acts as a shield and protects people, not only when they are inside the home but also when they go out.
In time, the letters on a Mezuza may fade or crack, which renders the Mezuza not kosher. Thus, it must be checked at least twice in seven years. Q. Why is the letter "Shin" written on the outside of the Mezuza cover? A. "Shin" stands for the word "Shad-eye" which is one of Hashem's names. The word "Shad-eye" is spelled; shin, daled, yud. These three letter serves as an acronym for the words, "Shomer Daltei Yisrael" "Hashem watches over the doors of Israel." The Talmud says that a proper Mezuza offers protection of the home and tells the following wonderful story: A special friendship existed between King Antoninus and Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi (known as Rebbi). Once King Antoninus sent Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi a precious stone as a gift. In return Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi sent him a Mezuza. Antoninus was puzzled: "I sent you such an expensive gift and you send me a piece of parchment?" To which Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi replied, "Your gift I will always have to guard to make sure that no one will steal it. But my gift to you, the Mezuza, will watch over you and protect you at all times!" Keeping the Commandments of the Torah always brings blessings, and the Talmud says that keeping the Commandment of Mezuza brings long life and is a protection for the home.