Passitoiovne r ed
IN THIS ISSUE: My Personal Story of Freedom How to Find a Seder Near You Quick & Easy Kosher for Passover Recipes Secrets from the Kabbalah Includes: Our Popular How-To-Passover Plus: Exclusive Interviews, New Books, Apps, and Music
Crunch Time Quick recipes, Deep thoughts & Personal stories
DEDICATED DEDICATED TO TO THE LOVE AND THE LOVE AND INSPIRATION INSPIRATION OF OF THE THE LubavITChEr LubavitchEr rEbbE rEbbE
Rabbi & Mrs. Avrohom Altein Rabbi & Executive Director Rabbi & Mrs. Boruch Heidingsfeld Camp Gan Israel, Family & Youth Programs Rabbi & Mrs. Yacov Simmonds Partners with Chabad Rabbi & Mrs. Shmuly Altein Jewish Learning Insitute, Chabad Torah Tots Chabad-Lubavitch of Winnipeg - "Judaism with a smile!"
zalmy berkowitz photography Jewish Learning Centre www.zalmyb.com 1845 Mathers Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3N 0N2 Web: www.ChabadWinnipeg.org Email: office@ChabadWinnipeg.org Phone: (204) 339-8737 Fax: (204) 480-4396 Printed by Kromar Printing Ltd. 725 Portage Avenue Telephone: (204) 775-8721 Fax: (204) 783-8985 Email. info@kromar.com
zalmy berkowitz photography www.zalmyb.com
T
he sixth Rebbe of Lubavitch remarked, “We must listen carefully to the story that the Chanukah candles tell us.” Let’s take a careful look at how we light the candles, the Mitzvah that is central to celebrating Chanukah.
When Chanukah was first established as a holiday, there were three options for how to light candles. The basic requirement was that every family light a single candle, every night of Chanukah. Even on the eighth night, a single candle would suffice to do the Mitzvah. A second and better level of doing the Mitzvah was that a candle be lit for each member of the family. A family of four people, for example, would light four candles every night, including the last. But the preferred and highest level suggested by the sages was that the number of candles we light should correspond to the number of that day of Chanukah. Every day we add another candle, so that on the eighth day, we light eight candles. Preferably, every child in the family lights their own eight candles. It is this last option, the highest level and best way to perform the Mitzvah that has become the standard way that Jews light the candles in every community around the globe. No other Mitzvah enjoys such stature. There are Jews that will demonstrate exceptional diligence in the way they perform every Mitzvah, but the majority of observant Jews are content with doing the very basics of Jewish observance. Only Chanukah has this unique status in that every Jew strives to do the Mitzvah in the very best way. That is because Chanukah is all about the love of Mitzvot. The Greek-Syrian oppressors would have left the Jews unharmed, would they be willing to abandon their observance of Judaism. But the Greeks banned the observance of Kosher and Shabbat, circumcision, Jewish marriage and the study of Torah under the penalty of death. It was their deep love of Judaism that motivated Jews to risk their lives and fight valiantly for the freedom to live as Jews. When the Maccabees won the battle, the climax of their joy was when they regained the ability to perform the precepts of Judaism. Their true joy was realized when they were miraculously able to rededicate and kindle the Menorah.
EDITOr-IN-ChIEF: Rabbi Shmuel Marcus Editor-in-chiEf: Rabbi Shmuel Marcus MaNaGING EDITOr: Doba Lieberman Managing Editor: Doba Lieberman EDITOr: Bluma Marcus Editor: Bluma Marcus DISTrIbuTION: Rabbi Avraham Green distribution: Rabbi Avraham Green CrEaTIvE DIrECTOr: Nechama Marcus crEativE dirEctor: Nechama Marcus DESIGN: Zalmy Berkowitz dEsign: Zalmy Berkowitz phOTOGraphY: Zalmy Berkowitz, www.Zalmyb.com photography: Zalmy Berkowitz, www.Zalmyb.com SECTION EDITOrS: Rabbi Chaim Silver, Shira Gold, Dr. sEction Editors: Rabbi Yosef Marcus, Shira Gold Arnie Gotfryd, Mendy Rimler Dr. Arnie Gotfryd WEbSITE: www.SoulWiseMagazine.com WEbsitE: www.SoulWiseMagazine.com ©2011 by Soulwise Magazine (Over 150,000 copies printed nationally) All rights ©2011 by Soulwise Magazine (Over 150,000 copies printed nationally) All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce any portion of This magazine in any reserved, including the right to reproduce any portion of This magazine in any form, without prior written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer form, without prior written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages. who wishes to quote brief passages. Printed in the USA Printed in the USA
chanukah 5772 Passover 5772
So Chanukah is the holiday that celebrates the love of Judaism and its Mitzvot. And that is why we add another candle every night, because it is only when we do the Mitzvot with love and joy that Jewish life can flourish and grow. That is the essence of Chabad-Lubavitch. Lubavitch is from the Russian word “Luba” that means love, because the city of Lubavitch was established to promote the love of Judaism. And Chabad is the Hebrew acronym for Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge—because the key to developing appreciation and love of the Mitzvot is by deepening one`s knowledge and understanding of Judaism. Chabad`s new Jewish Learning Centre inspires the love of Judaism, so that this community can continue to flourish and grow, adding more and more “candles.” We welcome you this Chanukah, to share Chabad`s enthusiasm. Share the joy, the warmth and the love by joining us in the new Jewish Learning Centre. Happy Chanukah! Rabbi Avrohom Altein
Our FavOrite finds
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By Shira gold and ESthEr yukilEvich Is that an iPad or a digital prayer book? The prophets spoke about a new world of information that would flow like a river, filling all space with the knowledge of truth. Could wi-fi be the platform for Jewish life in the new world?
JEwISH bOOkS
››6 KEhot.coM Books, Books, Books. This is a site for the ‘People of EvEnts
THE LUXURY VACATION FOR YOUR SOUL
››1 JrEtrEat.coM
On July 31st through August 5th the National Jewish Retreat will let the power of Jewish thinking enrich your life. Spend five days of learning and discovery with master Torah teachers. Explore new ideas and expand your horizons in an open, embracing environment. The Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Resort and Spa situated on 23 beautifully landscaped acres offering guests a oneof-a-kind luxury experience. Relax, reflect, and refresh your spirit in a luxurious setting. Meet new friends and experience meaningful Jewish living. You’ll be happy you did. Register for the National Jewish Retreat at www.JRetreat.com.
WEb
HOw TO FIND A SEDER NEAR YOU (SEE bACk COVER)
››2 passovEr.nEt TThe holiday mega site from Chabad.org has become the premier online destination for everything Passover. THE SITE THAT GIVES
››3 1saLEaday.coM Sure, they’ve saved Americans $1,195,052,176.30 with their one of kind site of amazing daily deals and you’ve seen them featured on ABC, NBC, and in the New York Times, but when we saw 1saleaday.com on Chabad.org as a proud sponsor, that’s what made them one of our favorite sites. And besides, isn’t charity always a great deal? READ HEbREw?
››4 aLEphchaMp.coM The fastest way to learn how to read Hebrew is based on the karate system. This easy to use program has already helped thousands to read Hebrew. kOSHER TECHNOLOGY
››5 oK.org Recognized as the leader in cutting edge kosher technology, the mega kosher site provides a comprehensive listing of OK certified food products and free downloads including the popular Passover Food Guide.
the Book.’ Sure, they have a few e-books, but they also sell real books like prayer books and children’s books. In addition to their many titles and online discounts, the site also offers a book of the week at an amazingly low price. THE PUREST SITE
››7 MiKvah.org Married or thinking about getting married? You should visit mikvah.org. The site offers first hand account of the mitzvah of mikvah as well as a short film on the laws and practices of this biblical commandment. They have the most comprehensive search for kosher mikvahs worldwide under the “find a mikvah” button.
apps
IS THIS APP kOSHER?
››8 ou pEsach Aren’t sure which brand of gefilte fish is kosher for Passover? Your worries are over! With this free app, you’ll have a comprehensive list of Kosher for Passover products, including newly certified products. bURN THIS APP wITH YOUR CHOMETZ
››9 no choMEtz app Ever found yourself before Passover with a bag full of bread and no where to sell it? No need to shvitz! Not only does this free app guide you through all the steps of the ritual search for the biblically prohibited leavened products known as chometz, it helps you destroy the chometz, and sell it in accordance with Jewish law. Checklist and flashlight included!
Music
PRE PASSOVER SOUNDTRACk
››10 non-stop chabad This 75-minute music CD is filled end-to-end with a single non-stop continuous medley. Over 65 high-energy Chabad songs are strung together one after the other guaranteeing listeners of all stripes will be dancing while they clean for Passover. Visit www.ChabadMusic.com real books like prayer books and children’s books. In addition to their many titles and online discounts, the site also offers a book of the week at an amazingly low price.
>>Send us your comments to editor@soulwisemagazine.com
spring 2012
MY pERSoNAL StoRY oF REDEMptIoN By Dr. Arnie GotfryD Ph.D. Dr. arnie Gotfryd, Ph.D. is an observant Jew and an accomplished environmental scientist. His informative and inspiring presentations, personal anecdotes, new discoveries, and fresh insights into old-time religion are found at www. arniegotfryd.com
The yartzeit candle was still burning as Avraham readied himself for New Year’s Eve. He put on his best jeans – naturally faded and slightly shredded – and brushed out his shaggy mane of flowing hair down to the middle of his back. He was in classic form, closely conforming to the non-conformist style of the day, the tail end of the hippy era. Closing the door to his trendy bachelor pad on the fringes of downtown Toronto, little did he realize that he was also closing the door on life as he had ever known it. For years that lone candle was his lone connection to personal Jewish observance. It was also his only connection to the soul of his father, a man he never knew because he died over 20 years earlier when Avraham was just three years old. Moshe Fishel had been a strong man, a staunch Zionist from a traditional family of Chassidic stock in pre-war Poland. He survived the Nazi concentration camps by the skin of his teeth, risking his life daily by smuggling extra food rations to the needy so they would not die. In April 1945 he was liberated from the camps, but not from the rheumatic heart disease he contracted while there. Only one event managed to etch itself in Avraham’s memory from his early childhood days, and that involved his father. Avraham’s mother had brought him to the hospital to visit his dad during his final days in this world. They stopped at the gift shop and while mom was choosing flowers at the counter, a colorful
Passover 5772
little item caught little Avraham’s fancy and would not let go. It was a small wooden carving of an evergreen tree with snow-tipped branches and little red ornaments. “No sweetheart, let’s try something else. Here. What do you think of this? Avraham wouldn’t even look. “NO! This one!” he cried. “I’m sorry, we can’t get that one. Here, have a candy.” Avraham let out an ear-piercing wail that turned heads in the otherwise solemnly silent store. “Okay, okay,” mom sighed as she rang out the seasonal memento at the cash. Eyes moist but celebratory, Avraham clutched his little trophy totally oblivious to its religious and cultural symbolism. Soon he was standing at his father’s bedside, his little heart brimming with love. His mother gave Moshe Fishel the flowers and he smiled broadly, setting them down on the bedside table. It seems Avraham caught the spirit of giving and spontaneously reached out, handing his dad his most prized possession. Moshe Fishel looked it over slowly then set it softly down beside the flowers. What thoughts could traverse a man’s mind at a moment like this? A man whose Jewish identity was emblazoned on his mind and heart by his faith, his traditions, his politics, his persecutors, his friends and family. And now powerless in the closing moments of
his life on this earth, his little boy, who he never had a chance to raise and who he never would have a chance to raise, passes him a token of a future he never dared imagine – total assimilation. Avraham stretched his arms out towards his dad who summoned up his remaining strength to lift the boy up, giving him a hug and holding him high above himself as he lay prone on the hospital bed. Moshe Fishel ben Kalman passed from this world days later on the 24th of Teves, 5719. Over the years, the total assimilation Moshe Fishel feared started to materialize. Avraham grew up knowing very little about the faith he inherited, and practiced next to nothing of that. His matza on Passover had ham between, and his annual hour in synagogue for Yom Kippur was followed by a much less noble ritual, a cheeseburger for lunch. As for his beliefs, they were just as secular as his lifestyle. But now, as the yartzeit candle burned overtime and Avraham’s little red VW Beetle sped into overdrive en route to the party, the wheels of Divine Providence were making extra machinations of their own. Avraham, on a dare from a gentile friend, Gordon, broke with tradition and was attending for the first time in his adult life, a great big party by and for Jews. Gordon had called him a bigot for not going out with Jewish girls. Avraham defended his antithetical stance, claiming they were all neurotic, materialistic JAP’s (Jewish American Princesses).
As he turned the last page of the book, his eyes settled on remarkable fact given the context. The founder of Chabad, R’ Shneur Zalman of Liadi, aka the Alter Rebbe and author of the Tanya and Shulchan Aruch HaRav, passed away on the 24th of Teves.
his heart and soul that someone would turn the wheels of Divine Providence for his little boy, away from destiny of total assimilation and toward a better life, a Jewish life. And Someone did. Dumb luck? Some might think so. But with about 354 dates in your average Jewish year, the chances of this happening are one in 354 for the father, times 354 for the Rebbe, times 354 for the teshuvah and times 354 for the kaddish. This comes out to one chance in 15,704,099,856. Now on top of all this, what were the chances that he would go to a Jewish event at all (1 out of 4,000 days of my adult life), and an event with a Chabad rabbi speaking (one of at least 10 Jewish parties I could have gone to), and a rabbi who was erudite in a host of natural sciences (maybe 1 in 100)? And what were the chances of becoming baal teshuvah at all (1 in 10?), and happening across that book (1 in 1,000?), and having just that one memory of his father (impossible to imagine)? By now it’s down to one chance in 100 billion billion. At that moment, the heavens parted and Aryeh got to peek behind the curtain of nature and its laws to see Divine Providence at work. He had no doubt he was a pawn in the Divine game of chess called his life. But then the curtains closed and his destiny was back in his hands – or so it seemed.
[ wishing with all his heart and soul that someone would turn the wheels of divine providence for his little boy, away from destiny of total assimilation and toward a better life, a Jewish life
[
Gordon said there’s good and bad in all people. “Try it and you’ll see. There is a Jewish girl out there for you for sure.” But Avraham was not so sure at all. Still he decided to try the Jewish singles scene after all. Boy, was he in for a surprise. The guest speaker was a Chabad rabbi who was discussing love, dating and relationships. That segued into face-to-face six-hour argument about religion generally and more particularly about traditional faith, modern science, and how they may or may not be reconciled. That discussion plowed the field for the growth and fruition of Jewish life for Avraham as mitzvah after mitzvah grew on him like a hand into a glove. One year later, Avraham lit the yartzeit candle once more. Actually by now he was Aryeh Avraham with the new first name taken in honor of his teshuvah (return) to Jewish faith and practice. The other news in his life was his status – engaged, and to a Jewish girl no less. At 1:00 pm on the afternoon of the 24th of Teves, Aryeh Avraham was racing to finish a book, the Philosophy of Chabad, because momentarily he would have to get up and go pray the afternoon service. Not that he was so committed to congregational prayer. What he was really after was an opportunity to recite the mourner’s prayer – kaddish – for his father, and this would be his first time saying it ever, and he didn’t want to be late.
What a coincidence! Here has was on the 24th of Teves reading about the founder of Chabad’s passing on the 24th of Teves, while preparing to say kaddish for the first time for his father who passed away on the 24th of Teves. And here it was, exactly one year since his teshuvah started, while the candle was still burning for his father, of whom he had but one memory, in which his father no doubt did teshuvah himself, wishing with all
spring 2012
Q
Q u e s t ion s f or
BAILA oLIDoRt
baila olidort is director of communications at chabad headquarters. she is Editor-in-chief of Lubavitch.com and of the chabad-Lubavitch international newspaper. Mrs. olidort was the longtime editor of Wellsprings, a journal of Jewish thought, and of feeding among the Lilies, an anthology of selected essays.
As editor-in-Chief of Lubavitch news service, you’ve interviewed leading personalities in the Jewish world. How did you select the people you interviewed, and what have you learned from the experience?
Like most of us, I’m interested in talking to people who’ve had unusual experiences in life or have achieved in extraordinary ways. I am curious to know how they think about issues that are important to me, and what drives them to make a difference in the way that they have.
You have definitely made your mark in your work at Lubavitch Headquarters, and as the editor of Wellsprings Journal. What book on Chabad would you recommend to our readers?
There are so many popular books today about Chabad—about the phenomenon of Chabad. The problem is that at best, they offer you the experience of an observer without the benefit of experiencing it. Communicating the Infinite by Dr. Naftali Loewenthal, The Long Shorter Way by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, and The Piloshphy of Chabad by Dr. Nissan Mindel are examples of books that make it possible for a reader to get inside. There are many others. talking about the written word, you had the privilege to write for the rebbe. How did that come to be? In the late 1980s and early 90s, I wrote press releases for Lubavitch News Service at the behest of Rabbi Krinsky, which the Rebbe then reviewed and edited. Around that time I was asked to write the “Message from the Rebbe” for each issue of Lubavitch International which I developed based on the Rebbe’s talks and writings. The Rebbe would then edit these before putting his name to it.
Clearly, you’ve been with the Chabad movement for many years, in your opinion what do you feel is most misunderstood about Chabad? Passover 5772
In many ways, Chabad has been very successful, but success comes with its own risks, and that’s something we need to consider. Everyone’s heard of Chabad, everyone seems to know Chabad. Today Chabad is well recognized today as an outreach organization. Chabad is the rabbi who lights menorahs, Chabad is there whenever there’s a crisis, Chabad runs orphanages and soup kitchens, and Chabad throws the best Purim parties on campus.
And all of that is true, but it’s only one part of the story. Unless you actually study Chasidut—you don’t know Chabad. You get the byproduct, but not the thing itself, not what motivates Chabad to do what it does. Nor can you understand why, while it delivers outstanding
the baal shem tov, the founder of chasidut, made the esoteric experience, until then only available to the elite, accessible to Jews at large. consequently, Jews turned inward and, in the case of chabad, through its founder, reb schneur zalman of Liadi, uncovered a radically different, creative and intimately personal Jewish experience social services, Chabad is not a “social service organization.” Can you expand on that for a minute? To understand Chabad—to understand anything, you have to go back to its origins. Chasidism evolved at a time when Jews were living in very depressed circumstances in 18th
century Eastern Europe. Being rejected by society, the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chasidut, made the esoteric experience, until then only available to the elite, accessible to Jews at large. Consequently, Jews turned inward and, in the case of Chabad, through its founder, Reb Schneur Zalman of Liadi, uncovered a radically different, creative and intimately personal Jewish experience, an alternative to the prosaic way of Jewish engagement until then. When Chabad relocated to the US, it had to take all that rich, deep “interiority” that it had cultivated through the experience of daily, contemplative prayer, meditation, intellectual activity, and turn its Chasidim into successful “outreach” agents. Today, two or three generations later, many people only know that side of Chabad—the outreach, or “service” end of it. The distinct culture and the deeply entrenched worldview doesn’t really get translated in its fullness, especially because Chabad has had to “package” itself in user-friendly terms that would make it accessible to American Jews. Do you see that as a challenge? It is a real challenge—an interesting one too. Today, Chabad no longer needs to struggle to get others to hear its message. Now that Chabad’s relevance is well established—now that Chabad has proven, beards, hats and all, that it is at least as well equipped, if not better than most, to get down into the grit and grime of life, doing things and going places that others wouldn’t dare, it’s time to probe deeper. The challenge is to communicate to a broad public, the more substantive experience of Chabad—which is what Chabad Shluchim all do, and have always done in their individual, respective communities. But how do we communicate this widely, using modern media which is characteristically antithetical to an authentic Chasidic experience? Imagine using Twitter to communicate the experience of the avodah of the Chasid striving to achieve an integration of body and soul, introspection about the purpose of life, our relationship with G-d. But we’re finding ways of doing that—of turning the new media to our advantage, and I think people are ready for it.
tHiNGS tO DO bEforE you
pASSoVER
online support for your personal Exodus
www.passover.net YOur COMPreHeNSive
pASSoVER
GuiDe your totaL sEdEr KnoW-hoW
Before passover
it is forbidden to eat Chametz—all leavened foods that contain wheat, barley, oats, rye or spelt—on Passover. So collect products containg Chametz and isolate them in a designated “Chametz Closet.” then clear the house of any possible remaining Chametz: empty clothes pockets, vacuum cleaner bags, even the pet food goes into the Closet. Since you’ll use a separate set of dishes for Passover, the Chametz dishes get locked up too. Now stock up on Kosher-for-Passover items; for good leads on Passover foods check out www.ok.org.
Chametz for Sale
Because it is even prohibited to “own” Chametz during Passover, lock your “Chametz Closet” and sell its contents to a non-Jew by filling out a “Mechirat Chometz” form. Sound complicated? it is, so ask your rabbi to make the arrangements. Or log on to www. chabad.org to sell your Chometz online.
4/5 Search for the Chametz
at nightfall begin the “formal search” of the house for Chametz. traditionally, we use a candle to light the way, a spoon (as a shovel), feather (as a broom) and a paper bag to collect any Chametz found. after the search, place everything you found in a conspicuous place to be burned in the morning.
4/6 Fast of the Firstborn
When G-d slew the firstborn of egypt, he spared the firstborn sons of israel. Out of gratitude all firstborn sons fast on this day. // PrePare tO CeleBrate Stock up on Seder foods well before Passover begins. But wait. to build an appetite for the Seder abstain from eating any Seder plate foods today, especially Matza. So if you’re a lover of bitter herbs and raw onions, stay out of the kitchen. // BurNiNG OF tHe CHaMetz in the morning burn all the Chametz found during the previous night’s formal search. // MaKiNG NOtHiNG iNtO a BiG Deal after cleaning the house, and selling continued at end of guide spring 2012
thE 15 StEpS oF thE
pASSoVER
SEDER a chasidic pErspEctivE on thE sEdEr
The Footsteps of Faith: Elijah will herald the good tidings of the coming of Moshiach, may it be soon, Amen.
Passover 5772
A Personality Assessment
thE four sons
“Maror alludes to the wicked, while matza refers to the righteous. hillel, the great Jewish sage known for his compassion, instructed the righteous to reach out and draw the wicked closer.”
stEp 1: KadEsh (sanctify) bless the first cup of wine. // kadesh, which means “set aside,” begins the Seder by affirming our desire to elevate this night above all that is mundane. with it we declare to ourselves and all that are present that this is “The Season of Our Freedom.” To stress this point, we recline to the left when drinking, as only free people did in ancient times. // The blessing is a spiritual wakeup call placed with the hope that we will open ourselves to the divine possibilities that await us. stEp 2: urchatz (Wash) wash the hands (in the ritual manner but without reciting a blessing). // As the first step on the journey to freedom, we sublimate spiritual distractions by purifying our hands, the most active part of our body, with water. // The kabbalah teaches that hands represent expressions and attributes, while water epitomizes intellect and purity. washing refines our attributes with intellect, enabling restrictions to turn into benevolence, hate into love, and personal slavery into freedom. // The observance, one of many during the Seder intended to pique the interest of children, awakens the innocence within each of us. stEp 3: Karpas (vEgEtabLEs) Recite the appropriate blessing for vegetables, then dip the karpas vegetable in saltwater before eating it. // In the saltwater we can taste the tears of anguish and despair our ancestors shed as their spirits were crushed in Egypt. // when rearranged, the word karpas alludes to the word Perech, or “crushing labor.” Our people were forced to perform senseless tasks in Egypt, endless drudgery without meaning, purpose or goal. // why, some 3,000 years later, do mindless routines and habits, or careers driven by the need for status, still dominate our lives so often? stEp 4: yachatz (brEaKing) The middle matza (of the 3) is broken in two pieces. The larger piece, designated as the Afikoman, is wrapped and hidden away for the children to discover. // The smaller broken piece, the “bread of poverty,” takes center stage while retelling the story of the Exodus. It personifies the spiritual
despite his intelligence, the Wise son insists on asking the same question year after year. He’s also obsessive about the discussion thing, making it rather difficult to get on with the Seder. // a fun guy to have around, the Wicked son’s cynicism is driven by his need to fit things into his down-to-earth world. Sitting next to his wise brother, he injects spice into the evening with his snide and provocative comments. // Out there in a world of silent amazement, the simple son is a transparent channel for the infinite. if only he could tell us about it. // the son Who Doesn’t Know How to Question probably thinks he is the wise son. When you know it all, there’s nothing left to ask. He’s not in the photo, because he doesn’t even know it’s Passover. // the fifth son is the most important one. He’s the son who has yet to experience the freedom of Passover.
and material destitution our people endured in Egypt once they no longer grasped the meaning of true freedom. by relating to their plight, we feel what is broken in our own humanity. At the same time, when the children hide the Afikoman we sense the larger dimension of our being, the part of our soul never touched by slavery that waits to be discovered. stEp 5: Maggid (tELLing) “Tell your children G-d took you out of Egypt.” Fill the second cup of wine, then retell the story of our rise from the depths of bondage to the heights of redemption. // Maggid begins with the children asking, “why is this night different from all other nights?” The question can put us in touch with the innocence of children as we contemplate the dynamics of liberation. // Are we eating the matzah out of habit, or because we are ready to embrace its significance? Are we observing these rituals to assuage guilt, or to actualize the desire to live a more meaningful life? // when we allow the events in the Maggid to touch us to the core, we reveal the candor that children hold dear. At the conclusion of Maggid, we savor the second glass. stEp 6: rachtzah (Washing) wash the hands and recite the blessing, Ahl Netilat Yadayim (on the lifting of the hands). // we prepare to internalize the humble nature of matza by uplifting our extremities and expressions. // In its literal sense, the word netila means to move something from one place to another. with this blessing we remove the physicality and vulgarity that may dwell in and around the hands, raising them up for what is to follow.
stEp 7: Motzi (bLEssing ovEr brEad) Hold the broken half-matza and two whole ones while reciting the appropriate blessing for bread, hamotzie leh-chem min ha-aretz. // The word lechem (bread) contains
free, their first taste was the “bread of poverty,” matza. From a mystical viewpoint, matza exemplifies a selfless ego. It was with this trait, rather than arrogance, that they accepted G-d-given freedom. Humility allowed them to appreciate the gifts of life. After the blessing, recline to the left and eat at least one ounce of matza. stEp 9: Maror (bittEr hErbs) Take at least 3/4 ounce of bitter herbs and dip it in the charoset, shake off the excess, and recite the blessing ahl ah-chilat maror before eating. // Having meditated on the bitterness of exile during Maggid, we now physically experience its force. The impact further clarifies the significance of our exile. // before we can experience true freedom we have to internalize the might of our haardship—and accept that when we make the right choices, hardship exists only to make us stronger.
the same letters as lochem (war). Food is raw energy that holds the potential for either good or evil. Thus, a spiritual battle ensues every time it is consumed. If the purpose in eating is solely to gratify physical cravings, evil prevails. However, when eating to gain energy with which to better serve G-d, good prevails. stEp 8: Matza (bLEssing thE Matza) Return the bottom matza to the Seder plate. Holding the remaining one and one-half matzot, recite the blessing for eating matza, ahl ahchilat matza. // Our ancestors fled Egypt with inconceivable haste, leaving no time for the dough that would nourish them to rise. Once
stEp 10: KorEch (sandWich) break off two pieces of the bottom matza (at least one ounce). Take 3/4 ounce of maror, dip it in charoset and shake off the excess. Place the maror between the two pieces of matza and say, “Thus did Hillel do in the time of the Holy Temple…” Recline while eating. // Maror alludes to the wicked, while matza refers to the righteous. Hillel, the great Jewish sage known for his compassion, instructed the righteous to reach out and draw the wicked closer. // Likewise, now that we have felt what it means to break free of slavery on a personal level, it is our obligation to share the experience with others. stEp 11: shuLchan orEch (fEstivE MEaL) In many traditions the meal begins by spring 2012
dipping the hard-boiled egg from the Seder plate in saltwater to symbolize our constant mourning for the destruction of the Holy Temple, and to allude to G-d’s desire to redeem His people. “Ess, mein khind!” // Across the community and throughout the world, we are together at the Seder table. The wise, the wicked, the simple and the innocent, all equal in the eyes of each other and the eyes of G-d. And we remember the fifth son—he who has not yet experienced the freedom of Passover. we are united as one in the common goal of redemption. stEp 12: tzafun (hiddEn) At the conclusion of the Passover meal, children return the Afikoman. Eat at least one ounce of this matzah. Nothing else except the remaining two cups of wine is consumed thereafter. // It was necessary to partake in every step, every ritual, every taste and every thought before the Afikoman is revealed; then, we can become one with its Divine potential. we eat it only when completely satiated because it fulfills a need higher than the hunger for freedom, and we eat nothing afterward so that its taste remains with us. // In the Seder, as with everyday life, there are no shortcuts to the greater dimension. Yet we are always aware that it is present and yearns to reveal itself when we seek with a pure heart. stEp 13: bEirach (gracE aftEr MEaL)
continued from beginning of section
and burning the Chametz, the head of the household says the appropriate prayers, verbally disowning any Chametz that might have been overlooked.
4/6 time to Seder at sundown candles are lit. at nightfall the Seder begins. 4/7 Brighten Up Before the second Seder begins candles are lit after nightfall from a pre-existing flame. tonight we begin to count the Omer, which lasts for 49 days. What’s the Omer? in the Holy temple the Omer was an offering of barley taken from the first grain of the new crop. We count seven weeks, from the bringing of the first Omer offering (Passover) until the day we received the torah (the Festival of Shavuot). the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot represent the 49 steps of mystical selfpurification and preparation our people went through between leaving egypt (Passover) and receiving the torah (Shavuot). Four Intermediates only in between the first two and last two days of Passover, go ahead and function relatively normally. the only exception is, like your mother keeps telling you, you shouldn’t work too hard. But keep the wine flowing; it’s a custom to drink a glass of wine every day of Passover.
Recite the blessing over the third cup of wine, then drink while reclining. In anticipation of our Ultimate Redemption, we now fill a special goblet, the Cup of Elijah. we then open the door to the house and, holding a lit candle, recite the passage inviting the Prophet Elijah to appear. // Imagine all of creation in a state of spiritual and material freedom. Think about a world free of pain and suffering, war and struggles. Imagine all of existence at this level. Imagine yourself, the light of a single candle, ushering in the era of our redemption. stEp 14: haLLEL (songs of praisE) we offer praise to G-d for his mercy and compassion in redeeming our people from Egypt, and in anticipation of our own ultimate redemption. // why does G-d need us to praise Him? He doesn’t, we do. As the kabbalah explains, when we praise His kindness we reveal His compassion. when praying for our needs, we evoke His desire to give. stEp 15: nirtzah (accEptEd) The Seder concludes with the wish, L’shana Ha-ba-ah biYerushalayim. we hope for each other that which our forefathers prayed for while enslaved in Egypt, “Next Year in Jerusalem!” // Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi omitted the passage, “The order of Passover is concluded,” from his Haggadah because the Seder’s message remains timeless. Every day, one leaves Egypt by transcending his limitations, to reach higher levels of holiness. Passover 5772
4/12 And on the Seventh Day at sundown light candles. this day marks the Miracle of the Splitting of the Sea and our total liberation from egypt. in commemoration, we stay up all night studying torah. 4/13 the Finals
after nightfall light candles from a pre-existing flame. this day, the final day of Passover, emphasizes an even higher level of freedom. it is dedicated to our imminent and Final redemption.
4/14 Last But Not Least Yizkor memorial prayers are recited during services. Following the custom of the Ba’al Shem tov, Passover concludes with a “Feast of Moshiach”—a festive meal complete with Matza and, yes, four cups of wine. it begins before sunset and is designed to greet Moshiach, offering us “a glimpse of the Messianic age.” Nightfall marks the official conclusion of Passover. Wait an hour to give the rabbi enough time to buy back your Chametz and then, eat Chametz to your heart’s content.
rEcipEs
From of the award-winning Bitayavon magazine more recipes at Bitayavon.com
THE 5-MINUTE CHICKEN FINGERS (For before or after Passover only)
sher ko
A light, tasty, elegant side dish.
Salt Crusted Striped Bass serves: 4-6 this is an incredible way to serve fish. the taste and presentation is awesome. the salt crust causes the fish to stay moist and mouthwateringly good and the fish does not taste salty at all. You can use any whole white fish and stuff the fish with any herbs, citrus and spices you prefer. Add crushed red pepper, orange, blood orange, fennel, dill, ginger, garlic or bay leaves.
Directions: Cut salsa ingredients into small cubes Pour lemon juice and oil onto salsa
Ingredients: 4 cups kosher salt 2 egg whites a few tablespoons of water 1 whole striped bass (about 2 pounds, cleaned on the inside, fins and scales cleaned, head and tail left on fish) 1 small bunch parsley 1 small bunch basil 1 lemon 1 lime extra virgin olive oil Pinch of black pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Place parchment paper on cookie sheet or flat roasting pan in a large bowl, mix egg whites and salt together add water to the salt mixture a few tablespoons at a time until mixture resembles wet sand Stuff fish with citrus and herbs Place a cupful of salt mixture on the parchment paper Place fish on top of salt Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper Cover fish completely with remaining salt Bake for about thirty minutes or until crust is completely hard and light brown Gently crack salt crust, serve with mango avocado apple salsa
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not
ss pa o
serves: 8
Ingredients: 3 avocados 2 mangos 2 granny smith apples 1 jalapeno finely diced 1/2 cup cilantro 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon oil
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Mango Avocado Apple Salsa
What healthy protein filled dinner can be ready in five minutes with no prep work? i found the secret that’s always a hit with my kids, and with a little fancy sauce and quick side of steamed vegetables, makes an impressive anytime dinner. Here it is: Chicken Fingers by S’better Farms. i keep a stash of these in my freezer for unforeseen crunch times. the ingredients are: skinless, boneless, chicken breast seasoned with chicken flavoring mixture and breaded in rice flour, corn flour, and less than 2% of salt, ground chile, paprika, onion, garlic, spices, egg. Cooking Instructions: Defrost chicken fingers in refrigerator or microwave. simply remove from package and place in fryer (recommended) for 4-5 minutes. or pre heat oven to 400 place chicken fingers on cookie sheet place them in oven for 15-20 minutes. Microwave: Defrost chicken fingers in refrigerator or microwave. open top of tray and place in microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. Quick side of Steamed Asparagus: simply remove asparagus stems and wash well. Boil water in a pot or pan. Drop the fresh asparagus into water for 30 seconds and quickly remove. serve with rice or quinoa. spring 2012
The desire for youthful appearance never ages. But is there a market for those who want to look older, more distinguished? Perhaps someone looking to become a CEO, or… win an election?
students for their piety.) Two: On the day of his appointment he made a statement relating to our Biblical requirement to remember and mention the Exodus every day. And Jews around the world repeat that statement every year, at the Seder. Here’s what he said:
{SECRETS}
I am like a man of 70 years old, yet I did not merit to prove that we are obligated to mention the exodus from Egypt at night. Until Ben Zoma derived it from the following verse (Deuteronomy 16:3): “…that you may remember the day you left Egypt all the days of your life.” “The days of your life” teaches us the daytime obligation; “all the days of your life” is meant to include the nights in the obligation. The Sages say: “The days of your life” refers to this world; “all the days of your life” is meant to include the Messianic age.
FRoM thE KABBALAh
In-Depth haggaDah analysIs Here’s a story about a young rabbi—eighteen years old, to be exact—who acquired the appearance of maturity overnight. Rabbi Elazar, son of Azaryah, lived in the 1st Century CE and was a tenth generation scion of the prophet Ezra. At the age of eighteen, he was asked by the rabbis of the time to become the head of chief rabbi of the Jewish people. He went home and told his wife (yes, people married young those days). She was skeptical: Will people take such a young rabbi seriously? That night, miraculously, he acquired a more mature, elderly and sagacious appearance. Rabbi Elazar took the job. We know two things about his appointment. One: He let anybody who wanted to study into the academy. (His predecessor, a purist, kept guards at the academy doors to screen
Passover 5772
A Few Questions So, first of all, what does he mean to say by “I am like a man of seventy”? The commentators explain that this is an allusion to his overnight aging feat. But if he only looked seventy, why would he be surprised that he had not yet merited to prove his contention? Secondly, why “seventy?” Why not “I am like an old man” or something like that? (See sidebar for the answer.) Finally, if we break it down, there are two not so obvious things that he wishes to set straight: 1) We are required to remember the Exodus even at night, and 2)
“
the mark of a true leader is the ability to imbue our physical lives in this world, even our “nights,” with redemption—to unite exile and redemption, to enable a Jew in exile to transcend exile and operate in an atmosphere akin to the days of Mashiach. May they be soon.
even after we enter the Messianic age. But what is so central about this statement that he chooses to say it on the day of his appointment? So let’s delve a little deeper into Rabbi Elazar’s two points:
Nighttime Exodus: Night and day in a spiritual sense refers to spiritual darkness and spiritual light. Experiencing the “Exodus,” overcoming the obstacles to G-dly living, is certainly possible during the “day,” when we feel G-d’s light and presence. Rabbi Elazar sought to prove that even at “night,” in times of Exile when G-d is concealed, we must still “mention the Exodus,” we have the capacity to transcend the darkness.
the Exodus Continuum The Sages state that we must remember the Exodus even in the Messianic age. But why remember the Exodus from Egypt, which did not transform the world and did not eradicate evil, once we experience the future, eternal and all-encompassing redemption? This question arises from viewing the future redemption as a new and foreign event, a departure from the world we know. But in citing the Sages, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah refutes this misconception: The Exodus and the future redemption are not two separate redemptions, whereby one might supersede the other. They form a continuum of one redemption which began with the Exodus, continues throughout our history, and culminates with the future redemption. The Exodus, then, is synonymous with the future redemption and will therefore be remembered at that time. Hence the homiletic reading of the Sages’ words: All the days of your life—to bring the days of Mashiach. Throughout this millennia-long “interruption,” we
should remain uncomfortable in the exile, remembering that it is not an end in itself. Remembering the Exodus all the days of your life—in this world—brings the spirit of the days of Mashiach into our current world of exile, and brings ultimately to the actual days of Mashiach.
the Day he Became Nassi Rabbi Elazar was therefore preoccupied with this teaching—the relevance of the Exodus even during the “night” of exile, and that the Exodus leads to the future redemption—on the day he became the leader. A primary function of a Jewish leader is to uplift the people from their exilic mentality, to peel back the façade of exile. That’s why Rabbi Elazar removed the guards from the study hall, opening it even to those less pious and formerly ostracized students.Rabbi Elazar succeeded in transforming those students, to bring redemption, the “Exodus,” to a place of spiritual night (the less pious students), and imbue it with the spirit of the days of Mashiach. *** The mark of a true leader is the ability to imbue our physical lives in this world, even our “nights,” with redemption—to unite exile and redemption, to enable a Jew in exile to transcend exile and operate in an atmosphere akin to the days of Mashiach. May they be soon. *** excerpts from the passover haggadah with Commentary from the Classic Commentators, Midrash, Kabbalah, the Chasidic Masters and the haggadah of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, authored and translated by rabbi Yosef B. Marcus. the Haggadah is available at www.Kehot.com
Seventy and
(Ayin)
Seventy represents the perfection of one’s seven emotions, when each emotion is fully developed and balanced by its ten facets. in addition, seventy is associated with earthliness, as in “the seventy nations of the world.” achieving the level of 70 refers to refining one’s portion of the world, elevating one’s earthly self and sphere of influence. the Hebrew letter that represents 70 is ayin, which means “eye.” One who attains the level of “70” develops a holy “eye,” being able to not only understand G-dliness as an abstract reality, but to “see” G-dliness, to know it as one knows what the eyes can see. (this is the significance of the large ayin in the word Shema.) For rabbi elazar to become the leader, he had to be “70.” this enabled him to “mention the exodus at night”—to experience exodus even amid spiritual darkness, and to “include the days of Mashiach,” to internalize and project the future world, when all seventy nations will be transformed, when our eyes will see the Divine reality.
What’s in a Name? Both the names e-lazar and azary-h connote “Divine assistance.” taken together, the name connotes a double measure of Divine assistance. rabbi elazar was given a unique ability from G-d to be a nassi, a Jewish leader, and in that capacity enabled his flock to remember and experience “exodus” even during the “night” of exile and to imbue all the days of their lives with the spirit of the days of Mashiach. spring 2012
1
ט ניסן
9 Nissan
8
טז ניסן
16 Nissan
15
כג ניסן
23 Nissan
SUN.
Omer 1
Kosher Night Out
2
י ניסן
10 Nissan
Omer 8
2nd day of Passover
In loving memory of Yosef Yitzchak Altein
In the evening count Omer 2 Holiday ends at 8:53pm
In the evening count Omer 9
9
יז ניסן
17 Nissan
Issru Chag
16
MON.
Omer 2
1st Intermediate day
3
יא ניסן
11 Nissan
Omer 9
In the evening count Omer 3
In the evening count Omer 10
10
17
יח ניסן
18 Nissan
TUE.
Omer 3
יב ניסן
12 Nissan
Omer 10
In the evening count Omer 4
11
18
יט ניסן
19 Nissan
WED.
Omer 4
3rd Intermediate day
5
יג ניסן
13 Nissan
כה ניסן
25 Nissan
In loving memory of David Yakov In the evening count Omer 11
2nd Intermediate day
4
כד ניסן
24 Nissan
כו ניסן
26 Nissan Omer 11
In the evening count Omer 5
In the evening count Omer 12
12
19
כ ניסן
20 Nissan Omer 5
כז ניסן
27 Nissan
Omer 12
THU.
Eiruv Tavshilin 4th Intermediate day
6
יד ניסן
14 Nissan
In the evening count Omer 6 Light candles at 8:01pm
In the evening count Omer 13
13
20
כא ניסן
21 Nissan Omer 6
כח ניסן
28 Nissan Omer 13
FRI.
Eat chometz untill 11:19am Destroy chometz by 12:25pm
Fast of the Firstborn First Seder
7st day of Passover
Light candles at 7:51pm
7
טו ניסן
15 Nissan
In the evening count Omer 7 Light candles at 8:02pm
In the evening count Omer 14 Light candles at 8:14pm
14
21
כב ניסן
22 Nissan
SAT.
Omer 7 Second Seder 1st day of Passover In the evening count Omer 1 Light candles after 8:51pm
Moshiach Seuda Yizkor 8th day of Passover
In the evening count Omer 8 Holiday ends at 9:03pm
כט ניסן
29 Nissan
Omer 14 SHEMINI
Pirkei-Avot: Chapter 1 Blessing of the new month New moon: 10:17 3/18 AM In the evening count Omer 15 Shabbat ends at 9:27pm
I arrive early at the Waldorf for our one hour face-toface at 2 pm, the Sunday before Passover. He’s there already, sipping red wine and reading the Times. I wasn’t expecting ancient Egyptian regalia, nor was I prepared to see the Pharaoh dressed like a Chicago mafia boss. He gives me a half-smile and wimpy handshake, then motions for me to sit down. Pharaoh: So you got your matzahs yet? SW (nervous laugh and a nod): There’s so much to ask, but I figured I’d start with something that always bugged me. I mean, you had this decree where
tell you: Even Pharaohs are not immune to the requests of a daughter. Anyway, we had reason to believe, astrologically and based on our other intelligence, that the redeemer had been drowned. Still, I had my doubts, especially since Moses, as a baby, kept reaching for my crown. (Laughs.) So we did this thing where we put out two trays, one with royal jewels and the other with hot coals. This was like a test, to see what his ambitions were, you know. And at first he starts going for the jewels, and I’m thinking that’s the end of this kid—daughter, no daughter. But then at the last moment, almost like an angel or something grabbed his hand, and he goes for the coals. I think he even put it in his mouth and that’s how got the speech impediment. So we let him stay.
EXCLUSIVE: INtERVIEW WIth thE phARAoh
Eventually, though, I gave the order for him to be eliminated, after he took out one of our guards who was beating a Jew. Somehow he got away and we didn’t hear from him for 60 years or something. SW: If I could just jump ahead…. So you have all these plagues: blood, frogs, and all that. Yet you won’t let the Jews go. Why not? Pharaoh: Well, at first it’s just instinct. People, especially dictators, have a lot of trouble letting go. These people were our slaves and a couple of frogs jumping around was not going to make me let them go. I did not think Moses had some special power, because my wizards were able to duplicate the first two plagues. SW: But the third plague changes things?
all the Jewish kids had to be killed, but then you let one grow up in your palace? What is up with that? Pharaoh (chuckles and puts down the paper): You know the whole thing with the newborns…We did a lot of astrology back then. Not like the horoscopes you have today, I’m talking about the real thing. So we knew that a kid, a boy to be more precise, would be born who would redeem the Jews. So I figured—actually, I don’t remember if it was me, or someone else—we kill all the male newborn Jews and we’re good. SW: So when your daughter comes home with this child, who was Jewish, why did you let her adopt him? Seems, I don’t know, counterintuitive. Pharaoh: Hey, watch it, that’s a big word. But let me ask you, you have a daughter? Didn’t think so. Let me
Pharaoh: In a way, yes. After the third plague, I remember the top wizard coming in to me with this defeated look and he kind of mumbles something. And I’m shouting at him and banging that stick I always had until he finally says, “We can’t duplicate the plague. We are not in the same league as Moses. He obviously has some Higher Power that he is contact with.” SW: I think the words were: “It is the finger of G-d?” Yet even after this plague and a bunch more, you keep being…well…stubborn. Pharaoh: Yes. But I would caution you, or your readers, from judging. I don’t think my behavior was so unusual. I mean, you have people who engage in unhealthy behavior until it finally backfires on them and they supposedly reform. But as soon as they forget their last hangover, it’s back to same old same old. And the cycle continues. SW: But not everybody has the Creator sending them personal messages. Pharaoh: Alright, I can give you that, though I’m not spring 2012
sure I was all that different there either. I guess at some point it becomes a power struggle. You don’t want to give in. Male ego, maybe? (Laughs.) You know, at the time it just seemed impossible to resign myself to another being, even if that being was the Creator. In my mind, I was the end all and be all. I had convinced myself that I had created myself and that I could do whatever I wanted. All these plagues were just a bad dream that would soon go away and things would be back to normal. Didn’t quite work out that way.
“..anyway, we had reason to believe, astrologically and based on our other intelligence, that the redeemer had been drowned. still, i had my doubts, especially since Moses, as a baby, kept reaching for my crown...” SW: Looking back, how would you have done things differently? Pharaoh: Let me give you a metaphor. A king once instructed his servant to bring him a fish from the market. The servant went out to the market and returned with a rotten fish. As a punishment, the servant was offered three choices: 1) eat the rotten fish, 2) take 100 lashes, or 3) pay a 10,000 dollar fine. The servant decided to eat the fish. He forced himself to take bite after bite, but in the end he was so repulsed that he couldn’t bring himself to finish it. At that point, the 100 lashes looked more appealing than finishing the fish, so he changed his mind and decided to take the 100 lashes. After sixty lashes, the pain was so unbearable that he couldn’t take it anymore. He decided to pay the fine. I’m the servant in the metaphor. I knew the right thing for me to do was to let the Jews out. But I resisted. So first I “ate the rotten fish”—we suffered the first three plagues. Then we were “whipped” with the next three plagues. In the last four plagues, we were forced to “pay”—our crops were destroyed by the hail and locust; our possessions were discovered (and later taken out of Egypt) by the Israelites during the plague of darkness. And after all that, I was still forced to let the Jews out after the plague of the firstborn. I would suggest to you readers not to make the same mistake as I did. We all have something that we need to do. We all know it. Yet we keep pushing it off and avoiding it. We distract ourselves from it with other things. Eventually we’re gonna have to do it. So why make it painful for ourselves and others? To quote one of my favorite advertising campaigns: Just do it. SW: Thank you. Pharaoh: Anytime. Happy Pesach.
Passover 5772
no MEss prE passovEr dinnErAppliance idEas World america’s only Kosher corn dog
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it’s a family tradition that we eat corndogs for dinner while mom prepares for Passover. the kids sure don’t mind, and preparation is easy enough for any dad. But it wasn’t till recently that i went to meet America’s only Kosher Corndog maker. s’Better farms is located in Los Angeles, California and i was happy to see that the corn dogs are produced in a segregated area keeping them completely wheat and gluten free. America’s only Kosher Corn Dog can be found in your supermarket’s frozen food section. these premade frozen delights simply need to be thawed and then fried. You can even microwave those meals-on-a-stick if the kids are that hungry. i would recommend preparing the corn dogs in the oven or better yet, in a large fryer. step one is to defrost the corn dogs in refrigerator or microwave. Preheat oven or fryer oil to 350of. step two is to gently remove corn dogs from package and place on cookie sheet or directly into the fryer. Cook for 10-15 minutes in oven or 3-4 minutes in fryer. if that’s not fast enough, you can microwave a single corn dog in 1-2 minutes. My kids love dipping the corn dogs in ketchup and mustard, so be sure to provide some dipping options. Corn Dog’s make for the ultimate easy and fun dinner for kids of all ages. no wonder national corn dog day is always right before Passover. s’Better farms Corn Dogs are sold at sprouts, Winn Dixxie, shoprite, Krogers and more. to find a Kosher Corn Dog near you visit sbetterfarms.com
on women & robots
By Shira Gold • Book Editor SoulWiSE MaGazinE As the book editor, my job comes with many perks. Mostly it’s the books. I’ll get samples or e-mails almost daily notifying me about upcoming titles. But, that’s not the only bonus. Recently a new book on the role of the Jewish Woman caught my eye. I quickly called the publisher and was soon talking to the author. I discovered that Naomi Zirkind, author of Strength and Dignity, is a Chasidic woman, the mother of many children and the lone woman on a ten-member military engineering team working on ways to enable robots to perform intelligent functions and communicate with each other to do military missions. I couldn’t help but wonder how Naomi can clean her house for Passover, prepare meals for her children and still find time to write a book. I also wondered how a nice Jewish girl ended up in robotics. Growing up in a Rabbi’s home in Minnesota, Naomi remembers being interested in science since she was a young child. “One of my favorite books as a child was The How and Why Wonder Book of Planets and Interplanetary Travel,” she said, so, when it came time for her to apply to colleges, it was only natural that she would seek the top technological universities in this country. Naomi went to MIT and graduated with
a Ph.D. in electrical engineering. That, no doubt, gave her the skills to land a part-time job as a biomedical engineering research associate at the New Jersey Institute of Technology after having spent 11 years as a full-time homemaker. It was later, in 2005, that she joined a new robotics team at the U.S. Army’s Picatinny Arsenal, near Dover, New Jersey. Thanks to her team, hundreds of robots are able to spare human lives today by driving around looking for roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As a mother who had seen her son study a chassidic discourse for his bar mitzvah, Naomi wondered what unique book she could give her daughter.
to get a robot to think like a human would be the ultimate. it’s as if nature is the gold standard for robotic performance. to me, this is a total negation of the evolution theory, which asserts that we humans got to be the way we are from a series of random mutations.
It was also at MIT that the girl that was inspired by The How and Why Wonder book discovered the vast world of Chabad philosophy. Naomi still spends time studying and writing about the works of the Rebbe and Chabad. But it wasn’t until her eldest daughters’ bat mitzvah that Naomi decided to write the book.
“I decided to study a selection from the Rebbe’s writings about women with my daughter once a week. I endeavored to find a text about one of the roles of women, which would relate to a topic in the Torah portion for that week. In
spring 2012
the process of working on this project, I began to feel the immense value of this collection of the Rebbe’s writings. It has been a helpful guide for me in a variety of situations throughout my life. Since the chapters are related to the Torah portions, it is also a source of weekly inspiration. Because these teachings are so precious, I have worked hard to transform them into a book that could be useful to all Jewish women.”
Strength and Dignity: Torah Wisdom for Women on their Multitude of Vital Roles is a valuable resource for Jewish women of all ages - from young women preparing to establish a Jewish home, to teachers for use in lesson planning, to parents raising children and serving as the mainstay of their home, to all women seeking greater insight into their roles. The book is a collection of talks and letters of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, on the various roles of Jewish women as illuminated by the Torah, arranged according to the weekly Torah portions. In this book, the reader will find timely messages of encouragement, guidance and inspiration. The book was compiled without any robotic assistance, but Naomi is happy to admit that
Passover 5772
at home it’s her husband that helps out with the chores. “I certainly couldn’t do it without his help. He does most of the household work, and our children help a lot as well. I put the children to bed at night, and spend some time with them then. I make challah on Sunday and freeze it until Shabbat. I prepare other Shabbat food at night after the children go to sleep.” When it comes to balancing work and home life, Naomi says “It’s just a matter of figuring out all the things that need to be done, and allocating time to do them.” I’m happy she allocated time for this article because of what happened next. You see, I had read that Chabad philosophy teaches that everything we come across has an inherent lesson in it and I couldn’t resist asking Naomi for her personal Chasidic take on robotics. “A robot seems to have servitude. It obeys every command unquestioningly (except when it malfunctions). Of course its obedience is mindless, so it is not something for us to emulate. It is actually a negative example. I try to be careful not to do mitzvot like a robot, but to put thought and feeling into doing mitzvot.” And then she continued: “A very interesting thing
about robotics is the extent to which robotics researchers try to imitate nature in their designs. They design robots that walk like a four legged animal or like a human, that crawl like a snake, that climb vertical walls like an insect, that fly like a bird, etc. To get a robot to think like a human would be the ultimate. It’s as if nature is the gold standard for robotic performance. To me, this is a total negation of the evolution theory, which asserts that we humans got to be the way we are from a series of random mutations. The research in robotics shows just a tiny bit of how much intelligence is behind the designs in nature, and how this intelligence is so far beyond human intelligence. Our most intelligent designs are pale imitations of the complexity and brilliance of the designs in nature. So of course nature didn’t get here by random occurrences. I would love to see the day when robotics researchers will reach this conclusion and realize that it is G-d who designs the world.” I still can’t help but wonder how she has time for everything. But, that’s the second perk. You get to meet people like Naomi. Strength and Dignity is sold on mikvah.org.
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ask Human Questions
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Heavenly Answers!
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Q: i Will be hosting a seder for my extended family, and i’m panicking since i have never led a seder before. can you help?
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Q: Why don’t We have frog-jumping, sea-splitting miracles today? a: blatant miracles are like training wheels. They’re
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for kids. In the early years of our nationhood, Gd assisted us in our struggle between right and wrong by frequently, and openly, interfering in the happenings of this world. a miracle opens the eyes to a higher truth and motivates a person to want to connect to this higher reality through Torah and Mitzvot.
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ultimately, however, we need to mature. We need to be able to ride the bike with our own two wheels; we need to face life’s struggle with our own strengths. The Messianic Era is the consummation of our relationship with G-d, and to earn this privilege we have to prove that the relationship is real to us, so real that we maintain this relationship even in the absence of any revealed reciprocation from G-d.
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yet in truth, we are the greatest miracle of all: our ability to steadfastly remain loyal to G-d throughout two thousand years of temptation despite the spiritual blackness that surrounds us.
about askmoses.com AskMoses.com is a vibrant, innovative online resource offering instant advice from the qualified men, women and Rabbis on our team of expert scholars. These scholars are available 24 hours a day, 6 days a week, and stand ready to address topics ranging from simple questions about Jewish holidays to complex inquiries on personal issues. Visit AskMoses.com for more information.
a: yes, I can help. So relax. The word “seder” actually
means “order,” and there’s an organized book called the haggadah that leads one through the Seder. I would suggest getting “The annotated haggadah for Passover” at www.kehot.com. you can even have them ship you one for each person attending. (also, see the Farblingbling page in this magazine for your matzah needs.) and good luck.
Q: i don’t like matzah, but i love the Wine. is there anything you can do to help me? a: Well, I can try to interpret what your taste buds
are telling you. you see, matzah is flat and tasteless; it is called poor man’s bread. It represents the poor spiritual state of the Jews during the Exodus. They were still intellectually and emotionally in Egypt. Their relationship with G-d was based on faith alone; it was not a full, developed and “tasty” relationship. Wine, on the other hand, represents fullness, taste, and joy. This was the state of the Jews after the fortynine days of preparation leading up to the giving of the Torah. by then, their relationship with G-d had developed to a point that their faith was consistent with what was going on in their minds and hearts.
do you i-mose? come log-on at askmoses.com
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