Magazine «Orh Chaim Ve Moshe» N 6

Transcription

1 Magazine «Orh Chaim Ve Moshe» N 6 TICHRI 5766 SEPTEMBER 2005 M A G A Z I N E O F F E R E D G R A C E F U L LY B Y A S S O C I AT I O N S P I N TO

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3 CONTENTS Contents THE GREAT INAUGURATION... 3 SHALHEVET MORDECHAI DISTRIBUTING THOUSANDS OF MEALS FOR PASSOVER... 9 THE HILLOULA OF RABBI HAIM PINTO ZATZAL SHALOM BAYIT PEACE IN THE HOME NOT SIMPLY A WISH, A DUTY THE IMPORTANCE OF ELUL EMPIRE OF THORA THE WEDDING OF SARAH RUBY AÏSSA TO BE A JEW THE MIRACULOUS STONES OF MOUNT SINAI LETTERS FROM OUR READERS UNDER AEGIS OF RABBI DAVID HANANIA PINTO CHLITA PARIS - ORH HAIM VEMOSHE 11, RUE DU PLATEAU PARIS FRANCE TEL: FAX: LYON - HEVRAT PINTO 20 BIS, RUE DES MÛRIERS VILLEURBANNE FRANCE TEL: FAX: U.S.A - CHEVRAT PINTO 8 MORRIS ROAD - SPRING VALLEY NY U.S.A TEL: FAX: ISRAEL - ASHDOD OROT HAÏM OU MOSHE REHOV HA-ADMOUR MI-BELZ 41/6 ASHDOD ISRAËL TEL: FAX: ISRAEL - JERUSALEM KOLLEL OROTH HAIM OU MOSHE KOLLEL MISHKAN BETSALEL YÉCHIVAT NEFESH HAIM REHOV BAYIT VAGAN 97 JERUSALEM ISRAEL TEL: FAX: Web Site:

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5 THE GREAT INAUGURATION Thousands of people participated in the opening ceremony for the inauguration of the Orot Haim OuMoshe institution in Ashdod, the Nefesh Haim yeshiva and the Mishkan Betzalel kollel in Jerusalem, all under the auspices of Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita. Also inaugurated in this ceremony were four Sifrei Torah. Among the participants were great Jewish figures such as Rebbes, Roshei Yeshivot, Rabbis from Ashdod, and Roshei Yeshivot and Roshei Kollelim from Jerusalem and their students During a magnificent ceremony filled with the joy of Torah, thousands of people, with leading Torah figures at their head, celebrated the inauguration of the Orot Haim OuMoshe edifice in Ashdod, which is directed by the tzaddik Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita. Also inaugurated were four Sifrei Torah and the Nefesh Haim yeshiva and Mishkan Betzalel kollel in Jerusalem. Thousands of people arrived in Ashdod from all across Israel, as well as from numerous other countries, to participate in this Torah celebration. By that afternoon all the roads leading to Ashdod (especially the city s Gimel district) were already darkened by crowds. The simplest of people mixed with great talmidei chachamim, with everyone dressed in holiday attire and heading in one direction the inauguration ceremony. This great ceremony began in a trailer that, even today, is a focal point for spiritual activities by organizations in Ashdod. It began with the completion of four new Sifrei Torah, specifically written for the occasion, by the inscription of their final letters and the stitching of their parchments. The final inscription of the letters was assigned to the following gaonim: Rabbi David Yossef Shlita (the Rav of the Har Nof district of Jerusalem and the director of the city s Yichave Da at Beit Midrash), Rabbi Messod ben Shimon Shlita, Rabbanim from the Ramat Elchanan district of Bnei Brak, and to public figures and donors from around the world who contributed to the writing of the Sifrei Torah and the construction of the edifice being inaugurated. The last letter was written by the main party involved in the celebration, Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita, who 5

6 wrote it with a sense of great joy and holiness. Immediately after praying Mincha, which a great number of people participated in, the procession of the Sifrei Torah began. Amidst singing and dancing, all the participants felt great emotion before the impressive sight of four new Sifrei Torah being inaugurated together. When this immense procession arrived before the new edifice, people could hear the music of Rabbi Israel Parnass special band, which performed during the entire evening and did a superb job of entertaining everyone. As soon as the Sifrei Torah were inaugurated, the celebration began, with a host of great Torah figures in attendance making the event shine. A person normally begins a speech by praising the one whom he is introducing, which is exactly what the Mayor of Ashdod, Zvi Zilker, did. In the name of all the city s residents, he expressed his great joy at the inauguration of one of the most beautiful buildings in Israel, one in which activities have been planned for every day of the year and every hour of the day. We, the residents of the city of Ashdod, are proud of the so very important activities of the tzaddik Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita, who thanks to his continual travels throughout the world to serve the people, brings us great strength. The Blessing of Rav Pinto dal Torah and Rav of the city s Ezor Beit) began the divrei Torah and blessings. He noted that we were very fortunate to participate in the inauguration of this syna- The gaon Rabbi Saadia Aribi Shlita (the Rosh Yeshiva of Yiggogue, one under the direction of the tzaddik Rabbi David Hanania Pinto, the son of the holy Rabbi Moshe Aaron, may his merit protect us, and going back further, a descendant of Rabbi Yehoshiyahu Pinto, may his merit protect us, the Rif on Ein Yaakov. The gaon Rabbi David Yossef Shlita (the Rav of Har Nof and the director of the Yichave Da at Beit Midrash) began his discourse by transmitting the blessing of our teacher the Rishon Letzion Shlita. He then spoke about the passages dealing with the offerings, the subject of the previous parshiot. Over these past few years, I ve had the chance of getting to know the tzaddik Rabbi David Pinto. He has succeeded in building a magnificent miniature Temple. I don t know if anything like it exists elsewhere, but I want to add that with Rabbi David, it s not only on the outside, but on the inside that he is imbued with Torah and the fear of Heaven a love for Hashem both inside and out. Rabbi David s reputation precedes him. He brings many people to Torah, guiding our distant brothers closer to our Father in Heaven and bringing them under the wings of the Shechinah all around the world. He establishes Torah institutions, yeshivot, and 6

7 kollelim, which is a blessing for the Jewish people. By his merit, numerous Jews have come closer to Judaism. I would like, in the name of my father and my teacher Shlita, to bestow upon him the blessing of being able to continue his noble activities in the service of the Torah until the coming of Mashiach, may he come speedily and in our days. The gaon Rabbi Yosef Sheinin Shlita, the Rav of Ashdod, spoke of the Torah s great joy for the inauguration of a synagogue and a Beit Midrash, as well as for the inauguration of four Sifrei Torah that would rejoin Hashem s Ark. The gaon Rabbi Reuven Elbaz Shlita, the Rosh Yeshiva of Ohr HaChaim in Jerusalem, continued with the recitation of Shecheyanu in honor of this day s celebration for the Rav, one close to Hashem and the Torah, the Sages, and all the community of Israel. The Rav is a gaon and tzaddik of noble lineage, whose ancestors supported and spread the holy Torah among Sephardic Jewry. From the eminent Pinto family, the gaon Rabbi David Pinto Shlita spreads the light of Torah throughout the world with unstinting devotion. The gaon Rabbi Yedidia Assaraf Shlita, the Rosh Kollel in Lyon, described the numerous activities of the Rav, who has brought many people under the wings of the Shechinah. His community comprises some 30,000 people, most of whom are mitzvot observant. All this has come as a result of the Rav s activities. In Honor of the Torah and the Great Men of Torah Deep feelings of emotion were felt when the tzaddik Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita was called upon to speak. The song Yamim al yemei melech tosif burst out among the crowd, and even the most distinguished rabbis began to dance for the Torah and the great men of Torah for many long minutes. The Rav began by the verse Mizmor shir chanukat habayit le- David ( A psalm, a song for the inauguration of the house, by David Psalms 30:1), explaining it by the words of the Sages. He continued by speaking of the fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, considers good intentions along with deeds. The Torah of Your mouth is better for me than thousands in gold and silver [Psalms 119:72]. Among those gathered here is a Jew who has given me tremendous help, and in his humility he is seated among the crowd. Each person has his own particularly way of coming closer to the Holy One, blessed be He, and this Jew began to draw closer by the merit of his deeds. He had often heard people speaking of the different Torah courses being given in various places, yet he never took the time to come and participate. When he did come and hear what was being said, he understood that up to that point he had followed a path of vanity, and so he 7

8 began to draw closer to his Father in Heaven. Mizmor shir chanukat habayit in this building there will be a kollel, and on the fifth floor a yeshiva is planned, where there will be absolutely everything. A great deal of money was lost during the construction of this building. A generous man had given me enough of a donation to construct an entire floor, but many losses were incurred during the construction, losses that, upon calculation, proved to be exactly equal to the man s contribution! I am very careful not to accept donations from money that results from a desecration of Shabbat. However it turned out that the donation of this Jew stemmed from just that a desecration of Shabbat. Each person has his own point of view. Many people have said to me, The Gimel district isn t considered a wealthy neighborhood. Why did you build such a luxurious building there, of all places? It would have been better to build it in a more affluent neighborhood! I respond by saying, You are mistaken. Here we have true wealth, which exists only where people study Torah. Here there is a great deal of Torah, and here people are rich in Torah. It is here that it is fitting to prepare a Mizmor shir chanukat habayit ledavid. At the end of these impassioned words, the Rav thanked his family, praying for their spiritual well-being and their Torah. He also blessed his daughter and son-in-law, who had married a day earlier, that their home be established on the foundations of Torah. This is a place that we can call holy, meaning that it is devoted entirely to Hashem, the Rav stressed. He finished with words of Torah for everyone who had contributed to the construction, be it by their money or through their efforts. Among these was Rabbi Eliyahu Sitbon, who had succeeded in directing this great work, and the donors who were essential for the building and the Sifrei Torah. These individuals had arrived from the United States and France, and the Rav wished them every good thing by the merit of their help in the construction of this great edifice, where the sounds of the holy Torah would be heard. The Joy of the Torah At that point the gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Ezrachi Shlita, among the Roshei Yeshivot of Mir, gave a stirring speech: My dear and close friend, the gaon and tzaddik who is devoted to every Jew Rabbi David may Hashem guard and protect him! It is a great merit that the inauguration of this building by Rabbi David, this ceremony, speaks for itself. The Sifrei Torah that you, Rabbi David, were worthy of inaugurating here, and the bnei Torah whose spiritual elevation you work for without end, these are your witnesses and your immeasurable merits, and in this world they will also have an beneficial influence on the inauguration of your private home, which encompasses the home of your newlymarried daughter. 8

9 Next, a unique sight began to unfold before the eyes of the audience when Rabbi Yitzchak Ezrachi took the microphone and, along with Rabbi Israel Parnass, sang Tehi Hasha ah HaZot. The emotion created by this fervent song affected all those present, and the dancing circle created by the numerous bnei Torah began to grow ever larger. It was an unforgettable experience. The great gaon Rabbi Berman Shlita, the son-in-law of Rabbi Shach Zatzal and the director of the Rashbi institutions in Bnei Brak, spoke of the merit of the tzaddik Rabbi David. He spoke of Rabbi David s merit for having brought closer those who were far from their Father in Heaven and Torah: This is a very great thing in Hashem s eyes, just as was merit of King David when he neglected his own honor to dance before the Ark of the Covenant, thanks to which the gates of the Temple opened during its inauguration. The gaon Rabbi Sebag Shlita, the director of the Tiferet Moshe institution in Bnei Brak, spoke of the meaning of the verse, As the deer longs for brooks of water (Psalms 42:2). He said that deer find shelter from their pursuers 9

10 among the vegetation that grows near flowing streams. Thus the merit of Rabbi David protects Jews by sheltering them under the wings of the Shechinah. We could see the chain of transmission of the Torah when the gaon Rabbi David Pinto paid honor to his own teacher, the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Zev Kaufman Shlita, the Rav and Rosh Kollel of Manchester, England. Rabbi David stated that he owed him much, telling people: Look at him carefully, for he is a man immersed in Torah day and night. The gaon Rabbi Kaufman expressed his joy at seeing such an impressive thing as the Torah activities, up to the present day, of one who was his student from his youth, blessing him that he too should enjoy great satisfaction from all his work. The gaon Rabbi Avraham Altman Shlita, the Rosh Yeshiva of Ateret Tzvi, gave a blessing in Spanish to all who had arrived from overseas to participate in the inauguration ceremony for the synagogue and the four Sifrei Torah. He underlined that the donors had special merit, for the Sifrei Torah which they funded has now entered the ark of a synagogue where Torah is studied day and night, and in which people pray each day of the week from morning till night. While he was speaking, the Rebbe of Toldot Aaron arrived, receiving an enthusiastic and joyous welcome. This was followed by Orech Yamim bursting out in song upon the arrival of the eldest of the Roshei Yeshivot of our generation, the great gaon Rabbi Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz Shlita. All who were seated at the podium came down to welcome him, and the gaon Rabbi David Pinto stressed just how important his presence was for him, wishing the gaon a long life. Rabbi Michel Yehuda began the central part of the evening by the following words: With the permission of the great Rav in Torah and good deeds, Rav Pinto Shlita, we first wish him every success for himself and his family. May the Shechinah rest upon his family measure for measure, for Rav Pinto devotes himself entirely to constructing Torah institutions and stirs people to study Torah. Therefore may the Holy One, blessed be He, give him his reward measure for measure: May the home of his daughter and son-in-law be completely filled with light, the light of the Torah. May the Shechinah rest among them in order to build a great dwelling in Israel. The impressive ceremony ended with the departure of the great Torah figures, accompanied by thousands of those in attendance dancing and singing in honor of the Torah. It was a moment that left an indelible impression on each of the participants, an experience that strengthened them all. 10

11 SHALHEVET MORDECHAI DISTRIBUTING THOUSANDS OF MEALS FOR PASSOVER SHE WAS STANDING NEXT TO THE TRUCK, WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO COME AND UNLOAD IT AT ANY MINUTE. LIKE HER, ABOUT 20 OTHER RIGHTEOUS WOMEN WERE EAGERLY WAITING THERE. ALL THEY WANTED WAS TO BRING FOOD BACK HOME, ENABLING THEM TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAY. She was standing next to the truck, waiting for someone to come and unload it at any minute. Like her, about 20 other righteous women were eagerly waiting there. All they wanted was to bring food back home, enabling them to enjoy the holiday with special meals of fish and chicken. Perhaps if they were fortunate, they might also obtain meat and some candies for the children. A truck loaded with good things arrived from Ashdod and began to unload its merchandise. A long line of yeshiva bochurs stood along the path that led to Sderot s Torah high school, as one crate after another was moved into a large hall, a process that took more than an hour. The hall started filling with containers of food for the needy, parcels of Kimcha DePischa (Passover food). Written on a large sign overhead was, Shalhevet Mordechai. Distribution of Kimcha DePischa, with the support of the tzaddik Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita. I was surprised. Here, in Sderot of all places? Yes, the director of the organization, Rabbi Messod Rebibo told me. The Rav wanted to lift the spirits of the residents, who ve recently been threatened by missile attacks. Families began to arrive one after the other, and it was a joyful moment for everyone. This year, for Passover 5765, they could bring home a basket filled with food, including shmura matzah. Rabbi Messod said, We prefer to invest a little more money so these families can eat shmura matzah on the Seder night. It s expensive, but if we don t do it for them, who will? It was truly remarkable. A woman by the name of Anat, a mother of five, said to me: The merit of the tzaddikim will help us, and with Hashem s help this will bring us good things for the entire year. Anat s story reflects the situation of the country in various neighborhoods and small cities. She is a wife and mother whose husband works part-time. Their income amounts to 4,000 NIS. With that I have to pay 1,600 NIS for the mortgage on the house, 400 NIS for electricity, 120 NIS for water, 200 NIS for the telephone, and 500 NIS for my children s schooling and transportation. I m left with 1,180 NIS, and with that I have to buy diapers, milk and cheese, fruits & vegetables, bread and other basics, and also cleaning products. As for meat, fish and chicken, they re never on the table other than on Shabbat, when we eat mostly fish and chicken. It is a great sanctification of Hashem s Name. Thousands upon thousands of people gather to collect a basket for the holiday, regardless of whether they are Ashkenaz or Sephardic, orthodox or secular. The injunction of Kol dichfeen yaytay v yachul ( Let all who hunger come eat ) on the Seder night does not just speak of the needy, as the direct sense would suggest. It is also a command to bring closer those who are far, for they too are needy in spirit. We must realize that we, as wealthy people, must bring them closer and invite them to our Seder table. They will then realize the difference between chametz and matzah. Thank G-d, these last years have witnessed Seder nights that were observed by a great number of 11

12 people. Not only have they satiated the physical appetites of the needy, but they also served to satiate minds and souls by the words of the living G-d. These communal Seders nights are truly special. All in all, the participants are simple people, with some living alone and others without a fixed address. Most of them, up until today, are new immigrants. It is only during these Seder meals that have an opportunity to become familiar with Judaism and can start to understand it. It is therefore a sacred duty just as we prepare matzot for Kimcha DePischa and distribute meals to the poor, to the needy, to large families to encourage them yet a little more by organizing communal Seders. Who knows how many Jews, following this experience, have strengthened their Torah observance? A person who does not have the financial means or ability to organize such a Seder has the duty to make an effort to invite to his home a spiritually distant Jew. He must invite him to sit together at the Seder table so he may witness the enthusiastic sight of a united family, of children who ask the four questions, and the words of the Sages on the Haggadah. It is in this way that we can return such Jews to their Father in Heaven throughout the year. With Hashem s help, In Nissan they were redeemed, and in Nissan they will be redeemed (Rosh Hashanah 11a). This year the Shalhevet Mordechai organization distributed Kimcha DePischa in unprecedented quantities to thousands of needy families living in Bnei Brak and Ashdod. Also for the first time this year, and with the help of the Rav and Tzaddik Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita, assistance was provided to families living in Sderot. As happens every year with the approaching Passover holidays, dozens of volunteers from the Shalhevet Mordechai organization participated in the distribution of Kimcha DePischa (Passover food) to thousands of needy families in Bnei Brak and Ashdod. Also for the first time this year, given the dangerous situation in the city of Sderot, Shalhevet Mordechai distributed hundreds of meals to residents of that city as well. These meals include a great variety of Passover products such as matzah, wine, oil, canned foods, and even candy for children. This sanctified activity on behalf of the Shalhevet Mordechai organization was made possible with the help of the Rav and tzaddik Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita, who supports the organization in all its activities throughout the year, including Passover. The extent of our work this year, says Rabbi Messod Rebibo, the director of the organization, is much broader than it was last year. This year we organized a large distribution in the city of Sderot, which finds itself through no fault of its own making headlines again and again. When we approached the Rav Shlita with a plan to organize this distribution, it turned out that he had already been thinking about it himself. It s an area that we re going to especially concentrate on this year, at the same time as our regular annual distribution. Rabbi Messod Rebibo notes that the decision as to which families receive assistance is made according to multiple criteria. I know a number of recipients from previous years, and there are also spontaneous requests made by families, which we agree to when we can verify their situation with the competent authorities. We purchase most of our products in cash, with some of the money coming from our own funds, and especially with the help of the Rav Shlita, whose activities extend to many organizations in addition to our own. 12

13 THE HILLOULA OF RABBI HAIM PINTO ZATZAL Essaouira, Morocco Elul 5764 / September 2004 THE YEAR 5764 IS AN EXCEPTIONAL ONE FOR THE HILLOULA OF THE TZADDIK RABBI HAIM PINTO ZATZAL. EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE PILGRIMAGE TO ESSAOUIRA HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF CELEBRATING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE HOLY AND VENERATED RABBI HAIM PINTO S PASSING FROM THIS WORLD ON ITS EXACT DATE, NAMELY SUNDAY, ELUL 26 (SEPTEMBER 12, 2004). The coincidence of having the tzaddik s Hilloula right after the Shabbat preceding Rosh Hashanah is rare in the Jewish calendar. This bodes well for us, since Rabbi Moshe Aaron Pinto Zatzal, the father of our teacher Rabbi David Pinto Shlita, always mentioned that the Name of Hashem which represents the attribute of mercy (Middat HaRachamim) has a numerical value of 26. This, along with the fact that the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal left this world 159 years ago on Elul 26, means that his merit protects all Klal Israel by the invocation of Divine mercy. For most of the participants, the pilgrimage of 5764 really began with their departure from Paris on Thursday, September 9, One flight chartered from Air Horizon enabled more than 100 participants to land in Essaouira on Thursday morning at 10:15 local time (with a two-hour time difference between France and Morocco). During this flight, a minyan allowed a great number of the faithful to assemble for Shacharit. Because this was not part of the flight plan, a request had been made to the flight crew beforehand, and they agreed to it. Afterwards they served a kosher breakfast to all the participants. Upon arriving at the airport in Essaouira, Rabbi David Pinto, much like a head of state, came to personally greet each participant on the tarmac to the pilgrimage of Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal. A half-hour later we arrived at the Ryad Mogador hotel, which once again welcomed a group that had come to celebrate the Hilloula of the tzaddik. As usual the Hilloula s organizing committee, particularly Mr. Knafo, Mr. Afryat, SOL caterers, Patrick Alloul and William Marciano, have to be congratulated on the professionalism with which the entire event was conducted, with nothing being left to chance. We also cannot forget all the participants, from near and far, who helped with the event. Within a few minutes the first participants from the Paris morning flight were given the keys to their rooms. A light meal was then served by the pool, which for reasons of tzniut was closed during the entire pilgrimage. This was a time for hundreds of people who had been participating in the tzaddik s Hilloula for several years to warmly reacquaint themselves. Some participants devoted the afternoon to resting in order to recuper- 13

14 sense of the merits of the tzaddik of Mogador. During his first drasha, the Rav stressed the merit of the saintly Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, as well as the importance of faith. A person must be able to submit himself to Hashem and wait for his prayers to be answered. The Rav recounted the story of a person by the name of Rabbi Nathan, who had hired some workers to repair the floor in his home. While the workers were digging, they heard a voice coming from the ground: Don t dig any further. I m buried here. At that point they were ate from the fatigue of the flight. Others used the time to go into the city of Essaouira, visiting the marketplaces and purchasing Moroccan art. At 6:30 pm, Mincha allowed the faithful to gather in one of the hotel s large halls, which served as a synagogue during the remainder of the pilgrimage. At 8:00 pm, the Lyon-Villeurbanne minyan was followed by a drasha from Rabbi David Pinto, who had just arrived from greeting a second flight of participants landing at the Essaouira airport. This flight had also been chartered specifically for Hevrat Pinto, and Rav Pinto was insistent on personally greeting every participant on the tarmac. The number of participants for the 5764 pilgrimage was greater than in previous years, and there could be no doubt that the event has become more and more successful. In fact across the entire world the number of those who were aware of Rabbi Haim Pinto s greatness had only increased. The miracles that people had witnessed gave those with emunah (faith) an even greater 14

15 thrown into a panic and called out to the owner of the house. Once they left, Rabbi Nathan remained alone in the place where the voice was heard, and there he asked mi kan ( who is it? ). The voice replied, I am a rabbi, and I m buried here. Dig no further. Rabbi Nathan replied, If you re buried, it means that you re dead. But since when do the dead speak? The voice answered, I am truly dead. However during my entire life I never envied anyone neither their possessions nor their money and a person who has never been envious of others merits having his body remain intact after death. That is why I m not like other dead people. This is why a tzaddik, after his death, is still called alive. Thus the tzaddik is an intermediary between man and Hashem. This applies particularly to Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, who during his entire life lived modestly. He is therefore our intermediary and advocate before Hashem on the eve of the solemn days of Tishri Rabbi David Pinto used this occasion to recount a story that a follower had told him. For the Rabbi Haim Pinto pilgrimage of September 2003, a man traveled to the tzaddik even though he didn t have a way to pay for the trip to Essaouira. He was out of work, had no financial resources, and his wife told him that they had nothing with which to properly celebrate the holidays of Tishri. Nevertheless, he was still going through on the trip to Morocco. He told his wife to be like him to have faith in the power for the tzaddik and Hashem would help. The man participated in the pilgrimage to Essaouira in September 2003, and during his visit to the tzaddik s mausoleum, he implored him with all his strength. Upon returning to Paris, our friend took a taxi from the airport s Roissy III terminal. He told the taxi driver what he had experienced in the last four days since his departure from Paris. Thus for more than half an hour, the driver carefully listened to the man s entire story. The driver then spoke to our friend, telling him that he too was a Jew. In fact he was so convinced by the words of this man a family man who had undertaken a pilgrimage to Essaouira with faith and had spoken of the merit of the tzaddik of Mogador that he refused to charge the fare, and furthermore he even offered to help the man! The driver explained that he didn t have many expenses and that he lived comfortably. He therefore offered 15

16 to lend our friend 7,000. This enabled him to get back on his feet and to enjoy the holidays of Tishri in abundance. Furthermore, the taxi driver said that he had a brother-in-law who could offer our friend a job. When he returned home that night, after the pilgrimage to Essaouira on one hand and being driven home by an exceptional taxi driver on the other, our friend showed his wife the money he had been loaned. He said to her, Here s the money that Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal sent me for the holidays of Tishri. Thus our friend had the opportunity to spend the holidays of Tishri 5764 with all his family in comfort, and the next day the taxi driver s brother-in-law offered him a good-paying job (the two men are still working together today). For this year s pilgrimage, the man was present to thank the tzaddik of Mogador for the miracles that he had done for him. Faith in Hashem, reverence for the tzaddik, prayers, and good deeds bring results. After this first speech by Rabbi David Pinto, the participants who had arrived on the evening flight went to their respective rooms. This was also a time for some people to get together in the gardens of the Ryad Mogador hotel, which the clement weather allowed. By that time it was close to 9:30 pm (11:30 pm in France), and dinner was being served in the hotel s reception hall. People ate in a warm and friendly atmosphere, one in which one sumptuous meal after the other made its way onto their tables. Some participants were still at their tables beyond midnight. Others, who had begun their day before 5:00 am, had gone to sleep. After a short yet refreshing night, the participants were awakened around 5:30 am to go and recite Selichot and Shacharit in the hall adjacent to Essaouira s Jewish cemetery. All the prayers were said with exceptional enthusiasm, and the Chazan leading the prayers was the son of Rabbi David Pinto, Rabbi Raphael Pinto. After Shacharit, Rabbi David Pinto called upon people to support a charitable organization named Ohr Hanania, which is sponsored by the Rav and helps the needy living in France. At that point people proceeded to visit the mausoleum of Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, a place that hundreds of pilgrims visited. Everyone had the opportunity of making personal prayers in an atmosphere that was tranquil and comforting. Some participants lit candles while others continued to pray. They then returned by coach 16

17 to the hotel, where they were served breakfast along with donuts, cakes, tea and coffee, orange juice, and the like. During the course of that Friday morning, Torah classes were given for a number of participants, while others took the time to visit the city or go shopping. A lavish lunch was served at 1:00 pm, and the number of participants at that point was far greater than on the previous day. People spent the rest of the afternoon awaiting Shabbat in various ways, with some taking a walk by the sea, others paying a visit to the home of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, while still others used the Atlantic Ocean as a mikveh. At 5:30 pm an unusual excitement could be felt, as the last preparations for Shabbat were under way. It then came time to light the candles, and at 6:15 pm we found ourselves in the large hall that served as our synagogue for Mincha. The faithful recited Shir Hashirim, as one sweet voice after the other brought a special fervor to the whole event. For the city of Essaouira, this was the Shabbat of the year. As Rabbi David Pinto said, we are welcomed by the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal to his hometown of Mogador, and for this occasion we honor all who are buried in this city. Rav Pinto gave a drasha, stressing the importance of teshuvah and emunah. He mentioned the importance of prayer and placing one s trust in Hashem, saying that everyone must strive to have faith in Hashem and in His tzaddikim, for it is only this emunah that can help us to understand the world. After the evening prayers were completed, we were served in the large reception hall of the hotel. A solemn atmosphere marked that Shabbat evening. After Kiddush, some piyutim (liturgical poems) were recited together, each as beautiful as the next, with special mention going out to the Chazan from Mexico who enchanted us with his Yerushalmi tunes. His golden voice bought a sense of holiness and a feeling of joy to all the participants. Rabbi David Pinto swept all the faithful into the singing, encouraging the most reluctant to demonstrate their enthusiasm, for everyone should participate in the joy of the Hilloula. The evening dinner progressed under splendid conditions, and the large crowd for this year s pilgrimage sat down, as each participant found a seat for the meal. Songs appropriate for the occasion were sung, especially Habibi, which is very dear to Rabbi David Pinto. The singing, 17

18 which was often punctuated by chants of Mashiach, was then followed by shouts of Haoua ja y douina in honor of Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, the tzaddik of Mogador. Most of the faithful returned to their rooms around 11: 30 pm to sleep for the night. For the early birds among us, Saturday morning began at 7:00 am with a lecture given by Rabbi David Pinto. For this first drasha of the day, the Rav placed great emphasis on honoring Shabbat. He stressed the fact that one who honors Shabbat is Hashem s partner in the creation of the world. For Rabbi David Pinto, one who stops doing his work, especially if it costs him, demonstrates his faith in Hashem. Unlike other men and women on earth, Jewish men and women each benefit from a special ruach (soul) that allows him or her to be close to Hashem. To this is added the respect of Torah and Shabbat. During the same speech, the Rav reminded us that Hashem possesses the keys to different gates, specifically the gates of life and death, as well as the key to the gate of rain, which symbolizes parnasa (livelihood, sustenance). Hashem may allocate two or three such keys to the tzaddikim Hashem s partners in the creation of the world in order to open these gates. Rabbi David Pinto then proceeded to conduct Shacharit, which was followed by the faithful uniting in fervent prayer. At the end of the first part of the prayers, just before the Torah reading, the sale of mitzvot took place. As previously mentioned, this year the Hilloula of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal took place in Essaouira under special circumstances, with a large number of participants coming from Mexico and Argentina. Rabbi David Pinto recalled the role that he gave himself, hoping for all to be Kulo Torah. The Rav recounted that two days before the pilgrimage, he was in Casablanca to pray by the grave of his grandfather Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal of Casablanca. While there, the Rav made a telephone call to his family, which was staying in Jerusalem. As the Rav spoke to his daughter Julie, she was scolding her little sister Arielle, which bothered the Rav. He therefore reprimanded her, telling her not to get upset at her sister. The young Julie then began to cry. The Rav said to her, Cry more now so that you ll cry less later, and without knowing why, he repeated this to her three times. As he hung up the phone, the Rav thought: David, is that any way a father should speak to his children? Upset with himself, the Rav put some money into a tzeddakah box, and an hour later the phone rang. It was his elder daughter, who said to the Rav: Dad, we went to the park so the children could play, and Julie fell 18

19 and hurt herself. We brought her to the hospital and the doctors gave her some stitches. It wasn t so bad, and it could have been a lot worse. The Rav asked how she was, and if she was crying much. His daughter replied, No, and I m surprised that she isn t crying a lot more because of all she s been through. The Rav then understood the meaning of the harsh words he has spoken earlier: Cry more now so that you ll cry less later. It was to lessen the pain awaiting her, for Hashem diminishes the harsh decrees against the Jewish people by the merit of the saintly Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal. Lunch was served at about half past noon on this Saturday afternoon. Despite the large number of participants for this year s pilgrimage, everyone found the meals delicious and reinvigorating. After the diverse appetizers, a traditional dafina was served, and during the entire meal songs were sung in honor of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal. As on the previous day, Rabbi David Pinto was adamant about everyone participating in the singing. During his talk, the Rav recounted the story of Rabbi Akiva, whose wife influenced him to study Torah. Rabbi Akiva saw the consequences of Torah study by the effects of water constantly dripping on rock, being able to bore holes in it. Thus an action that is repeated over and over again can bring about a profound change in the natural order. Yet a drop of water will have no effect on any rock that it contacts just once. On the other hand, if thousands of drops of water contact the same rock surface in succession, it will manage to bore a hole in it. The same is true for each Jew who is called upon to study Torah, regardless of his age: He can study Torah regularly and effect a profound change in himself. After all, we know that Rabbi Akiva was 40 years old when he decided to begin studying Torah. Some people took a nap following the afternoon meal on that Shabbat day, enabling them to better prepare for the Hilloula scheduled for that night. Various Torah classes were given during the afternoon, in particular one by Rabbi David Pinto, as well as one by Rabbi Eliahou Dahan from the Lyon-Villeurbanne yeshiva. Michel Sabban of Argentina gave a course for our Spanish-speaking participants, who arrived from countries such as Mexico and Argentina. Michel Sabban is the son of Raoul Cohen Sabban, as well as the future son-in-law of the Rav. He studies day and night in the Beit Vegan yeshiva in Jerusalem. Following Seudah Shelishit, which was served around the hotel s pool, Rabbi David Pinto personally took the time to sit down with each person who wanted to speak to him. The Rav sat in the middle of the hotel s garden, and one after the other people would discuss matters with him without any special formality, everyone receiving a blessing from the Rav. Around 7:20 pm the Lyon- Villeurbanne minyan was held. The Rav stressed that everyone should be properly prepared for the Hilloula of that evening, which would take place around 9 pm. Thus after Havdalah, the participants had about an hour to prepare for the Hilloula of the tzaddik of Mogador, Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal. As we mentioned earlier, this year s Hilloula was more solemn than in previous years because it occurred on the exact date of the Hebrew calendar. During his speech, Rabbi David Pinto stressed values of the heart and emunah. He took the example of Mr. Sammy Gabbai, a faithful participant of the pilgrimage. Since Mr. Gabbai s wife was pregnant, he did not see himself coming to Essaouira this year. However his wife s doctor finally said that the birth would occur, at the earliest, on the Tuesday following the Hilloula. In reality, on this Saturday afternoon around 2 pm, Rabbi David Pinto spoke to Mr. Gabbai and told him that he was sure that his wife was now giving birth. As it turned out, after Shabbat Mr. Gabbai was informed that his wife had given birth on that same day at about 2 pm! Rabbi David Pinto spoke of the faith that we must have. He spoke of the tzaddik, who acts as an intermediary and intercedes on our behalf before the Almighty to help all who ask Him. The Hilloula s evening festivities continued until half past midnight, with musical entertainment being provided, as in every year, by Mr. Elie Melloul s band. This group of musicians, composed of Jews and Muslims, played Hebrew songs and Jewish-Arabic melodies all evening long. Thus Hebrew was mixed with Arabic, which the Jews of Morocco are accustomed to. This year Rabbi David Pinto wanted candles to be sold as much in memory of Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal as for other tzaddikim. Thus Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, and others were honored. All the money collected during that evening went to funding Jewish Moroccan organizations, as well as to helping the underprivileged, whoever they may be. Just before one in the morning, the participants arrived at Essaouira s Jewish cemetery, having traveled across the city in coaches that were specially booked for the event. The 19

20 coaches had to travel from the Ryad Mogador hotel to the cemetery several times, as more than 600 people visited the gravesite of Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal. Selichot were recited from 1:30 to 2:30 am, as shofar blasts echoed into the night. The sounds of waves breaking on the beach of the nearby Atlantic Ocean infused this night of prayers with a solemn atmosphere. The ocean borders the ancient Jewish cemetery of Essaouira, where the tzaddik s mausoleum stands. For more than two hours, groups of participants followed one another to the resting place of the tzaddik, and there a mixture of prayers, tears, and shofar sounds were heard, all lending a special feeling of holiness to the night. Some participants used their cell phones to speak with family members or friends who wanted to address the tzaddik from wherever they were in the world. The great number of participants in this year s Hilloula required adequate planning to ensure that men and women visited the tzaddik s gravesite in separate groups. As Rabbi David Pinto specified during his various talks since Thursday, the Gates of Mercy are open on this night, and by his merit the tzaddik can intervene on our behalf before the Creator, that everyone in need may implore Hashem and be favorably answered. A small group of participants stayed by the gravesite of the tzaddik all night long. At about three in the morning, groups of people began to climb back aboard the coaches that would return them to the Ryad Mogador hotel, where a short night s sleep awaited them. As early as 7 am, the first minyan began to pray Shacharit, followed by a second minyan, and then a third. The participants awoke more or less easily after a short night. People had to pack their luggage quickly after breakfast, since the end of the pilgrimage required a certain degree of swiftness. Around 10 am some people were already at the mausoleum continuing their pilgrimage, and until noon Rabbi David Pinto received all those who wanted to speak to him in a small room located at the entrance to the cemetery. At 12:30 am, official representatives of the Moroccan government arrived, as they did every year, to greet all the participants to the Hilloula of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal. In order to honor all the various representatives of the official Moroccan delegation, Rabbi David Pinto gave a speech in which he thanks all the Moroccan authorities for everything they had done for the participants. He recalled the merit of the Moroccan monarchs for the protection that each of them provided to the Jews of Morocco. The memory of King Mohammed V and King Hassan II was recalled, and Rav David Pinto gave a hashkava (memorial tribute) in their honor. To conclude, Rabbi David Pinto gave a blessing for His Majesty King Mohammed VI, as well as for all the Moroccan people and the land of Morocco. Next to speak was the Governor of the Province of Essaouira, who thanked Rabbi David Pinto and greeted all the participants who had come to Morocco for this event. After the Rav spoke, all the members of the official delegation went to the mausoleum for a moment of prayer. Then, after the official visit was completed, all the participants proceeded to the gravesite of the tzaddik. Besides the faithful from abroad, this group consisted of Jews from Morocco, all united in the same prayers. With a single voice, rich and poor desired to testify to the fidelity of our faith. Rabbi David Pinto recited Selichot, which were accompanied by the sounds of the shofar. It was a crowd swept up by faith that gathered around the tzaddik s grave. The Rav spoke words of Mussar in order for everyone to improve their deeds, their words, and their attitude toward others. The commitment to faith that took place in that holy place only strengthened the convictions of all those present. Prayers, songs, and the imploring of the tzaddik were such that Rabbi David Pinto was comforted in his faith that each participant would return home reassured and prepared for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, each in his faith and with his hopes. At about 4:30 pm, the Elul 5764 (September 2004) pilgrimage of the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal in Essaouira finished for most of the participants. They were scheduled to take a return flight that Sunday night, and two planes had been chartered for Hevrat Pinto to fly them back to France. The Jews who had traveled to Morocco before Rosh Hashanah of 5765 had once again demonstrated their connection to an authentic Jewish life. May the merit of the tzaddik help us in our lives we and all our fellow Jews and may the merit of the tzaddik bring about peace in Israel and the Final Redemption by the coming of Mashiach. Amen! 20

21 SHALOM BAYIT PEACE IN THE HOME NOT SIMPLY A WISH, A DUTY WITHOUT QUESTION, EXPERIENCING SHALOM (PEACE) IS A GOAL THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING WOULD LOVE TO ATTAIN TO PERFECTION. HE WOULD LOVE TO MAINTAIN IT IN HIS RELATIONSHIPS, AND ESPECIALLY IN HIS HOME. We all agree that nothing is as valuable as tranquility and peace in the home. Neither riches nor any of the supposedly supreme material pleasures that people enjoy in this world can compare to it. Yet what exactly is so important about shalom that it is so highly valued and its benefits so greatly praised? Also, how can we attain peace in the home, and by extension in all our surroundings, given that so many unpleasant situations and mistakes crop up in life? If everyone claims with certainty that being happy requires a person to be in a state of peace (shalom) at home, it is plainly because it is the ninth of the ten expressions of joy contained in the wedding blessings, representing the highest level in human relationships. To understand the importance of shalom, all we need to do is to note the importance that Hashem has given it. The Talmud states: Great is the cause of peace, seeing that for its sake even the Holy One, blessed be He, modified a statement. At first it is written, My lord being old [Genesis 18:12], while afterwards it is written, When I am old [v.13] (Yebamot 65b). Scripture states, The L-RD said to Abraham, Why then did Sarah laugh, saying: Shall I surely bear when I am old? (Genesis 18:13). In reality Sarah had said, My lord being old (v.12), but when Hashem told Abraham what she had said, He modified her statement and said: When I am old. All this was done in order to preserve shalom between Abraham and Sarah. Elsewhere our Sages teach that in Hashem s eyes, peace is so priceless and fundamental that the world exists on account of it (Maalot HaMiddot). The Mishnah also confirms this by stating, The world endures by virtue of three things: Justice, truth, and peace (Perkei Avoth 1:18). Moreover, the Rambam states that its value is so great, The entire Torah was given in order to make peace reign in the world (Hilchot Chanukah 4:14). We should also note that one of Hashem s Names is Shalom, for He is the source of peace and He wants us, here below, to permanently maintain it as well. Peace, absolute tranquility, exists in the celestial heights, as it is written: Oseh shalom bimromav ( He makes peaces in His heights Job 25:2). Man must constantly seek to make this state of harmony reign and spread on earth. He is given help for this task, as the supernal worlds have an influence on the lower worlds (since Hashem is at the origin of shalom). In the same way that the heavens, called Shamayim in Hebrew, are composed of esh (fire) and mayim (water) elements that seem to be opposites they still combine to serve the Creator. Thus man s supreme objective on earth must be to submit all his spiritual and physical energies to the Creator s will so as to achieve this state of shalom (Rav Eliezer Bendavid). The same reasoning applies to the level of man and wife: Man (who symbolizes esh, fire) must join with his wife (who represents mayim, water) and together merge into Shamayim (Heaven) where the greatest shalom reigns. Let us go further and note that in Hebrew the word shalom has the same root as the word shalem (perfection). This can be easily understood, since Hashem is called Shalom, which fully represents the kind of perfection that we must aspire to. A man must therefore follow the words of the Sages to the letter. One such Sage, Hillel, tells us: Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace (Perkei Avoth 1:12). According to him, it is not enough to ohev (love) peace while doing nothing to attain it. We cannot hope that it will fall from the sky without any effort on behalf of our supposedly remarkable emunah (faith). We must rodef (pursue) peace, meaning that we must work for it and strive to reestablish it in the world. Of course this work must begin with those closest to us with our loved ones, our spouses. Once we do that, it will then be possible (and even advisable) to rely on our emunah that Hashem 21

22 will grant us help from Heaven. Our Sages teach that when peace reigns among married couples, it is as if the reflection of Divine majesty were placed on them (Sotah 17a). This occurs when man and wife are zachut, meaning they are worthy and they seek peace. Although everyone desires peace, how can we become worthy of it? The answer is found in the same teaching, translated differently. Other than meaning worthy, the word zachut comes from the root zah, meaning purified. This means that by constantly seeking to better their relationship, man and wife will fully rejoice in the Divine Presence and enjoy Heavenly assistance. Among other things, this is a message contained in the Gemara: If one comes to purify himself, he is helped (Shabbat 104a). This purification, as we have said, only occurs after a person has put an effort into making peace reign in his home. We all know that this is an extremely complex task, a project that lasts a lifetime. As the saying goes, Rome wasn t built in a day. In reality, when we think about all the benefits resulting from our efforts to obtain shalom, our perception of things will radically change. With Hashem s help, this will create a willingness in us to perfect our relationships and attitudes. In addition to this, shalom is so laudable that our Sages explicitly stated: When a man agrees to making sacrifices to preserve peace in his home, it is as if peace reigned among the entire Jewish people (Avoth D Rabbi Nathan). This has a positive influence of peace on the Jewish people, and by extension on the entire world. Let us be very careful here: Peace in the home does not mean that there are never any conflicts. For example, the formation of a couple can be compared to putting two orange halves together to form a complete orange, with each half being selected from among many others (Rav Yehia Benchetrit Shlita). The odds of putting together two halves that originally came from the same orange are very slim. It is, on the other hand, only after rubbing the two halves that they will fit together nicely as one. Consequently, a close relationship in which spouses are tightly knit together necessarily requires conflicts, temporary tensions, which enable harmony to increase. With regards to this subject, let us cite the fitting advice of Rav Wolbe: Peace is obtained when two opposite forces manage to establish a bridge between them, despite their lingering differences. The point that a couple must understand and integrate into their relationship at all costs is the following: We must never try to educate one s spouse, who in any case has no intention of changing. Every problem gets worse when one spouse wants to change the behavior of the other or attempts to reshape his or her character. It would be wise to always keep in mind that all attempts of this kind are bound to fail. Finally, let us try to be somewhat realistic: If it is extremely difficult for a person to modify his own character traits, how much more difficult will it be to modify those of another person! Spouses must understand their differences and try to reconcile them in order to form a perfect union, with the goal of considering one s spouse as one s own body. Nevertheless, in order to merge with the other, a man must convince himself that his wife not any other woman was assigned to him by Heaven to form a single entity, and that they belong to one another. This is the key to happiness. In fact Hashem said, I will make for him ezer kenegdo [a helper opposite him] (Genesis 2:18). This is explicitly meant to teach us that each woman is perfectly suited to her husband. The Netziv of Volozhin added that each woman has the ability of being the precise helper that her husband needs, perfectly suited to the needs of his personality, including his negative traits. The objective of such a pairing is the symbiosis of the couple. Thus the words you or I should be replaced by a sincere and harmonizing us. Let us take the example of Rav Aryeh Levin Zatzal (whose famous story may unfortunately make us smile), who accompanied his ailing wife to the doctor. The Rav explained the Rebbetzin s problem as follows: Doctor, my wife s food is hurting us. On the other hand, it is only in this way that the ahava (love) that unites them becomes strengthened. Love is the fundamental element that covers all wrongs and masks all faults. The Talmud even goes so far as to express this idea in the following way: Concerning a man who loves his wife as himself, who honors her more than himself Scripture says, You will know that your tent is at peace [Job 5:24] (Yebamot 62b). Moreover, we should note that the word ahava ( love ) has the same numerical value (13) as the word echad ( one ). This is because the achdut (unity) of a couple is the very expression of ahava. This is what makes way for ever increasing shalom in the home. The word echad symbolizes the oneness of Hashem, as well as His 13 attributes of mercy that the Torah commands us to base our behavior upon (shalom being Hashem s attribute par excellence). Thus it is written: You 22

23 shall walk in His ways, which the Talmud explains as meaning that we must emulate Hashem s attributes. That is, just as He is merciful, so too should we be merciful. Rav Simcha Cohen Shlita explains that in reality, ahava which is the driving force behind Shalom Bayit (peace in the home) is born from the expression of the couple s feelings for one another. A person can help others in three ways: By means of his money, by means of his physical effort, and by means of his verbal encouragement. For example, when a husband purchases a gift for his wife, this is a way in which he demonstrates his attachment to her by means of his money. Thus the fact that he used his money shilem ( paid ), perhaps not by accident having the same root as the word shalom will give him satisfaction for having shown his wife that he appreciates her. True, every sign of appreciation can only be commended. Yet often it is precisely the third way, by means of verbal encouragement, using warm and caring words, that seems to be the most difficult. In fact people are ready to exert almost every effort for others, all while remaining restrained in their verbal praise. Even though a person is inclined to give his money or is ready to put physical effort into helping people, he has a difficult time in giving a part of his soul by encouraging others. A person will often explain his reluctance by saying, It s not natural, or even, I can t tell him something that I myself don t believe about him. After all, I can t lie to him. Rav Simcha Cohen Shlita explains that these arguments testify to the fact that a person desires to keep his soul for himself more than he seeks the truth. The Gemara notes the superiority of the emotional gift of verbally encouraging others over that of helping them with money: Rabbi Isaac also said: He who gives a small coin to a poor man obtains six blessings, and he who addresses to him words of comfort obtains 11 blessings as it is written: Offer your soul to the hungry and satiate the afflicted soul [Isaiah 58:10] (Bava Batra 9b). The same applies to a couple, the woman being her husband s poor and the man being his wife s poor. Each needs the other, and each must feed the other with food that his or her body demands. This goes without mentioning the fact that all verbal encouragement awakens in the other person a magical will to improve, to perfect each of his or her deeds with joy and pleasure, for the person in question realizes that his or her efforts are seen and valued. Everyone must try to share in the difficulties of the other and to congratulate them for their efforts. At the very least, a person must do so with every good thing that he or she receives, even for favors that seem the most natural for spouses to do for one another. In passing, let us cite the judicial advice of Rav Chaim Friedlander Zatzal: A person is like a diamond. Do not remove its dust by using a course brush that will surely scratch it [avoid all harsh reprimands]. Instead, use a very fine brush [verbal encouragement] and in that way the diamond will shine more and more each day. Nevertheless, to truly reach the level of sincerely giving verbal encouragement, the Mishnah tells us just what we have to do: Judge every person favorably (Perkei Avoth 1:6). Thus concerning our subject, judge your spouse on the whole by taking account of only the positive aspects of his or her character traits and attitudes in order to highlight them. If everyone were to at least sincerely think about the commandment in Parsha Kedoshim: Veahavta le reacha kamocha ( You shall love your fellow as yourself Leviticus 19:18), nobody would ever embark on listing the negative aspects of their spouse, who is like his or her own self. Much to the contrary, a person would only see the good points in the other and even try hard to find positive things that he has not yet discovered. Quite frankly, we all agree that nobody likes being put under the microscope and having their imperfections revealed. The Torah specifically chose to use the word reacha (not havercha) to teach us the following: Reacha is composed of the same letters as ra achah ( [your] evil ), meaning that even when your fellow (in our case, your spouse) acts improperly with you, you must still love him or her, especially since this is the only way to encourage that person to improve their ways (Pachad David, by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita). In short, favorably judging a person and then encouraging him or her allows each spouse to fulfill their obligations. As the Rambam stated, The duty of the woman is to respect her husband, to consider him as a high official, and to fulfill his will and avoid what could displease him, by using her sixth sense, her woman s intuition, which Hashem endowed her with. We must therefore take note and learn the lesson of what a good wife represents, one who concerns herself with pleasing her husband. She does not try to convince him that her opinion is correct, nor does she attempt to mold his will according to her desires. 23

24 As for a man, he must conform to what our Sages instructed him: One must always observe the honor due to his wife, because blessings rest on a man s home only on account of his wife, for it is written: He [Hashem] treated Abram well for her sake [Genesis 17:16] (Bava Metzia 59a). In addition, in their wisdom our Sages eagerly advised men to consider the sensitive nature of their wives and not to get angry, thus not harming their sensitivities. As the same Gemara comments: One should always be heedful of wronging his wife, for since her tears are frequent she is quickly hurt. Now Hashem is strict with a person who brings others to tears. This is why a man must put an effort into understanding his wife and being lenient with regards to her sensitivities. Another fundamental element that we must absolutely not forget is what a huge impact Torah study has on Shalom Bayit. As the Sages said, If he is worthy, then she is a help. If he is not worthy, then she is opposite him, to fight him. Consequently, a woman must strive to arouse in her husband a desire and thirst for daily Torah study. She must put him in the necessary mood to study, meaning in a tranquil state of mind, without bothering him by mixing business with pleasure. This is important because a woman s entire merit and reward in the World to Come depends on it. Finally, let us discuss the most important element in maintaining Shalom Bayit: Prayer. This is indispensable for the growth of a couple s relationship (under wholesome conditions), which requires a great deal of Divine assistance. Due to this fact, everyone must pray for shalom to continue in the home in order to avoid all mistakes, misunderstandings or other misconceptions that are frequently at the center of useless squabbles that (G-d help us) are liable to diminish Shalom Bayit in the long run. In his book on Shalom Bayit, Rav Aaron Zakai Shlita (the Rosh Yeshiva of Ohr Yom Tov) stresses the importance of prayer in maintaining peace in the home, warning everyone not to wait for problems to arise before praying. To that end he cites a statement in the Gemara: He who devotes his strength to prayer below has no enemies above (Sanhedrin 44b). He explains that even when a person comes to believe that he has put enough effort into obtaining Shalom Bayit (distancing himself from all strife, etc.), he must still crown his efforts by praying, for it uniquely through prayer that he will obtain the fruits of his labors. Moreover, let us not forget the encouraging message of our Sages: The prayer of one who pursues peace never returns empty (Kallah Rabbati). When a man or woman implores Hashem through prayer to help make peace and unity reign in their home, in addition to peace and unity, they also bring the fragrance of Gan Eden and the Divine Presence into their home. We must therefore concentrate on the Sim Shalom ( Grant Peace ) request of the Amidah, constantly praying that, with Hashem s help, there will be peace in the couple s relationship. To conclude, by virtue of the Torah study we engage in (however incomplete), the importance of preserving Shalom Bayit at all costs will emerge, allowing us to be moshel (ruling) at all times. (Note that the words shalom and moshel are composed of the same letters.) When it happens that we act inappropriately, we must absolutely not get discouraged. This is because nothing results from getting discouraged other than more feelings of discouragement, as well as an unwillingness to progress. We should instead tell ourselves: For though a righteous one may fall seven times, he will arise (Proverbs 24:16). After all, nobody s perfect, and if people were, it might even be boring. Discouragement is another way that the evil inclination uses to attack us, as it constantly tries to obstruct Shalom Bayit, so fundamental it is to the relationship between man and wife. In the spiritual domain, the more that something is precious in Hashem s eyes, the more difficult it is to achieve. Yet at the same time, the greater the reward of the one who works for it, as it is written: Commensurate with the effort is the reward (Perkei Avoth 5:21). Furthermore, Shalom Bayit is a springboard to hasten the Final Redemption, since it is by the sin of baseless hatred that the Second Temple was destroyed. Conversely, by baseless love it will be rebuilt with Hashem s help. Moreover, it is probably not by accident that the word shalom is contained in the word Yerushalayim, the abode of the Divine Presence and home of the Temple. May Hashem bestow His blessing on every home, a blessing without limit, in order to infuse it with harmony, unity, and the most perfect ahava. Thus by Hashem s great goodness, He will make His Shechinah abide in every home of the Jewish people by enabling them to be united, joined together in joy, and awaiting the ultimate goal for which they were created: Revealing His glory by welcoming Mashiach Tzidkenu, soon in our days. Amen. 24

25 THE IMPORTANCE OF ELUL (par Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Chlita)i How can we awaken ourselves from our spiritual slumber? Some would say that it s simple: Just wake up! Yet we can still remain drowsy while awake. How can we truly wake up and escape from our spiritual lethargy? As it is stated, Awake, you sleepers, from your sleep! By the merit of my forefathers and teachers, I would like to say a few words to elevate the soul of my saintly grandfather, the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, after which we will recite Selichot. Today I read a commentary by the Tzemach Tzedek Zatzal concerning the verse, I am my beloved s, and my beloved is mine (Song of Songs 6:3). Most people know that the initials of this verse form the word elul. The Tzemach Tzedek makes it clear that I am my beloved s refers to an awakening below. What does this mean? It has to do with a Jew s spiritual awakening, an awakening to teshuvah (repentance), which must first come from below. When a Jew begins to examine himself, he merits that my beloved is mine. In other words, when a person awakens himself here below, then in accordance with the verse an awakening occurs in Heaven above. There is an awakening that occurs, as it were, with him. However if a person continues to spiritually slumber, then in Heaven slumbering also occurs. I gave some thought to this and arrived at the following conclusion: Chazal have affirmed, If [one] comes to purify himself, he is helped (Yoma 38b). It s all very simple. The expression is not, If one is helped, he purifies himself. That s not the way it works. It is essential for a person to first decide to purify himself, and only then will he receive help. How can a person wake up from his spiritual slumber? Some would say that it s simple: Just wake up! Yet we can still remain drowsy while awake. How can we truly wake up and escape from our spiritual lethargy? As it is written, Awake, you sleepers, from your sleep (Rambam, Hilchot Teshuvah 3:4). A person can perform mitzvot without fully serving G-d, such as by putting on Tefillin, respecting Shabbat, and so on. We see, thank G-d, that people are fulfilling mitzvot, but whatever happened to the concept of Divine service? Divine service consists of ma aseh (action). Ma aseh is the main thing. I remember, when I was ten years old, that my father decided to send me off to a yeshiva in France. At the time I didn t know what a yeshiva was, and for me just the pleasure of traveling by train was thrilling. However a train ride of three days is no longer any fun. We can get tired of just about anything. We may love traveling, but an 18 or 20-hour plane ride is grueling. I did not see my father for seven entire years, until I was about 17 years old. When people asked him how he could send such a young boy so far away, he would reply, But he was studying Torah! Now that s Divine service! Our father Abraham controlled his emotions in order to serve his Creator and perform a positive mitzvah. Yet in addition to this, he engaged in Divine service. That is, as soon as the sun arose he went about performing his task. He could have performed his mitzvah later on, such as in the afternoon. This means that a mitzvah must be done in the spirit of Divine service. We must not content ourselves with 25

26 doing a mitzvah without service of the heart, for in that case we may forget to love our Creator (G-d forbid). On the other hand, if we perform a mitzvah with selfsacrifice, with vigor and love, we then fulfill G-d s will. In my opinion, the goal of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is to rectify our service of G-d, which we have neglected throughout the year. Over the course of the year we have, of course, performed mitzvot. However we have also committed sins. This is the reason why we have Rosh Hashanah and Elul, so as to atone for our sins. Mitzvot that we perform in the spirit of Divine service do not leave room for sin. Why not? For the very good reason that by acting in this way, we demonstrate our wholehearted devotion to performing mitzvot with love. As a result, there is no place for the evil inclination or sin. The problem comes when we perform mitzvot without enthusiasm, without eagerness. Back to the experience of my first yeshiva. When I returned home after an absence of seven years, the first question my father asked was, Did you study well? He didn t ask me vital questions such as, How are you feeling? How did you eat? Did you have enough money to make due? He didn t even say, My, how you ve grown! The main question to him was, Did you study well, and did you put what you studied into practice? In short: Did you serve your Creator? We generally send youngsters to a yeshiva without emphasizing the importance of Divine service, which I think is regrettable. Let s look at an example of what can happen because of this lack of emphasis. A Rosh Yeshiva in Jerusalem recently called me for some help regarding a student who was giving him major problems. During the intermediate days of Passover, this student had traveled to the Galilee with some friends, and there he met a young woman who was having trouble with her boat. From the time that he agreed to help her out, he hasn t returned to the yeshiva. How could such a thing be possible? How could something like this happen? The answer is simple: He had been performing mitzvot, but not in the spirit of Divine service. He had performed mitzvot without wholehearted devotion, without self-sacrifice or enthusiasm. When we study Torah to the point of exhaustion, without thinking of the passing hours, and then we run to perform mitzvot, now that s Divine service! When a person is eating, he swallows everything that he puts into his mouth. Yet his digestive system does its part and works effectively. It is said that when Rav Shach Zatzal was very ill, he began to cry. When he was asked the reason for his tears, he said: I m distressed by the fact that I can t recite any blessings for food because I m being fed intravenously. This reaction was a result of his Divine service. One who recites blessings with kavana (concentration and reflection) enters the realm of Divine service. On the other hand, one who eats and drinks, and then recites blessings in a routine manner automatically and quickly, without kavana he has not fulfilled his duty before G-d. The Midrash states that when the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to our father Abraham and asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac, he went with Ishmael and Eliezer. When Isaac saw the wood, the flame, and the knife, he asked his father, Where is the lamb for the offering? (Genesis 22:7). His father Abraham replied, G-d will provide (v.8). Isaac kept quiet because he saw a column of fire in the distance. Abraham asked Ishmael and Eliezer if they also saw the column of fire. When they replied that they did not, Abraham said to them, Since you do not see it, Stay here with the donkey [Genesis 22:5] for you are like the donkey (Bereshith Rabba 56:2). I m completely taken aback by this response. We know that Eliezer learned Torah from the very mouth of our father Abraham, who had invested a great deal in him. Furthermore, our father Abraham entrusted Eliezer through an oath. As for Ishmael, at that point he had already done teshuvah and become a tzaddik, for he too was raised in Torah. Yet Abraham still called them donkeys! How could this be? Abraham yielded to G-d s demands, yet he was not content with simply performing his duty. He arose at dawn to fulfill his task, his Divine service. If a person is told to perform a mitzvah and he has the time to do it, he will usually comply. However if a person is suddenly told to perform a mitzvah yet he still runs to do it and embellishes its performance he thereby gives it sublime value. Abraham did not hesitate for a second, even if the mitzvah he had to perform involved sacrificing his beloved son Isaac. When Abraham asked his son to accompany him, Isaac did not hesitate either. He fulfilled the mitzvah of honoring his father without hesitation. Isaac s thought was, Where is the service of G- d? I see the wood, the fire, and the knife, but what about serving G-d? Here we clearly see Isaac s supreme love and complete submission before his Creator. He arose early and followed his father without saying a single word, without knowing exactly how G-d was going to be served. And the two of them went out together (Genesis 22:6). True, Ishmael and Eliezer also followed their master Abraham, yet they asked no questions. They simply performed the mitzvah without Divine service. This is why they did not accompany Abraham all the way to Mount Moriah. Just like a donkey obeys its master without thought or question, so too did Eliezer and Ishmael follow Abraham. The Jewish people are different. When we perform a mitzvah, we put our hearts, 26

27 thoughts, and intentions into it, and that makes all the difference. This attitude is what we call Divine service. Divine service is described by the expression, An awakening below. Yet exactly does the word awakening mean? Sometimes it s difficult to get up in the morning to pray. We may be tired due to jet lag, for example, but we don t really have a choice. We therefore get up and pray. In that case we may want to pray, but our hearts are just not awoken. We re just going through the motions. Heaven sends us help when we make an effort to perform a mitzvah with fervor and enthusiasm, with the heart. There is a verse that says, The L-RD looked down from heaven to see if there were any who understand and seek G-d (Psalms 14:2). Why does it not simply say, to see if there were any who seek G-d? Why are the words who understand included? An understanding person is one who asks himself questions, one who is constantly looking for the truth. He is not content with little. In short, he is a person who seeks G-d. Such is the meaning, in the context of this verse, of the expression who understand. True, such a person performs mitzvot. Yet he is also trying, above all else, to serve Hashem. All his wisdom is geared towards serving his G-d. Even though such a person may encounter every kind of problem in fulfilling mitzvot problems of livelihood, health, peace in the home, and so on despite all this, he will perform mitzvot with a joyful heart and direct his love towards his Creator. The Holy One, blessed be He, pays particular attention to such a Jew and cherishes him immensely. What is a mitzvah? There is Halachah, and there is performing a mitzvah by beautifying it. For example, when we build a sukkah, we can build just a bare structure according to the strict dictates of Halachah. Yet we beautify the mitzvah by adding decorations, ornaments, pictures, and so on. On Shabbat as well, we select the finest fruits and invest more money for the needs of the day, all in honor of Shabbat. Divine service beautifies and crowns mitzvot. That is what the Holy One, blessed be He, wants to see from us. Nevertheless, it is true that we don t always know what G-d expects of us. No one truly knows exactly how he has sinned against G-d, or whether he is worthy or not. There is the incident of a young man, just 19 years old, who traveled from France to Israel. He went to Israel to attend the wedding of his sister in Ashdod, yet he was killed in an automobile accident while there. His body was left beyond recognition, and it was difficult to proceed with the funeral. How could we think that a young man of 19 years could travel from France only to die in Israel? Only G-d knows. Only G-d decides, and His ways are unfathomable. As for us, we know nothing of Him. Yet one thing is certain: If we perform mitzvot with wholehearted devotion, with zeal and love, we will say, It would have been enough for us. This is because we will have fulfilled G-d s will. Doing that is reason enough for coming into the world. G-d s decisions are just. We would obviously prefer that He grant us long life, for in that way we could give Him greater satisfaction. The main thing is for us to constantly be initiating an awakening below. During the days of Elul, we must awaken Divine mercy without worrying about anything else. The first letters of the words in the expression, I am my beloved s, and my beloved is mine have a numerical value of 68, the same as the word chaim ( life ). The last letters have a numerical value of 40, and together this comes to 108, the same as the word kach ( take ). Kecha is the wedding. In Elul, we unite with the Holy One, blessed be He. There is a Ketubah (marriage contract), for up to this point our connection to Him has been broken, but now we are united. All this is due to our awakening. We therefore see just how we must take advantage of these days of Elul, a time in which we must strengthen our Divine service and do true teshuvah. I hope that with the help of the Almighty, our Creator will appreciate our service of the heart. Let us not say (G-d forbid), Yes, we performed mitzvot, but they were tedious. Some bottles are beautiful to look at, yet their contents may not be seen because the glass is opaque. We may think that we re buying vodka in such bottles, but find water instead. The same is true of mitzvot. During these awe-inspiring days, our Divine service should stand out more than usual. It should achieve the level of an awakening below, so as to initiate an awakening above. In Heaven our sins may (G-d forbid) form a barrier through which our prayers cannot pass. Let it not be said of a person, What, he slept for the entire year, and it s only now that he wakes up? Let it instead be said in Heaven, This Jew has finally awaken, therefore we are going to help him. Rabbi Israel Salanter used to say, Every month should be Elul. Chazal have said that G-d states, Present to Me an opening of repentance no bigger than the eye of a needle, and I will widen it into openings through which wagons and carriages can pass (Shir Hashirim Rabba 5:2 2). Despite the many times that we have distressed the Shechinah (Divine Presence), it is to our great 27

28 benefit that, despite all our sins, we are still important in Hashem s eyes. The evil, accusatory angels that have been created by our sins could prevent us from being forgiven. However in His goodness, Hashem listens to and is interested in the insignificant beings that we are, coming to our aid and forgiving us. Is there someone who recites Selichot with true heartfelt devotion? In Heaven it is known that we have not yet started to do teshuvah. However what is important in the eyes of the Holy One, blessed be He, is our awakening below. The main thing is for Heaven to see our efforts in awakening ourselves. As soon as a person decides to awaken himself, at that very moment the thought of committing a sin will not enter his mind. G-d takes note of this awakening below, and there occurs a reciprocal awakening in Heaven at that very moment. A person is then viewed in light of his good angels. Rav Shach, may his memory protect us all, made the following remark: I yearn to die having done teshuvah! Rav Shach, a great sage who lived for more than 100 years and the tzaddik of our generation, devoted his entire life, day and night, to serving Hashem. He no longer had an evil inclination, yet he still begged his Creator to lead him to teshuvah! How could he say such a thing? We know that tzaddikim are very meticulous in serving Hashem. Obviously they perform mitzvot, yet they still ask themselves if they have truly put their heart into each mitzvah and serving Hashem. That is their primary concern, for perhaps, G-d forbid, there was a mitzvah that they performed without devotion? Take our teacher Moses for example. Never has there been a greater prophet than Moses, yet it was only at the end of his life that he said he understood. Moses, who ascended to such great heights in order to bring the Torah to us, said at the end of his life: G-d, I am beginning to understand You. The main concern of tzaddikim is that they may not have served Hashem with sufficient devotion. They worry that they may not have properly fulfilled their duty. During the month of Elul, The L-RD is close to all those who call upon Him (Psalms 145:18). The Creator looks down and sees if there were any who understand and seek G-d (Psalms 14:2). Is there a Jew who is eagerly looking for Rav, a Jew who is anxious to hear advice on how to study Torah, a Jew who is persistent in doing absolute teshuvah? Is there a Jew who wants to better himself at all costs? Instead, I would say that in general each of us thinks, Why do I need to ask a Rav for advice? I know everything I need. It is here that we are completely mistaken. An understanding and wise Jew is one who persistently tries to better himself, one who tries to fulfill his duty in serving G-d. It is said that Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev would try to find the most beautiful etrog possible for Sukkot. One year he discovered the most flawless etrog in the Ukraine, even though etrogim were not harvested there. Nevertheless, through great effort and willingness, it happened that Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was able to obtain the perfect etrog. All night long he expectantly waited for daylight to arrive, in order to recite the blessing on the lulav and thus give nachas (satisfaction) to his Creator. He obviously did not sleep on that night, thinking so avidly of this beautiful mitzvah. As soon as the time came to recite the blessing, he quickly proceeded with his etrog in hand. However he bumped into something, fell down, and the etrog flew from his hand and was damaged. It was therefore no longer fit to use for the blessing. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak s dismay was compounded because, as we know, the blessing on the lulav annuls evil decrees. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak probably had very profound intentions in wanting to recite the blessing. Nevertheless, it is said that there was great joy in Heaven, as if Rabbi Levi Yitzchak had indeed recited the blessing. What was important was his ardent desire to be among the first to perform the mitzvah with zeal. That was Rabbi Levi Yitzchak s primary intention. In conclusion, during the days of Elul a person must awaken himself and knock upon the doors of his heart. This is not done simply by reciting Selichot, or simply by performing the mitzvot, but also, and above all, by devoting oneself completely to serving Hashem. It is in this way that a Jew shows his Creator his desire to progress. He demonstrates how much he wants to change his ways and come closer to Him. We wish each other Shana Tova during this time of year. Now the word shana comes from the Hebrew shinui, which signifies change. We wish for a change in the other s path, meaning a progression, an improvement in their lives. Sephardim have the custom of placing a lamb s head on the table during Rosh Hashanah and saying, May we always be the head, not the tail. This is to remind us of the sacrifice of Isaac, the utter devotion of father and son. The change that we wish for others by saying Shana Tova is meant to ensure that everyone understands their responsibility in serving G-d and performing mitzvot with devotion. We must put our complete and wholehearted efforts into serving the King of kings and crowning Him as our King. 28

29 EMPIRE OF THORA You notice it as soon as you make your way to the religious part of Ashdod. It is a striking building of rare beauty, the likes of which are rarely seen in the entire country. The likes of which are rarely seen in the entire country. A giant Torah center, under the direction of Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita, proudly stands in the heart of the Be er Moshe district and covers an area of about 6,700 square meters. As you come closer, you can see the name Orot Haim OuMoshe ( the lights of Haim and Moshe ) displayed in illuminated letters above the entrance. What are these lights, and where do they come from? We wanted to find out, so we interviewed the amazing individuals responsible for this remarkable achievement. To understand what lies behind this grandiose project, one has to go back many years to a different city in a different country, namely Mogador, Morocco. Lying on the Atlantic coast, Mogador is a picturesque town with colorful marketplaces and quaint alleyways. One can see fortresses crowned with turrets and battlements, along with crenulated ramparts and cannons by the dozen dominating the landscape. In the mellah (old Jewish quarter), once so vibrant with Jewish life, there is now only a single Jew, with Moslems occupying most of the area. The only place occupied exclusively by Jews is the local Jewish cemetery. If you ask the cemetery shamash (custodian), he will open the gate and you can enter what is generally considered the most impressive graveyard in Morocco. Once inside, you will surely want to go and pray by the tomb of the saintly tzaddik, Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal and other tzaddikim of the Pinto family. Since the time of Rabbi Haim Pinto Hagadol, rabbis of the Pinto dynasty have always been influential, both in their hometowns and throughout Morocco. The last tzaddik of the Pinto family to live in Mogador was Rabbi Moshe Aaron Pinto Zatzal, who was known for his extreme piety. He secluded himself in his home for 40 years before moving to Eretz Israel with his congregation and settling in Ashdod. There he lived for many years, and the whole region benefited from his presence and felt the influence of his greatness and holiness. When Rabbi Moshe passed away, his saintly body was brought to its final resting place in Ashdod, where a prominent dome that can easily be seen from afar marks his grave. Twelve years ago an American investor planned an ambitious building project for the orthodox community in Ashdod. After many families had enrolled and paid for their apartments, a financial disaster occurred: The building contractor experienced unexpected problems and the whole project was in danger of going under. The families were left with the possibility of losing 29

30 all their hard-earned savings, money they had invested in the project up to that point. The worst part was that they had nobody to turn to. At that point an angel in the guise of Rabbi David Pinto, the son of aforementioned Rabbi Moshe Aaron, appeared on the scene. The timing could not have been better. Rabbi David Pinto had been planning on erecting a largescale Torah center as close as possible to where his saintly father lay buried, yet he was at a loss as to where to begin, since there was no public land available near the burial site. He perceived G-d s guiding hand behind the insolvent building project, and purchasing all 520 apartments in the housing development at full cost would give Rabbi David Pinto s organization the rights to land reserved for communal development as well. Contractors normally use such areas to built shopping malls and trade centers that they sell or lease for their own profit. The only commercial project considered (and even that was ultimately rejected by Rabbi Pinto) was a supermarket for the residents of the neighborhood. As it turned out, Rabbi David purchased the entire housing development. From the outset he was determined that the area should have its own Torah center, and at first a prefabricated building served as a synagogue and communal center for daily prayers, regular Torah lectures, study groups and youth activities. The final jewel in the crown was a kollel that Rabbi David established there for young married men. From Turmoil to Triumph The chanukat habayit (inauguration ceremony) for the new Torah center, which is scheduled to take place in a week, will be a day of rejoicing and festivities for more than just the neighborhood. All bnei Torah will benefit from it, and many distinguished Torah personalities will be there in person to participate. It is impossible to mention the housing project and the beautiful edifice without describing all the Torah activities and institutions that it will accommodate. The main kollel, with its 75 full-time members, is one of the most important in Ashdod. Also housed there will be an evening kollel for about 30 avrechim, as well as a ba alei batim kollel for working men. In addition to these, children learn after school in an evening yeshiva. Three classes are given for two age groups, with the traditional Moroccan intonations and rules for Torah reading being taught in one of them. Rabbi Messod Rebibo, who is extremely dedicated to making the after-school yeshiva project a success, supervises the program. Although Rabbi David Pinto provided the incentive and financial backing for this entire venture, the only request he made was for the avrechim to study the commentary The Rif on Ein Yaakov for fifteen minutes each day. This commentary was written by Rabbi Yehoshiyahu Pinto, one of the illustrious ancestors of the Pinto family. Up to now all these activities have taken place in various temporary locations, such as prefabricated buildings and bomb shelters. With the upcoming chanukat habayit, however, all these activities will occur under one roof, a splendid permanent home that is much more appropriate for such important Torah activities. In the past, Rabbi David Pinto used to travel to Israel and spend time there as a tourist. (Rabbi David lives in Lyon, France, where he has also established Torah institutions.) During his travels to Israel, he would invariably find time for his favorite project, regularly spending Shabbat in Ashdod. It goes without saying that spending time with Rabbi David on Shabbat is spiritually inspiring for the whole area, his presence being a true source of light. Rabbi Yakobi Shlita, a prominent maggid shiur, is a veteran of the neighborhood and one of its first Torah lecturers. He remembers when the spiritual awakening began, with the first Torah lectures taking place in bomb shelters. Some of the men who came to learn, he reminisces, had never learned Gemara before. Yet these same men now celebrate Siyum HaShas together with the 30

31 rest of the Jewish people. The first Bar Bei Rav learning program for the residents of this section of Ashdod owes its beginnings to the same impetus. One Shabbat, Rabbi David Pinto watched as about 150 boys learned enthusiastically with their fathers as part of the Avot OuBanim program. The Rav was overjoyed at this sight, immediately announcing his intention of starting the program in Lyon as well. All in all, the residents of the neighborhood are profoundly grateful to Rabbi David Pinto for his concern with their youngsters, sensing that he has helped them in raising their children. All parents can relate to the unease they feel as school holidays approach. Rabbi David appreciates the scope of the problem, and in an effort to alleviate it he has launched a Yeshivat Bein Hazmanim program that he himself finances. This program offers several classes catering to varying levels of learning. In the morning children enjoy a full learning schedule, and in the afternoon and on weekends they are occupied with a variety of other activities. It is important to note that when necessary, Rabbi David will sit down with individual boys to discuss their personal problems and offer advice concerning their studies. He continually shows interest in them both on a personal level and with their learning. We can confidently say that these activities are one of the most important factors responsible for the low dropout rate among the neighborhood s youth. What Took So Long? The main edifice has finally been completed, but it has been a long time since construction began. The actual building took longer than expected, with constant delays, various unexpected problems, and countless snags cropping up along the line. Rabbi Messod Rebibo mentioned that he once heard Rabbi David Pinto say that he suspects the delays were because some donations were not kosher. Before construction began, plans were sent to hundreds of potential donors, and Baruch Hashem they were all interested in participating. However after so many setbacks during the actual construction, Rabbi David did some investigation and discovered that about half a million dollars had come from non-kosher sources. That is, it came from donors who had earned money by desecrating the holiness of Shabbat. It was not easy to replace the missing funds, since it required hundreds of other donations and caused a great deal of inconvenience. One cannot fail to be impressed by a guided tour of the completed building. On the ground floor is a reception hall that is served by a first-class kitchen. Also on the first floor is a mikveh that is kosher according to the most stringent of rulings, and adjacent to it is another original idea: An enclosed area specifically designed for tevilat kelim (ritual immersion of vessels). On the floor above are three prayer rooms that are used during the week, while the primary synagogue, located on the main floor, is for now only used on Shabbat and holidays. Above the synagogue is a spacious gallery for the women, and during the week the women s section serves as the study hall for the kollel. There are plans to make the top story (located within the dome of the building) into a yeshiva, G-d willing. The entire edifice cost a total of $8,000,000, money well spent for a splendid dwelling place for Hashem s glory. Rabbi Eliyahu Sitbon tells us that Rabbi David Pinto was personally involved in all details of the project, also providing a rough idea of what he wanted the building to look like. Rabbi Sitbon said that at that point they sat down with the best architects and interior designers to draw up plans and sketches, which were then presented to Rabbi David for his approval. Even more than outward appearance, he points out, Rabbi David was adamant that considerations of tzniut (modesty) be taken into account from the outset. Indeed, when one sees the edifice in all of its splendor, along with the attention lavished upon every detail of its construction both inside and out it 31

32 is obvious that a great deal of thought went into erecting such a magnificent structure. Torah Centers Around the World Due to the chanukat habayit celebration that will soon take place in Ashdod, we have gone to great lengths in describing Rabbi Pinto s Torah empire there. However the fact is that Rabbi David s Torah centers can be found all over the world, in places as far apart as Paris, Lyon, and Bussières in France, as well as in Canada and the holy city of Jerusalem. Each of these places is home to an active Torah center launched by Rabbi David, with yeshivot and kollelim that serve as the focal point of the local Jewish community. Community life in Paris has undergone a major change since Rabbi David Pinto began his work there. Among other things, he has founded a synagogue, man. Lyon is also graced by the most beautiful mikveh in Europe, as well as a synagogue, a seminary for women, a Beit Midrash and a Chesed Chaim (a large charity fund that provides food for the needy), all supervised by Mr. Terry Liberty and Mrs. Zaddel. Furthermore, when finances permit, there is not a yeshiva in the entire country big or small, famous or not that had not been helped at one time or another by Rabbi David Pinto. The Rav says that he prays that he should always be worthy of being counted among the bearers of G-d s Ark (i.e., those who support the Torah). Deserving special mention is Nefesh Haim yeshiva in Jerusalem, which is also financially supported by Rabbi David Pinto. Rabbi Natan Margen Shlita directs the yeshiva, and his students rank among the best in the yeshiva world. There is also a kollel comprising about 80 avrechim that is headed by eminent a seminary for women, a kollel and a yeshiva in the city. Thanks to Rabbi David s generosity and spiritual backing, many other Batei Midrashim, mikvaot and Torah schools (which are managed by Mr. William Marciano) have opened as well. The city of Bussières has also been fortunate, now boasting a kollel for avrechim and a yeshiva named after Rabbi Gershon Liebman Zatzal. They receive regular financial support amounting to thousands of Euros every month. In Lyon there is an imposing building that contains a yeshiva and a kollel, efficiently run by two students of Rabbi David: Mr. Gabi Elbaz and Mr. Francis Marabbis: Rabbi Yitzchak Asraf Shlita, Rabbi Yehuda Rakow Shlita, and Rabbi Yaakov Rakow Shlita, the last two being the sons of the tzaddik Rabbi Betzalel Rakow Zatzal, the former Chief Rabbi of Gateshead, England. The atmosphere in the yeshiva has a very positive effect on the enthusiasm with which the boys learn. At times Rabbi David himself comes and joins the Thursday night mishmar, when many of the boys stay awake to learn all night. Together with these students, Rabbi David sits and delights in Torah learning late into the night. Nearby in the town of Bayit Vegan, a plot of land has recently been pur- chased. The plan is to erect a building that will serve as a Beit Midrash and kollel for ba alei teshuvah and working men. Rabbi David Pinto is also known throughout the world as a popular lecturer. Some of his speeches have already been published in his Pachad David series of books and in Kerem David. He has been invited to address audiences of every possible kind and in every imaginable place. He speaks to everyday working people and youngsters who, both geographically and spiritually, are about as distant as possible. He also addresses audiences of bnei Torah in the yeshivot of Yechave Da at, Dushinsky and Belz, and he gives lectures in countless other yeshivot and Batei Midrashim throughout Israel and the Diaspora. Still living in France, Rabbi David is on excellent terms with rabbis from around the world. Any Rosh Yeshiva coming to France usually makes his way to Rabbi David s address as his first stop. Fifteen years ago, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach Zatzal wrote to him and personally asked the Rav to help a certain Rosh Yeshiva who had fallen so deeply into debt that he was liable of serving prison time if he failed to repay. At that time money was being collected for many other worthy causes in France, and the amount that the Rosh Yeshiva in question had managed to raise was far from what he needed. Finding no other way to help him, Rabbi David decided to auction one of his new Sifrei Torah, and with the proceeds he paid off the Rosh Yeshiva s debts. The central theme in all of Rabbi David Pinto s work is Torah, Torah, and more Torah. Increasing the public s awareness of the importance of family purity is also high on his agenda, and in many unexpected places you may come across a beautiful mikveh built by Rabbi David. When he notices that the issue is being neglected in a certain place, he will often start financing the building of a beautiful mikveh there. And Rabbi David Pinto is not yet finished. It is late at night when we leave Rabbi David. We have tried to jot down some of our impressions, but our pens are incapable of doing justice to everything we have heard. In these brief paragraphs we have attempted to give a few glimpses of what stands behind this wonderful empire of Torah. 32

33 THE WEDDING OF SARAH RUBY AÏSSA The Daughter of the Tzaddik Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita and Yitshak Saban Hacohen (16 Adar II, 5765) The sound of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous A great number of people, Ashkenazim and Sephardim, from all colors of the rainbow and every community, were joyously making their way to the Intercontinental Hotel in Tel Aviv. It was there that the wedding of the daughter of the tzaddik Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita, Sarah Ruby Aïssa, and Yitshak Saban of Argentina, from a family of Cohanim, would soon take place. Such a celebration doesn t happen every day. When Rabbi David Pinto Shlita marries off his daughter, there isn t Jew who doesn t rejoice with him in the founding of this new home in Israel, a miniature Temple that will be built with Hashem s help. It is certainly with respect to such events that it is written, Make for Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them (Exodus 25:8). Everyone wants to see and be seen. They all want to participate with body and soul with each of their 248 limbs and 365 sinews in the holiness of this celebration, one that will bring great abundance into all the worlds and usher in great joy and success for the entire Jewish people. A Sanctified Moment at the Chuppah The place is buzzing with people. Everyone is awaiting the great moment, the chuppah ceremony, which will bring about abundant blessings and prosperity. Rabbi David arrives, and all eyes expectantly wait to see the sanctified ceremony under the chuppah. The Rav, who is guided by his concern for the holiness and purity of the Jewish people, repeatedly asks for a complete gender separation among the guests. He does this in order to preserve the purity of the chuppah ceremony, for the Sages have said that when men and women mingle during a wedding, it is impossible to recite Sheva Berachot. The father of the bride, Rabbi David, walks toward the chuppah, his face clearly radiating with joy. The chuppah is located on a raised platform in order for everyone to witness the event. In his hand, the Rav is holding the cane that he inherited from his grandfather, the tzaddik Rabbi Haim Pinto Zatzal, which as we know has numerous segulot. Whoever holds it may be saved by the merit of the tzaddik and experience an abundance of blessings and prosperity. The moment is very moving, as all eyes wait to see what transpires under the chuppah. There is complete silence, an impressive, absolute 33

34 silence that can truly be cut with a knife. It is like the time of the giving of the Torah, when no creature opened its mouth and the entire universe was silent, when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah to Israel. In fact this is the meaning of the chuppah ceremony for the Jewish people, a holy bond between the assembly of Israel and its Father in Heaven, like the giving of the Torah on Sinai. Indeed, this is the main purpose of marriage: The establishment of a sanctified home in Israel, one based upon the tenants of Torah and holiness, upon the path that leads to the house of G- d, as our holy Patriarchs wanted. The ceremony under the chuppah has begun. Rabbi David Pinto, the father of the bride, is enveloped by his tallit. With a moving voice that is stamped with holiness, he begins the kiddushin: Who sanctifies His people Israel through chuppah and kiddushin. Rabbi Yossef Kaltsky reads the Ketubah, while Rav Ezrahi recites the other blessings of the chuppah. The last blessing is recited by Rabbi David Pinto. The atmosphere is utterly indescribable. An atmosphere of purity and holiness hovers above the holy people, who wholeheartedly bless the young couple. They have just begun building a new home in Israel; they have just added a stone to the walls of holiness of the Jewish people. Thus as the Sages have said, When husband and wife are worthy, the Shechinah abides with them (Sotah 17a). Great Joy in All Corners of the World The chuppah ceremony has just ended, and the joy of the occasion is immediately unleashed in all its power. Many of the guests form energetic dance circles in honor of the great event, while at the same time a crowd of people starts pressing together from all directions. They are awaiting Rabbi David in order to congratulate him, as well as to receive a blessing from his sanctified lips. As we know, this is very lofty spiritual occasion, one of joy of bride and groom, when all the guests are blessed as they pray for this newly established home in Israel to endure forever. Rabbi David gives a warm and exceptionally joyous greeting to everyone, and they all receive a brand new copy of his book Pahad David. This latest volume, which has been published for the wedding, deals with the Passover Haggadah and the month of Nissan. It contains the laws of Passover, the Haggadah with the commentaries of Rabbi David, articles on the month of Nissan, the Passover holiday, and Olelot Ha-Kerem, brief comments on the month of Nissan and Passover. Thus for a long time everyone greets the Rav, while nearby the wedding meal is already prepared. The Rav s assistants spare no effort in welcoming all the guests, showing each person to their table and seat for the entire meal. A brief glance at the reception hall shows that there is no limit to the respect the Rav enjoys from every Jewish community. In all directions we see Jews from every corner of the globe, from all towns, large and small, and from all communities and every background Chassidic and Litvish, Ashkenaz and Sephardic everyone seated together to honor the Rav. Each group without exception accepts and respects the Rav, all Jews regardless of origin or affiliation. Included among the guests that have traveled from around the world to be here, we notice a tremendous number of French speakers, both 34

35 admirers of the Rav and his students. They have given their all to travel from France and other European countries in order to participate in the wedding of the Rav s daughter. This is their way of repaying, by their presence, a portion of the love and affection that the Rav has shown them throughout the year. Everywhere we look, we see joyous guests who have arrived from all corners of the globe to participate in this event. It is not without reason that they have exerted a tremendous effort to come to the Holy Land and attend this wedding. They have done so to show the Rav how much they respect him, as well as to reciprocate the kindness that he has shown them. Their eyes sparkle in seeing just what a Jewish celebration is like; they shine in witnessing a Jewish home being built among good Jewish families. The Wedding Meal A Joyous Occasion Graced by the Presence of Torah Scholars We can easily characterize the wedding meal itself by the words of our Sages: If one partakes of a meal at which a scholar is present, it is as if he has feasted on the brilliance of the Shechinah (Berachot 64a). This is because everyone can clearly see the brilliance of the Shechinah as it hovers above the guests. If that is the case for the guest tables, imagine what it s like for the table of honor, where the Rav is seated like a king surrounded by his army. Next to him are great rabbis and prominent figures, among whom are tzaddikim and gaonim. Such individuals clearly demonstrate to us what the Sages have said: The tzaddikim sit with their crowns on their heads feasting on the brilliance of the Shechinah (Berachot 17a). Everyone is now seated at their tables, yet in reality it is perhaps only their bodies that are there. The heart pays no attention to the sumptuous dishes placed before them. All eyes constantly look to the table of honor, where one after another, great Torah figures tzaddikim and gaonim, as well as ordinary individuals come to congratulate the Rav and receive his blessing. The guests respectful kiss the Rav s hand, profiting from an outpouring of his blessings and words of Torah. At the same time, they receive some alcohol from the Rav to drink a l Chaim. They congratulate him and receive his blessing for all areas of life, both material and spiritual. At such an elevated and important time, the key to blessings is surely found in such a place, and with that key the gates of salvation and Divine mercy can be opened for all. Thus everyone strives to approach the Rav and receive his blessings at this great spiritual moment. This is the Table Before Hashem The meal goes on for several hours, a Seudat Mitzvah in the fullest possible sense. We await words of Torah and blessings from the Rav in honor of this great celebration, and especially for the young couple. Indeed, one great Torah figure after another speaks during the meal. The guests listen to the speech of Rabbi David with reverence. He peppers his discourse with words in French so that those who have come from overseas can understand and more fully appreciate the celebration. With each word that he utters, we can sense the Rav s elation. He heaps compliments upon the groom, Yitshak Saban, who to the present day has continually advanced in Torah and the fear of Heaven, doing so at every 35

36 hour and each instant. He has truly merited this great day. Everyone can clearly see how the Rav opens the gates of Heaven and tries to infuse his listeners with the essence of this great occasion, the essence of a wedding celebration. Such an event evokes the Torah s statement: Make for Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them (Exodus 25:8). When a couple builds a home on the basis of Torah and holiness, the Holy One, blessed be He, abides with them. The enthusiastic words of the gaon Rabbi Meir Tzvi Berman Shlita, the son-in-law of Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach Zatzal, are avidly heard. So too are the words of the gaon Rabbi Baruch Mordechai Ezrahi Shlita (Rosh Yeshiva of Ateret Israel), and Rabbi Yedidia Assaraf Shlita (Rosh Yeshiva of Orot Haim OuMoshe in Jerusalem). They heap blessings upon the tzaddik Rav Pinto by giving a brief description of his activities across the globe, wherever they occur. They continue by describing the joys of marriage, pouring out blessings upon the head of the young couple. Other than the Rav s book Pahad David, each guest receives the marvelous work Pahad Yitshak, Torah commentaries from the groom himself, Yitshak Saban. He wrote these commentaries while in yeshiva, and they include remarks that he heard from his new fatherin-law, Rav Pinto. Along with this book, the guests are given a collection of commentaries by the avrechim of Mishkan Betzalel Orot Haim OuMoshe kollel in Jerusalem, a collection that has just been released in honor of the Rav s great celebration. energy. The joy is overflowing, as everyone is singing and dancing for the couple. Hearts are given no rest as bodies are constantly on the move. People dance with incredible enthusiasm and without interruption, without respite. As the guests sit down to continue the meal, the dancing begins again, and with even greater intensity. The groom is carried on people s shoulders as everyone dances for him, for tonight he is like a king. From time to time the Rav extends his hand to one of the guests, dancing with him in the middle of a circle of guests as applause breaks out and reaches the heavens. The Rav stays close to those who have traveled here from overseas, as well as to those who have merited returning to the Torah. They also deserve a pat on the back and a warm embrace. Those who have had the chance to dance with the Rav can testify to the fact that it s not everyday that a person merits such an honor, to dance hand in hand with the Rav himself at his daughter s wedding. It is truly a special moment that can bring about all kinds of good things due to the great joy of the occasion. Rav Bergman leads the Birkat Hamazon, while the other Rabbis recite Sheva Berachot. Each person hopes that the joy of the newlyweds will bring an abundance of good for everyone. An Abundance of Good for the Entire Jewish People It s late at night when the great wedding celebration ends. It has certainly brought great spiritual and material benefits to everyone. The word beshirah is formed by the initials of yushpa shefa rav bekol haolamot ( great abundance spreads to all the worlds ). It s true that by the power of shirah (song), and from the great joy that occurred on this night, there will be tremendous prosperity in all the worlds. There will also be great abundance for the Jewish people (both collectively and individually) an abundance of blessing and success, children, life, and bountiful sustenance that only good things should be heard. May Hashem cause this celebration to exert a beneficial influence on the entire Jewish people, that they may be saved and quickly receive what is soon to come: That all flesh shall will the face of Hashem, that the Temple will be build in all its glory, and that Mashiach will be revealed, speedily and in our days. Amen, may it be so! A great Mazal Tov to Mickaël Pinto son of Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Chlita on the occasion of his Bar Mitsva which took place in Paris on June 5th, The Loftiness of a Jewish Celebration The meal continues, yet at the same time the joy of the participants knows no bounds. In the middle of the meal, the Rav begins to dance with all the prominent rabbis at the table of honor. They begin dancing by jumping about with incredible 36

37 TO BE A JEW (by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shelita) When man comes close to the Eternal by studying the Torah and observing the Mitzvot, he comes from the other side ( Ivri means one from the other side of the river) just like our patriarch Abraham did. I am very upset to see an increase in divorce among Jews in Jews. Yet, couples often separate without having a good reason. The parties blame one another and avoid taking responsibility for the situation. The dialogue gets so heated that it usually leads to insults and even fights. Children are the real victims of such conflicts. They move from one home to another often witnessing cursing and yelling. This situation deeply affects their mental health and jeopardizes their future. There are many reasons for disagreements leading to divorce: 1. It is written in the Torah that the children of Israel were called Ivrim. The first person to be given this name was our patriarch Abraham. The term Ivrim has two meanings: The first dates back to the time when Abraham understood that the universe had a Creator and a Master. His contemporaries assumed that the Eternal created the world for Himself. This assumption was very far from the reality discovered by Abraham. At that time people lived in total disregard of laws and without faith. Their permissive and perverted conduct led them to despair because they lived without faith and spirituality. Having un- derstood this, the people started to worship idols, the moon, the stars, the trees, etc... In fact, they were seeking something higher to believe in. But each time it was a setback for they worshipped falsegods. As we know, the human being is both physical and divine, material and spiritual. The human body is physical and material structure in which the Eternal has placed divine and spiritual elements making spirit and soul inseparable. Indeed, the soul can t live without the physical body and vice-versa. The Eternal gave man wisdom and sense of equilibrium so that body and soul can live in peace and harmony. But the soul couldn t live within a physical body without spirituality. Consequently, the Eternal created the Torah to allow man to sanctify the body and everything he puts in his mouth. The body consists of 248 parts and 365 organs. This totals 613, which corresponds to the number of Mitzvot that G gave us to observe. Because of the blessings that man recites before eating any food, he constantly sanctifies his body. The matter in his body is transformed into a divine spirit allowing the body to live side by side with the soul which is a spark of divinity. Therefore, when man says blessings and studies the Torah, he turns his body into a sacred and spiritual place. When man comes close to the Eternal by studying the Torah and observing the Mitzvot, he comes from the other side ( Ivri means one from the other side of the river) just like our patriarch Abraham did. A man bound to the Torah is able to live with another who is not, even if their opinions are different. Why? Because the first man, as Abraham did, adjusted his convictions to the other side. But the person who prefers to live by his own rules and has a permissive behavior without any faith in the Creator and thinks that his successes are due solely to his efforts, this person is worshipping idols which in reality are money and glory. By doing this, he can be compared to Abraham s contemporaries who believed that since the world was left in neglect they could live on the other side, leading a life of debauchery. To feed their souls, they worshipped false-gods. There is another reason why the children of Israel are called Ivrim. The root of this word is Avar (past). This means that instead of being satisfied with everyday life that keeps changing from one day to another, they lived attached to their past. They were bound to the magnificent past of our Saintly Forefathers, and this past is immutable in the image of the Holy Torah revered by our ancestors. Being still bound to their past, the Children of Israel are different from other nations who live on the other side. These nations are attached to the present which changes from day to day. After being sold and reduced to slavery in Egypt, Joseph the Righteous could have profited from his exceptional beauty in order to improve his fate. But instead of trying to look like an Egyptian, he preferred not to change his personality or identity and stay Jewish as he was when he lived with his father, Yaakov, in the Holy Land. This loyalty earned him the name 37

38 Eved Ivri (Hebrew slave). In other words, even though he was a slave, he continued to live on the opposite side unlike the other slaves who lived, as the Egyptians did, the way they pleased. Moreover, despite the mockery of his entourage, Joseph continued to live bound to the past as his ancestors did. This devotion to Judaism earned him the trust of the Pharaoh who, as the Torah tells us, appointed him prime minister of the whole land of Egypt, reserving to himself supreme authority. For he who is loyal to Judaism, will also show his loyalty in other domains. On this subject, I heard about a Jew who did not observe the Mitzvot to the point of desecrating the Shabbat. One day, this person learned through the newspaper that a private bank was looking for a director. Having many diplomas, he applied for the job. The administrators were impressed by the candidate. But, one of them asked: - Your name sounds Jewish, doesn t it? The candidate said yes. The next question was: - Do you work on Saturdays? - Generally, I don t work on Shabbat. But if I had to close a good deal on a Saturday, I wouldn t mind opening the bank on this day. The president of the bank replied: - Sorry, I m firing you before even hiring you. Everyone was surprised by this answer and wanted to know the reason behind it. The president explained: - This gentleman says he s Jewish but he doesn t believe in his Torah which is eternal. Yet, millions of Jews died for being loyal to their faith. Considering this, how can I trust him to manage all the money in my bank? It is written in the Torah, as well: When you acquire a Hebrew slave, he is to serve you for six years, but in the seventh year he shall be freed, without cost. The Torah also calls Ish Ivri (Hebrew man) the Jew who stole and who is unable to reimburse. The Beith Din (tribunal) sentences him to work for the victim. Why is he called Hebrew man and not Jew? Because instead of being righteous and generous like his Saintly forefathers, he stole from his fellow man. This is why the Torah punished the Jewish slave who freed himself from the study of the Torah and the observance of the Mitzvot by breaking the commandment which forbids stealing. He, therefore, gets cut off from Judaism and assimilates himself with his contemporaries. Thus, he will serve his master as a slave for six years in reference to the sixth of Sivan, the date on which the Children of Israel received the Torah. Since he cut himself from the Torah, instead of being attached to it with all his heart and soul, he will be exempt from studying it for six years until he mends his ways and rectifies the sixth day of Creation, the day of his birth. Only then, he will become free, without owing anything as if he was just born this seventh day, on Sabbath, of this seventh year. Today, we still praise our ancestors who were always bound to their past and who lived on the other side contrary to the other nations of the world. Unfortunately, silliness is the main cause of divorce today and, strangely enough, it happens often before holidays. Holidays should be a time for joy and happiness within the family. But husbands and wives argue over which parents they ll spend the holidays with. The parents, on the other hand, instead of staying away from the dispute, meddle in, without considering the repercussions. There is an explicit Halakha (law) according to which, in the interest of Shalom Bayit (peace within the home), it is better not to spend holidays with any parents. In the first place, the development of a peaceful relationship within a couple should prevail over respect due to parents. It is better for the parents to suffer a little by not spending time with their children than to suffer tremendously by seeing their children destroy each other. Both spouses should decide, willingly and without arguing, with which parents the holidays will be spent. If an argument is to erupt, G forbid, the couple should stay at home and invite the parents or visit them at another time. We should not desecrate the holiday by driving the car when invited by the parents for a meal because the Brakha (blessing) over it will become meaningless and will serve as an excuse to a Hillul (desecration) of a holy day. The intention to observe the Mitzvah of honoring parents turns in fact into an Avera (transgression). No doubt, reverence for mother and father is a very important precept, so important that the Holy one, Blessed Be He, conceded a part of his honor to man so that he could revere his parents. But if there is a conflict between what parents say and what the Torah teaches, it is the wishes of G that must take precedence. One should not listen to the parents if it makes us desecrate the Shabbat and the Haggim (holidays). The parents should also understand that if they revere the Holy One, Blessed Be He, and believe in Him, they must first pay their respect to G. Thus the Eternal will reward them with a good health and blessings and prevent from evil. 38

39 A great number of people today follow a new trend and renounce their Hebrew names taking those of other nations, they don t speak Hebrew and wear inappropriate clothes. Doing so, they break their link with the past of our Saintly Forefathers who for centuries studied the Torah, observed the Mitzvot, refused to assimilate with Egyptians, wore modest clothes, bore Hebrew names and spoke the language of their ancestors. When an individual gets attached to traditions of other nations, he distances himself from Judaism, rapidly assimilates and forgets his eternal Jewish identity. Without the Mitzvot his identity is empty of all meaning. Towards the end of his life, maybe, after seeing that his children became assimilated at a faster rate than he did, he will cry out of remorse and die without telling anyone the burden of his pain. And even after his death, he probably won t hear the Kaddish because his children never studied Hebrew and are unable to read it. Today, it is possible to live side by side with the new generation, benefit from the development of the new technologies and, nevertheless, stay faithful to our Jewish past. Both are possible at the same time. A person who eats Matzah and bitter herbs on Pessah is remembering that the Children of Israel were slaves in Egypt and by doing so, he is bound to his past as if he too was a slave in Egypt. A person who, in this technological era, fasts on Yom Kippur will certainly be forgiven by the Eternal. A person who lights the Hanukiyah for eight days is once again identifying with the past of his people and cherishes the miracle of the oil that burnt for eight days instead of just one. All of them are bound to the past and by observing the Mitzvot, they are building a shield around that prevents them from assimilation. Therefore, they are living on the other side while the nations of the world are living on the opposite side. This being said, how can some people contradict themselves by leading a life of debauchery? One day, they seem to be bound to their past, but the next day, they undergo a drastic change and live in the present, without feeling any remorse for their wrongdoing. One day, a Jew was invited to the palace of the King of Spain. The King said: - I have a surprise for you in my palace. Look at all of the paintings and tell me which is out of the ordinary. The Jew gazed at the paintings for a long time but didn t see anything particularly interesting. He said to the King: - They are all very beautiful paintings. The King said: - Aren t you Jewish? The man replied: - Yes, I am. The King then said: - Don t you see that 500 yearold painting entitled A Jew praying with phylacteries on his head and hand? This work is worth a fortune because it was painted 500 years ago. Surprised, the Jew answered: - You mean to tell me, Your Majesty, that 500 years ago, the Jews put on the tefillin? Leaving the palace, the Jew felt a sincere desire to repent and, as a result, decided to go back to Judaism and started to observe all the Mitzvot. Why doesn t the Torah attract as much people as the most insignificant historical monument? Isn t the Torah eternal, created thousands of generations before the world itself was created? Doesn t it reveal all the secrets of the Creation? Isn t it the only hope man has for protection once he dies? Is it right not to give it the respect it deserves? Is it right to despise it? Is it right to ridicule it and the people who commit themselves to it? Is this behavior fair? I would like to give you a brief account of two events that happened to me in In regard to this, I am endlessly thankful to the Eternal for giving me the opportunity to accomplish two great Mitzvot. Maybe only they alone will help me, G willing, in this world and even in the future world. One Friday afternoon, I was very tired because of a migraine. I didn t want to take any phone calls since the problems I was dealing with during the day put me under a lot of pressure. But my secretary kept telling me several times that a lady wanted to talk with me. It was apparently an emergency. I told my secretary that I was very tired and that I was sure that there was no emergency. I was used to hearing the phrase: Connect me with Rav, please. It s urgent. But usually, there was nothing urgent. Anyway people who call always think that their questions need an urgent response. Once again, I refused to take the call. But all of a sudden, I felt like a electrical discharge passed through my body. I ran to the phone and said: How may I help you? She told me: - Rabbi, I am a married woman with children. But there is a man who is courting me. I am supposed to meet him today. Please convince me and give me the strength not to go to this rendezvous. If I go, I know that I ll no longer be able to live with my husband. I was rejoiced by this Mitzvah that I had to accomplish and I told myself: This person must be saved from the sin she is about to commit. The Eternal sent me a mitzvah to do that I wasn t even 39

40 looking for and for which the reward is immense. Indeed, he who saves one soul, saves the entire world. How could I fail? Every person should feel that the world was created for him and that he truly belongs to it. Therefore, I saw myself at the point of saving a Jewish woman s world. Every person born into this world represents something new, original and unique. The idea is expressed in the Talmudic quotation Bishvili Nivra Haolam (It is for me that the world was created). The Eternal could have created thousands of humans in the beginning. But if all of humanity comes from one man, Adam, isn t it to emphasize each individual s uniqueness? Everyone in this world can consider himself unique. There wasn t, isn t and won t be anyone in this world similar to anyone else, otherwise there wouldn t be any purpose for that person to be born. This reflects reality: Among the billions of people on this earth, not two are alike. Even identical twins are different from one another. The Midrash poses the question: What is the difference between the Eternal and a National Mint? The answer: With the same mold, the National Mint strikes millions of coins, each identical. Any coin with an imperfection is thrown away. But the Eternal. with the same mold, created humans that are all different. Every person, in relation to his uniqueness, has a unique task to accomplish. Every person, in order to accomplish his obligations in this world should be himself. A Hassidic story illustrates this. Rabbi Zouchia says: When I ll confront the Heavenly Judges, they won t ask me if I m Moshe Rabenu or Rabbi Akiva. They ll ask me if I was myself. That day, thank G, my influence over this woman prevented her from committing a grave sin. Another day, a woman came to tell me that she and her husband have money problems and they can t support their children. Her husband urges his wife, by abusing her verbally and physically, to go to hang around the public garden at night and have, G forbid, relations with the men who frequent that place. According to the husband, the money she would make would help out the family. This woman was so harassed that she came to see me for advice. What was she to do? I was in dismay. How could a Jew order his wife to indulge in such an abomination. I told her that she should absolutely not, under any circumstances, yield to her husband s pressure. I told her: In this case, it is better to divorce that to commit such a degrading act for money; not to mention, the divine interdiction on extra-marital affairs. Thank G, the woman followed my advice. A month and a half later she came to see me and said: Thank you very much, Rabbi, for your advice. Today, thank G, things are much better. Even my husband is happy that I didn t do what he ask. He can t understand himself, how he could ask me such a thing! She continued: A miracle happened. The same week I came to see you, city hall, for no apparent reason, closed the garden that my husband wanted me to go to. But when my husband realized the ignominy of his act, he asked me to forgive him. And the garden reopened the same night. To avoid any misunderstanding between couples, each side should listen to one another without being stubborn. Sometimes, to avoid arguments and quarrels, concessions should be made. To preserve the Shalom Bayit (peace within the home), one should study the Torah, observe the Mitzvot, in particular the Taharat Mishpaha (family purity) complying strictly to the rules of Nida (separation due to monthly menstrual period). Our Sages say that the night the wife returns home after having been in the Mikvah, it is as if the couple just got married. Our Sages also say that even during slavery, the Bnei Israel strictly abided by the laws of Nida and family purity. As a reward for their commitment to these precepts, Jewish women of that time witnessed many miracles. We can even claim that thanks to them, the Bnei Israel were brought out of slavery in Egypt. During one of my visits to the United States, I asked a lady: Do you observe the laws of family purity? She said: My husband and I discussed this, and decided that we weren t made for it and that it wasn t for us! I told her: Who are you to negate only one of the Torah s Mitzvot claiming that it is not made for you? And you came for a blessing to increase the Parnassah (revenue) for you and your children? It is of no avail to pray to the Eternal if you ignore family purity and don t go to the Mikvah. I lectured her lengthily and today, thank G, she and her husband understand that they were wrong about drifting away from their past and living on the side opposite to the Torah. In these modern times, there is only one way for man to stay bonded with the past, that is, by observing with all heart and soul the precepts of the Torah and accomplishing the Mitzvot. He will feel that even though he lives in a modern world, he didn t abandon his ancestors ways whose commitment to the past earned them the name of Ivrim (Hebrews). Nothing should prevent the occupants of beautifully furnished and luxurious houses from living according to the teachings of the Torah and its Mitzvot. 40

41 How many times have Jews who drifted away from their faith, almost completely assimilated, came to me for a blessing? I can t help saying, how dare they ask me for a blessing if they defied all the Mitzvot and will still continue to live without the Torah and Emunah (faith)? In Chicago, I happened to visit a Jew in a hospital. For 50 years, he never put on Tefillin, never ate Kosher food, he didn t know about Judaism. The day he was between life and death, he cried out so loudly Shema Israel, Hashem Elohainu, Hashem Ehad (Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our G, the Lord is One) that all the doctors ran to his bed. How can this be explained? How could a man who never understood the meaning of the Shema express his faith with such fervor? To comprehend this, one should know that every Jew, even the one who drifted away from Judaism, carries deep in his heart a spark which bounds him to the past of his Saintly Forefathers and the Torah that he heard on Mount Sinai, the day it was given to the Bnei Israel. Indeed, all the Bnei Israel were present when the Torah was given to them and all of them heard the Ten Commandments from the Eternal. Therefore, when the spark is kindled in the heart of the individual, it brings him to the other side and links him once again to his past and to Judaism. I would also like to recount a miracle that took place in Mexico. This miracle had a great effect on the Jewish community as it did on the local population. The son of a Mexican who was not Jewish, but was working in a business run by a Jew, mysteriously disappeared. It s known that in Mexico, it is very unlikely to recover a missing child. The Jewish boss said to the boy s father: - Come with me. We are going to meet a Jew from France. He is the grand-son of Great Sages. He might be able to help you. The Mexican family accompanied by Jews, who were comforting them, came to see me. The father of the boy took out a map, pointed at it and asked me: - Could you tell me where my son is? He s been missing for a month. Is he dead or alive? Never in my life, did anybody ask me such a bold question with so much confidence. Looking at the map, I asked myself: How can I solve this problem? Am I a prophet who is able to decipher mysteries and find a lost child in a country with over 70 million people? Everybody in the room, including many Rabbanim, were waiting for my response. I lifted my eyes to Heaven and prayed to the Eternal to help me at least find the appropriate words to comfort this man. It s in G s hands to do what was necessary in order to sanctify His name among all the nations, so that everyone knows that there is one G in Israel. All of a sudden, I heard a noise coming from outside. While laughing, somebody said to his friend: I m bicycling to Acapulco tomorrow! His friend answered: Are you kidding? It s very far! At that moment, I picked up my fountain-pen and threw it on the map. It landed on the exact place where Acapulco is located, leaving a spot of ink. I told myself that it was not a coincidence. It was not in vain that the man was talking about his impossible trip to Acapulco by bicycle. I told the parents: In my opinion, your son is in Acapulco. He might have gone there with his friends by bicycle or by bus. The father answered: That s impossible! He doesn t have a bicycle, but he could have ran away because I refused to buy him one. His words supported my belief that the child was in Acapulco. I told the father: Go find your boy in Acapulco. The father said: But where should I look for him there? I said: Search the areas where traffic is heavy. Your son is probably making pocket money by washing windshields. The same day, the parents went to Acapulco. At the central bus station, they found their son. They were very happy to see him. They kissed and hugged the boy and promised not to punish him. That same evening, back in Mexico-City, they came to see me with their son. I can still picture our meeting: the father, the found boy, the mother, the Jewish owner of the business and the two Rabbanim came to thank G for the miracle He did. I asked the boy: Why did you run away? He answered: I wanted a bike to participate in the Mexico- Acapulco race. But my father didn t want to buy me one. I was ashamed not to have a bicycle in front of all my friends who do. So I hitchhiked to Acapulco. I was scared to call my parents. I slept on the street. And to buy food, I washed windshields. See, how good the Eternal is. When someone prays with all his heart and asks Him for help, the Eternal uses many ways to answer the prayer. There is no need for the one who prays to be a prophet. Remember the words of the two men I overheard about the incredible bicycle trip to Acapulco. These words were spoken so that I hear them and tell the worried parents where their son was. The Eternal helped me because I took those words seriously and I wasn t afraid to repeat them. I was sure that the Eternal would intervene and His Name would be sanctified. This was the way, thank G, things turned out. 41

42 THE MIRACULOUS STONES OF MOUNT SINAI On the sixth day of Sivan in the year 2448, during Shabbat itself, Hashem descended upon Mount Sinai and transmitted the Torah to the Children of Israel. The entire Jewish people were present on that awe-inspiring day to receive the Torah, a Torah of truth, from the Master of the universe. It was an exceptional and unique event in the history of the world, never repeated since that time. The stones of Mount Sinai have the extraordinary distinction of depicting branch-like images on their surface, images that recall the sneh (burning bush), where Hashem revealed Himself to Moses. These are dendritic stones, which bear branching or treelike marks on their surface. The tiniest flakes from these stones, and even the dust from these flakes, bear the same treelike imprints. The discovery of such stones on Mount Sinai dates back to previous generations. Hundreds of years ago, various researchers traveled to the Sinai Peninsula and climbed Jebel Musa (the Arabic name for Mount Sinai), returning with these stones. In his book Migdal Oz, Rabbi Yaakov Emden cites the account of an author who apparently came across one such stone: Know that I have reliable sources who tell me that the stones of Mount Sinai bear the imprint of a bush, and the reason the mountain is called Sinai is because it was there that Hashem revealed Himself to Moses in a sneh. A prominent figure from Barcelona, a grandchild of Hasday, brought me one such stone. I saw with my very eyes the perfect resemblance of a shrub on it, this image being the work of G-d. I broke the stone in half, and the same image appeared on the inner face of each half! I continued to break the stone into pieces, until its fragments were no larger than a nut. I was then taken aback as I saw that the imprint of a shrub appeared on each fragment, regardless of how small it was! Each stone carries the image of the sneh. If a person has any doubts, he can try and break it into as many pieces as he wants, and on each one he will see the same mysterious imprint of the burning bush. Even by using a microscope on the smallest fragments, we will see the same image, its size being in proportion to the fragment being examined. Breaking such a stone to bits only serves to prove that it comes from Mount Sinai. The writings of Rabbi Yaakov Emden persuaded Rabbi Naphtali Taiek to travel to Mount Sinai. Rav Taiek did some serious research while in the Sinai Peninsula, traveling throughout the Taba region as he followed a route indicated on his map to the St. Catherine monastery on Mount Sinai itself. Once he arrived at the base of the mountain, he began his climb. He then discovered that there was another mount atop the mountain, the upper one being Mount Sinai proper. It is composed of black granite and contains thousands of rocklike steps, with its peak rising some 7,500 feet about sea level. He climbed for more than 10 hours before arriving at the summit. The presence of the dendritic stones on Jebel Musa did not surprise him. On each of them the imprint of a bush could be clearly seen both on the surface and inner part of any fragmented piece even the smallest. Rav Taiek took some back with him and presented them to a science laboratory at the University of Jerusalem. Although these samples were ground to dust, microscopes could still detect the imprint of a bush at a magnification factor of 600. In his book It Shall Be a Sign For You, he wrote: This branchlike dotting image occurs due to a mass amalgamation of tiny crystals of iron and magnesium oxide. Such dendritic markings are relatively common in all parts of the world. On the other hand, dendritic markings within rocks occur only on Mount Sinai. Jebel Musa is a holy place for Muslims and Christians alike, for they view Moses as a prophet. It goes without saying that for the Jewish people as well, Mount Sinai holds tremendous holiness. However for us this holiness is due to its history, not its location. It is because of Mount Sinai s history that its stones have the ability to sensitize people s hearts in complete holiness, in an amazing and powerful way. It may be that our forefathers stood on these very stones and received the Torah from Hashem Himself. On these stones the Shechinah may have descended amid flames, Shofar blasts, and the sounds of thunder that were heard from one end of the world to the other in an extraordinary revelation. On these very stones we may have exclaimed, all in unison, Na aseh Ve Nishma ( We will do and we will hear ), with a deep faith that emanated from the innermost part of our beings. 42