MTC EARLY SHABBOS Mincha 6:20 pm- Light candles after 6:55 pm BLESSING OF THE NEW MONTH ELUL, ROSH CHODESH SHABBAT-SUNDAY, AUG AVOT CHAPTER 4

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1 ב"ה Menachem Av 22, Friday, August 3, 2018 עקב EKEV TORAH PORTION Candle Lighting: 8:01 pm Shabbat Ends: 9:09 pm EXPRESS MTC EARLY SHABBOS Mincha 6:20 pm- Light candles after 6:55 pm BLESSING OF THE NEW MONTH ELUL, ROSH CHODESH SHABBAT-SUNDAY, AUG AVOT CHAPTER 4 BUDDING ARTISTS AT MTC DAYCAMP Montreal Torah Center Bais Menachem Chabad Lubavitch Joanne and Jonathan Gurman Community Center Lou Adler Shul Marcia Gillman and Michael Flinker Early Childhood Center 28 Cleve Road, Hampstead Quebec H3X 1A Fax mtc@themtc.com SODIA ICONS MOSAIC EXPRESS 1

2 ANNOUNCEMENTS MTC EARLY SHABBOS Friday August 3 Mincha 6:20 pm- Light candles after 6:55 pm MTC GRACIOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGES THIS WEEK S SPONSORS OF THE DAY Lewis & Teri Clarke in honour of the birthday of Myles Clarke, August 5 Jey Adler in honour of the birthday of Noah Jacob Berdugo, August 9 To become a sponsor of the day, please contact ext 223 SHABBAT SCHEDULE Mincha & Maariv.....6:20 pm Second Mincha & Maariv...8:00 pm Tehillim....8:00 am Shacharit :30 am Children s Program....10:45 am Kiddush :30 pm Mincha/Shalosh Seudos :00 pm TORAH READING Parshat Eikev...Page 1103 Haftorah..... Page 1400 CLASSES Men s Class :00 pm Women s Class :15 pm YASHER KOACH TO OUR KIDDUSH CO-SPONSORS! LAST SHABBAT Yossi & Nathalie Davis John & Merle Finkelstein Mikey Gottesman Micheal & Elza Hirsch Tomer & Irina Klempert Michael & Taryn Nehemia Rabbi & Nechama New Charles & Maureen Malka Stanley & Suzy Merovitz David & Laurie Puterman Itchy & Zeldie Treitel KIDDUSH CO-SPONSORSHIP IS $136 UNVEILING The community is invited to attend the unveiling of a monument in memory of Agnes Gottesman obm Monday Aug 6 at 12:00 pm Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Duvernay Mikey Gottesman 2 MOSAIC EXPRESS SHABBOS MEVORCHIM ELUL FARBRENGEN at the home of Adam & Racheli Spiro 6264 Macdonald Ave 4:00 pm OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES TO Zigman & Stern families on the passing of Mrs. Ethel Zigman obm Chernack & King families on the passing of Norman King, Nissan ben Yosef, obm Brother and brother-in-law of Barbara and Michael Chernack Shiva: 489 Dufferin, Hampstead, Sunday, August 5 - Tuesday, August 7 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm May the family be spared any further sorrow and know only of simchas WEEKDAY PRAYER SCHEDULE SHACHARIT Sunday :00 am Monday-Fri..Chassidus...6:15 am Shacharis...7:00 am Followed by breakfast MINCHA Sunday-Thursday :10 pm MAARIV Sunday-Thursday.....8:45 pm In cherished memory of R Yeshaya Aryeh ben Menashe Treitel obm BAT MITZVAH CLUB Last day to apply: Mon. Aug. 6 themtc.com/bmc Dedicate a CHUMASH Chumash- $65, 31 available Siddur - Sold Out UPCOMING EVENTS MONDAY-THURSDAY, WEEKLY Kolel, 7:30-9:00 pm MONDAY AUG 27 Preschool Parent s Orientation TUESDAY AUG 28 BMC Orientation TUESDAY AUG 28 Lecture with Chief Rabbi of Russia Rabbi Berel Lazar WEDNESDAY AUG 29 Pre Rosh Hashana Women s Event

3 ALIYAH SUMMARY A WHOLE NEW WAY TO MAKE $$$ WITH YOUR LEASE Make Money with your leased car! That's right! You may have equity during or at the end of your lease! STOP giving your Keys back to the dealer and paying for damages! Let us put money in YOUR POCKET instead! General Overview: Moses continues his pep talk to the Israelites, cautioning them not to fear the Canaanite armies for G-d will wage battle for them. He also notifies them that their entry into the Land is not due to their own virtues Moses reminds them of their many transgressions to emphasize this point but rather, it is in the merit of the nation's Forefathers. The commandments of prayer and Grace After Meals are mentioned. The second part of the Shema is also found in this portion. Third Aliyah: Moses tells the Israelites that they will inherit the Land of Israel not due to their own merits and righteousness, but because of the promise G-d made to the Patriarchs. In fact, Moses reminds them of the many times they angered G-d while in the desert, placing special emphasis on the sin of the Golden Calf, when G-d would have annihilated the Israelites if not for Moses' successful intercession on their behalf. He also makes brief reference to the other times when the Israelites rebelled against G-d. First Aliyah: This sec tion begins w ith a promise: if the Israelites observe G-d's commandments, they will be blessed in a multitude of ways, including the obliteration of their Canaanite enemies. Moses enjoins the Israelites not to fear these enemies, for G-d will miraculously deliver them into their hands. Moses instructs the Israelites to destroy all the idols and their accoutrements which they will find in Canaan. Moses then discusses their forty-year desert ordeal, and the many tests and miracles which accompanied them. Moses provides a description of many of the wonderful features of the Land of Israel, and the Israelites are commanded to bless G-d after they eat and are sated. Fourth Aliyah: Moses rec ounts how after the Golden Calf debacle, G-d commanded him to carve two new tablets upon which G-d engraved the Ten Commandments, to replace the first set of tablets which Moses had shattered. At that time, G-d also designated the Levites to be His holy servants, because of the devotion they demonstrated throughout the Golden Calf incident. Second Aliyah: Moses admonishes the Israelites that the new-found fortune which will be their lot once they enter the Promised Land should not lead them to forget the One who provided them with the wealth. Such a blunder would lead to their destruction and ruin. Fifth Aliyah: Moses c harges the Israelites to love and fear G-d, and to serve Him. He expounds on G-d's greatness, and impresses on the Israelites their great fortune: that G-d has chosen them to be His treasured nation. He again reminds them of the many miracles G-d had performed on their behalf since they left Egypt. Sixth Aliyah: Moses tells the Israelites that the land of Israel is constantly dependent upon G-d for irrigating rains, and (Continued on page 6) Call Patrick Roche AND FINALLY... Did you hear about the auto body shop that just opened? It comes highly wreck-a-mended. MOSAIC EXPRESS 3

4 Save-the-date WEDNESDAY AUG 29 Pre Rosh Hashana Women s Event Cooking demo and recipes KIDS SHABBAT PROGRAM GAMES! STORY TIME! SNACK! FUN FOR ALL 10:45 am Summer Groups 18 months 3 years: Playroom Jr. Girls, 4-6 years: Preschool Class Jr. Boys, 4-7 years: Library Girls, 7+: Breakfast room 4 MOSAIC EXPRESS by Ashira Weiss Lubavitch.com Prison reform is a buzzword among politicians and lawmakers, but one rabbi who can report on the efficacy of rehabilitation from within, says the impact cannot be overstated. Earlier this year, some twenty inmates gathered in the chapel at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation s Correctional Training Facility, known as CTF Soledad on California s Central Coast. They were joined by Rabbis Manis and Yochanan Friedman, CTF s Chief Deputy warden and other prison officials who had come to take part in their graduation ceremony. They each received a certificate for having completes CTF s newest study course, titled Choices for Life. Rabbi Yochanan Friedman directs Chabad by the Sea in Santa Cruz and is also CTF s Jewish Chaplain who created the Choices for Life course that led his students on a journey of self-help. In over ten years of service and thousands of hours of Torah classes he has helped many an inmate derive personal inspiration from the ancient wisdom of the Torah. But he wanted to make it more relatable to his unique audience. I wanted actionable Torah teachings tailored to the specific experience these guys are going through, he says. He found what he was looking for when he remembered a Chassidic idea taught by his father, Rabbi Manis Friedman on the paradox of existence versus life. The idea being that existence requires only sustenance and shelter. But to exist is not the same thing as to be alive. To be truly alive, one needs a purpose. Through eight weekly sessions he taught his students that despite past wrong turns, and notwithstanding present circumstance, by choosing to focus on where they can be of service, they too can live meaningfully. As the

5 FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO CANADA ב ה CHIEF RABBI OF RUSSIA AN EVENING WITH BEREL LAZAR TUES / AUGUST 28 / 7:30PM / MTC COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION RSVP REQUIRED Chief Rabbi Lazar, Head Shliach of Chabad-Lubavitch to Russia, is Chairman of the Rabbinical Alliance of the Former Soviet Union and member of the Public Chamber of Russia. Rabbi Lazar will recount the incredible story of the revival of Judaism in Russia and of his unique relationship with President Putin. Evening sponsored by Debbie and Ronnie Cons

6 (Continued from page 4) Choices for Life course overview states, to choose to be needed instead of needy. As students accepted their certificates, many of them were too overcome by emotion to read the written remarks they had prepared. Some spoke of how the course had given them a purpose and helped them overcome thoughts of suicide in the bleakness and hopelessness of prison life. For the first time, I am excited to leave here. I want to help everyone realize their life has purpose, said one inmate who is preparing for his release after a twenty-three year sentence. Eric Dungan was one of three inmate facilitators who helped develop the program. His description; We re the selfhelp group not focused on self, but on what we can do for others. CTF Soledad Chief Deputy Warden, Mr R. Binkele noted this attitude as he listened to the graduates speak. Listening to you all this evening makes me feel I am a little self-centered, he quipped. Rabbi Manis Friedman who also spoke at the graduation was inspired by the intensity of the graduates appreciation. A prisoner s existence is painful, but these guys are on fire with the idea that by looking for opportunities to give they can choose to live. This course was piloted by CTF Soledad. Rabbi Yochanan would like to see it come to more of the nation s correctional institutions. He is now working with other chaplains in Northern California and the Aleph institute, which provides services and support for Jewish prisoners and their families with plans for courses to begin in the fall. The impact of the course on the inmates motivates him to take this further, and he is preparing a curriculum so that others can experience the transformation we ve seen here. 6 MOSAIC EXPRESS PARSHA INSIGHTS From the book Daily Wisdom By Moshe Wisnefsky IMITATING G-D Moses promised the Jewish people that if they would keep G-d s commandments, imitate His goodness, and cleave to the sages of the Torah, G-d would enable them to successfully drive out the nations that were occupying the Land of Israel. ל ל כ ת בּ כ ל דּ ר כ יו וגו': (דברים יא:כב) [Moses told the Jewish people] to walk in [G-d s] ways. Deuteronomy 11:22 The sages of the Talmud explain that this phrase means that we are intended to imitate G-d s goodness. Just as He is merciful, so should you be merciful; just as He performs acts of loving-kindness, so should you perform acts of lovingkindness. But inasmuch as G-d s goodness is infinite, how can we be expected to imitate Him? The answer is that it is for this very reason that G-d created us in His image. As such, we indeed possess G-d s infinite potential to do good. (Continued from page 3) that the land is constantly under G-d's watchful eyes. We then read the second paragraph of the Shema prayer. In this section we are admonished to observe G-d's commandments, which will cause G-d to supply bountiful rainfall and harvests. Nonobservance will lead to exile. We are commanded regarding prayer, tefillin, mezuzah, and teaching Torah to our children. Seventh Aliyah: Moses informs the Israelites that if they follow G-d's ways and cleave to Him, they will easily occupy the land of Israel, and no man will stand up against them. KIDS CORNER EIKEV Questions: 1. The first verse in this parsha mentions ekev, literally a "heel." Where in the Torah is a heel first mentioned? 2. Which two insects are mentioned in this parsha? 3. In what context is the "the finger of G-d" mentioned in this parsha? Where else in the Torah is the "finger of G-d" mentioned? Last Week s Answers: 1. In this parsha, long life is promised as reward for which four actions? Which two other commandments in the Torah promise long life? In this parsha, long life is promised for: (1) keeping all of G-d's laws and statutes (Deut. 4:40), (2) keeping all the commandments properly (Deut. 5:29), (3) honoring one's father and mother (Deut. 5:15), and (4) observing the commandments in the Land of Israel (Deut. 6:2). Elsewhere, long life is promised twice in parshas Ki Teizei for: (1) sending away the mother bird before taking its eggs (Deut. 22:7), and (2) having accurate weights and measures (Deut. 25:15). 2. In what context are fish mentioned in this parsha? The Jews are warned to not make any images of fish (Deut. 4:18). 3. In this parsha, where are an ox and a donkey mentioned in the same verse? (2 answers) In the Ten Commandments, an ox and a donkey are mentioned with regard to (1) keeping Shabbos (Deut. 5:14), and (2) the prohibition of coveting a neighbor's possessions (Deut. 5:18).

7 An inspiring story for your Shabbat table HERE S my STORY Generously sponsored by the JOBS, JOBS, JOBS! MR. MAYER ZEILER ב ה ערב שבת פרשת עקב, כ ב אב, תשע ח Erev Shabbat Parshat Eikev, August 3, 2018 Iam a businessman, an industrialist. And the story I have to tell here is how my family despite the indisputable logic of the naysayers and despite our own finely-honed business sense invested in a textile business in Israel, knowing it would be a losing proposition. We thought of it as a charitable donation, a short-term loss, because there was no way this business was going to survive long-term. Why did we do it even when we knew we shouldn t? We did it because the Rebbe said to do it, and we were followers of the Rebbe. And despite all the predictions to the contrary, despite our own worst expectations, the business succeeded. It succeeded not just modestly, but hugely not just in Israeli terms, but in American terms, in global terms thank G-d. And the only explanation that I have why it succeeded, where logically it should have failed, is that the Land of Israel is especially blessed by G-d (something which the Rebbe understood better than any businessman), and that in addition this particular venture was directed and blessed by the Rebbe himself. The story begins with the passing of my mother in 1951, when I was four years old. My widowed father, a Holocaust survivor, a Bobover chasid who was then coping with three small children, while living in the Bushwick section of Williamsburg went to get a blessing, at the urging of a friend, from the new Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe tried to give him fifty dollars, which he refused because he was too proud to take the money, but the Rebbe also blessed him and that blessing has followed our family to this day. I myself married into a Chabad family. My father-in-law, Reb Dovid Deitsch, was especially close to the Rebbe, and he had a plastics business which I joined. After the devastating Yom Kippur War of 1973, my father-in-law asked the Rebbe what he should do to help Israel. He was sure that the Rebbe would tell him write a check to some Chabad organization doing good works in the Holy Land, but the Rebbe s answer proved starkly different. Open up a business in Israel, he said. The new immigrants need jobs. Build a factory there you will be very successful and it will benefit many families. My father-in-law didn t think such a venture made business sense, and he didn t do anything about it at first. But the Rebbe persisted. Each time we went for a blessing, the Rebbe would ask, Reb Dovid, what s happening with the business in Israel? Truth be told, none of us not my father-in-law, not his children, not his sons-in-law were interested in this project. Our advisors told us it would be a total loss. So the explanation that my father-in-law gave the Rebbe was that we were trying and we did actually try but that we were having problems with the Israeli bureaucracy (and we still are). To start a business in Israel, we faced one stumbling block after another we needed permits from the government, approvals from the ministries, etc. It was a very hard project, and I had been put in charge of it. I was flying back and forth, and I was weary of it. So, I tried very hard to convince my father-in-law to convince the Rebbe that we should walk away from it. In fact, I myself discussed these issues with the Rebbe during an audience in the summer of But instead of accepting my argument that we should give up, the Rebbe said, How do you expect to run a business if you re not there on the spot? That was not by any means the response I was anticipating. But the Rebbe pointed out that, since it was summer, this was the ideal time to move to Israel for the year, as the kids could begin school in September. This was very tough thing for me to accept. I thought of continued on reverse An oral history project dedicated to documenting the life of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory. The story is one of thousands recorded in over 1,400 videotaped interviews conducted to date. While we have done our utmost to authenticate these stories, they reflect the listener s recollection and interpretation of the Rebbe s words. Please share any corrections, comments and suggestions. mystory@jemedia.org

8 continued from reverse living in Israel as a jail sentence, but my wife took the news well. So following the Rebbe s recommendation, we made the move into an apartment in Nachlat Har Chabad in Kiryat Malachi which was a quarter of the size of our home in Crown Heights. After a year there, I told the Rebbe that I couldn t take it because of all the frustrations I constantly faced, and I tried to convince him that we should return home. In response, the Rebbe said to me, The hard times are behind you now; from now on, it will be easier. And it was. Suddenly, doors which were shut before started opening up with the ministry officials, with the customs officials, with the banks. I was making many new friends. At one point, I was introduced to Prime Minister Menachem Begin who amazed me by saying, When I last visited the Rebbe, he spoke to me about you. I hope you won t have any more problems from now on. And that s how our factory Flocktex Industries in Nachlat Har Chabad, later the producers of the famed Impala fabrics started running in the late 1970s. We were the first manufacturers in the world making a velvet-type fabric for curtains, a special dense fabric that would not admit light and did not require a lining. Not only that, it was a soft fabric, a unique product which became very much in demand in England and the world over. At first, England proved to be a hard-sell because they required that upholstery fabrics be flame-retardant. Applying the flame-retardant chemical made the fabric stiff, but we figured out a way around it. We conducted tests in our laboratory, and we were sure our fabric passed all standards, but these costumers were not satisfied. They wanted a certificate from an English laboratory, which failed us repeatedly. I asked the Rebbe for his blessing three times before the English laboratory finally approved our product. When I asked him for the third blessing and saw how puzzled he was by the request, I realized that the English test was not being done properly, for whatever reason. So I sent our head chemist over there to stand and watch, and then we passed. As the global demand grew, we built a second and then a third plant, increasing production all the while. Today, although as a privately-owned enterprise we are not the largest company in Israel, we are one of the country s most successful textile producers our velvet is considered the best velvet in terms of quality control, the latest in design, and this has built our reputation the world over. Would any of this have happened without the Rebbe s insistence? For sure not. Our financial advisors told us this venture would not work. They said, Go back to your Rebbe and explain to him that he doesn t understand industry and he doesn t understand financing. You can t make money in Israel. You can t have a successful industry in Israel. What he is telling you doesn t make any sense. I thank G-d that, even though we all thought that we were going to be a failure in Israel, we followed the Rebbe s advice. Because we did, we are here today running a business that provides a livelihood for over one-hundred families. And for this the Rebbe gets all the credit. Mr. Mayer Zeiler resides with his family in Nachlat Har Chabad, Israel, where he directs Flocktex Industries. He was interviewed in January, לע נ ר ישראל יעקב וזוגתו מרת קריינא ע ה לאקשין ע י בניהם ר נחמן ור אברהם ומשפחתם שיחיו This week in. > , in a letter to a man who was in a car crash, the Rebbe stated that he would pray for him at the resting place of the Previous Rebbe. The Rebbe also advised the fellow to keep a Chitas (Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya) as well as English reading material about Judaism in his car, in order to study Torah during trips, and to give others the opportunity to study, as well Av > , the Rebbe encouraged Mr. Elie Wiesel to better utilize his position of influence to promulgate true Judaism, which is the foundation and secret of the Jewish people s survival, and the source of its victory. Concluding on a happy note, the Rebbe mentioned Mr. Wiesel s son, Elisha, who was born two years earlier, and noted that thoughts and words were not enough to fight Hitler and his descendants but actions. Growing the Jewish nation, with both literal children, and by bringing more Jews to Torah observance, is the best way to thwart his evil designs.2 26 Av 1. Igrot Kodesh vol. 13 page Igrot Kodesh vol 29 page 223 In honor of the new book, Eternal Values, Living a meaningful, moral and inspired life of Torah values. By Rabbi Isser Dovid Silverman. Dedicated by the Kagan family You can help us record more testimonies by dedicating future editions of Here s My Story A project of: JEWISH EDUCATIONAL MEDIA mystory@jemedia.org myencounterblog.com Eastern Parkway Suite 403 Brooklyn, NY Copyright, Jewish Educational Media, 2018 Generously printed by

9 LA SIDRA DE LA SEMAINE CHABBAT PARCHAT ÉKEV SAMEDI 4 AOÛT AV 5778 VIVRE AVEC LA PARACHA ÉKEV Moché poursuit son discours d adieu en promettant aux Enfants d Israël la prospérité en Terre d Israël, s ils suivent la voie de D.ieu. Il leur fait également des reproches pour leurs erreurs passées. Mais il leur adresse des paroles soulignant le pardon de D.ieu. Il leur rappelle la Manne qui leur enseigna que l on vit exclusivement grâce à D.ieu. Il décrit l abondance de la Terre d Israël et insiste sur la Providence Divine. Il leur ordonne de détruire les idoles. On lit également ici le second paragraphe du Chema. C est également la source du précepte de la prière et on y trouve une référence à l Ere Messianique. QUAND LE TALON DEVIENT UNE TÊTE RIEN N EST IMMÉRITÉ L un des principes fondamentaux de la pensée hassidique est que toutes les révélations de la Divinité dépendent du service divin de l homme. Même les révélations qui transcendent notre compréhension limitée, parce qu humaine, doivent être attirées ici-bas par nos propres efforts. Cela s applique également aux révélations de l Ere de la Rédemption. On verra alors que notre monde est la résidence de D.ieu. Et tout comme une personne révèle son être véritable dans sa propre maison, ainsi la véritable Essence de D.ieu, pour ainsi dire les aspects essentiels de Son Etre, sera-t-elle perçue dans ce monde matériel. Ces révélations ne viendront cependant pas simplement comme une expression de la faveur divine. Mais elles devront avoir été initiées par nos actions et par notre service divin durant l exil. Et c est particulièrement la réponse aux défis que nous rencontrons dans notre époque, où nous pouvons entendre «les talons de Machia h» qui s approche, qui en précipitera la venue. RÉPONDRE À LA DIVINITÉ Une personne intellectuellement honnête peut être poussée à demander : «notre service divin peut-il faire venir Machia h? Comment nos efforts pourraient-ils accomplir ce qui n a pas été possible avant?» Si l on considère l étendue de l engagement d une personne dans le service divin, il ne fait aucun doute que les Juifs qui vivaient à l époque du Beth Hamikdach possédaient un grand avantage : la Divinité pénétrait chaque aspect de leur être. Mais, en exil, le service divin occupe moins la pensée consciente de la personne et est l objet d une moindre motivation extérieure. Pour nous, aujourd hui, s engager pour D.ieu et de façon constante, reflète l œuvre d un potentiel intérieur qui transcende le moi conscient. Un croyant moderne doit aller au-delà de tous les concepts de son «moi». Ce ne sont pas ses pensées ou ses sentiments mais plutôt son moi profond, l aspect de son être totalement identifié avec D.ieu, qui motive sa conduite. Cela reflète une plus profonde dimension de l âme et un engagement plus intense à D.ieu que ceux qui se révélaient à l époque du Beth Hamikdach. UN CANAL POUR COMMUNIQUER LA PUISSANCE DE L ÂME Ces concepts sont évoqués dans la Paracha de cette semaine, Ekev. Littéralement, Ekev signifie «talon» et se réfère à ce que l on appelle «les talons de Machia h», le temps où les pas de Machi ah s approchant se font entendre. Cependant, les talons possèdent un avantage sur les autres membres du corps. Ce sont ceux qui obéissent le plus facilement à la volonté. Par exemple, il est plus facile de mettre son talon dans de l eau extrêmement chaude ou extrêmement froide que n importe quelle autre partie du corps. Cependant, la Hassidout explique qu il existe une plus grande dimension à l absence de réponse du talon. Il n est structuré que pour (SUITE A LA PAGE 11) MOSAIC EXPRESS 9

10 LE RECIT DE LA SEMAINE tellement grandi depuis, soupira Rav Yossef. Cela fait plus de vingt ans Le 20 Av 1944, Rabbi Lévi Its hak Schneerson (père du Rabbi de Loubavitch) quitta ce monde à l âge de 66 ans après une courte maladie mais surtout un emprisonnement dans les prisons soviétiques et une terrible condamnation à l exil. Il est enterré à Alma Ata, au Kazakhstan, non loin de la frontière chinoise. Rav Yossef Nemotin avait pris soin de Rabbi Lévi Its hak après qu il soit arrivé à Alma Ata, épuisé physiquement par les épreuves mais toujours soucieux de transmettre ses connaissances de Torah et Hassidout. Il veilla à son chevet jusqu au dernier moment, procéda à son inhumation dans la plus grande pureté puis veilla sur la santé de sa veuve, la Rabbanit Hanna. Quand elle réussit à quitter l Union Soviétique, Rav Yossef l escorta jusqu au train puis réalisa qu il avait achevé sa mission à Alma Ata. Il se mit à rêver lui aussi à s enfuir de ce pays où il ne pouvait pas aisément pratiquer le judaïsme. Dès que les portes de l Union Soviétique s ouvrirent un peu à la fin des années soixante, il présenta une demande d émigration. Mais il essuya un refus. Il s entêta, demandant constamment cette permission de partir mais il était devenu un Refuznik à qui le gouvernement refusait le droit le plus élémentaire : choisir son lieu de résidence pour ses vieux jours. Ayant été moi-même un refuznik, je peux affirmer que le KGB jouait avec les nerfs et la vie des gens, expulsant certains agitateurs politiques mais en gardant d autres, de façon totalement arbitraire afin d exercer un pouvoir absolu. Chaque année, Rav Yossef demandait et chaque année, cela lui était refusé. Pendant ce temps, Rav Yossef qui ne rajeunissait pas prenait soin de la tombe de Rabbi Lévi Its hak, 10 MOSAIC EXPRESS enlevait les mauvaises herbes et récitait des Tehilim (Psaumes), en se demandant souvent en son for intérieur pourquoi l illustre fils, Rabbi Mena hem Mendel qui habitait à New York, ne venait jamais se recueillir sur la tombe de son père. Un matin, en 1982, il ouvrit sa boîte aux lettres, trouva une lettre de l OVIR (le service d Emigration), l ouvrit le cœur battant mais c était encore une fois un refus. Amer et déçu, Rav Yossef se dirigea droit vers le cimetière, pleura et pria et, avant qu il ne réalise ce qui sortait de sa bouche, s écria : «Taténiou Mit Rabénou! (Oh père du Rabbi!), quand vous m aiderez à sortir de ce pays, j irai voir votre fils et lui demanderai pourquoi il n est jamais venu se recueillir sur votre tombe! Je vous le promets!». Rav Yossef n avait jamais mis ses pensées en paroles et, quand il se rendit compte de sa Houtzpa (audace), il se mit à trembler! Alors qu il s apprêtait à quitter le cimetière, quelqu un l appela : - Rav Yossef! Qui était-ce donc? Il ne reconnaissait pas ce jeune homme élégant, manifestement un haut fonctionnaire - Rav Yossef! Nous étions des voisins. Vous veniez chez nous tous les jours pour emmener mon père qui était aveugle à la petite synagogue afin qu il puisse prier avec la communauté! (Rav Yossef m avait indiqué le nom de l aveugle mais je ne m en souviens plus. Quand l aveugle était décédé, il avait été enterré dans le même cimetière que Rabbi Lévi Its hak). - Vous étiez un enfant alors! Vous avez - Oh oui. Mais moi je ne vous ai pas oublié! Que se passe-t-il? Vous avez l air soucieux - Cela fait tant d années que je souhaite fuir ce pays mais l OVIR persiste à me refuser cette permission - Ne vous inquiétez pas! Je travaille pour le gouvernement et je sais à qui m adresser! Donnez-moi 4000 roubles et je débloquerai votre situation! Vous avez aidé mon père, maintenant c est à moi de vous aider! Cinq minutes auparavant, Rav Yossef avait versé des larmes auprès de Rabbi Lévi Its hak et déjà l espoir renaissait! 4000 roubles représentaient une somme importante mais Rav Yossef se «débrouilla» et, dès le lendemain, il apporta l argent au jeune homme. Celui-ci accomplit sa promesse et, moins d une semaine plus tard, la famille Nemotin reçut la permission de quitter le pays! Rav Yossef s installa à Crown Heights, le quartier de Brooklyn où vivait le Rabbi ; il avait réussi à emporter des manuscrits de Rabbi Lévi Its hak qu il remit aux secrétaires du Rabbi. Finalement, il reçut la permission d entrer en Ye hidout, en audience privée. Quand il entra, le Rabbi se tenait debout et non assis, ce qui était une marque inhabituelle de respect pour Rav Yossef. Le Rabbi remercia chaleureusement Rav Yossef et sa famille pour tous les soins qu ils avaient prodigués à ses parents derrière le Rideau de Fer ainsi que pour les manuscrits. Rav Yossef demanda s il pouvait reprendre un des manuscrits en souvenir mais le Rabbi expliqua que, dorénavant, il ne pouvait pas s en défaire. A la fin de l audience, Rav Yossef recula comme le veut la coutume afin de ne pas tourner le dos au Rabbi. Alors qu il approchait de la porte et se tenait encore face au Rabbi, le visage du Rabbi devint très sérieux. Le Rabbi le regarda droit dans les yeux et lui rappela : - Vous avez oublié de me poser la question que vous aviez promis à mon père de me poser! (SUITE A LA PAGE 11)

11 (CONTINUER DE LA PAGE 10) Rav Yossef chancela et s évanouit. Il avait sa réponse! Le Rabbi correspondait avec son père même quand celui-ci n était pas proche physiquement, même quand celui-ci n était plus de ce monde! Il n avait nullement besoin de se déplacer pour s entretenir avec lui! Depuis le Monde de Vérité, Rabbi Lévi Its hak avait transmis à son fils toutes les demandes que lui adressaient les Juifs qui venaient se recueillir auprès de sa tombe et c est ainsi que le Rabbi connaissait les moindres pensées et paroles de Rav Yossef Lors du Farbrenguen (réunion hassidique) suivant, le Rabbi accueillit Rav Yossef avec beaucoup d égards et le remercia publiquement. Il réalisa alors que le Rabbi lui pardonnait sa Houtzpa. Par la suite, le Rabbi demanda à Rav Yossef des détails sur la vie de ses parents à Alma Ata et lui accorda toujours une attention spéciale ainsi que de nombreuses bénédictions. Dr Alexander Poltorak PhD de physique théorique et biomathématiques Chabad.org Traduit par Feiga Lubecki (CONTINUER DE LA PAGE 9) exprimer la force de la volonté. Notre volonté est un canal qui exprime notre âme et parmi tous les membres du corps, c est le talon qui exprime l obéissance la plus active à ce potentiel. Notre esprit et notre cœur sont les agents d expression de nos potentiels conscients. Nos talons, quant à eux, expriment notre volonté intérieure qui transcende la pensée consciente. De la même façon, dans l analogie, ce sont les âmes qui sont comparées aux «talons», les gens vivant à l époque des «talons de Machia h», dont l engagement exprime la force intérieure et manifeste l infini potentiel de l étincelle divine qui réside en chacun d eux. UNE JUSTE RÉCOMPENSE D autres interprétations soulignent que le mot Ekèv se réfère à «la fin des jours», lorsque nous recevrons la récompense ultime pour l observance de la Torah et des Mitsvot. En fait, le début de la Paracha se concentre sur cette récompense. La santé, le succès et le bien-être matériel mentionnés dans la Torah sont un élément catalyseur, rendant possible notre observance. Car lorsqu une personne s engage à observer la Torah et les Mitsvot, D.ieu modèle son environnement pour l y encourager. Ces bienfaits ne sont pas une fin en soi mais une aide pour que l homme atteigne son but ultime : le service de D.ieu. Les véritables bienfaits nous parviendront à l Ere de Machia h, lorsqu il n y aura ni famine ni guerre, ni envie ni compétition, car les bonnes choses couleront en abondance et tous les délices seront aussi accessibles que la poussière. LE COIN DE LA HALACHA POURQUOI EST-IL PRÉFÉRABLE DE PRIER EN COMMUNAUTÉ? Rambam (Maïmonide) écrit : «La prière de la communauté est toujours écoutée (par D.ieu). Même s il se trouve parmi eux des personnes peu recommandables, D.ieu ne méprise pas la prière d une communauté». Il est donc préférable - quand c est possible - de prier avec la communauté plutôt que tout seul. Celui qui dispose d une synagogue (ou d un lieu de prière) dans sa ville et ne s y rend pas pour prier est appelé «un mauvais voisin». Celui qui mérite d être le dixième (homme audessus de l âge de 13 ans) accomplit une très grande Mitsva puisqu il permet aux neuf autres de prier en Minyane (quorum de dix hommes) et que leur prière sera donc acceptée. Quand dix personnes prient ensemble, il est possible que l un répare les «fautes» de l autre car la prière de la communauté est toujours pure et parfaite. Dans la synagogue, on peut participer et répondre au Kaddich, à la Kedoucha, à Bare hou et on peut écouter la lecture du rouleau de la Torah. On se conduit correctement dans une synagogue puisqu il s agit d un sanctuaire miniature. On empêche les enfants de courir, de jouer, de jeter des papiers, des mouchoirs ou des chewing-gums On n y discute pas de sujets futiles. Habituer les enfants à bien se conduire à la synagogue les influencera toute leur vie. MOSAIC EXPRESS 11

12 HORAIRE DE LA SEMAINE EDITORIAL S OUVRIR AUX VACANCES AUTHENTIQUES MERCREDI La Torah Pratique Joignez nous pour un cours interactif et pratique pour messieurs et dames...20h00 Cela semble une évidence tant l idée a été répétée : le calendrier juif rythme littéralement notre vie. Il fait se succéder les jours comme autant de raisons de mieux vivre, leur donne le couronnement du Chabbat comme un espace privilégié de sérénité et de sainteté, des fêtes comme des réceptacles nouveaux d une lumière Divine précieuse. C est bien ce calendrier qui est notre éternelle référence. Et pourtant, au long des âges, nous avons aussi appris à suivre les rythmes de la société, ceux que scandent d autres mois dont les noms murmurent d autres histoires. Ils sont pourtant également là, ancrés sinon dans notre conscience du moins dans notre appréhension du monde. C est ainsi que la période actuelle ne peut que nous rappeler la venue prochaine de l été, de cette pause instaurée par l usage qui voit se ralentir l activité et enfin donner à tous cette liberté tant espérée. Cela s appelle les vacances et le mot lui-même renvoie à la notion de vide à combler. Elles concernent petits et grands et contribuent largement à poser les bases de l année qui continuera à leur suite. C est dire que les choisir dépasse largement la simple découverte d un lieu et d une activité aptes à satisfaire le plus grand nombre. Les choisir, c est définir l utilisation que l on fera de ce temps où tout, ou presque, semble permis. Ainsi, comme souvent, le choix se résume finalement en deux termes : oublier ou garder conscience. L oubli est toujours temporaire et ne porte pas en lui les réponses qui permettraient d avancer. La conscience emmène aussi loin qu on le désire. Alors, avant que tout cela commence vraiment, avant qu on se laisse entraîner par la norme sociale, il faut sans doute prendre le temps d y réfléchir. Il n est pas question ici de «sacrifice», simplement de retrouver ce que l on est. La liberté permet tant de choses et apporte tant qu il faut savoir ne pas s en priver. Les enfants voient s ouvrir des centres aérés au si beau nom : «Gan Israël». Les adultes découvrent une offre qui s élargit chaque année où «vacances» rime précisément avec «conscience», des vacances où le culte du corps n est pas la seule voie. Le temps de tous les possibles va bientôt commencer. Aujourd hui, le meilleur est à notre portée. Il suffit de le choisir. Peut-être est -ce là le plus difficile mais l être humain n est-il pas capable de transformer et le monde et lui-même? Incontestablement, l œuvre en vaut la peine. ETINCELLES DE MACHIAH A VOIX HAUTE POUR L ÉLÉVATION La prière juive est comparée à une échelle. De fait, elle est constituée de plusieurs échelons dont chacun nous élève. Le degré le plus haut est atteint avec la prière de la «Amida» que nous disons debout, sans bouger et à voix basse en signe d effacement de soi et d union absolue avec D.ieu. A ce sujet, Rabbi Chnéor Zalman, l auteur du Tanya, précise que cela n est vrai qu en notre temps mais que, quand Machia h viendra, on dira cette prière à voix haute. En effet, à ce moment, le peuple juif s élèvera à un degré plus haut de sorte que même prier à voix haute ne gênera pas l effacement personnel devant D.ieu et l union avec Lui. Dédier un HOUMACH Houmach- $65, 31 disponibles themtc.com/book4shul 12 MOSAIC EXPRESS