Page 3 - The Jewish Voice - June '21

The Jewish Voice, Page 3

From the Rabbis from page 2

You Can Overcome Every Fear time for Chanukah candles. A slight delay would create to show you the appropriate honor.”
serious problems. The secretary assured him that noon is Together, the two men walked all the way back to
By Rabbi Dovid Vigler noon, and everything would be just fine. the Lazar home. As they walked, Rabbi Lazar asked the
Mazal tov on our 3,333rd The next day, Rabbi Lazar arrived early to his meeting minister of religion what he thought of the ruckus that the
anniversary last month! with the president. The delegation from Britain’s Labour rabbi made to light his menorah in the Kremlin. “I needed
Which other nation in Party was meeting with Putin and their meeting was a doorway, a table, as well as fire. Did they think I was
the history of the world running over. Putin’s aide assured him that the meeting crazy?”
has been able to reach such needed to happen today. Getting anxious, Rabbi Lazar The minister stopped as he responded: “Dear rabbi,
a magnificent milestone? asked his wife to send his menorah to the Kremlin, and do you really think that we can’t find Jewish leaders who
Yet we, the Jews, celebrate together they would pray for a miracle. And indeed at 2 take their religion less seriously than you? We know that
our birth as G-d’s Chosen p.m., the rabbi was able to meet with Putin. The meeting people who don’t stay loyal to their values, won’t be loyal
People at Mount Sinai, in was not short, and by 3 he emerged, with just half an hour to their word. And they can’t be relied upon. Only someone
the year 1312 BCE (2448 till Shabbos. who stands strong in his convictions has a spine. That is
since Creation) on the Rabbi Lazar asked for permission to light the menorah the kind of person we seek to partner with!”
festival of Shavuos in just 10 days’ time. and was shown a beautifully gilded room with a large The rabbi immediately understood that gentiles respect
How did we manage to get this far? mahogany table for his menorah. Unsatisfied, he asked Jews who respect themselves. But they have no respect
Perhaps the answer lies in the enigmatic name of the to be able to light the menorah in the doorway, as is for Jews who have no respect for themselves.
Torah portion Behar, which speaks about the revelation customary, causing Kremlin staff to begin a frantic search When G-d first revealed himself to Moses, he did so
at Mount Sinai. Usually, the Torah portion is named for for an appropriate size table to fit the menorah in the in the form of a burning bush. Why not choose a towering
a unique word in its opening verse. It’s surprising that doorway. tree or beautiful plant instead of expressing himself in a
the portion is named Behar, meaning “Mount of,” instead Another problem arose when no fire could be found, as thornbush? Here, G-d was giving us an epic heads-up on
of simply Sinai, when the former is just an adjective no fire was allowed inside the building. The rabbi insisted, what lay in store for us in the future. The future is full of
describing the latter. and finally the chef shared his cigarette lighter, which the thorns — and it’s on fire, too. You’re going to be tested in
Yet here, the Rebbe points out, lies the secret to Jewish rabbi used to light his menorah just moments before sunset. every which way imaginable. But after all is said and done,
survival: It is our ability to stand tall and strong in our faith, He made the appropriate blessings and lingered around the if you can just hold on tight without giving up, you’ll see
like a mountain, without apologizing for or hiding it, that menorah for a few minutes. He then put on his heavy coat that the fire doesn’t actually burn the thornbush! Indeed,
enables us to endure the many challenges that confront us. and prepared to walk home through the freezing Russian when King Louis the 14th asked the French philosopher
The Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, received night. Blaise Pascal for irrefutable proof of G-d, he replied: “The
a call on Thursday before Chanukah from the Kremlin. As he stepped outside, he met the Russian minister of Jews, your Majesty. The Jews are the proof!”
President Putin wanted to see him the very next day at the religion, who was also putting on his coat and venturing It’s the extraordinary faith of our ancestors that has
Kremlin at noon exactly. The rabbi’s heart skipped a beat. outside. Bewildered, the rabbi asked where he was going. carried us through this incredible milestone of our 3,333rd
With sunset at 3:30 p.m., he needed to have time to make “I will walk home with you, rabbi. You are our guest and birthday. And today it is you and I who are called upon to
it home through rush hour before Shabbos and still have we will not allow you to leave us on your own. We want do the same. It’s only when we exhibit the same degree of
conviction and courage, to stand strong like a mountain
for what we Jews believe in, that we will be able to pass
it forward to the next generation.
Men’s Club Cigars and Scotch from page 1 Your personal birthday is the day that G-d chose to
introduce your soul to this world. We celebrate this day
each year because it represents the fact that the world could
simply not continue without you! The collective birthday
of our nation, too, celebrates the fact that G-d Almighty
chose us. It asserts the truth that, without us Jews, the
world would be unable to exist. Let us draw strength and
inspiration from this extraordinary milestone, to replace
the weakness of our worship with the courage of our
convictions.
Wishing you unmovable and unshakable faith that will
make you unstoppable!
Rabbi Dovid Vigler is spiritual leader at Chabad of
Palm Beach Gardens and host of the Jewish Schmooze
Radio Show. Email him at rabbi@jewishgardens.com.

From the Rabbis on page 4
Anthony Paolercio, Mickey Gottlieb, Michael Paolercio

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