Shabbat-B'Shabbato Parshat Tetzaveh (Zachor) 9 Adar 5775 (28 February 2015) AS SHABBAT APPROACHES The Secret of the Tabernacle - by Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg, Rosh Yeshiva, Kerem B'Yavne "And let them make a Tabernacle for me, and I will dwell within them" [Shemot 25:8]. The Ramban discusses this verse. "The hidden meaning of the Tabernacle is that the glory which rested on Mount Sinai is the same as the glory which rests on the Tabernacle, as is written, 'And the glory of G-d rested on Mount Sinai' [24:16]. With respect to the Tabernacle, it is written, 'the glory of G-d filled the Tabernacle' [40:35]. And in the Tabernacle the nation of Yisrael always kept the glory that they saw at Mount Sinai. One who looks carefully at these passages will understand the secrets of the Tabernacle and the Temple." Similarly, at Sinai, "Moshe approached the thick cloud where G-d was" [20:18]. In the Tabernacle, "The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting" [40:34]. Thus, the events at Mount Sinai are not limited to just giving the Torah but rather involve the revelation of the Shechina in the entire world. "And they heard the sound of G-d walking in the Garden" [Bereishit 3:8]. "The essence of the Shechina was down below. When Adam sinned, the Shechina removed itself and went to the first 'Rakiya,' the lowest level of heaven (out of seven). When Kayin sinned, it moved further away, to the second Rakiya... At the time of Avraham Egypt returned it to the sixth level. At the same time, seven righteous men stood up. Avraham stood up and brought the Shechina back to the sixth level... Moshe stood up and brought it from the highest level all the way back to the bottom." Thus, the descent of the Shechina on Mount Sinai was not merely in order to give the Torah but was mainly to satisfy the desire of the Master of the World "The Holy One, Blessed be He, developed a desire to have the Shechina dwell down below." "Is there any type of sale where the owner is sold too, together with the merchandise? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I sold my Torah to you, it is as if at the same time as it were I Myself was sold too, as is written, 'Let them take a contribution' [Shemot 25:2]. The verse can be read as 'take Me as a contribution,' as if the word written was 'oti.' The Torah portion of Tetzaveh ends with the description of the Altar of the incense. This is the final step in the process of the revelation of the Shechina which started with the momentous events at Sinai and ended in the Tabernacle, with the offering of the incense. The sages have taught us that the final stage in the descent of the Shechina was burning the incense. The Marahal explains that "ketoret" incense is related to the Aramaic word "kitra" to make a link. When we link what is below to what is above, when the incense rises upwards, the Shechina descends. This gives a new depth to the well-known passage in the Talmud, "Where does Haman appear in the Torah? It is written, 'Did you partake from the tree which I forbid?' ('hamin ha'etz') [Bereishit 3:11]. Where does Mordechai appear in the Torah? It is written, 'mor dror'

[Shemot 30:23] a spice which is translated as 'Merie Dachia' (similar to Mordechai)." It is written in the Midrash: "When the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the world, he developed a desire to have a dwelling place down below. He created Adam, and commanded him, 'From the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil do not eat' [Bereishit 2:17]. When he violated this prohibition, G-d said to Adam, 'I wanted to have a dwelling-place down below, and I gave you one command which you did not obey. So the Shechina removed itself and went up to the first rakiya... Moshe returned it to the earth, as is written, 'And G-d descended to Mount Sinai' [Shemot 19:20]." The serpent caused the Shechina to remove itself, and we have seen in the writing of the ARI, on the verse, "from the root of a snake will emerge a tzefa, (a viper)" [Yeshayahu 14:29]. The word "tzefa" is the same numerical value as Amalek. That is the role of Amalek to cause the Shechina to leave. The sages note that Haman's intention was to block the construction of the Temple, the place where the Shechina dwells down below. But Mordechai interfered with the plan and killed Haman. And that is why Haman, who fought against the presence of the Shechina down below, is hinted at by the phrase, "hamin ha'etz," a hint of the tree with which Adam sinned, leading to the removal of the Shechina. And Mordechai, who destroyed Haman, is hinted at in a name derived from the incense, which was the instrument that helped to bring the Shechina back. POINT OF VIEW Take a Bottle and Strike it - by Rabbi Yisrael Rozen, Dean of the Zomet Institute "And you shall make holy clothing for Aharon your brother, for glory and splendor" [Shemot 28:2]. "How do we know that if he is not wealthy his brothers the priests shall enhance his wealth? It is written, 'And the priest who is greater than his brothers' [Vayikra 21:10] make him great from what is taken from his brothers" [Yoma 18a]. "Of booty that is taken Half goes to the King and half to the nation" [Sanhedrin 20b]. Minor Items The press has gone mad. Insignificant items having to do with the life of Sarah Netanyahu's family such as deposit bottle returns and exchanges of garden furniture between private and public residences have become a legitimate cause for disturbing its balance. There can be no doubt that the fanning of the flames by the media and the screaming headlines are what forced the State Attorney and the State Comptroller to dig into these affairs and others at this time. And the motive of the press is clear: When elections come, we increase the joy and the blasts of the horns. (When Adar comes...) Let me state the following at the outset: It is clear to me that the instincts of the "nation" are so healthy that the press cannot dampen them. The nation is not stupid. Those who will vote for Likud

2 support Netanyahu because of his stand on weighty and vital issues: The Iranian atom bomb, our country's foreign relations, the political dispute with the Palestinians, the military struggle against enemies from all sides, the murderous actions of ISIS in our back yard, making sure to maintain the growth of our economy and financial stability, problems with housing and conversion ("diyur" and "giyur"), the definition of a "Jewish state," and many other matters. One has to be foolish to think that all these issues will be pushed aside as a result of alleged unethical behavior, the character of the Prime Minister's wife, or the great importance of the rule that "the law of a Peruta is just as important as the law of hundreds of Shekels" [Sanhedrin 8a]. In this case I aim my barbs at the press and not at the competitors in the race. The candidates prefer (and rightly so) to drag the competition to side issues, to the alleyways of ethics, "equality before the law," and legal battles, where they feel that they have an advantage (at least until the press begins to uncover them in the bright sunlight...). In my opinion as an amateur political analyst, it will turn out in the end that the opposite is true: the descent into the realm "below the belt" will be beneficial for Netanyahu. In psychological terms, the masses tend to support the one who is pursued (see Kohellet 3:15) and many sane people will cry out, "Are you crazy? The country is in flames and you can find nothing more to worry about than such a paltry sum? We will respond by voting for the Likud!" Public Bottle Behavior So, my barbs are reserved for the press, which is losing all proportion to a greater and greater extent, with its fervor for scoops and side issues. Don't the creators of scoops know that in many public and institutional affairs it is standard for some patently unauthorized individual to collect all the bottles for his own benefit, either in secret or in the open? And it may even be worse: He may even collect the bottles and give the deposit to the workers committee, without getting permission from the management! I suggest that young investigators should be sent on a simple mission, one that will achieve instant results: Check what master sergeants in the IDF do with used bottles, and what the source is for all that petty cash available to the units in the IDF. I am sure that what will be revealed is that a soldier has been commanded to collect the deposits, to be used for the next campfire, without obtaining authorization from the head of the quartermaster division of the IDF or from the budget division of the Ministry of Defense and not even from the battalion commander, the deputy battalion chief, or the deputy kitchen commander. And beyond this, what is really important: I harbor a suspicion that even in the Israeli Police, which has the task of watching over the norms of abiding by the law and regular behavior, it may be possible that senior officers are aware that bottles are being collected without the deposits being sent to the major authority who should benefit from them and that these people don't even report this to their superiors! (Note: if a reporter really is sent to investigate this matter in depth, I demand that I be given credit for the idea!) The Torah Viewpoint True to my title of "rabbi," my attitude towards these matters takes its cue from Jewish tradition, and I sincerely hope that the approach of Jewish halacha will someday be adopted within the Jewish state. As far as I can see, the story of the deposit bottles is pure nonsense. The

custom of the land is that no "manager" expects the bottles to come back to him, they have the status of "hefker" without any formal owner for everybody, or at the very least for the people who participated in the affair. Such perks are well within the definition of "a general acceptance" such as regular use of paper in an office or an occasional photocopy for private use, the use of telephones and cars, and so on. A pious approach and moderation should be practiced with all of these matters, but whoever is not strict about them will never be brought to court. Such matters, which are "general practice," lead to a general pardon for the activity. Here is an idea that came to me by association, based on our sources. At the beginning of this article we quoted halachic rulings which give the King and the High Priest exaggerated financial perks, which go beyond logic and simple justice. (I assume that many readers were upset by the mention of these super-roles. Take it easy! I definitely agree that "statehood" is not "royalty" and that the "holy" clothing does not mean "the priesthood in the Temple.") These laws cause me to raise an eyebrow in wonder, asking "Where is justice?" The King is allowed to enrich his treasures with half of all the profits of war. Similarly, the wealth of the High Priest is enhanced at the expense of his brothers. A WOMAN'S ANGLE For Glory and Splendor - by Terza Frankael, a teacher in "Tehilla" Evilena de Rothschild, Jerusalem Not Just a Cover Much of the Torah portion of Tetzaveh is concerned with the priestly garments, and especially the clothing of the High Priest. When I read this I am immediately struck by a question: Why do we focus in such minute detail on the priestly garments? Is there any other mitzva in the Torah that involves clothing in such a detailed manner? For me clothing is a tool to cover the body, which as a matter of course should be pretty and esthetic. But with all due respect, should it really be treated as having its own essence? I searched through the commentators in order to see if this question is addressed, and I found that the Rambam counts the priestly garments as one of the 613 mitzvot. That is, he sees the matter of the priestly garments as having independent moral value. The commentators on the Rambam give two explanations for the Rambam's approach. One is that the act of putting on the clothing is a mitzva because the sanctity of priesthood only takes effect when the Kohen puts the garments on, and it is not in effect when he does not wear the clothing. The second approach is that the Kohanim are required to serve in clothing that is for "glory and splendor." [Shemot 28:2]. That is, according to the Rambam, the garments are not tools used for another purpose, but rather they are part of the essence of the task. They are the priesthood, which does not exist without the clothing, and their task is to complete the act of the priesthood for glory and splendor. For me, the granting of moral essence to clothing is an interesting and meaningful novel approach. It never occurred to me in the past that clothing is significant by itself, separate from the person wearing it, and even more, that the one wearing the clothing only assumes his rightful role while wearing the clothing. A High Price

3 I hope my readers will forgive me for my sharp descent from "a high level to a deep pit" [Chagiga 5b], but the subject of clothing engages me every day in my educational task, and the value that it has in the commentaries quoted above with respect to clothing add a level of depth to many issues that my colleagues and I try to teach our students at school. On one hand, I do not believe in absolute forcing of a uniformly designed and engineered appearance for all students, and especially for the girls. I am happy about the spiritual health of the girls who grow up today, who love themselves and their bodies, and who want to go to school and everyplace else wearing clothing that will serve as an expression of their own unique internal and external beauty. However, I cannot ignore the heavy price we pay as a society for being part of the open western culture, and for our uncontrolled exposure to provocative fashions whose only goal is to make a woman into a desirable sexual object. Adolescent girls grow up in this contradictory world, dumbfounded and confused by contradicting messages. They want to demonstrate their independence to the world of the grownups, they want to openly express their beauty, and they are not exactly aware of the essential meaning of the way that they dress. And we, the women of education, in an attempt - as it were - to put our finger in the dykes and stop the flow of a volcanic mountain, try to explain to them in a nice and loving way about all the overt and covert messages that the fashion experts put into their clothing. And they continue on their way, and the callous and flashy world captures their imagination. Who are we to understand their world? Clothing that is an Essence And then, in an act of desperation, we decide to insist on uniform dress, which will provide some protection for the girls against their desire to be beautiful and fashionable, but without any protection against the dangers of today's world. And our educational world is transformed into something that is smaller than the world of an ant, involved in enforcing laws and rules, while we miss the essence of the values that we so want to teach that a garment is part of the one who wears it, that a garment passes on messages, that it is best to choose clothing that is an expression of who you are internally, garments that will complete and moderate between internal and external beauty and that will represent you as you really are. Not a day goes by in school when I do not find myself wondering what the best way is to approach charming teenage girls who are trapped in a world that takes advantage of women and harms them. I have the impression that the matter of the priestly garments has provided me with a new approach that the garment is the essence, and without the proper garment there is no proper status and there can be no glory or splendor. Will we be able to teach our daughters to dress in clothing that will afford them the status, the glory, and the splendor that they deserve? FROM THE TREASURY OF CHASSIDIC STORIES Channah and the Fiery Circle of Chassidim - by Zev Kitzis, Kibbutz Hadati Yeshiva and Bar Ilan University In honor of Purim, we will discuss a small story related to a "drink" in the courtyard of the Baal Shem Tov. Recently the Israeli National Library published some documents that indicate that at the time of the start of Chassidut more than 80% of the Jews of Poland were involved in the manufacture and sale of alcoholic drinks of many

different types. That is, 80% of their work was related to alcohol. But this does not mean that intoxication was prevalent among the Jews. Just the opposite is true they were given the alcohol industry because they were the only ones who could be trusted by the masters of the land not to drink up all the merchandise. The Jews drank wine, which was mainly used on such occasions as Shabbat and holidays, along with Chassidic gatherings, as a way of getting into the mitzva of the day and "lubricating" spiritual activities. The story below involves Chassidic drinking, but in reality it is a story about the relationship of a couple. First, it is important to note that in general Chassidut and companionship or family life were not always the most compatible things. For many generations, Chassidim were often torn between their families and the true "family" that they missed so much their Chassidic friends. Many Chassidic wives paid (and still pay) a very high price for this. Some of them admired the Chassidic world of their husbands but even so remained external onlookers, far removed from the experiences of the active masculine inner circle. There are many stories about open tension between Chassidim and their frustrated wives. With this as a background, it is remarkable to learn about the warm and natural relationship that the Baal Shem Tov had with his (second) wife, Channah. The story below illustrates the strong link between them, and as far as I can see it is told in jest, on the occasion of having a drink or two. * * * * * * One time on Simchat Torah the followers of the Baal Shem Tov were joyous and danced, and they drank generous portions of wine, which they took from the cellar in the home of the Baal Shem Tov. His righteous wife saw that if the men would continue to drink there would be no wine left over for Kiddush and Havdallah. So she went to the Baal Shem Tov and said: "Tell them to stop drinking and dancing, or otherwise there will not be any wine for Kiddush and Havdalah." The Baal Shem Tov replied with a smile, "You are right. Go and tell them to stop and to go home." When she opened the door the men were dancing in a circle, and she saw that they were surrounded by flames like a chuppah, a wedding canopy. She immediately took some utensils and went herself to the cellar and brought them all the wine they wanted. Afterwards, the Baal Shem Tov asked her, "Did you tell them to leave?" She replied, "You should have told them yourself..." ["Sivchei HaBesht," Mintz edition, pg 75]. * * * * * * The conversation between the Baal Shem Tov and his wife can be viewed as satire which indicates a measure of bitterness or frustration on her part. But with your permission I would suggest that the opposite is true, and that the mildly sarcastic discussion between them is first and foremost a normal conversation between a married couple. They talked. In addition, Channah is putting her husband, the Baal Shem Tov, to a test. Does he belong to "her" or to "them" to all the Chassidim who are dancing on the other side of the closed door? With mild scolding, the Baal Shem Tov tells her to go into the room herself, to be able to understand the ecstasy of the Chassidim. Channah enters the room and is immediately captivated by its magic. She understands the drawing power of the circle. She sees flames surrounding them, "like a chuppah," reminiscent of holy mating, which is not related to family life. Even now Channah remains on the

4 sidelines looking in at the circle, which is closed to her, but now her heart is closely linked to her husband's Chassidic group. And as noted above, it was not obvious in advance that this would happen. And specifically because of the experience that she just had, I am amazed at Channah's comment. The cynical discussion that she continues to have with her husband shows that she has not suddenly become a submissive admirer who silently supports her husband and his followers, but rather that she keeps her normal relationship with her husband. Channah cannot and does not want to become just another Chassid who follows her husband. She refuses to become a shadow wife who is submissive, tormented, or obedient. She takes care to maintain the conversation and the intimate encounter between them, and there is no stronger proof of the close companionship that they have developed. Lechaim! HALACHA FROM THE SOURCE What should One do if He Didn't Hear every Word of the Megillah? - by Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon, Director of the Center for Teaching and Halacha and a Teacher in Yeshivat Har Etzion Reading the Megillah by Heart According to the Mishna, one who reads the Megillah by heart does not fulfill the obligation of the reading (Megillah 17a). The Talmud adds that the source for this is the verse, "Write this down as a memory in the book" [Shemot 17:14], which implies that remembering must take place from a book and not by heart. This also leads to the conclusion that reading from an invalid Megillah (or a printed copy) is considered as reading by heart and does not fulfill the obligation (Mishna Berura 690:6). However, further on the Talmud quotes a Baraita which deals with writing a Megillah and which implies that one is allowed to read part of the Megillah by heart: "The rabbis have taught us: If the scribe left out some letters or verses, and the reader read them and the translator translated them, his obligation has been fulfilled" [Megillah 18b]. That is, if when the scribe wrote the Megillah he left out some letters or some verses, the Megillah is still a valid one and a person who reads from it fulfills the obligation, as long as most of the text is written. This means that it is possible to read some sections of the Megillah by heart (on condition that all of the proper words are recited, see below). This is indeed the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch (690:3). Hearing Every Word The Talmud continues with another Baraita: "The rabbis have taught us: If the reader leaves out one verse, he should not say, I will read the rest and then read the verse, rather he should read from that verse on" [Megillah, idid]. This means that it is necessary to read the entire Megillah, and that the obligation has not been fulfilled if even one verse is missing. This is also the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch (ibid). The Baraita also

insists that the verses must be read in the correct sequence (Shulchan Aruch, ibid, 6). Since those who listen fulfill their obligation by virtue of the rule that "one who listens is the same as one who speaks," it is clear that the listeners must hear the entire Megillah in the proper sequence.

What is the halacha of a person who missed hearing one word? According to the RIAZ (Rabbi Yeshaya Margaliot), only one who missed a word or a letter that changes the meaning has not fulfilled the obligation (Megillah 2a), but in his Responsa the Rashba notes (1:467) that anybody who misses one letter or one word has not fulfilled the obligation. This is also the opinion of the RAN (Megillah 5a in the pages of the RIF). The Mishna Berura (5) agrees with the Rashba, adding that when the person reads the Megillah for the second time he must repeat the blessing (5). Based on the above rulings, it is important to listen to every word of the Megillah. This is especially important when the listeners are tired, such as in the morning, since one who dozes off during the reading has not fulfilled the obligation (Shulchan Aruch 690:12). In addition, it is forbidden to talk during the reading of the Megillah (Shulchan Aruch 692:2), because one who talks will not hear all of the words (aside from the problem of this being an interruption BACH 692:2; Levush 690:5 among other things). A Person who Misses a Word from the Megillah If a person misses a word because of the noise when the name of Haman is mentioned or if he spoke during the reading, and so on, he should repeat the words that he missed by heart or from a printed Chumash (even if what he missed are the words at the beginning or the end of the Megillah), since as we have seen one is allowed to repeat some of the text by heart: "Even if a person misses only one word, some of the rabbis feel that he has not fulfilled his obligation, and it is therefore very important for every person to hold a Chumash, because while the youths make noise for Haman's name and for other reasons it may not be possible to hear several words from the reader, and then one can read 'by heart,' from the Chumash, and in this way he fulfills the obligation after the fact." [Mishna Berura 690:19]. In view of the above, the Pri Megadim writes (689:11; 690:19) that whoever can have a kosher Megillah should use it and read from it any words that he missed. "Happy is he who has a kosher Megillah, and another one to be used in the women's section." But even without a kosher Megillah it is possible to make up for a missing word by reading "by heart." Why is it Necessary to Hear every Word? As opposed to reading the Torah, where anybody who misses part of the reading is not required to fill in the missing words (according to most of the rabbis), we have seen that the law of the Megillah is different. The reason is that while the Torah reading is an obligation of the community, the Megillah reading is a personal obligation for each and every individual. And therefore every person must hear the entire Megillah, from the beginning to the end. What is the significance of the fact that specifically for the Megillah it is important to hear every single word? This is evidently related to the fact that the miracle of the Megillah is a hidden one, such that every small point, no matter how minor it seems, demonstrates the

5 existence of G-d. The strict requirement to hear each and every word hints that we are aware of Divine guidance even if we don't always understand the way events develop in the world. THE CLEAR VISION OF RAV KOOK Joking Around - by Rabbi Chagai Londin, Hesder Yeshiva in Sdeirot and Machon Meir Here it is, the middle of the month of Adar! Many teachers and parents have already started tearing out their hair (which has been turning white in any case). Adar is a month of chaos parties, performances, and mostly wild laughter. A lot of laughter. What is laughter? We laugh when something "shatters" the expected logical sequence of events. For example, we will break out laughing when we suddenly find that something which we thought was "important" is not so after all. Little children roll around in laughter when a large balloon bursts near them. Similarly, adults "explode" in laughter when somebody mimics a famous politician. From one point of view there is a problem here. If everything is accessible and there is no authority which must be regarded with fear and respect, then "one act of a clown takes precedence over a thousand proofs." And that is the laughter which the sages found so disgusting. However, there is another type of laughter. We might suddenly find that something which appeared to us to be very serious and grandiose and was therefore perceived to be distant and estranged from us suddenly becomes approachable and closer than before. This is a positive type of laughter, based on happiness and close friendship. Humor means that we refuse to accept the existing surroundings. Negative humor is an expression of humiliation of present reality without any attempt to construct any alternative. The amused person then remains with cynicism and clowning. Positive humor, on the other hand, also expresses a refusal to accept the current situation, but it is a result of delving into the depths of the situation about which we are laughing. Thus, positive laughter can serve as a spiritual and even a physical cure (as in the case of medical clowns). Laughter helps us overcome the most difficult and threatening situations in our lives: "She is dressed in glory and strength, and she will laugh until the last day" [Mishlei 31:25]. Adar is the month when we can use laughter as a wedge to be able to strive for an entry into the depths and in order to get closer to other people. If humor is used in the proper way, it is possible to reach out to wider and wider circles of people. The question is whether you laugh about the person opposite you or if you laugh together with him. A person of faith is a person who laughs meaning one who searches for greater depths all the time, for close attachment to others. This is a person who is modest, wise, and critical in the positive sense of the word. And he will also throw out a joke now and then. Why not? STRAIGHT TALK Be Happy! But don't be Fooled! - by Rabbi Yoni Lavie, Manager, "Chaverim Makshivim" Website The complete handbook on how to reveal fraud with respect to the most highly prized product of the month of Elul. It is not easy to make counterfeit money. Various mechanisms have been developed to make it difficult for scoundrels who want to make a profit from creating fake money. Happiness, on the other hand, can be faked in a fairly easy way. It is not hard at all to put on a smiling

face accompanied by vigorous laughter, and to fool everybody (including yourself) into thinking that you are the happiest person in the world. But this lie will eventually be detected. Sooner or later the balloon will burst, and when it does it will usually extract a high price. Whoever accepts a fake product will be missing an opportunity to experience the real thing deep and honest internal joy, which cannot be surpassed by anything else in the whole world. How can the two types of joy be differentiated? How can we expose the fraud? Here are a number of signs to check for. True happiness does not depend on external props loud music or alcoholic beverages in order to "fuel" it. It is also not connected to the question of how much money you earned and how many "likes" you obtained on this day. It is gentle but independent, felt externally but stemming from within. It is not based on what you possess but rather on who you are... True happiness doesn't wait for special days or exceptional events. It is present even during the grey mundane days of the autumn, and even during the gloomy and cold days of winter. Fake happiness depends on distancing yourself and fleeing from day-to-day reality. You must "go out" in order to "have a ball." It is necessary to search in further places than in the close circles such as family, the workplace, and familiar surroundings. Fake happiness is short-lived. It does not last more than a few minutes, at most for an hour. Quite often after it has gone it leaves behind a bitter aftertaste, almost as if you had eaten something that was spoiled... Fake happiness often comes at the expense of somebody else. It is the sister of cynicism, the cousin of a lack of caring and haughtiness, and its family name is "selfishness." True happiness does not involve making fun of somebody else or humiliating them. It is not the exclusive possession of a closed and elitist group, rather it is enhanced when it is shared with others. Such happiness gives you the strength and motivation to continue, and its expiration date is not "the next day." True happiness can burst out and be expressed in a spontaneous dance or free laughter, but this is not a requirement. The existence of this happiness is strong and stable, no matter whether somebody on the outside sees it or not. True happiness is intimately linked to faith and a good outlook, to being happy with one's lot and to always seeing the full half of the glass. It does not ignore what is lacking and what is difficult in reality, but it knows to keep them in the proper perspective. Fake happiness is like that of Haman. The man was on the top of the earth, the King's deputy, the owner of infinite riches and honor when everybody bowed down to him, but one minor incident that did not go his way was enough to shatter the perfect fantasy that he had built for himself and to turn off in an instant the movie in which he lived.

6 True happiness knows how to be amazed and excited even about mundane and small things, and it doesn't wait for a great "boom" in order wake up. It refuses to accept as obvious the infinite sea of gifts in which we swim, and it remembers every morning to turn its eyes up towards heaven and to say, "Modeh ani" I thank You, G-d. True happiness does not show any jealousy. It knows to encompass and not even to bear a grudge against its fake double, but that is not enough for it. It constantly tries to reach the deep and wonderful place which is the simplest and most accessible place in the world - the upright and healthy place where "those with an upright heart are happy" [Tehillim 97:11]. Happy Rosh Chodesh, full of joy! For reactions, added material, and to join an e-mail list: milatova.org.il ITEMS FROM "IN THE TENTS OF SHEM" His Name in Yisrael will be... - by Dov Rozen (Summarized by Yisrael Rosenberg) Reb Menachem Mendel was the only remaining mohel in the entire area. One night there were loud knocks on the door, and a squad from the Secret Police appeared. They searched the house and took him to the terrible place they put him in a dungeon underneath their offices, in solitary confinement. Reb Mendel was held in the cell for two days. They questioned him, demanded answers, and threatened him. On the third day, as dawn broke, he was brought to the office of the chief. There were only two men in the room: Reb Mendel and the commander himself, Nikolai Nikolaivich Podorkin. The commander spoke: "We will not do anything to you. All you must do is to tell us for which Jews did you perform circumcisions?" "I will not tell you!" "Don't you know what is in store for a criminal like you? A man who refuses an order from the Soviet authorities? Do you understand or not?" "I understand, I understand. But it does not matter. G-d is the only one that I fear!" And then the commander said: "Okay, I see that you are indeed strong, Reb Mendel, you know how not to break under pressure. You can keep a secret, we can depend on you. Well, listen to me, not even your wife can know anything about this. I am a Jew like you, my name is Natan Neta Ben Noach Sheftel. A son was born to me. It is up to you to circumcise him." The circumcision was performed without any problems. Reb Mendel turned to the father when he blessed the child. "And his name in Yisrael will be..." The officer said to him, "Brit!" But Reb Mendel didn't understand. "Brit?" "Yes, yes. His name will be Brit Ben Natan Neta. We will call our son Boris Nilolaivich. And the secret will never be revealed to anyone." (Source: Mordechai Chenzin, "Three Circumcisions," Maariv, 5728 1968.) RIDDLE OF THE WEEK by Yoav Shelosberg, Director of "Quiz and Experience" Tetzaveh This description of those who perform the labor Also fits one who continues after finishing the Torah.

Answers for last week. The riddle was: Where does the following equation appear? (X 2) + X + 2X = 42 The answer is: The Menorah. X = 11. In the Menorah there were nine flowers six (one on each side branch), and three on the main bar. There were eleven "buttons" (kaftorim) six for the six branches, three on the body of the Menorah where the branches were attached, and two more on the Menorah body. There were twenty-two goblets eighteen for the six branches (three on each one), and four on the body of the Menorah. In all, there were 42 decorations on the Menorah. (Based on Menachot 28b and Rashi in the Torah portion of Teruma.)

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