Shavuos
SIVAN, 5779
Interpreting Artifacts
As in the gift of Manna, so it is in the memory of artifacts
After the exodus from Egypt, Hashem gifted the Jews with manna, ’heavenly bread’, to consume during their travels in the wilderness.
Hashem furthermore commanded Moshe:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֗ה זֶ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֣ה הֹ' מְלֹ֤א הָעֹ֨מֶר֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם לְמַ֣עַן יִרְא֣וּ אֶת־הַלֶּ֗חֶם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶֽאֱכַ֤לְתִּי אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בְּהֽוֹצִיאִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם
“Moses said, This is the thing that the Lord commanded: Let one omerful of it be preserved for your generations, in order that they see the bread that I fed you in the desert when I took you out of the land of Egypt.”
Like the saved Manna, the Torah is providing us with a template to preserve the meaning of the Holocaust artifact.
***********************************************D’VAR TORAH
Dear Friend,
Rabbi Yisrael Spira, the Bluzhever Rebbe, was born in 1889. He lost his wife and children in the Holocaust, yet miraculously survived to become a leading figure for Hassidic community in Brooklyn, New York.
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Quality medical care was difficult to come by in prewar Europe. So when the chassidim of the Bluzhever Rebbe ztz"l learned that a very prestigious doctor was passing through their area, they arranged an appointment for the Rebbe. The doctor agreed and performed an exam.
The chassidim were pleased to learn that the Rebbe was in good health, but the doctor mentioned one problem. "The Rabbi's heartbeat," he said. "it's too rapid."
When the Rebbe heard of the doctor's "problem", he exclaimed, "Of course my heart is beating faster! Shavuos, the day we received the Torah, will soon be here. How can I not be excited?"
Wishing you and your family a joyous Yom Tov.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
To schedule a school visit or to donate artifacts,
contact Amud Aish at: 718-759-6200 or info@amudaish.org