Month: May 2025

Bamidbar (במדבר – In the Wilderness)
^{Numbers 1:1–4:20 and Hosea 2:1–22}

In the wilderness of Sinai, God commands Moses to take a census of the children of Israel and establish an organized structure for the people, defining the arrangement of the camps, the order of march, and the distribution of tasks. The prophet Hosea discusses Israel’s destiny through a symbolic perspective, comparing the people to the sand of the sea, illustrating their growth and continuity.

Hosea 2:1
וְהָיָה, מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּחוֹל הַיָּם, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יִמַּד, וְלֹא יִסָּפֵר
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor counted.

Hosea uses this powerful image to recall the original covenant ^[1] with the patriarchs and highlight the continuity of the divine promise across generations.

Jewish presence in Jamaica dates back to the mid-17th century, when Sephardic Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition ^[2] sought refuge on the island under British rule. The Kahal Kadosh Sha’are Shalom Synagogue in Kingston stands as a testament to the local Jewish history. Built in 1885, it was destroyed in 1907 by a devastating earthquake that struck much of the city. In the aftermath, the six Henriques brothers united to help rebuild both the synagogue and Kingston itself. Completed in 1912 in a British colonial style, the synagogue is distinguished by its 52-stop pipe organ. However, what makes it particularly remarkable is its white sand-covered floor ^[3]—a tradition inherited from the Jews of the Iberian Peninsula, used to muffle the sound of their prayers.

Adjacent to the synagogue, the Museum of Jamaican Jewish History is renowned for its rich Judaic collection, one of the most remarkable in the Caribbean.

[1] Biblical promise: “I will bestow my blessings upon you; I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore, and your offspring shall possess the gates of their enemies.” (Genesis 22:17)
[2] Spanish Inquisition: Established in 1478, it led to the persecution of Jews, notably through the expulsion decrees of Spain in 1492 and Portugal in 1497. Some Jews sought refuge in the colonies as early as the 16th century, but since Jamaica was under Spanish rule until 1655, Jewish presence remained limited until the English conquest.
[3] Sand: Besides discretion and the covenant, another explanation is that it symbolizes the Sinai wilderness.
[4] Jolly Roger: The famous pirate flag depicting a skull and crossed bones—a Memento Mori (“Remember that you will die”)—used by some Jewish corsairs and privateers.
[5] Notable Jewish figures in piracy in Jamaica and the Caribbean:
– Moses Cohen Henriques (1595–after 1681) – A Sephardic Jew who fled the Spanish Inquisition, he made history in 1628 by helping Dutch admiral Piet Pieterszoon Hein (1577–1629) capture a Spanish fleet carrying gold and silver, a loot estimated today at one billion dollars. After the Portuguese reconquest of Brazil in 1654, he sought refuge in Jamaica, where he contributed to the establishment of the Jewish community and is believed to have advised the famous privateer Captain Morgan (Sir Henry Morgan, 1635–1688) in Port Royal.
– David Abrabanel (17th century) – Known as “Captain Davis,” this Jewish privateer commanded the ship “Jerusalem” and carried out independent raids (without official commission) against the Spanish in retaliation for the persecution suffered by his family.
– Yaacov Kuriel (17th century) – A former Spanish captain, captured by the Inquisition, he was freed by his own sailors, most of whom were Marranos. He then took to the seas with three ships and led attacks against the Spanish in the Caribbean.

Behar-Bechukotai (בְּהַר – “on the mountain”, בְּחֻקֹּתַי – “in My laws”)
^{Leviticus 25:1 – 27:34 and Jeremiah 16:19-17:14}

The parashah Behar-Bechukotai teaches the laws of Yovel ^[1] and Shemitah ^[2], reminding that the land belongs to God and must be cultivated with respect. It speaks of blessings linked to obedience and curses in case of transgression, reaffirming constant faithfulness to His covenant. The Haftarah of Jeremiah emphasizes the importance of trusting in God rather than wealth or power. Man, as the guardian of the land, must use it with wisdom, faith, and fairness.

Jeremiah 17:7
בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר, אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּה’; וְהָיָה ה’, מִבְטַחוֹ.
Blessed is the man who trusts in God, and whose hope is in Him.

This trust is reflected in the way the land is cultivated at Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu. This kibbutz practices organic farming and uses insects ^[3] to control pests and ensure pollination in greenhouses and open fields.
In this religious kibbutz, a synagogue, a beit midrash, a regional religious school, an ulpan, and a volunteer program provide a setting for life and learning based on Jewish traditions. Students alternate between three days of work and three days of study, benefiting from dormitories, break rooms, and dedicated living spaces.

Sde Eliyahu, located 5 kilometers south of Beit She’an in the Valley of Springs, 200 meters below sea level, was founded in May 1938 by a group of young German Jews following the Choma U’Migdal model (חומה ומגדל – palisade and tower). This method, used under the British Mandate, allowed rapid establishment of secure agricultural settlements by erecting a watchtower and wooden palisade overnight. The name of the kibbutz honors Rabbi Eliyahu Guttmacher ^[4], a 19th-century figure who supported religious Zionism.

^[1] Yovel (Jubilee): planned for 5802 (2041-2042), a jubilee year celebrated every 50 years with the release of lands and slaves.
^[2] Shemitah (sabbatical year): planned for 5789 (2028-2029) and 5796 (2035-2036), observed every 7 years with land rest and debt cancellation.
^[3] In 1983, the kibbutz created the company Sde Eliyahu Biological Control Insectaries, now BioBee, which distributes its products internationally. This company develops biological pest control techniques, uses sterile insect technology, and provides bumblebees for pollination.
^[4] Originally from Poland, Eliyahu Guttmacher (1795-1874) was a rabbi and kabbalist, a precursor of religious Zionism. He encouraged Jewish agricultural settlement in the Land of Israel as a path to redemption.

Emor (Hebrew: אמור – dis)
^{Leviticus 21:1–24:23 and Ezekiel 44:15–31}

The parashah Emor and its haftarah highlight the importance of purity in divine service. While the Torah establishes the purification rules applicable in the Mishkan (the Tabernacle), the prophet Ezekiel announces continuity and fulfillment in the future Temple.

Ezekiel 44:23
וְאֶת-עַמִּי יוֹרוּ, בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחֹל; וּבֵין-טָמֵא לְטָהוֹר, יוֹדִעֻם.
They will instruct my people to distinguish between what is holy and what is profane; they will make known to them the difference between what is impure and what is pure.

Mikveh of the Ari HaKadosh
This verse reveals the role of the priests as a source of transmitting purity and holiness to the people—a spiritual dimension that is manifested in purification sites such as the Mikveh of the Ari HaKadosh in Safed. Located near the upper entrance of the town’s cemetery, this basin holds deep spiritual and mystical significance. According to tradition, Ari HaKadosh ^[1] immersed himself there daily. Fed directly by an aquifer, the mikveh offers water that is pure and cool (between 10°C and 15°C / approximately 50°F to 59°F). Today, this site welcomes visitors from around the world in search of purification and spiritual elevation. Further down the hill rest Ari HaKadosh and his son, Rabbi Moses Luria.

The Kabbalists of Safed
In Safed, before the arrival of Ari HaKadosh, the Ramak ^[2] led a kabbalistic school. He structured mystical teachings through his work Pardes Rimonim ^[3]. Upon his death, Ari HaKadosh continued his teaching by introducing major concepts ^[4]. Although he wrote little, his teachings were collected and disseminated by Rabbi Chaim Vital ^[5], his principal disciple.

Notes and References
^[1] Rabbi Isaac Luria Ashkenazi (1534–1572) was known as “Ashkenazi” because of his father’s Ashkenazi origins. He grew up in Cairo in a Sephardic environment and later settled in Safed, which, in the 16^th century, was a major center of Sephardic Jewish mysticism. He prayed and lived according to the Sephardic rite, and most of his disciples were also Sephardic.
The acronym Ari (האר״י) is derived from האלוקי רב יצחק (Ha-Eloqi Rav Yitzhak), meaning “The Divine Rabbi Yitzhak.” This acronym is also interpreted as Ashkenazi Rabbi Yitzhak or Adoneinu Rabbeinou Yitzhak (“Our Master, Our Rabbi Yitzhak”). It is also known by the names Ari Zal (Ari, his memory is a blessing) and Ari HaKadosh (Ari, the Holy).
^[2] Rabbi Moses ben Jacob Cordovero (1522–1570) was a major figure in Kabbalah. He structured the kabbalistic teachings and profoundly influenced the development of Jewish mysticism in Safed. He is also known by the acronym רמ״ק (Ramak).
^[3] Pardes Rimonim (פרדס רימונים), meaning “The Orchard of Pomegranates,” is a major work of Kabbalah. Its title refers to two symbolic elements:
– Pardes (פרדס), an acronym for the four levels of Torah interpretation—Pshat (פשט) for the literal sense, Remez (רמז) for the allegorical, Derash (דרש) for the homiletical, and Sod (סוד) for the mystical.
– Rimonim (רימונים), meaning “pomegranates,” is a symbol of wisdom, and the fruit’s seed count alludes to the 613 mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah.
^[4] Kabbalistic concepts introduced by Ari HaKadosh include:
– Tzimtzum: The contraction or withdrawal of the divine presence in order to create space for creation.
– Chevirat Ha-Kelim: “Breaking of the Vessels,” a cosmic event that is the origin of primordial disorder.
– Tikkun Olam: “Repairing the World” through acts of kindness and holiness.
^[5] Rabbi Chaim Vital (1542–1620), the principal disciple of the Ari, fixed his teachings in fundamental texts including Etz Ha’Hayim (The Tree of Life) and Cha’ar HaGilgulim (The Gate of Reincarnations). His son, Rabbi Samuel Vital (1598–1677), ensured the transmission of these teachings throughout the Eastern Jewish world.

A’haré Mot (אחרי מות – After [the death]) – Qédochim (קדושים – Holy)
^{Leviticus 16:1–20:27 and Amos 9:7–15}

These verses gather laws related to holiness, ritual purity, forbidden relationships, justice, and charity.

Leviticus 19:18
וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

This verse^[1] is engraved above the large rose window adorned with a Star of David on the main façade of the synagogue of Versailles. Built between 1884 and 1886 in a Neo-Byzantine style, the building stands out for its symmetrical composition, rounded arches, Hebrew inscriptions, and stone gables carved to represent the Torah scrolls.

The structure was designed by architect Alfred-Philibert Aldrophe^[2], a major figure in Jewish religious architecture in France at the end of the 19th century. Its realization was made possible thanks to the financial support of philanthropist Cécile Furtado-Heine^[3], during a time marked by the massive arrival of Alsatian and Lorraine Jewish families after the 1870 war^[4].

Listed as a historic monument since 2010, the synagogue remains an active place of worship, serving a predominantly Sephardic community. Before its construction, the Jews of Versailles, present since the 18th century, practiced their faith in modest prayer rooms, notably on Rue de Saint-Cloud.

^[1] The inscription above the rose window combines two verses:
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ You shall love the Lord, your God (Deuteronomy 6:5).
לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18).
Above the central portal, another verse is inscribed:
“Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.” (Deuteronomy 28:6).
^[2] Alfred-Philibert Aldrophe (1834–1895), French architect, is notably the designer of the synagogue on Rue de la Victoire in Paris, a landmark of French Judaism.
^[3] Cécile Charlotte Furtado-Heine (1821–1896), a major Jewish patron, supported numerous social and religious initiatives, including the construction of hospitals and synagogues.
^[4] After the defeat of Napoleon III at Sedan, the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine by the German Empire in 1871 led to the exile of many French-speaking Jewish families. Some sought refuge in France and Algeria, while others settled in Switzerland or the United States, particularly in Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and New York. A few families also emigrated to Argentina and Brazil, while others opted for the Ottoman Empire.