Author: shamyr

Parashah Vayera (וירא), Genesis 18 to 22:
Abraham receives a visit from three angels disguised as travelers and offers them hospitality. They announce to Abraham the future birth of Isaac. Two angels go to Sodom, where they meet Lot, Abraham’s nephew. They save him from the imminent destruction of the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim. These cities are destined for destruction due to the corruption, wickedness, evil, and moral depravity of their inhabitants. Sarah gives birth to Isaac and asks Abraham to separate from Ishmael.

Genesis 19:24
וַה’, הִמְטִיר עַל-סְדֹם וְעַל-עֲמֹרָה–גָּפְרִית וָאֵשׁ:  מֵאֵת ה’, מִן-הַשָּׁמָיִם.
Then the Lord rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of the heavens.

Tall el-Hammam, an ancient Bronze Age city ⁽¹⁾ located in Jordan near the Dead Sea, has piqued the interest of archaeologists due to its possible identification with Sodom. The city was destroyed, presumably, by a cosmic explosion, reminiscent of the Tunguska event in Siberia ⁽²⁾. The devastating heat from this explosion burned the surrounding land, much like what is observed at Tall El-Hammam.

⁽¹⁾ Dating back to the time of Abraham, around 1900 ^BCE.
⁽²⁾ In 1908, a fireball was observed in the skies of central Siberia, exploding at an altitude of 5 to 10 kilometers. This explosion, equivalent to 1,000 times the Hiroshima bomb, caused a blast that burned 2,000 square kilometers of forest, generating temperatures estimated at 2,000 degrees Celsius. The damage extended over 100 kilometers, and the explosion was audible within a radius of 1,500 kilometers, triggering numerous fires that ravaged forested areas for several weeks.

In Parasha Lekh Lekha (Genesis 12:1 – 17:27), God commands Abraham, who was 75 years old ⁽¹⁾, to settle in the land of Canaan ⁽²⁾, a land intended for him and his descendants. Subsequently, Abraham becomes involved in a conflict to rescue his nephew Lot, who had been kidnapped.

Genesis 14:14-16
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם כִּֽי־נִשְׁבָּ֛ה אָחִ֥יו וַיָּרֶ֖ק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֑יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵ֔יתוֹ שְׁמֹנָ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּמֵאָֽה׃
וַיִּרְדֹּ֗ף עַד־דָּ֛ן וַיֵּחָלֵ֥ק עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לַיְלָֽה ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָֽיו וַיַּכֵּ֖ם וַיִּרְדֹּ֑פם עַ֖ד־חוֹבָֽה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִשְׂמָֽאל׃
וַיָּֽשָׁב֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָ֭רְכֻשׁ וְגַֽם־אֶת־ל֣וֹט אָחִ֑יו וְֽרְכֻשׁ֖וֹ הֵשִֽׁיב֙ וְגַם־אֶת־הַ֖נָּשִֽׁים וְאֶת־הָעָֽם׃
When Abram learned that his relative had been taken captive, he armed 318 of his bravest servants, born in his house, and pursued them as far as Dan. Then, in the night, he and his servants attacked them and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, which is to the north of Damascus. He brought back all the possessions and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions and the women and the people.

Abraham, accompanied by his men, confronts and defeats his enemies, rescuing Lot, who had been kidnapped. May Abraham’s example guide us in freeing the 224 hostages in the hands of Hamas. May the Lord turn Tsahal into a formidable iron harrow ⁽³⁾ to crush those who seek to destroy Israel.

The synagogue of Mende, located near the Lot River, is a medieval building dating back to the 11th century. It ranks among the oldest synagogues in France. Originally, it belonged to a prominent Jewish figure in Mende named Ferrier ⁽⁴⁾. The synagogue’s architecture reveals typical features of its era, suggesting its use both as a residence and a place of worship.

⁽¹⁾ 1948 + 75 = 2023
⁽²⁾ Canaan is a region in the Middle East that encompasses parts of what is now Israel, the Gaza Strip, the northern Negev, western Jordan, Lebanon, and western Syria.
⁽³⁾ Isaiah 41:15 (Haftara for Lekh Lekha)
הִנֵּה שַׂמְתִּיךְ, לְמוֹרַג חָרוּץ חָדָשׁ–בַּעַל, פִּיפִיּוֹת; תָּדוּשׁ הָרִים וְתָדֹק, וּגְבָעוֹת כַּמֹּץ תָּשִׂים.
Behold, I have set you as a new, sharp threshing sledge with double edges; you will thresh the mountains and crush them, and you will reduce the hills to fine chaff.
⁽⁴⁾ A surname that suggests an occupation related to ironwork (blacksmith).

The parasha Noa’h (Genesis 6 to 11) highlights the transgressions of humanity, tells the story of Noah and the flood, and describes the construction of the Tower of Babel and the dispersion of peoples, the origin of different nations. The haftara (Isaiah 54:1-10) brings a message of hope and renewal for Israel, emphasizing the importance of the eternal covenant between God and His people.

Isaiah 54:8
בְּשֶצֶף קֶצֶף, הִסְתַּרְתִּי פָנַי רֶגַע מִמֵּךְ, וּבְחֶסֶד עוֹלָם, רִחַמְתִּיךְ–אָמַר גֹּאֲלֵךְ, ה׳.
“In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.

During the joyful celebration of Simhat Torah, after disabling surveillance systems, approximately 2,500 Islamist terrorists invade the south of Israel and commit a murderous, heinous, and unbearable pogrom. In response, the Israeli government takes decisive measures and decides on the elimination of all terrorist organizations by the Tsahal (צה”ל).

In 1862, a community of Jewish soldiers is established in the city of Rostov-on-Don. Built ⁽¹⁾ in 1872, the Soldiers’ Synagogue combines elements of Art Nouveau and Oriental styles. The facade adorned with a cornice rests on a bugnato-style base ⁽²⁾. Above the building, there are four domes, each crowned with a Star of David ⁽³⁾. A historically significant monument of regional importance, the Soldiers’ Synagogue has been in continuous operation since 2005.

¹ The financing of the synagogue was provided by the merchant Joseph Markovitch Elister. The architect Ernst Ernestovitch von Schulmann and the builder Moïsseï Leontievitch Geronimus carried out its construction.
² Bugnato is an external wall cladding style that uses bossages to create a pronounced relief.
³ The Stars of David on the domes, removed in the 1935s, were reinstalled in 2005.

Genesis 4:10:
וַיֹּאמֶר, מֶה עָשִׂיתָ; קוֹל דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ, צֹעֲקִים אֵלַי מִן-הָאֲדָמָה.
What have you done! The cry of your brother’s blood is calling to Me from the ground.

Let us remember our brothers and sisters who were massacred during our joy. United in our faith, let us pray that Hashem grants us victory over these heinous assassins, these barbarians, these outcasts of humanity, who have sown terror. Through our unity and solidarity, we can put an end to evil, contributing to the fulfillment of the final redemption and ushering in an era of peace and light for all. Let us ask God to help us, grant us His Protection, and spread peace in Israel and throughout the world.

The Synagogue of Victory, located in the heart of Paris, is a place of prayer, gathering, a symbol of faith, resilience, and unity.

(Genesis 1:3) :
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים, יְהִי-אוֹר; וַיְהִי-אוֹר
And G–od said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.

A few years ago, a student presented her final project¹ to build a synagogue in the suburbs of Paris. This project draws inspiration from the prayer of rain, ‘Tikkun Hageshem’ which evokes divine blessings and the light that floods the earth. This prayer is recited on Chemini Atseret, the joyous festival for the Torah, celebrating spiritual light and community unity.

The architectural design represents the cloud, a symbol of lightness, intangibility, and unreality. The synagogue is conceived as a multitude of light droplets through glass bricks, creating a spiritual space. External light, passing through the glass bricks, illuminates the prayer hall, highlighting the Torah ark and the lectern.

¹ Cloud of Light:: Where to Find the Booklet?

In Chapter 23, verses 41 to 43 of the Book of Leviticus, it is written:

מא וְחַגֹּתֶם אֹתוֹ חַג לה’, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה: חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם, בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי תָּחֹגּוּ אֹתוֹ. מב בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים; כָּל-הָאֶזְרָח, בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, יֵשְׁבוּ, בַּסֻּכֹּת. לְמַעַן, יֵדְעוּ דֹרֹתֵיכֶם, כִּי בַסֻּכּוֹת הוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּהוֹצִיאִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם: אֲנִי ה אֱלֹקֵיכֶם.
You shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days; all citizens¹ in Israel shall dwell in booths, so that your generations may know that I had the children of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

These words emphasize the importance of the roots of the Jewish nation. They were liberated from slavery in Egypt. This festival is an opportunity to celebrate freedom, the importance of faith, perseverance, the long history of Israel, and Jewish culture. It is a time to bring the entire community together and to remind them of the essence of the people.

An extraordinary sukkah is erected in Safra Square, where faithful and visitors from around the world converge. This gigantic sukkah, the ‘largest in the world,’ has a capacity of 650 people and covers an area of 800 square meters. The interior of the sukkah is adorned with biblical verses related to Jerusalem and photographs of the holy city. Festivities, workshops, performances, and virtual reality activities for all ages are offered.

The seven days of the Sukkot festival are celebrated in an atmosphere of great joy and sharing.

¹ The root of the Hebrew word “הָאֶזְרָח” is אזר, which is related to the concept of belonging to a people. The term is often used in a legal or administrative context to distinguish citizens from foreigners or temporary residents.

שובה ישראל עד ה’ אלוקיך
Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God

This verse from the book of Hosea (14:2) is a call to repentance, an essential preamble to Yom Kippur. On this day of fasting and prayer, the faithful seek to draw closer to God, purify their souls, and reflect on their past actions.

The Agoudath Hakehilos Synagogue¹, an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau designed by Hector Guimard, stands out with its vertical structure, curves, and unique motifs. The interior is arranged to maximize the use of vertical space, with galleries on either side of the nave.

In 1941, on the day after Yom Kippur, explosive devices were placed by members of the M.S.R.³ in front of six Parisian synagogues⁴, including the one on Rue Pavée. These attacks were carried out to intimidate and persecute the Jewish community in Paris.

^1. Union of Communities,
an organization founded to promote and defend the values and practices of Orthodox Judaism, with its Parisian headquarters located at the synagogue at 10 Rue Pavée (synagogue tour available in (360°).

² Hector Guimard (1867-1942), a major French architect and designer of the Art Nouveau movement, famous for his designs of Parisian metro entrances and for his influence on early 20th-century architecture and design.

³ The Mouvement Social Révolutionnaire is a fascist party founded in 1940 in Paris, closely associated with the Vichy regime, most of whose members originated from La Cagoule, a clandestine terrorist organization (assassinations, bombings, sabotage, and arms trafficking). La Cagoule was active in the 1930s and was founded by dissidents from Action Française.

⁴ Excerpt from the newspaper “La Feuille d’Avis de Neuchâtel et du Vignoble Neuchâtelois” dated Saturday, October 4, 1941:
“In the night from Thursday to Friday in Paris, between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., bombings occurred at seven synagogues. The synagogues on Rue de Tournelle (des Tournelles), Rue Montespan (Rue Pavée), Rue Copernic, Notre-Dame de Lazaret (de Nazareth), Notre-Dame des Victoires, and the sixth one located on a street whose name is not yet known (Rue Sainte-Isaure), were destroyed. The damage is considerable as only the walls remain. In the synagogue on Rue Pavée, near City Hall, the bomb was removed in time. Two people were injured. Admiral Bard, the prefect of police, arrived at the scene and is leading the investigation. The attack occurred the day after the Grand Pardon festival.”