Category: Uncategorized

Nasso (נשא – Elevate)
^{Numbers 4:21–7:89 and Judges 13:2–25}

The parasha Nasso addresses the role of the Levites, the Sotah, the purity laws, and the Nazirite vow. It invokes peace and protection upon Israel and concludes with the tribal offerings for the dedication of the Tabernacle. In the haftara, an angel announces the birth of Samson, who is consecrated as a Nazirite from birth.

Numbers 6:24-26 (Priestly Blessing)
יְבָרֶכְךָ ה’ וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ
יָאֵר ה’ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ
יִשָּׂא ה’ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם
May the Eternal bless you and keep you!
May the Eternal make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May the Eternal turn His face toward you and grant you peace!q

In 1979, archaeologist Gabriel Barkay ^[1] led excavations at the site where the Repha’im and Hinnom valleys converge in Jerusalem. During the dig, a young participant uncovered a hidden burial chamber containing more than 1,000 artifacts, including silverware, gold, bones, precious stones, arrowheads, and, most notably, two tiny silver scrolls measuring 2.5 cm long, dating to the late 7th century BCE, during the First Temple period, before the Babylonian exile. These scrolls, known as the Ketef Hinnom amulets, are the oldest known fragments of biblical texts, predating the famous Dead Sea Scrolls by several centuries. They contain an inscription in ancient Hebrew, featuring the Priestly Blessing from parasha Nasso.
Due to their extreme fragility, it took three years of meticulous work to unroll them without causing damage. Their content demonstrates that biblical passages were not only written but actively used in a liturgical and apotropaic (protective) context as early as the time of the prophet Jeremiah.
Today, they are preserved and exhibited in the archaeological wing of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

^[1] Gabriel Barkay (born in 1944 in Hungary) is an Israeli archaeologist specializing in biblical archaeology and the history of Jerusalem. In 1999, the Islamic Waqf, the administrator of the Temple Mount, carried out large-scale construction work without authorization or archaeological oversight, including the expansion of an underground mosque beneath the Temple Mount. These works led to the deliberate and illegal destruction of unique archaeological remains. To salvage what could be recovered, Barkay co-founded the Temple Mount Sifting Project with Zachi Dvira, aiming to sift and study the 9,000 tons of debris removed from the site. This project has led to the recovery of thousands of artifacts covering nearly 3,000 years of history, despite the irreversible losses to archaeological heritage.

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.

Tazria (תזריע – she will conceive) & Metsora (מצורע – a person afflicted with tzaraat ^[1])
^{Leviticus 12:1-15:33 and 2 Kings 7:3-20}

The sections of Tazria-Metsora deal with the laws of ritual purity and purification rites, where water symbolizes renewal and spiritual transition.

Leviticus 14:8
וְכִבֶּס אֶת-בְּגָדָיו, וְרָחַץ אֶת-בְּשָׂרוֹ בַּמַּיִם–וְטָהֵר.
He shall wash his clothes, bathe his body in water, and become pure.

In 1828, a fire pump^[2] was installed between Quai d’Auteuil and the Route de Versailles to draw water from the Seine and supply the Passy reservoirs, ensuring the storage and distribution of drinking water. Between 1900 and 1925, the company Pacotte & Co replaced this pump with a modern water-lifting plant^[3]. The facility consisted of five buildings combining millstone, light and red bricks, and metal elements characteristic of the industrial style of the time. The plant ceased operations in 1955.

The City of Paris initiated a site redevelopment project, and in 2001, it made one of the buildings available to the Grand Rabbi of Paris, David Messas^[4], who founded the Maguen David – Ahavat Shalom Community Center. In 2019, Rabbi Ariel Messas, continuing his father’s work, signed a 50-year lease with the City of Paris and reached an agreement with the management company of the Water Pavilion^[5] to also host Shabbat meals, bar mitzvahs, and other celebrations there.

^[1] Tzara’at: Ritual skin, garment, or wall afflictions characterized by white patches, spots, or specific eruptions.
^[2] Fire pump: Technology based on wood or coal boilers to power pumping mechanisms.
^[3] Water-lifting plant: A structure designed to raise water to sufficient heights to supply reservoirs, using pumps and a basic filtration system.
^[4] Rabbi David Messas: Born in 1934 in Meknes (Morocco), he studied at the Keter Torah Yeshiva in Casablanca, Aix-les-Bains, and Grenoble. Grand Rabbi of Geneva (1989-1995), then Paris (1995-2011), he left a lasting mark on the Jewish community with his scholarship and dedication. He was awarded the Légion d’Honneur and its Moroccan equivalent, the Ouissam Alaouite.
^[5] Water Pavilion (Pavillon de l’Eau): In 2007, under the auspices of Eau de Paris, architect Vincent Brossy transformed one of the buildings into a center dedicated to resource conservation and access to drinking water.

Shemini (שְׁמִינִי – Eighth)
^{Leviticus 9:1 – 11:46 and 2 Samuel 6:1-19}

The parashah Shemini⁽¹⁾ deals with the inauguration of the Tabernacle, while the haftarah recounts the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem—two stories interweaving intense joy and tragedy⁽²⁾.

Leviticus 10:16
ואת שעיר החטאת דרש דרש משה
And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering…

In the Torah, the word דרש (darash, meaning “to seek” or “to study”) is at the center⁽³⁾. This teaches us that study should hold a central and foundational place in our lives. This word appears in the central verse, which Rashi⁽⁴⁾ interprets as the necessity of balancing the observance of divine commandments with human realities. It was in Troyes that Rashi wrote his commentaries after studying in Mainz and then in Worms.

Worms, nicknamed the “Little Jerusalem of the Rhine Valley”, is a major historical center of European Judaism. The Jewish community there has been documented since the early Middle Ages. The Jewish quarter of Worms, reconstructed in 1961, is home to a Romanesque-Gothic synagogue founded in 1034, the Rashi House which became a museum in 1982, a mikveh (ritual bath) dating from the 12^th century, and the Heilige Sand⁽⁵⁾.

⁽¹⁾ Shemini: The number eight represents transcendence beyond the natural and cyclical—an elevation toward the infinite.
⁽²⁾ In the parashah, the joy of the Tabernacle’s inauguration is overshadowed by the death of Nadav and Avihu, Aaron’s sons. In the haftarah, the transfer of the Ark to Jerusalem is marked by the death of Uzzah, one of Abinadab’s sons.
⁽³⁾ Shemini contains: the central verse of the Torah (the 2,923rd), the central word דרש (the 39,924th), linked to seeking and study (from the root ד-ר-ש come the words: דרש darash – “he studied”, מדרש midrash – “interpretation” or “exegesis”, דורש doresh – “seeker”, דרשה derasha – “sermon”, דרישות drishot – “requirements”). The central letter is the ו (vav) in the word גחון (gachon – “belly”, Leviticus 11:42), a letter whose shape symbolizes connection between the lower and the higher, the material and the spiritual, or the human and the divine.
⁽⁴⁾ Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzhak (רש״י – Rashi) was born in 1040 in Troyes. At age 15, he studied in Mainz under Rabbi Yaakov ben Yakar. After the latter’s death in 1064, he continued his studies in Worms under Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi HaQadosh. At age 30, in 1070, he returned to Troyes, where he founded a school, married, worked in his vineyard, and wrote his famous commentaries. He died in Troyes in 1105.
⁽⁵⁾ Heilige Sand is the German name for the oldest preserved Jewish cemetery in Europe. It literally means “holy sand.” Over 2,000 graves are recorded there, including that of Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg (1215–1293), known as the Maharam, a major figure in medieval Ashkenazi Judaism. Maharam is an acronym for Morenu HaRav Rabbi Meir (מוהר״ם), meaning “Our teacher, Rabbi Meir”.

7th Day of Passover
^{Exodus 13:17–15:26, Numbers 28:19–25, II Samuel 22:1–51}

In the Torah, the Song of the Sea, sung by Moses, is followed by the song of Miriam and the women. The Haftarah, on the other hand, exalts God by glorifying His power and acts of salvation.

Exodus 15:3
ה’ אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה ה’ שְׁמו
The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His name!

In the following verse, the Lord destroys the Egyptian chariots.
The Armored Corps Museum (יד לשריון – Yad La-Shiryon) displays life-size reconstructions of ancient chariots used by Egyptian and Assyro-Babylonian civilizations. The museum also offers an impressive collection of more than 200 tanks and armored vehicles from Israel and other countries, some of which were captured from enemy forces⁽¹⁾ by Israel.

The main building, a Tegart fortress⁽²⁾ with exterior walls deeply marked by impacts, houses a library that preserves information on every Israeli soldier from the Armored Corps who fell in battle. The Tzror Ha-Haïm Synagogue⁽³⁾ adds a spiritual dimension to this place of remembrance. The fortress tower has been transformed into the Tower of Tears⁽⁴⁾. The museum also features a large amphitheater and an auditorium.

Outside, the Wall of Names, engraved with the names of soldiers from the Armored Corps killed in action, pays homage to their memory. A water tower, where a Sherman tank has been installed in place of the reservoir, has become the museum’s logo.

⁽¹⁾ Tanks captured or destroyed by Israel:
– Egypt: War of Independence (1948–1949): 30–50 tanks; Six-Day War (1967): about 700 tanks; Yom Kippur War (1973): about 1,100 tanks.
– Syria: (1967): 100–150 units; (1973): nearly 1,000 tanks, mostly on the Golan Heights; Lebanon Conflict (1982): about 300 tanks.
– Jordan: (1967): about 200 units.
⁽²⁾ Tegart Fortress: Named after British police officer Charles Augustus Tegart, who designed them. These fortresses, built in the 1930s–1940s during the British Mandate, were intended to reinforce security against Arab uprisings.
⁽³⁾ Tzror Ha-Haïm (צרור החיים): This expression (meaning “Bundle of Life” or “Fountain of Life”) comes from I Samuel 25:29. It conveys the idea that the souls of the departed are bound to eternal life. The 18^th-century Holy Ark in the synagogue was donated by the Jewish community of Pisa.
⁽⁴⁾ Tower of Tears: An installation composed of steel plates recovered from a tank covering all the walls, where water flows to symbolize the tears shed for fallen Armored Corps soldiers. This work was designed by Danny Karavan (1930–2021), an Israeli sculptor renowned for his environmental sculptures that invite visitors to interact with the space. Among his iconic creations are the Path of Human Rights in Nuremberg and the Way of Peace in Israel.

Tzav (צו – prescribe), Shabbat Ha-Gadol, Passover
^{Leviticus 6:1 to 8:36, Malachi 3:4 to 3:24, Exodus 12:21 to 12:51. Numbers 28:16 to 28:25, Joshua 5:2 to 6:1}

Preparation for Deliverance:
In Tzav, the laws regarding sacrifices are prescribed. The text also describes the consecration of priests and their garments. The prophet Malachi announces the return of Elijah before the “great and dreadful day of the Lord“. He calls the people⁽¹⁾ to repentance and justice. The Torah reading of the first day of Passover recounts the final preparations before the Exodus from Egypt; the maftir details the specific sacrifices for Passover, and the haftarah speaks of those offered during the entrance to the Promised Land.

Exodus 12:42
לֵיל שִׁמֻּרִים הוּא לַיי, לְהוֹצִיאָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם: הוּא-הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה לַיי, שִׁמֻּרִים לְכָל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְדֹרֹתָם.
It was a night of watchfulness for the Lord to bring them out of the land of Egypt; it is the night that the children of Israel must observe for the Lord throughout their generations.

The Golden Haggadah is an illuminated Hebrew manuscript, probably of Catalan origin, created between 1320 and 1330 on parchment. It is adorned with fourteen miniatures, each consisting of four scenes set against a golden background, in a high-Gothic style. The text is written in square Sephardic calligraphy. This manuscript may have been taken to Italy by Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. The 17^th-century Italian binding, in dark brown sheepskin, is decorated with fan-shaped motifs. It is preserved in the British Library under reference MS 27210.

⁽¹⁾ The Jerusalem Talmud (Megillah 1:11) suggests that the name Malachi (מַלְאָכִי – Malakhi, meaning “My messenger”) could be a pseudonym, indicating a universal mission. Furthermore, commentators like Rashi and Ibn Ezra highlight in their commentary on Malachi that “the name of God will be great among the nations“, reflecting a vision in which Malachi’s prophetic message encompasses all nations.

Vayiqra (ויקרא – And He called)
^{Leviticus 1:1–5:26 and Isaiah 43:21–44:23}

The parashah of Vayiqra details the sacrificial laws, intended to purify oneself and thus draw closer to The Lord⁽¹⁾. In the haftara, the prophet Isaiah reveals that Israel must purify itself to bear witness to the divine presence among the nations and actively prepare for redemption.

Leviticus 4:32 ⁽²⁾
וְאִם-כֶּבֶשׂ יָבִיא קָרְבָּנוֹ
If it is a sheep he brings as his sin offering …

The sheep, mentioned here as a sin offering, approaching Pesach, invites introspection, reminding us of the importance of purifying ourselves from the hametz within us.

Mouton (sheep) street Synagogue: Historical records reveal that a Jewish community existed as early as 1321 in the city then called Vitry-sur-Marne. After 1870, an influx of Alsatian and Lorraine Jews settled in the region. The synagogue, located on Rue Mouton, was inaugurated in 1957, just days before Rosh Hashanah. It replaced the 1885 synagogue, destroyed during World War II. Today, the Jewish community has left the city. Since 2007, the synagogue has been converted into a cultural space.

⁽¹⁾ Korban (קרבן) means “sacrifice” and derives from the Hebrew root karav (קרב), meaning “to come closer.”
⁽²⁾ Rabbi Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Weiser (1809–1879), known by his acronym Malbim (מלבי”ם), distinguishes between the two terms kesev (כֶּשֶׂב) in Leviticus 3:7, referring to a lamb still dependent on its mother, and keves (כֶּ֫בֶשׂ) in Leviticus 4:32, referring to a more autonomous sheep. The faithful are called to evolve toward maturity in their relationship with G.od, mirroring the transition from a dependent lamb to an autonomous sheep.