Saturday, June 1 Tanya Class 9:15am Morning Service: 10:00am Kiddush: 12:15pm Evening Service: 7:55pm Shabbat Ends: 9:12pm
Kiddush Sponsored by
The Kiddush Fund Members
New for 2024 at FAIR LAWN JEWISH DAY CAMP
Swimming at the beautiful Paramus Pool
Swim lessons are back
Door to door bus transportation is back
Professional coaches and instructors for specialties
Expanded activity rooms
A BISSELE HUMOR
It was the final examination for an introductory Biology course at the university. Like many such freshman courses, it was designed to weed out new students, having over 500 students in the class! The examination was two hours long, and exam booklets were provided. The professor was extremely strict and told the class that any exam that was not on his desk in exactly two hours would not be accepted and the student would fail. Half an hour into the exam, a student came rushing in and asked the professor for an exam booklet. "You're not going to have time to finish this," the professor stated sarcastically as he handed the student a booklet. "Yes, I will," replied the student. He then took a seat and began writing. After two hours, the professor called for the exams, and the students filed up and handed them in. All except the late student, who continued writing. An hour later, the last student came up to the professor who was sitting at his desk preparing for his next class. He attempted to put his exam on the stack of exam booklets already there. "No, I'm not going to accept that. It's late." The student looked incredulous and angry. "Do you know who I am?" "No," replied the professor with an air of sarcasm in his voice. "Do you know who I am?" the student asked again in a louder voice. "No, and I don't care," replied the professor with hubris. "Good," replied the student, who quickly lifted the stack of completed exams, stuffed his in the middle, and walked out of the room.
WEEKLY eTORAH
The Torah writes, “If you will walk in my statutes (chukotai) . . .” (Leviticus 26:3). Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi explains that the word chok (statute) is derived from the root chakikah, engraving, hewing or carving: one’s study of Torah should be as letters that are hewn out of stone, not as letters of ink that are written on paper. What does this mean? The letters and words of ink, through the process of writing, become inseparably connected and united with the paper or parchment. This symbolizes the basic level of Torah learning, in which the student does not give mere lip-service to the Torah’s teachings, but becomes joined and united with Torah; his actions reflect his learning. On a deeper level, though, it is evident that the word written in ink is an entity distinct from that of the paper—although bound together with it. But the letter engraved in stone has no separate existence from the stone whatsoever. The stone itself bends inwards here, protrudes outwards there . . . and a letter is formed; the letter is the stone and the stone is the letter. The carved letter simply does not exist as a distinct entity independent of the stone. In the same way, one’s study of Torah should ultimately reach the level of “the engraved letter,” where the “self” of the student ceases to exist; his being, his essence, becomes simply Torah. Such a level of self-effacement was achieved by Moses. He became one with G‑d; his “self” ceased to exist. When transmitting G‑d’s words of blessing to Israel he used the first person, declaring, “. . . I will give grass in your fields,” for G‑d’s Presence (the Shechinah) was speaking through Moses’ throat.
