My Pop, of Blessed Memory

This year is a Hebrew leap year, and since we have an entire leap month of Adar Aleph, today is called "Purim Katan" or "little Purim", since it's the 14th of Adar Aleph; regular Purim in a leap year is celebrated a month from now, during "Adar Bet", or 2nd Adar.

My beloved father, Yaacov ben Yitzchak of blessed memory, left this earth on the 15th of Adar Aleph, 5760, eleven years ago. Pop's yahrtzeit - this anniversary of his death - is Friday night and Shabbat. This post is dedicated to him.

Pop was born in Winnipeg, Canada in 1921. His father came from the Ukraine, a shtetyl called Yanov, half way between Breslev and Berditchev. Like a lot of immigrants, my grandfather left observant Judaism behind in the Old Country, so my father was born into a secular home. Yet, he spoke perfect Yiddish and was the warmest Jewish heart you'd ever want to meet. He gave loads of his money to charity; he supported widows and poor Torah scholars. He loved everything Jewish, from traditional food to music. He had no problem polishing off a bottle of vodka with a plate of herring and black bread. He had the voice of a cantor, and when he'd sing, the neighbors would ask what radio station we're listening to.

Pop was the only Jewish combat pilot from Western Canada in the RCAF in WWII. He had a double enemy - the Nazis and the antisemitic Canadian peers who more than once tried to sabotage him.

He wasn't religious, but my Pop had a love for Israel, for his fellow Jews, for widows and orphans, and for Hashem. He had more emuna than most. His famous expression was, "Wait to worry." He never ever complained about pain or discomfort, and profusely thanked Hashem for every new day. Pop's legacy includes three generations of Torah-observant Jews in Israel.

I miss you, Pop.

Here are two treats in Pop's loving memory: The first is one of his favorite Yiddish melodies, Oyfen Pripitchik, played by violinist Boris Savchuk. The second is a beautiful Dvar Torah written by my youngest brother - also a Baal Teshuva - ZZ (Zeev Zalman). Enjoy both and have a great Shabbat!

Zev Zalman's Dvar Torah in Loving Memory of our Father, may he rest in peace:

On the 15th of Adar 1 5771, it will be 11 years since my Papa was Niftar (passed away) Alav HaShalom (May The Peace Be Upon Him). May this D'var Torah elevate his Neshama (soul)!

This weeks Parsha, Ki Tisa, has so many memorable moments, I will focus on one that I can apply to my life and embodies a part of who my Papa, Yakov Ben Yitzchak, Zechrono L'Vracha (May His Memory Be For Blessing) was. He was a Baal Chesed (someone who epitomizes loving kindness) and was always very generous in giving Tzedaka for Israel's well being!

It says at the beginning of the Parsha ,"Vayidaber Hashem el Moshe laymor, Ki Tisa et rosh Bnai Yisrael lifkudayhem V'NATNOO eesh kofer nafsho laHashem bifkod otam v'lo yihiyeh vahem negef bifkod otam" ("Hashem spoke to Moses saying, when you take a head count of the Children of Israel according to their numbers, THEY SHALL GIVE, every man shall, an atonement for his soul to Hashem when counting them, so that there will not be among them a plague when counting them.") Hashem says you cannot count a Jew in a normal fashion, you must collect a Machatzit Hashekel (Half Shekel) which will be used for the building and upkeep of the Mishkan (The Tabernacle) and these Shekalim will be counted. Rich and poor alike, the same amount is to be collected, symbolizing everyone has an equal share to the Mishkan and the Torah. What is so amazing is the language that is used. The Baal Turim (Author of "The Turim" or "The Tur" -Rabbi Yakov ben Asher), Zechrona L'Vracha,) points out that the word, "V'NATNOO" (they shall give) is a palindrome. It is read the same forwards as backwards, symbolizing that whatever you give, you will get back. This was referring to the Tzadaka, but let's take it a step further. Giving is a means to really connect with Hashem! When we are selfless with our Spouses, our Children, our Parents, and our Communities, it gives Hashem much nachas from his Children. Why was the amount a half shekel and not a whole? To show that when we do things on our own we are not complete, and most times neither are our tasks, but when we come together, showing unity and a communal purpose , we can accomplish anything! When we daven alone, we are scrutinized, all of our faults are magnified, but when we come together with one voice of Tefillah, the communal good is focused on by Hashem. This Kehilah (congregation), Minchas Yitzchak, is a beautiful model of this.

We have people from many different places in life, different professions, different incomes, different religious minhagim (customs), but we come together and in unified song and Tefillah, we reach the upper portals where I believe our Tefillah is accepted due to our communal good! By the way a "Tzibur" (community or congregation), consists of 3 letters ; Tzadi, Beit, and Raysh. Tzadi stands for a Tzadik, (a righteous one) Beit stands for Benoneem, (people in the middle, neither righteous nor wicked) and Raysh stands for Rashayim, (wicked ones). Thank Hashem no one at Minchas Yitzchak falls into this last category, even so, all are part of the Machatzit Hashekel!

A beautiful vort (word, thought) brought down from Rabbi Moshe Chaim Levinson, Zechrona L'Vracha, talks about the Half Shekel. The word that is used for half is "Machatzit" which consists of 5 letters ; Mem, Chet, Tzadi, Yud, Taf. The Ztadi in the middle of the word represents the Tzadik, the two letters surrounding the Tzadi on each side are Chet and Yud, which spell, "Chai" (life) the two letters farthest away on each side are Mem and Taf, which spell, "Met" (dead). When we connect to and surround The Tzadik we are spiritually alive. When we distance ourselves from The Tzadik we lose our spiritual life!

Let us always be connected to The Tzadik and always remember how much we need our Spouses, Children, Parents, Families, and Community in order for us to be whole, and may we take part in giving Half Shekalim with the building of the Third Bais Hamikdash and the coming of Mashiach, speedily in our days, Amen.