During his visit to Washington, DC, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu took part in inscribing letters in the historic “Washington Torah”—a Sefer Torah being written entirely in the nation’s capital by R’ Shaul Bessel under the auspices of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad).
The osiyos inscribed in honor of the Prime Minister were from “LeBinyamin Amar” in Vezos Habracha, a pasuk befitting his name. For Mrs. Netanyahu, the words from “Chayei Sarah” were chosen, based on her name. During the writing, she noted that she was also born during the week of Parshas Chayei Sarah, coincidentally making it even more fitting.
The event was chaired by Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch in Washington, DC.
Following the kesivas osiyos, a meeting took place between the Prime Minister, Mrs. Netanyahu, and Jewish student leaders and young professionals.
This remarkable Torah project has already incorporated references to key landmarks by inscribing relevant pesukim in each location—including “Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof” at the Supreme Court, “Verapo Yerapeh” at the Department of Health and Human Services, “Ki Tivneh Bayis Chadash” at HUD, and “Teyvas Noach” at the National Zoo—each fittingly matched to its place.
As the Torah nears completion, the broader Jewish community will soon have the opportunity to participate in the mitzvah, dedicating letters, pesukim, parshiyos, and special sections in honor of their loved ones.
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12 Responses
Netanyahu deserves no respect or recognition. Especially outside of his country. He’s a mechallel Shabbos and treif eater bfarhesya.
Unlikely a valid sefer torah, but the PC rabbanim don’t seem to mind as long as it gets a nice public photo shoot. The one writing the “osiyos” spits at the torah daily, should we read shabbos from it?
I don’t think an is can be written by someone who is jechalkel shabbos probably pasul
Historic and pasul
Hopefully, they don’t plan to ever use that Torah. Everyone knows that a sefer Torah written by a “min” – a classification for which a Zionist easily qualifies – has to be burned.
RebEmes
I got no skin in this argument, but someone who writes this way about a Sefer Torah and about other Yidden, I’d guess is the same person that does not want any one of us to know what he does behind closed doors.
Don’t judge others for sinning differently than you. Vdai lechakima beremiza
Chabad is still the closest thing to Yiddishkeit we have
Surprise! Another day, another Chabad-Lubavitch PR stunt. Do they ever do anything without publicity? Chazal taught us, as is brought in Rashi (שמות לג:ד), that אין לך יפה מן הצניעות, there nothing as nice as modesty. But in Chabadianity it seems they hold the opposite, that אין לך יפה מן הפירסום, PR is #1.
I see posts time and time again, of commenters playing Posek.
While many criticizers maybe right in a certain instances, I believe its important to Bring an halachic source as opposed to a personal feeling.
Also I notice a trend of negativity, and although one is entitled to have they’re hashkafic beliefs (whether anti-Zionits or such), I believe its important to remember that, correct, some yidden dont fully follow the torah sadly, but shouldn’t we at least let those few mitzvahs or religious sentiments they have, shine?
Also lets ask ourselves, at the end of the day is this a kiddush hashem or a chillul hashem?(regardless of if you think its just a political stunt or not).
Remember your comments, more then anything, show us what type of Jew YOU are.
I agree with all those who disparaged the ceremony, and I always find Lubavich public relations campaigns disgusting. Nonetheless I don’t believe that there’s anything wrong with the sefer itself, as Netanyahu didn’t actually write anything, as can be seen from the pics.
I’d like to see him do that in the Mir Jerusalem.
Bibi sucks up to the Evangelicals and calls them Israel’s most loyal friends.
Then this kind of show biz happens davka in the US and under certain auspices, I am suspicious.
It’s really quite curious how Bibi, Gallant and …Trump… are all Chabad chassidim.
What’s going on here? Something. Mark my words.
Uncommon: Yes, the main thing is that the politicians kowtow to the Habad sect for a photo op (being duped into the notion that they represent frum Yidden and Yiddishkeit), Lubavitch gets their PR for themselves and their late Rebbuh, and they both are happy using each other. The common denominator is that they both are addicted to PR phoniness.