Curiosities

Golda Meir was the first and only woman to hold the highest political position in the State of Israel. Before being elected Prime Minister, she was the Ambassador to the Soviet Union, Minister of Labor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Jewish State.

Moses, according to the Torah, had a speech impediment and the Midrash explains why. One day, Pharaoh was talking to his daughter and Moses, then three years old, was on her lap. Moses looked at Pharaoh's crown and suddenly reached out his hand and took it. The pharaoh was scared. Hadn't the prediction already been made that one day someone close to him would win and dominate Egypt in his place? The pharaoh called the counselors and asked them to interpret Moses' gesture: was it a simple joke or an ominous omen? They then decided to test him by placing hot coals and gold before him, saying: “If the boy desires his reign, he will choose gold and, in this case, he deserves death.” Moses, attracted by the shine, wanted to reach out for the gold, but an angel forcefully pushed him away. The boy fell onto the embers, screaming in pain. In the panic of the moment, he put his hand to his mouth, where a piece of burning coal was stuck, which burned his tongue. Since that day, he began to stutter, speaking with difficulty.

Haifa is the largest port in the State of Israel, but Jaffa is the oldest, having served as a port for over 4000 years.

The 15th of Iyar is the date on which manna began to fall – the food from Heaven – which served as food for the Jewish people during the 40 years they lived in the Sinai desert. Manna began to fall exactly one month after the Exodus from Egypt, in the year 2448 (1313 BCE).

The 10th of Iyar is the date of death of one of our great Sages – Rabbi Isaac Alfasi. Known by the acronym “Rif,” Rabbi Alfasi was one of the first legislators and commentators on the Talmud. In the year 1088, Rif was forced to flee Fez, Morocco, and immigrated to Spain, where he became a rabbi in Alusina (Lucena).

Shortly before his death, dictator Joseph Stalin planned to exile all Jews from the Soviet Union. In the notorious “Doctors' Trials,” Jewish doctors were accused of conspiring against Stalin. These false accusations were intended to foment the population's anger against the Jews, facilitating the expulsion of all of them from the country.

Today is Purim Catan, “Little Purim”. The festival of Purim is celebrated on the 14th of Adar. But in a leap year, which has two months of Adar, Purim is celebrated in Adar II. There is no special custom or law that must be observed on Purim Catan, but one does not recite Tachanun (supplications) and does not fast. The Code of Jewish Law cites an opinion that Purim Catan is a day on which Jews should rejoice, but this is not a religious obligation.

The month of Adar is the happiest and most propitious for the Jewish people. This Jewish year, 5782, is a leap year and therefore we will have two months of Adar: Adar I and Adar II. The festival of Purim is celebrated on the 14th of Adar II – this year, on the 16th of March.