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March 8, 2002/Adar 24, 5762, Vol. 54, No. 25
Community Torah
LEISAH NAMM
Assistant Editor
Irwin Scarf writes a letter in Chabad of Arizona's new Torah with help from Torah scribe Rabbi Shlomo Henig of Jerusalem.
Photo by Leisah Namm
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Chabad of Arizona celebrates its 25th anniversary by welcoming a new Torah into its synagogue.
Rabbi Shlomo Henig of Jerusalem began writing the 300,000-letter document in May 2001 and completed the final three lines March 3 with the help of children and adults at a celebration at Rabbi Zalman and Tzipy Levertov's home in Phoenix.
Members of the community participated by purchasing letters and words in honor or in memory of loved ones.
A Torah is made from four elements - inanimate, vegetation, animal and human, says Rabbi Zalman Levertov.
The "inanimate" and "vegetation" form the ink that comes from water mixed with plants, the "animal" is the hide of the scroll, the vein used as the thread to sew the pieces of parchment together, and the quill. The "human" is who writes it.
Anything associated with the Torah, mezuza or tefillin has to come from a kosher animal, he adds.
A Sefer Torah is valid only when all the letters are present and combined in a specific way - if only one letter is missing or imperfect, the entire Sefer Torah is invalid.
After the Torah was completed, about 300 participants accompanied the Torah from the Levertov's home to the Chabad Center on Glendale Avenue. During the procession, the Torah was carried under a chupah (canopy) down the streets, led by a truck with live amplified keyboard music. Onlookers watched from their driveways.
A celebration reminiscent of Simchat Torah continued at the Chabad Center - singing and dancing with the Torah.
Chabad also celebrated its anniversary honoring the Levertovs with a Feb. 24 dinner reception at the Scottsdale Hilton.
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