Thursday I was in Ottawa to participate in the National Forum on Antisemitism. I’ll likely speak more about this on Shabbat morning and will write something for publication.

What’s on my mind in preparing to be here today is the second verse from Parashat Tzetzaveh and a Hasidic Commentary from Iturei Torah.

The verse is:

בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵד֩ מִח֨וּץ לַפָּרֹ֜כֶת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָעֵדֻ֗ת יַעֲרֹךְ֩ אֹת֨וֹ אַהֲרֹ֧ן וּבָנָ֛יו מֵעֶ֥רֶב עַד־בֹּ֖קֶר לִפְנֵ֣י ה 

Aaron and his sons shall set them up in the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain which is over [the Ark of] the Pact, [to burn] from evening to morning before God. (Exodus 27:21)

The context is the instructions given to Aaron and his sons to prepare the Ner Tamid and where the Menorah is to be placed.

Iturei Torah reads this verse in a beautiful and inspiring way. It says that the Ner Tamid, the Eternal Flame representing God’s eternal presence is to burn not only in the sacred place of the Ohel Moed – the synagogue, the Bet Midrash, and the like, but also m’khutz laparokhet, but also outside of the Curtain, in the hearts of human beings, in the public square, and in the way we treat each other observing the mitzvot ben adam l’havero – between people.

What is needed now, to push antisemitism back to the margins, is more of this teaching, reminding us of our common humanity. We need to kindle and feed the flame of derekh eretz, decency, morality, integrity and courage.

Shabbat shalom