By COLlive staff
Another milestone was reached in the historic “Washington Torah” project, the first Torah scroll undertaken to be written entirely in the nation’s capital, with the words “verapo yerapeh” being written into the Torah in the office of Hon. Alex Azar II, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services by the prominent Sofer Stam, R’ Shaul Bessel.
Joining them along with the Secretary’s senior staff was Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) in Washington, DC, which is sponsoring the project, his wife, Mrs. Nechama Shemtov, Rabbi Menachem Shemtov, and Dr. Ron Waksman.
Secretary Azar took some time from his vital management of the current Corona Virus crisis to participate personally in the inscription, and noted the connection between the inscription and the appropriate time and place for it. In fact, the inscription was slightly delayed in order to give the Secretary a chance to return from an emergency meeting in the Situation Room at the White House where he was meeting with President Donald J. Trump and senior Administration officials about the crisis.
This follows significant inscriptions such as “Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof” (Justice, justice shalt Thou pursue) which was written in at the United States Supreme Court several months ago in the presence of Justices of the US Supreme Court, as well as inscriptions at the National Menorah at the White House Ellipse (Be’haalosecha – when you illuminate), the National Zoo (Teyvas Noach – Noah’s Ark), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (Ki Tivneh Bayot Chadash – when you build a new home) and others.
Additional inscriptions are currently planned for the White House, the US Capitol, the Pentagon, the US Department of the Treasury, US Department of State, US Department of Agriculture, US Institute of Peace and similar prominent locations.
If you would like further information regarding participation in this project, please email [email protected]
Amazing idea. Keep making the Rebbe and rest us proud!