During the final week of the Knesset’s summer session, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Wilhelm, the Rebbe’s shliach to Israel’s Ministry of Transportation, visited the Knesset to present Tanya Hasholeim sets to members who had not yet received them.

The distribution was dedicated by a prominent Chabad rov in memory of Harav Tuvia Blau, one of the senior Chabad rabbonim and mashpi’im in Eretz Yisroel, who passed away on 23 Tammuz.

Rabbi Blau had guided and advised the distribution project throughout its development. During his final days, while fully lucid, he instructed that the work be completed in accordance with the Rebbe’s directives, with an effort made to reach every member of Knesset regardless of political views or religious affiliation, using an approach appropriate to each recipient.

Among those who received Tanya HaShalem were MKs Dvora Biton, Mati Sarfatti Harkavi, Michal Shir, Yasmin Sacks Friedman, Shelly Tal Meron, Hamad Amar, Yulia Malinovsky, Sharon Nir, Tsega Melaku, Adi Azouz, Eli Dallal, Aida Touma-Sliman, Yasser Hujirat, Merav Ben-Ari, Samir Ben Said, Walid Al-Huwashla, Ofer Cassif, Naama Lazimi, Dan Illouz, Walid Taha, Efrat Rayten Marom, Iman Khatib-Yassin, Yael Ron Ben-Moshe and Mohammad Abu al-Hija.

The set was also presented to Knesset Sergeant-at-Arms Yuval Chen, as well as Naftali Bennett, Matan Kahana and Yoez Hendel.

Arab members of Knesset were additionally presented with a special Arabic edition of Tanya.

The Arabic volumes were provided through the generosity of the sons of Rabbi David Bouskila, who invested tremendous effort in the translation under the supervision of Rabbi Yehuda Leib Raskin, the longtime shliach in Morocco. The distribution was facilitated by Rabbi Raskin’s son, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Raskin, shliach in Côte-Saint-Luc, Montreal.

During the visit, Rabbi Wilhelm met MK Michel Bouskila, who had been appointed Deputy Foreign Minister that morning, and presented him with a special copy of the Arabic Tanya translated by his relative Rabbi David Bouskila, who headed the Otzar Hatorah educational network in Morocco and France.

Bouskila was deeply moved by the gift and brought the volume into the Knesset plenum, where he showed it to colleagues at the government table and on the coalition benches.

The translation of Tanya into Arabic, specifically the Judeo-Moroccan dialect, began in Kislev 5732. Several years later, after the completed translation of Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah was presented to the Rebbe, the project received an unusual response.

At the farbrengen of Shabbos Parshas Shemos 5737, the Rebbe spoke at length about the significance of Tanya being translated into Arabic, explaining that the translation elevates not only those who speak the language, but contributes to the refinement of all languages of the world in preparation for the Geulah.