A unique Sephardic Sefer Torah, featuring a 770 design on its front, was welcomed in a festive Hachnasas Sefer Torah at the ‘Chelkas Mechokek’ shul in Elad, with the participation of distinguished Rabbonim, and enlivened by Avraham Fried’s top hits.

The sefer Torah was donated by Eran Yedidia Shalev, a member of the Chelkas Mechokek community led by Rabbi Rafael Doger, one of the leading teachers of chassidus in Elad and a devoted talmid of the mekubal and Sephardic posek, Rabbi Yoram Abergel A”H.

The final letters were written at Rabbi Doger’s home, followed by a lively procession to the shul. The seudas mitzva was held at the Venetian Hall in Petach Tikva.

At the event, Eran shared the story behind the design:

“We based the design of the sefer Torah case on the pesukim: ‘For this mitzva which I command you today is not hidden from you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven… nor is it beyond the sea… rather, the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it.'”

“One side of the case represents ‘beyond the sea,’ and the other represents ‘heaven’ – to show that even from those lofty spiritual worlds, a Yid can draw down oros with ease, by virtue of the greatness of his neshama – as the Tzemach Tzedek explains.”

“And on the front is 770 – our connection to Chabad – because the Chabad Rebbeim gave us Toras Hachassidus, the keys to reaching true love and fear of Hashem and genuine ahavas Yisrael. And it all begins with the Tanya, which, as is well known, is based on that very pasuk: ‘The matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it.'”

Photos: Yossi Rosenbaum