12
THE DETROIT JEW ISH NEWS — Friday, July 3 1, 1959 --
Customs of Sabbath Observance
Traced to Old Biblical Sources
By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX
(Copyright, 1959, JTA. Inc.)
to make time for the sermon.
the Palestinian custom was to
abbreviate the prophetic por-
tion. This possibly broke the
original rule.
Actually, the fact of the mat-
ter is that where the contents
of the subject matter is com-
plete with a fewer number of
verses, the prophetic portion is
considered complete and suffi-
cient.
* * :g
Stern College to Launch
Experimental Tutor Plan
An experimental - program to
encourage the intellectual de-
velopment of seniors and juniors
will get under way this fall at
Yeshiva University's Stern Col-
lege for Women, it is announced
by Dr. Samuel Belkin, president
of the university.
Offered under the college's
advanced reading and laboratory
work program, the plan calls .
for selected students to do in-
dependent research and study in
the arts or sciences under the
guidance of individual tutors, to
whom they will report regularly
to present papers and other evi-
dence of progress.
Begin Construction on Chapel Unit
of Nett Young Israel Synagogue
It is customary to sing "ze-
mirot" at the table on the Sab-
bath.
Judah Chasid (Sefer Hasi-
dim, 1147) claims that it is a
tradition to chant songs and
...
...........
praises on the Sabbath because
.,--- , -(:iiiiii
........
this is what is meant by the
. . . .
-
. . . .* . 4-
Biblical statement ( Genesis 2:3)
... ....- :..............,..,_.‘ ....v.._
"And God blessed the seventh
Architect Avner Naggar's sketch of the first wing of the
day."
proposed Young Israel Center of Greenfield was approved this
Since Job considered the ab-
Certain congregations honor
week by members of the new congregation. Construction on
sence of song to be a curse the rabbi with the reading of
the chapel, which has already begun, is expected to be
when he uttered the words "Let the Haftorah, a practice which
completed in time for High Holy Day services. Louis Harris
no joyful voice come therein" sterns from the time when the
is president of Young Israel. Rabbi Samuel H. Prero is the
(Job 3:7) it follows that the rabbi chanted the Haftorah
spiritual leader.
presence of song is a blessing. reading and then followed it Order California Societies
The Midrash (Shir haShirim with his sermon. Thus the pro- to Drop Bigoted Policies
Rabbah 8:14:1) claims that phetic reading was a sort of in-
SAN FRANCISCO, (JTA) — Ask 'Mama Sitters' to Assist the Aged
when a Jew eats and drinks and troduction to the sermon.
HOUSTON (JTA)—The Jew- need. No other obligation would
Fraternities
and sororities on
praises and extols God, He lis-
In many congregations, cer- the University of California ish Family Service here has be imposed on the sitter except
tens to his voice and is ap-
tain Haftoroth are still of spe- campus were under orders from undertaken a program to find that.
peased.
With the problem of the aged
This is why Israel has been cial importance because of the the Board of Regents to aban- "Mama Sitters" for elderly per- increasing in scope, the Jewish
don
any
discriminatory
policies
special
occasion
of
that
particu-
sons
who
are
economically
inde-
commanded to sing during fes-
pendent and wish to remain in Family Service is expanding its
tive meals. The Mishnah lar Sabbath, ano the Rabbi is based on religion - or race.
The order, aimed at the 3,000 their own homes, the agency dis- efforts to permit people over
('Aboth) insists that there be called upon to chant them.
60 to remain in their own
secret societies on the U. of C. closed.
words of Torah whenever Jews
homes. The new approach is
In
many
cases,
the
elderly
There
were
24,830
pedestri-
campus,
will
give
groups
in-
sit down to eat. The rabbis went
aimed at keeping as many men
folk
offQr
free
room
and
board
ans
injured
crossing
intersec-
volved
five
years
to
comply
or
ahead and put some of these
learned words into poetic verses tions with the signal in their lose official university recogni- to a working person in order and women over 60 independent
which were sung at the Sabbath favor during 1958 in the United tion, without which they cannot to have sozneone else in the of institutional care as long as
house at night in the event of possible.
function.
table. Thus, even the most sim- States.
pie people can express words of
Torah at the table by indulging
in songs such as the zemirot.
*
*
The prayer "U-Ba L-Tziyyon
Go'el" is recited on Saturday
afternoon instead of in the
morning service as is the case
en week days.
One reason given (Kol Bo and
L-bush) is that the Saturday
morning service is lengthy com-
pared to the week-day service.
Thus, the portion is moved to
the comparatively shorter serv-
ice.
Another source (Abudraham)
claims that it is because it is
customary for the Rabbi to de-
liver a lecture on Saturday af-
ternoon. This prayer, containing
verses which speak of the com-
ing of the Redeemer unto Zion,
is especially fitting after a Rab-
binic discourse which usually
stresses the shortcomings of the
people and then concludes with
the untarnished hope of the
Messiah.
It is also contended that this
prayer serves to cool the fires
of Gehenna (Hell). On Satur-
day morning the fires of hell
are at rest and thus there is
no need to cool them. On Sat-
urday afternoon, towards eve-
ning when the fires start up
again, this prayer is recited in
order to help cool the fires
which are soon to be lit after
the exit of _the Sabbath. -
The origin of the sermon in
the synagogue is traced back to
the days of Moses, who was said
to have instituted a system
whereby the special significance
of the day was discussed in the
form of questions and lectures.
The sermon became a formal
procedure in the synagogue
business districts . . . sound planning and
In our town's efforts to build prosperity for its
from the time that the reading
zoning . .. a good chamber of commerce ..
citizens, what is the biggest thing we can bag?
of the Pentateuch was instituted
developed industrial sites . . . adequate plant
as a standard procedure at reg-
financing
.. . appreciation of present industry
It
is
a
good
name
—
a
good
name
for
our
town
ular intervals. The procedure
. . productivity everywhere around.
as a good place for industry to succeed and a
was to read the portion from
the Pentateuch, then to read a
good place for people to live.
Industry not only has its eye out but has its
corresponding portion from the
ear cocked. A good name travels far and
As
industry
looks
for
places
to
locate
plants
prophets, then to have the sage
town with a good name goes far.
and payrolls, its eye is out for towns that have
of the synagogue come forward
to give the sermon which served
such assets as:
Join hands with your local industrial develop-
as a means of interpreting the
ment organization and the Michigan Economic
Strong
community
spirit
and
leadership
.
.
.
Scripture reading for the public.
Development Department to help your commu-
fine
schools
.
.
.
outstanding
public
services
Originally, there was an offi-
nity prosper.
. . pleasant residential areas and attractive
cial translator called a m-turg-
m•n who translated from the
Hebrew Scripture into Aramaic.
This was dropped later on when
Aramaic fell into disuse, al-
though the worshippers are still
obligated to read the Aramaic
This ad is one of a series published as a public service by The Detroit
Targun, privately.
* *
Jewish News in. cooperation with the Michigan Press Association and the
Some prophetic readings
Michigan Economic Development Department.
(Haftoroth) are shorter than
others because of a rule which
established a minimum number
of verses required for the pro-
phetic readings. Later, in order
LET'S
BAG
SOMETHING
BIG
, .