Dr. Arzt's 'Justice and Mercy' Provides
Valuable Commentaries on Holy Day
A Polish Jewish Senator
Adolf Trusker, a prominent
Jewish communal leader in Po-
land during the early years of
this century, was one of the few
Jews to have served in the Pol-
ish Senate in the years following
the First World War. He was an
ardent fighter in the Senate for
the rights of Jews.
Timed properly for the Holy nection, the reader will be in- explanations in Rabbi Arzt's
Day period, "Justice and Mer-ltrigued by the "parade of the commentary.
cy: Commentary on the Liturgy alphabet," by the parable about
A section dealing with the
of the New Year and the Day the 22 letters in the Hebrew sounding of the Shofar on
of Atonement," by Dr. Max aleph-bet and the manner in Rosh Hashanah provides in-
A r z t, Vice which they are engraved in formation regarding this im-
Chancellor of
the Jewish tradition.
portant portion of the service.
the Jewish
Those who seek an explana- Dr. Arzt refers to Prof. Saul
Th eological
tion for the repetition of the Lieberman's characterization of
Amidah will find it fully re- the shofar sounds as "a
Seminary o f
America (pub-
viewed here. The reasons for prayer without words."
lislied by Holt,
the selections of Torah readings j The explanatory notes on the
Rinehart and
are given. The first Hebrew I "Unsaiie Tokef" pursue the
Winston, 3 8 3
words in the respective prayers purposes for which this im-
"Remember us for life
Madison, N Y
. are included in the explana- portant book are intended.
0
King
who delightest in
17), serves as
tions, serving as a guide to the i In the Yom Kippur evalua-
a valuable
life; inscribe us in the
prayers when searching for the tions, the explanations of the
guide for rab-
Viddui—the confession of sins
book of life for thy sake,
bis, lay wor-
—are noteworthy. The structure
0 living God."
shippers a n d
of the Yom Kippur musaf, as
students o
well as of the Neilah Amidah,
—From the High Holy
BY RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX the Selihot and other portions
t h e contents
(Copyright, 1963, JTA, Inc.)
Day Machzor
of the Holy
Why are the Tefillin wound of the Day of Atonement litur-
Day mahzor.
gy
receive
similar
adequate
around the left arm and not
Setting o u t
Dr. Arzt
treatment. There are evaluative
with the "guiding principle ... the right?
comments on the texts, and a
A
number
of
reasons
are
ad-
I
to respect the intellectual alert- vanced
for this preference. One glossary of Hebrew terms in the
On the most sacred day on the Jewish calendar, the
ness of the reader," Rabbi Arzt I
liturgy
adds
to
the
book's
merits.
addressed himself "to men and reason given is that the Bible
prayers of our people are for life, for justice and for
Dr. Arzt concludes his evalua-
women who seek to understand; commanded us to tie the tive work with this significant
peace for all mankind. In this spirit we extend sin-
the origin, history and pervasive Tephillin "on your hand" (Deu paragraph:
ideas of the liturgy of the High tei onomy 6:8) and it has been “During the Ten Days of
cerest greetings for a
observed that the general ex- Awe, Judaism calls on its ad-
Holy Days."
In his preface, the distin- pression your hand" refers to herents to contemplate the
guished leader in Conserva- the left hand (Mechilta 30), meaning and purpose of life
five Judaism states that "be- since there is at least one verse with a view to redirecting their
cause this liturgy includes al- where the right hand is re life along the paths that lead
most all the standard prayers ferred to with the expression to God and godly conduct. Five
r
(Yemin) and the left days after Yom Kippur comes
used throughout the year, the "right"
to as "hand"
book also offers relevant in- hand. is referred
8:13) (Judges
5:26). Sukkot, and a full transition is
formation on the structure (Isaiah 4
made from the awesome con-
and content of many of the (See Rashin Menachoth 36b). I sideration of our failures
prayers recited on Sabbath, Some claim that the Tephillin I shortcomings to a sharing of
are tied upon the left hand be- joy with 'the stranger, and the
Festivals and weekdays."
To The Entire Community and Our Many Friends.
Thus, "Justice and Mercy" cause they are to be tied by the I fatherless, and the widow, that
emerges as a valuable commen- right hand. It would, of course, are within thy gates' (Deut.
Mr. and Mrs. Irving Hermelin and Family
tary on all prayers, and while it be impossible to tie them and 16:14). That joy is Simhah shell
especially serves the immediate contain them in the same hand. Mitzvah—the joy of performing
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Rubenfire and Family
purpose of guiding towards an The Tefillin must be tied with the will of God."
understanding of the Holy Day the right hand because in the
Throughout his "Justice and
services, it is certain to occupy same section of the Bible there Mercy" commentary Dr. Arzt
Mr. and Mrs. David B. Hermelin & Family
a most valued place in the en-'; is a commandment also "to leads his readers towards an
tire library of Jewish liturgical . write" the Holy words. Since acceptance and appreciation of
13625 W. 8 Mile Rd., Detroit
literature. writing is usually done with this Simhah. His book is a wel-
Because today "synagogue af- the right, the tying is likewise come addition to liturgical
filiation is primarily a means ; done with the right hand—thus literature.
of satisfying a need for 'J ewis h the Tephillin are tied around
togetherness' and of reacting to the left arm.
The most popular reason
the current climate of opinion,"
Rabbi Arzt sees the need "to given for tying the Tephillin
advance from affiliation to af- around the left arm is that
firmation, from external corn- which is based on the peculiar
pliance to inner conviction." j spelling of the word "your
For this purpose "the contem-1 hand" in the Biblical passage
porary Jew needs to be convinc- that commands the wearing of
ed that the basic insights of Tephillin. The word is spelled
Judaism are, despite their anti- in such a way that it could be
quity, not antiquated, that their split into two and read as "your
subject matter deals with his weak hand," instead of "your
own hopes, with his moral di- hand." It is obviously the left
lemmas, and with his need for which is the weaker hand. Some
significant spiritual resources."1 claim that the reason for put-
This task is ably attained in : ting the Tephillin on the left
this volume in which Dr. Arzt hand is because the same. Bib-
describes the fervor as well as lical passage commands us that
form of the prayers. He shows these words shall be "upon thine
how the universal emphasis is heart." The Tephillin are thus
incorporated in the Holy Day put upon the hand closest to
prayers. He describes the daily the heart. Others observe that
siddur as well as the festival the numerical equivalent of the
mahzor as well as the piyyutim Biblical words which commands
(poetry) of the liturgy. "And it shall be for a sign upon
"The piyyutim," Rabbi Arzt - thine hand" (Exodus 13:16) is
explains, "are an embellish- the same as the numerical
Year
ment and extension of the equivalent for the phrase "left
classic prayers and are drawn arm" (Zeroa S'mol).
from many sources in Talmud * * *
and Midrash. Like the basic
Why is the Tephillin which
liturgy, they reflect a pas-
is' placed on the arm usually
sionate yearning for messianic
covered over by one's sleeve,
redemption from exile, an un-
while the Tephillin which is
shaken faith in God's justice
placed on the head must'
and mercy in the face of a
always be exposed?
precarious existence, a love
It is claimed that when the
for the Torah, and a firm be- Bible stated it is to be a sign
lief in Israel as the vehicle "to thee" it meant that "to
of God's revelation to man- thee" it is a sign and not to
kind."
others. Thus it may, or is to be
The order of the Rosh Hash- covered. This expression is not
anah services and the funds- found regarding the Tephilin
mental concepts of the Yom placed on the head, thus that
Kippur liturgy are thoroughly one is to be exposed. Some ex-
explained, and there are evalua- pain that this teaches us that
tive sections for all of the pray- one must show off and boast
ers in both services. Liturgical about his good deeds; but his
terminologies are provided and affirmation and acceptance of
the reader is certain to find in the faith should be exposed.
this informative book explana- Thus the Tephillin used on the
tions for every prayer, for all arm may not be exposed (as a
the piyyutim, for the basic sign of humility in deed); and
DISTRIBUTORS — STANDARD OIL DIVISION OF AMERICAN OIL CO.
sources of the prayers. the one used on the head is ex-
There are many acrostics in posed—since we are command-
the Holy Day prayers, and these ed to spread our beliefs and
are fully reviewed,. In : this con-, convictions.,
THE CALL
OF THE SHOFAR
Telfillin Quiz
es
;-
5724
1963
May You
Be Inscribed for a
of
Health and Happiness
CITRIN
OIL
COMPANY
CITRIN
FUEL OIL
CORP.