Purely Commentary Shavuot's Spiritual and Cultural Treasure Chest Shavuot legendry provides a veritable treasure of in- spirational stories that offer a background for an under- standing of the traditions we cherish in advancing cultural \ aloes. A festival both of the harvest as well as of the Revela- tion on Sinai. it is especially with regard to learning, to piety, to the synagogue and the school that the Feast of Weeks retains special significance. An eminent Jewish scholar, Dr. Julius Greenstone, w riting on our feasts and fasts, drew upon our legends to describe Shavuot. and he commented that covetousness is proscribed in our lore, but that one exception is condoned in rabbinic traditions, and he explains the respected rule: - Not only is one permitted to desire to possess the learning and wisdom that another has. but one is also .encouraged to entertain such a feeling. 'Jea- lousy among scribes increases knowledge,' and this is explained by the following example: If two men bar- ter a dress for a diamond, only one of them is in pos- session of each article. On the other hand, if two students engage in learning. one teaching the other a lesson which is unknown to him. and the other re- turning the faror by teaching his neighbor a lesson which was hidden from him, both are enriched. The Tora cannot be bartered in the sense that the one n-ho sells becomes deirrived of it. Both buyer and seller are enri-hed by the transaction, so that in this case to entertaM a desire to possess the wisdom and learning that another possesses is not a desire to take anything away from the other." Thus it is learning that is the major interest in the festival we observe today, and Dr. Greenstone relates an- other well-known legend which has relevance for us in our search for encouragement to continue to strive for the highest spiritual and cultural goals. He draws upon the following from our folklore: "Israel was chosen to receive the Revelation simply because all other nations to whom it was offered refuse,' to accent it on the ground that they would not submit to the rigors of its moral laws. Israel. boweeer. joyfully submitted to all its proscrip- tions he•amw they have been trained in their ob- servance. Many of them had also been practiced by the T■ atriarebs. Yet. in spite of the readiness with a-bi e k the Israektes were willing to accept the Tora. Gm! asked Them for some security that they would al id r„t their promise. Sereral offers made by them lvere re jted Cr for one reason or another until they of fe-m? their cl•ildra as hostages. The children with grin ,:cconi undertook the responsibility to urge thrir oarents to observe the laws of the Torn." Children remain the hostages. and often they do pre- ••are t h e ground for renewed Jewish loyalties. Often they -rand watch on the towers that shield Judaism from de- -traction. Perhaps Shavuot, like Passover. should be con- sidered a children's festival. It is already the occasion for Shavuot Gleanings . . Tradition of Reading Pirke Abot During Summer Months... Lessons in Our Ethical Lore for Men in Public Life confirmations and consecrations, and it may as well be the event for strengthening the unity in the family and the forging of indestructible bonds between individuals and their people. Legends relate that Israel was not so willing to accept the Tora• that force had to be used to compel acceptance, that at Mount Sinai God lifted the mountain over the heads of the gathered Israelites and threatened: "If you accept the Tora it will be well with you, else your grave will he covered by this mountain." It is then that the Israelites exclaimed the famous acceptance in two words: :Conseil By Philip Slomovitz still serving on the bench. Fortas resigned in order to prevent "extraneous stress" upon the entire court. He will be respected for it, much as his friends wish the tragedy—and that's what it was!—could have been averted. Even if it might appear as unconvincing, our advice Is for adhering to the practice of reading Ethics of the Father on Saturdays. They provide proper guide for con- duct. They contain codes for ethical practices. Perhaps they can aid in averting personal blunders. • • • Cni-hina"—we shall do and then listen. Even when under compulsion, the Tora emerges as the strength for Israel in the eternal battle for survival. Out of the experience emerges the indestructibility as well as the deep-rooted loyalty to learning, the desire to acquire knowledge, the role of Israel as a people of faith. There is another bit of advice that is applicable to men in public office. Every Sabbath Eve a very beautiful selec- tion is chanted. In Leho Dodi there is the phrase "Sof Inclose b'nzakhasha•a tekhila." It links with the tribute to the Sababth as having been "last in creation, first in God's plan." Its literal meaning is: "The cud of a deed These experiences often are applicable to the secular aspects of life. The desire to learn becomes a heritage. That is why Shavuot is among the major festivals on our calendar. • • = and as an afterthought to Abe Fortas! If we could only Shavuot is a good time to talk about traditional prac- tices and seasonal studies in our synagogues and homes. During the winter months it is customary to spend Sabbath afternoons reading Psalms. In the summer months. the Saturday afternoons should devoted to reading and studying the Puke Abot—the Ethics of the Fathers. It is from such practices that the duties to oneself and to fellow men is emphasized. It is in such studies that are imbedded the obligations people in public office have to the sacred duties they had assumed. Not all who study ethics always practice them: some abuse them: some do not understand; some fail to use good judgment in relation to their responsibilities. Mr. Justice Abe Fortas belonged to the class that lapsed in applying good judgment. In his first explanation of what he had done. how he had returned the Wolfson S20.000 check 11 months too late, he apparently had not yet realized how serious his error was. Else he might have written a four-page statement earlier, as an explanation. -rather than in clarifying his resignation. ■ .; It'n•Ild that the fine tradition of reading the l':1::c on Sabbath afternoons could he strictly adhered to by all! Perhaps Fortas then would have been more cautious and might not have erred into a tragedy. One is never certain that study. scrutiny of high principles. analysis of ethical codes, mould Icail people net to blunder unconsciously. Fortas erred in judging a finan- cial arrangement and the scalp-hunters succeeded in forc- ing him into a resigning situation. In an earlier Supreme Court case. the only other one in which a high court justice was threatened w ith im- peachment. Federalist Justice Samuel P. Chase. sclio was named to the high court by George Washington. fought to a finish, won acquittal—in 1604—and died in 1St] w hile bile truly begins in deliberation." How well this applies to many people in public positions have deliberation before action! But so many acts are routine, acceptably normal, never considered wrong be- cause they have become established practices. That's why there is need for a code of ethics spelled out. Desired codes already are spelled out in our traditions and we glory in their existence. On Shavuot we recall them and we hope for adherence to them and their perpetuation. • • • The Abe Fortas case serves as a reminder of the actions of other judges. We recall the friendship with the late Harry B. Keidan. We exchanged visits. Our wives served us dinners at de- lightful social functions. In our home, after one such dinner, Judge Keidan refused a proffered cigar. "I'll give you one, but I do not accept anything as a gift from any one." Exchange of social visits was different. He may have gone to an extreme, but he gave thought to a duty as a judge. How one wishes that all men in public office would recognize the responsibility of thinking in advance and not waiting (11 months in Fortas' case) for amelioration of what eventually was branded a mis- deed. The cause for regret over what happens is the recogni- tion of the man's genius and the realization that he is not dishonest: he blundered; and what penalties men often pay unfortunately for very minor blunders! • • • We have much to learn about life, men's relationships, duties to country, fellow men, posterity. We learn so much from the Tora which was given on Sinai and adherence to which we now observe on this Shavuot. There are codes of ethics that elevate man to the higher standards in life. What glory there is in so important a festival as Shavuot. Mrs. Meir Outlines Views in 'Time': Israel Emissary's Ilission to Nixon: 'If We Lose a War, It Is tlle Last War' p NEW 1- filIK ■ JT.-‘)--- Prime Min- however, that Israel would never M . ister Golda Meir of Israel said iicr permit Syrian reoccupation of eountry would he "much happier . ' :f the U.S. and otbser countries saw the situation in the Middle East as Israelis did. but she as- serted that 'If I am to choose be- tween a good press in the world ith many things about an Israel that isn't here any more, or un- f.dr criticism of an Israel that is tili in existence. then I choose he latter." In an interview with rionovan, editor in - chief. and Henry Grunewald. managing edi- tor of Time, appearing in the cur- rent issue of the magazine, Mrs. Meir expressed conviction that, in the same circumstances. the U.S. and other countries would act "ex- actly as we are." She said Israelis were vitally interested in an under- standing between the U S. and the Soviet Union, "hut, to say it vary bluntly, not at our expense." Mrs. Meir told her interviewers that she found no difference in the mood of President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt. and said that while Israel. did not believe a new war was imminent. "we have to Ire prepa'red also in case we mis- judge." She pointed out that "If we lose a war, for us that is the last war. Then we are not here any more. If one doesn't under- stand this. then one doesn't under- stand our obstinacy." Asked how she visualized a settlement, Mrs. Meir declared: "Agreed, secure boundaries. Both adjectives have equal im- portance." She declined to dis- cuss what these boundaries would be. asserting that when Col. Nasser comes to the nego- tiation table, the boundaries will he worked out. She stressed, 2—Friday, May 23, 1969 the Golan Heights. Asked what Israel would do if the Big Four agreed on a Middle East settlement that Israel did oot like, Mrs. Meir said she had "no illusions" about the difficulties that would arise but insisted that "we will say no. It won't he easy." Asked why she thought the Arabs would respect a signed agreement in view of her references to "Arab perfidy." Mrs. Meir said the ans- wer was in the phrase, "secure borders." She made it clear that the new borders would have to he wide enough to prevent Israel from be- ing cut in two and she stressed that "I am not prepared that any- body should safeguard for me the free shipping through the Strait of Tiran." She said that Foreign Minister Abba Eban "will never have to do what I had to do in 1957: "o stand up before the United Nations and say, we will withdraw. I did it on behalf of the government, but that was not my greatest hour." Earlier, Mrs. Meir told Time that a negotiated peace settlement with the Arabs would lead to a collapse in the present coalition government because of "differ- ences of opinion" among Israelis. If a settlement were worked out and the details were brought - to the cabinet, she said, the cabinet would have to discuss it and take a position. "The cabinet will break up. We will go to the Knesset and have new elections." She said that if a settlement were reached, parts of the Golan Heights in occupied Syria and sec- i lions of the West Bank would not be returned to the Arabs. remier eir s PI anne d U . S . Vi sit Linked to Issue Over Big Four Talks JERUSALEM (JTA) — Diplo- matic sources linked plans for Premier Golda Nleir to visit the United States within the next fecv weeks with growing concern here that there may be some erosion of the hitherto warmly pro-Israel position of the United States in its bilateral talks in Washington with the Soviet Union. The American Embassy in Tel Aviv was reported today to he in communication with the State Department on the time- table and schedule for the proposed visit. The concern over possible erosion of the American position stems from a mounting realization here ihat the Israeli position is not fully understood abroad and that without a full appreciation of the situation that confronted Israel in 1967, foreign powers and their statesmen cannot fully understand the reasons for Israel's unyielding demands today on direct negotia- tions with the Arabs for peace and secure and agreed borders before Israel will cede any military or trading advantage it won by the occupation of territories in the Six- Day War. One reason for Mrs. Meir's visit to the U.S. would be to explain these reasons to President Nixon. For the same reason, Israel's diplomatic representatives abroad will be instructed to stress the events preceding the Six - Day War in 1967, reminding foreign states. men of the massing of the Arab Israel's utter isolation when no or combination of powers eti me to its help or even promised to do so within a reasonable time. pow err Premier Meir's mission to con- fer with President Nixon will be in line with a recommendation reportedly made to the cabinet by Gen. Yitzhak Rabin, Israel's ambassador to the United States, that Israel's position on the Big Four talks at the United Nations and the United States-Soviet bi- laeral talks in Washington on the Middle East should be explained personally to the President by a high-ranking Israeli. In a radio interview Gen. Rabin, ho is here for consultations, said that the Soviet position seemed to have moved closer to the American one. Ile added, however, that at present that movement could not be assessed as to extent and con- tent and that there was still a large gulf to be bridged between the positions of the two major powers. He also said that even if the U.S. were seeking a solution unacceptable to Israel, the U.S. must still be considered a friendly country. Gen. Rabin reportedly feels that Israel should state specifically that it would he prepared to with- dra• its forces from the occupied areas—a position it has not taken so far. Such an Israeli admission would be designed to forestall the United States and the Soviet Union from becoming involved in such armies on Israel's borders, the I details as map-drawing, the cor-• THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS i closure of the Strait of Tiran and 1 respondent wrote. Mrs. Meir dissociated herself allegations in a book charging that Defense Minister Moshe Dayan and In- telligence Major Gen. Aharoa Yariv gave the cabinet exagge- rated information about Egyptian troop movements just before the 1967 war broke out. The book, "Six Years and Six Days," was written by A. L. Gilboa, a mem- ber of the executive of the His- tadrnt, Israel's Labor Federa- tion. The implication of the charge was that the information had been given to force the hands of the "doves" in the cabinet. completely from Gen. Dayan has formally asked the government's legal adviser to investigate the possibility of charging Gilboa with libel. Gen. Dayan withdrew at the cabinet meeting his proposal that Israeli law should be applied to all occupied areas. In place of that suggestion, a committee was named to study what changes in ordinances by military governors of the various areas might be needed to resolve the problems which led. Gen. Dayan to make his proposal. Gen. Dayan had contended that the varying laws applying to the territories made administration difficult and were often confusing both to the Israelis and the local population. He had suggested abolition of the Jordan- ian dinar as legal tender on the West Bank. The cabinet committee will be headed by Justice Minister 'Yaacov Shapiro 'and will include the army's-judge -advocate general.