invism
TNE DETROIT
NEWS
44—Friday, October 9, 1970
Edith Goodman,
Bnai Brith Leader
Edith Goodman, 53, pea presi-
dent of Pisgah Chapter of Bnai
Brith, editor of Menora Magazine
and a founder of the Ida Hibbard
Fund for distributing artificial
limbs to World War II veterans,
died Sept. 30. She was co-founder
of the Bnai Brith Girls Organiza-
tion.
Mrs. Goodman was a real estate
agent with Warren Seeley Real
Estate. She was born in Detroit,
and resided at 27315 Greenfield,
Southgate.
Survivors are her husband,
Bernard (Hookey); a son, Joel
Robert; her mother, Mrs. Jennie
Fischer; and three Msters, Lillian;
Mrs. Kenneth (Fay) Herman and
Mrs. Peter (Rosalind) Evanoff.
Weekly Quiz
By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX
(copyright ism JTA. Inc.)
Why does the cantor who
leads the public service in the
synagogue add a prayer includ-
ing the priestly blessing towards
the end of the 18 benedictions
(Shmoneh Esreh)?
Shabat—Aristocratic
and Democratic
ing man "nearer" or "closer" to
the Almighty. A demonstration of
one's desire to be "near" is his
willingness to sacrifice something
in order to bring this about.
• • •
Two verses in the scriptures
are preceded and followed by
the inverted letter "NUN."
The verses referred to are the
35th and 36th verses of the tenth
chapter of Numbers. Generally
speaking, when special symbols are
placed in the Bible it is done be-
cause of a special significance
which the "Masorites" wish to call
to the attention of the one who
studies the Bible. One answer given
is that this section seems out of
place since it refers to the mow
ment of the Ark which is describe/
elsewhere. The reason for its la-
sertion here is that it breaks up the
sequence between one incident of
transgression and another so that
tragedy will not follow tragedy. It
also shows that the Ark is a source
of forgiveness for the transgres-
sions of man.
The second reason given is that
the letter NUN is the first letter of
the two words "Na-Aseh-V'Nish-
na" (we will do and we will under-
stand). This was the expression
Why Is there a tradition which
requires of every Jew to pro-
nounce 100 benedictions every
day?
This tradition is mentioned in
the Talmud (Menahot 43:B);
The commentaries (in the name
of Natronani Gaon) offer an in-
teresting explanation. They claim
that in olden times one hundred used by the people of Israel in ac-
Jewish people died every day and cepting the Tors. When they trans-
no one knew the reason for this gressed they inverted their inten-
tragedy..Then King David offered tions from positive to negative;
an explanation saying that the thus, the two letters are inverted.
people had not given thanks to A third explanation is that the
God for all He had done for them. letter "NUN" is the first letter of
David, therefore, inaugurated the the word "Nachamu" which means
tradition of offering one hundred consolation. This was the way in
benedictions every day to prevent which the message of consolation
the one hundred deaths. As soon gave the Hebrews the promise of
as this was done the deaths ceased. the restored Temple which began
Thus, we still retain this tradition with "Nahamu Nahami" Since
in order to prevent such unfortu- they sinned, they lost the promise
nate circumstances. Another ex- which was only restored to them by
planation is offered by a medieval the forgiveness which comes from
Kabbalist who claims that the the Ark.
• • •
hundred benedictions are offered
is an act of charity called
to counteract the one hundred a Why
"Mitzva?"
curses found in the Book of Deu-
Basically,_ a Mit zv a" is a
teronomy: 98 in Deut. 28:15-58,
and two more in Duet. 28:61. "commandment." The reason this
is used to designate an act of
seeks to open itself in the day of Generally speaking, the number. term
charity is because this term de-
rest. It points and reaches toward 100 is a round and full number. notes
the underlying philosophy of
Offering
100
blessings
is
a
means
a world of harmony, toward a
charity. Charity is not a "favor" on
great peace, toward that which is of asking for a round and full the
part
of the donor. In Jewish
about the terrestrial. The Sabbath life from the Almighty.
tradition it is an obligation which
• • •
is a guidepost from man to God:
the donor fulfills when he gives
What
was
the
purpose
of
the
"It is a sign between Me and the
his conrtibution. It is for this same
children of Israel forever" (Ex. sacrifices which were brought
reason that charity is sometimes
31:17). In it is protection from to the Temple of old?
called "Tzadaka" which essenti-
A
number
of
reasons
were
of-
bare being-in-the-world, salvation
ally means righteousness, or the
from the monotony of everyday fered. The offering and eventual fulfillment of one's responsibility.
which presses upon man, a guard disintegration of the animal which A man who gives charity is only
against the profanity, 'whether of was brought as the sacrifice was recognizing that the Almighty has
supposed to indicate to the individ-
haste or whether of idleness.
ual who brought it the punishment provided him with the means to
The Sabbath does not mean a which man might logically
deserve give. He is nothing more than an
mere not working, nor an empty for his sins. The Almighty
was agent carrying out the provisions
idleness. It connotes something said to have allowed the means of his charge.
By LEO BAECE
In "This People Israel"
Man offers one day onto God,
consecrates unto God _something of
that which he has received through
God, and with that dimes to con-
secrate hitn9tPlf. Gift end com-
mandment, grace and lepaand are
one here.
Consecration thus head its basis
in this; the eminence at the pause,
the loftiness of silence was experi-
enced, was discovered la this day.
Nobility became a commandment
and therefore communal, a nobility
for everyone. There is ae Sabbath
which only belongs to an individual
or to a few. As it is a people freely
joined in labor, so this people is to
become a people freely joined in
rest, united in its rest. There is—
taking the two words in their true
sense—scarcely anything which is
as aristocratic and as democratic
at the same time as the 'Sabbath.
One could also say that the
genius, the power to receive reve-
lation which exists in everything.
The Kidush Cup
By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX
(Copyright 1970, JTA. be.)
Generally speaking, the food as
well as the utensils that are used
for the Sabbath are supposed to be
more luxurious and decorative
than those used during the week.
Therefore, it became a custom to
have a special cup for use in mak-
ing the kidush on the Sabbath, to
be distinguished from ordinary
of sacrifice to man as a source
of grace and mercy. Instead of
having to offer his own life on the
altar of sacrifice, he was allowed
to offer an animal in its place
(Rabbenu Chananel).
There was some who claimed
that the sacrifices were offered
as a means of providing the priests
with assistance in the form of
some tangible means (Yehuda ha-
Levi). Others said that the sacri-
fice was a means of punishing the
sinner by making him spend the
money for the sacrifice as a fine.
(Rabbenu Bahya). Still others
claim that the sacrifice was meant
to bring to the attention of man
how his physical end will be death
just like that of the animal about
to be sacrificed. This was sup-
posed to both bumble him and
prevent him from pursuing his
mundane desires. (then Ezra).
Still others claim that the sacrifice
was meant to discourage men from
being idolators. Some idolatry wor-
shipped animals as gods. Burning
and destroying the animal was a
glasses or drinking vessels used
during the week. These were made
of some luxurious material like
silver or some other valuable
metal.
means of showing that the animal
They were designed with etch- was indeed no deity, and thus
ings to distinguish them. A mu- should not be worshipped as such
seum displays a Sabbath jar of
dark red glass coming from the
Islamic community with Hebrew
letters cut into the thick glass con-
taining such words as "And the
Jleaven and the Earth Were Fin-
ished."
(Maimonides). The basic concept
was probably a synthesis of all
the above reasons. Generally
speaking, some have maintained
that the Hebrew word for sacri-
fice (Korban) with its meaning of
"nearness" indicates that the act
CINCINNATI—Dr. Moses Zale-
sky, recently retired executive di-
of sacrifice was a means of bring- and confesses at some time before rector of the Bureau of Jewish
The last blessing of the 18
benedictions (the one asking for
peace, etc.) was originally a
response and followup to the
priestly blessing which was in-
voked every morning in the Tem-
ple of old and as is still invoked
every morning in many synagogues
in Israel today. Since we do not
follow the custom of having the
priests (Kohanim) invoke the
blessing every morning, the Can-
tor refers to the ancient blessing
as a prayer asking the Almighty
Himself to invoke it up on His
people.
Consequently, the benedic-
Fischer; and three sisters, Lillian
tion for peace is now in order
as a response
to that blessing.
• • •
positive. It has guided the soul
unto its mystery, so that it is not a
day that just interrupts, but a day
that renews, speaks through it, but
something eternal. It is the expres-
sion of a direction for life and not
just an instituted day of rest.. If if
were only that, or if it became
that, its essence would be taken
from it. It would then be only a
hollow shell.
Dr. Moses Zalesky,
Cincinnati Hebraist
What is the origin of the name
Rothschild?"
There was a time when, instead
of affixing a number to one's
house, the house was identified by
a badge or symbol placed on the
outside. Often this depicted the
particular occupation or business
of the master of the house. The
people of the house became known
by this symbol which later came to
be used as their,last -name. The
house occupied bythe Rothschilds
hid a very simple red shield as its
badge. Thus the name Rothschild
came into being which means "Red
Shield." A number of family names
came into existence in this way, as
for example "Schiff," the family
name for those who exhibited a
"boat" as their badge and
"Schorr" for those who exhibited
an "ox" as their symbol.
• • .
Why does Jewish tradition call
for "confession" on one's death
bed?
The experience of death, like
that of Yom Kippur (The Day of
Atonement), is regarded as a
means of atonement by the Rabbis.
On any occasion when one receives
atonement, confession is necessary.
The Rabbis said "Do penance a
day before your death." This is
another means of saying that no
matter what one has done during
his lifetime, he can always receive
atonement so long as he repents
he dies—even if it is the last hour
of his life. The Almighty waits for
the sinner to return "until the day
of his death."
• • •
Why is the biblical portion des-
cribing the daily sacrifices
brought in the Temple still re-
cited in the course of the daily
prayers to this day?'
The hope and aspiration of the
traditional Jew is to someday rea-
lize the rebuilding of the temple
in Jerusalem and the reinstitution
of the sacrifices. This would, of
course, mark man's return to that
lofty state of moral integrity which
would enable him to offer sacri
(ices. Since we never lost this hope,
the sacrificial texts are still read.
Also, of course, the sacrifices were
not an end in themselves; rather
they brought about a certain condi-
tion of the heart and soul which is
also expressed through real prayer.
While we do not offer sacrifices
in the physical sense, our prayers
are still offered in their place.
Some claim that the sacrificial
texts are recited to bring to mind
the sacrifices of Isaac and all
the Jewish martyrs through the
ages, hoping that the Almighty will
send us his Grace because of this.
It is comidered a religious ob-
ligation to attend as unveiling
when invited.
While a stone can be set at the
grave of one's beloved without any
special ceremony, the tradition is
never to visit the grave without
offering some prayer for the me-
mory of the deceased. Therefore, if
the unveiling is over the grave of
one's father or mother or teacher,
or any one whom one is religiously
obligated to respect during one's
life time, he is naturally obligated
to respect the same person after
death—especially if it is a parent,
by attending whatever ceremony_ is
planned and partaking in the pray-
er for the deceased. Otherwise it
might be regarded as an insult to
the deceased.
`Glatt Kosher '
BY RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX
Glatt Kosher is a term used to
describe a certain restriction which
limits the kind of meat used for
kosher comumption to that meat
which comes from animals whose
lungs have been found to be with-
out any scabs or adhesions what-
soever when they were inspected
following the slaughter of the ani-
mal. According to the Jewish law,
if scabs or adhesions are found on
the lungs of the animals, the ani-
mal is deemed kosher only if the
scab or adhesions indicated that
the punctures which may have
occurred have been healed or that
there were no punctures originally.
This is, usually done by slowly
removing the adhesion and inflat-
ing the lung to see whether any
air escaped through the place
where the __adhesion is removed.
If it does, then there still is a
puncture and the animal is not
regarded as kosher. If it does not
then the animal, under certain
circumstances (depending upon the
kind of adhesion) is regarded as
kosher. Cattle usually swallow a
number- of foreign objects with
their grass which can easily make
punctures in the lungs. Certain
sects, of Jews would not depend
upon the procedure of removing
the adhesions and testing the lungs
for punctures and would thus im-
mediately consider any cattle
which bad been found to have
adhesions on its lungs as trefa.
The cattle which they use thus
have lungs that are universally
"smooth" and have no adhesions
whatsoever. Thus, these lungs are
Glatt (smooth) and they call their
beef Glatt Kosher. By popular no-
tion, all products these sects use
have come to be called Glatt
Kosher, although it may be that
regular kosher laws follow the very
same restrictions in everything but
the matter of the inspection of the
lungs of the cattle.
Education of Cincinnati, died Oct.
3 .
Widely known as a Hebrew
scholar and translator of Israeli
poetry, Dr. Zalesky frequently
appeared in Detroit before Hebrew
cultural groups.
He was the editor of "Glories of
Jewish Holidays" and "Jewish
Hymns and Zmirot." He also
taught Hebrew at the University
of Cincinnati.
Monument
Unveilings
Unveiling announcements may be in.
seried by mail or by caning The Jewish
News offlee, 17915 W. II Mile al, Suite
US, Southfield, Mich. 45075. Written an.
nouneenaeats must be accompanied by
the name and address of the person
making the insertion. There is a 'tattl-
ing charge of $4.00 for an unveiling
notice, measuring an inch to depth,
and $7.50 for one two inches deep with
a black border.
The Family of the Late
BERNARD
SERMAN
Announces the unveiling
of a monument in his
memory 2 p.m. &today,
Oct. 11 at Clover Hill
Memorial Pa rk. Rabbi
Gorrelick will officiate.
Relatives and friends 'are
asked to attend.
The Family of the Late
HANNAH
NORWOOD
Announces the unveiling
of a monument in her
memory 2:30 p.m. Sun.'
day, Oct. 11 at Machpelah
Cemetery. Rabbi Groner
will officiate. Reladves
and friends are asked to
attend.
The Family of the Late
MORRIS
SCHLESINGER
Announces the travelling
of a monument in his
memory 12 noon Sunday,
Oct. 11 at Oakview Ceme-
tery. (Section P.) Rabbi
Lehrman and Cantor
Klein will officiate. Rela-
tives and friends are
asked to attend.
Norman N. Snyder and
Leopold J. Snyder,
Sons of the Late
HENRY SNYDER
Announce the unveiling of
a monument in his mem-
ory L30 p.m. Sunday, Oct.
11 at Chased shel Eines
Cemetery, Plusher see-
Om Rabbi Groner will
officiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to at-
tend.
Sons Arthur, Irving and
Daughter Mrs. Irving
laden) Alpert,
Family or the Late
DORA,
LICHTERMAN
Annormees the swelling
of a momintent in her
memory 12:39 p.m. Sun-
day, Oct. 18 at Machpelah
Cemetery. Relatives and
friends are asked to at-
tend.