Friday, August 3, 1984 39
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
INSIGHT
Deuteronomy: sad reminder
BY RABBI JEFFREY K. SALKIN
Special to The Jewish News
There is a certain sadness
that comes with Parshat
Devarim. It is the sadness
that comes with the knowl-
edge that we are beginning
the last book of the Torah.
Deuteronomy comes to us at
the very apogee of the sum-
mer's heat, serving as a
herald of Moses' coming
death.
And so, Moses begins to
look back on his days as the
leader of the Israelite na-
tion. He reminds them of
their history, and of the des-
ert experience that they
have shared for forty years.
And then, suddenly, he re-
lates these words of God:
"Change the people as fol-
lows: You will be passing
through the territory of
your kinsmen, the descen-
dants of Esau, who live in
Seir. Though they will be
afraid of you, be very careful
not to start a fight with
them. For I will pot give you
of their land so much as a
foot can tread upon; I have
given the hill country of
Seir as a possession to Esau.
God is concerned that the
Israelites, threatened by
thirst and hunger, will re-
sell their birthright to Esau.
After all, his words are ad-
dressed to the descendants
of the one who defrauded a
brother who was faint from
hunger. The birthright was
purchased from the
weakened Esau; perhaps
had it not been sold, it would
have been the children of
Esau who were wandering
in the desert. How history
and destiny were radically
transformed by a simple
barter of lentil soup!
That is why God tells them:
If you are hungry or thirsty
you must pay the children of
Esau with MONEY for your
food and water — not with
the birthright. It was sold
once . . . it could be sold
again.
To paraphrase Rabbi
Samuel Karff of Houston:
God knew that the choice
between Jacob and Esau
was between the one who
cared too little for the birth-
right — Esau — and the one
who cared perhaps too much
— Jacob. He was frightened
that the descendants of the
two could trade their roles
and their commitments.
And Moses is concerned,
too. They have come too far.
Rabbi Salkin is rabbi of
Temple Judea of Bucks
County, Doylestown, Pa.
Named to post
New York — Eli
Zborowski has become the
national president of
American-Israel Chamber
of Commerce and Industry
Inc. Max Ratner is national-
chairman of the organiza-
tion.
A generation of slaves has
already died in the wilder-
ness, sacrifices to time. This
long journey cannot come to
be in vain.
The second reason for
God's concern is that He is
troubled lest Israel learn
the wrong lessons from the
children of Esau. Esau was
not only the older brother.
He was also the stronger
one. It was he who was the
hunter, while the subtler
falsely empowered. Falsely,
because their physical
strength will have been put
off balance by spiritual
strength.
The third reason for God's
concern is that Israel must
know that they are not the
only nation for whom terri-
tory is divinely guaranted.
I read this passage as a
warning against the twin
sins of xenophobia and
chauvinism. It is a warning
against an aggressiveness
that is injurious to the
Jewish spirit.
Deuteronomy
And finally, God is re-
1:1-3:22.
minding the Israelites that
the children of Esau are
Isaiah 1:1-27.
"your kinsmen." This fact
has the highest ethical im-
Jacob was a yoshev ohalm, a plications. Esau, Ammon
dweller in tents. And yet, and Moab are distinguished
here the text says: "Though by the fact that they are
they will be afraid of you, do cousin peoples to the Israel-
not start a fight with them." ites. Each was born out of
Suddenly, it is the children pain: the nation of Esau,
children of Jacob's decep-
of Jacob who are warlike.
tion; the nations of Ammon
Is it possible that the de- and Moab, incestuously
stinies of the two nations created in the wake of the
have been switched and destruction of Sodom and
their characteristics re- Gomorrah.
versed? And God is con-
God is reminding the Is-
cerned, for He remembers raelites: These are your
Isaac's confusion. "The brothers. In your advance to
hands are the hands of the Promised Land, re-
Esau, but the voice is the member your roots. Re-
voice of Jacob." He cannot member the covenant.
let this confusion happen
And remember the moral
once again. It is the children dimensions of being Israel.
of Jacob who will become Copyright 1984, National
confused . . . and perhaps Havurah Committee
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4
Free Programs
on Parenting
7:30 p.m. Thesdays in August
Zuckerman Auditorium,
Sinai Hospital of Detroit
August 7 Teaching Your Child About Sexuality
It's more than just the facts of life.
Thersa O'Rourke, C.N.M., Certified Nurse Midwife
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,,
Sinai Hospital of Detroit
August 14 The Changing Family
There's mom, dad, step-mom, step-dad, her kids, his
kids . . .
Rosalind Griffin, M.D.
Department of Psychiatry, Sinai Hospital of Detroit
August 21 Who Rules the Roost?
Good discipline includes establishing rights and
responsibilities for both parent and child.
Charles Burch, D.S.W.
Ramona Rukstele, A.C.S.W.
Department of Psychiatry, Sinai Hospital of Detroit
August 28 Stress Management for Parents
How to cope when you're at the end of your rope.
John O'Leary, Ph.D., Psychologist
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine,
Sinai Hospital of Detroit
The public is invited. There is no charge. Free,
lighted parking is available in the Shapero School
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Sinai Hospital of Detroit
6767 West Outer Drive
Detroit, Michigan 48235