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July 04, 1986 - Image 30

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 1986-07-04

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

TORAH PORTION

A First Glimpse Into
The Promised Land

diet
for the best deals & largest selection

a

I Stud Genisaisky I

471-5353

28200 W. 8 Mile

(2 Miles West of Telegraph
1 Mile East of Middlebell

Open Mon. & Thurs till 9

Sales, Service & Parts

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48024

THINK FUN IN THE SUN!

30% OFF SAMSONITE FURNITURE

Samsonite

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REPLACEMENT COVERS
AVAILABLE 20% OFF

FURNITURE

Dine out . . at home for cool.
comfortable outside dining enjoy
Samsonite Furniture's Body Glove
with contoured chairs that fit your
body like a glove, and spacious
dining table.

NO HANDS!

• Strong, welded tubular steel
frames • Rust-resistant
Samson-Gard' frame,finish •
Super-Tuft
5 PC. GROUP 55" TABLE

CHAIRS
$103 each

TABLE
S244

Samsonite'

Lean back and relax. Lie fiat for siesta
FURNITURE
or suntan. Sit' up to sip a cold one.
Reg.
NoHands, the self-adjusting chaise
$266.25
from the Samsonite Body Gloves
SALE
collection.
PRICE
• Strong, welded, tubular steel frames
• Rust-resistant Samson-Gard® frame finish ' $186.37

marmel

Between 12 and 13 Mile Rd.
28857 orchard lake rd.
Farmington hills, mi. 48018

Love Seat $197 1 Seat Wider $181
2 Seat Glider $269 48" Table $195

553-3250

AMIE ■ MIMa

New Studio Now Open In Harvard Row Mall

The

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50°/0-70°/0 OFF

ALL NAME BRANDS

• Vertical Blinds
• Levolor Blinds
• Pleated Shades
• Wood Blinds

21728 W. Eleven Mile Rd.
Harvard Row Mall
Southfield, MI 48076

Free Professional Measure at
No Obligation
Free in Home Design Consulting

30' Friday, July 4, 1986

Daily 10:00-5, Thurs. till 8
Saturday 11:00-3:00

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

352-8622

RABBI MORTON F.YOLKUT

Special to The Jewish News

n this week's sidra we read the
story of the 12 spies who were
sent by Moses to survey the
Promised Land, and report on its
condition and its inhabitants.
They were to travel throughout
the land and bring back a detailed
report concerning whether it was
rich and prosperous and plentiful;
whether the people who dwelt in
that land could easily be overcome
and driven out.
The 12 spies fall into two
classes. In the first are two men
who later distinguished them-
selves as Jewish leaders: Joshua
and Caleb. In the second class are
the other men who brought back a
report which struck terror into
the hearts of the Israelites; the
cities were well fortified and their
defenders giants in stature.
The intent of their report was
that a hopeless task confronted
the people and they were destined
to fall, and even to perish, in the
attempt to fight against so for-
midable a foe. Only two men —
Joshua and Caleb — tried to reas-
sure them, by reminding them
that God would fulfill his promise
to their ancestors and would be
with them and ultimately secure
their victory.
The rabbis present us with
some crucial insights into this
famous biblical narrative. We are
told in the text that in their jour-
ney through Canaan, the spies
came to the sacred and ancient
city of Hebron. For Jews, the fame
of this place is tied to the fact that
it is the site of the Cave of
Machpelah where the Patriarchs,
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were
buried. And the Talmud narrates
that one of the spies — not all of
them, but only Caleb — visited
the sepulchre to pray at their bu-
rial place for strength and cour-
age in the perilous 'undertaking.

I

The Talmud accordingly
suggests that it was the effect of
this visit to the grave of the Pat-
riarchs which enabled Caleb to
escape from the despair which
later seized the hearts of the other
spies. From that hallowed spot he
derived the confidence and inspi-
ration which carried his vision
beyond the strong fortifications of
the enemy to God who had been a
shield to his ancestors. As he stood
at the cave which held the earthy
remains of the founders of his
people, the divine promises which
had been made to the Patriarchs
came to mind and strengthened
his belief that there was no cause
to fear, because God would re-
deem his promise (Sotah 34b).
This rabbinic commentary
teaches us a vital lesson which we
need to remember and imple-
ment. Only the Jew who reveres
and respects his past can be
classed with a Caleb. Only when
we choose to stand by the sepul-
chre in which are deposited the
records of our people in ages gone
by, reflecting upon their
achievements, their aspirations,

Rabbi Yolkut is spiritual leader of
Cong. B'nai David in Southfield.

their devotion to a divinely-
entrusted cause — only then will
we possess the spirit that kindles
into flame our enthusiasm for,
and our confidence in, the future.
We must care for our past in order
to care for what is yet to be. But
the Jew who can leave that sepul-
chre unvisited, or think of it with-
out emotion, lacks the vitality ,
which alone assures the vitality of
our people.
Here, then, is an important les-
son for us in rearing and training
our children whose responsibility
it will be to continue the story of
the Jewish people. Do we wish
them to be faithful to that duty,
loyal to the cause, undismayed by

Shabbat Shelach
Numbers 13:1-15:41
Joshua 2:1-24

the difficulties? They will have \/
the mighty fortifications of anti-
Semitism to storm, the giants of
bigotry to overcome. Will they
have the courage for this task or
will they despair at the thought of
the difficult struggle that awaits
them? Will they be like Caleb, or
like the majority of the spies? The
answer to these questions will be
largely determined by us, will de-
pend upon the training we shall
give to those who are to succeed
us.
"Remember the days of old, re-
flect upon the years of past gener-
ations; ask you father and he will
tell you, your elders and they will
declare unto you" (Deut. 32:7): \
This final advice of Moses to his
people is the cornerstone of
Jewish life. Our ancestors acted
upon it and they live on in us; may
we too put it into practice so that
we may live on in the generations
which will follow us.

BBW Launches

Disease Program

Washington — A nationwide
program launched by B'nai B'rith
Women in cooperation with the
March of Dimes is providing fr.: ,.=\
information on Tay Sachs and
other genetic diseases prevalent
among Jews.
Called Project GENE, the pro-
gram also provides audio visual
and printed materials as well as
seminar programs and activities
to educate the general publiw
about genetic counseling and the
prevention of birth defects.
To obtain any of the Project
Gene materials or to request a
program presentation for your (
school, workplace or community,
contact B'nai B'rith Women, Pro-
gram and Public Affairs Depart- -`
ment, 1640 Rhode Island Avenue,
N.W., Washington, D.C., 20036, -/
or call (202) 857-6675.

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