FROM THE RABBIS "Where You Come First" Kosins Uptown Southfield Rd. at 11 1/2 Mile • 559-3900 Big & Tall Southfield at 101/2 Mile • 569-6930 Small Temptations Often Ignored On Yom Kippur RABBI IRWIN GRONER Special to The Jewish News 0 n Yom Kippur, we address the serious problems of our time, the great evils that sully and mar human existence. But when we think about large problems, we often ignore the minor deficiencies, the petty weaknesses, and the small transgressions to which our conscience has been im- munized and of which we no longer take much notice. The Song of Songs contains a phrase, "Beware of the lit- tle foxes that spoil the vineyards." The owner of the vineyard doesn't fear the lions, he can guard against them. But he has reason to be anxious about the small foxes. They slip into a crack in the fence and as they despoil the vineyard, they lay waste the work and toil of many months. What we have to fear are hidden marauders that gnaw away our spirit. I believe that we have strength enough to resist the large temptations: larceny, violence and murder. But what about the small tempta- tions, the petty hypocrisies, the overlooked duplicities which destroy character? Consider the matter of religion. People don't seek to overthrow religion anymore. There was a time in Jewish life when we had authentic atheists and self-proclaimed Jewish heretics. Today I rarely encounter a Jewish atheist. Such em- pathic denial is no longer con- sidered proper. Religion doesn't depart from our lives by massive rejection. Instead, it is lost by a steady, small leakage. Peple allow months to pass without a religious thought or a spiritual act and they come to the synagogue during these Days of Awe, spiritually depleted. People do not lose their faith by repudiating it in one moment. They allow it to evaporate, day by day, reserv- ing religion only for high dramatic moments, removing their daily lives from the do- main of its influence. By limiting religion to three days of the year, they diminish the strength and sap the vitality of Judaism. How do we allow this pro- cess to erode character? We tell someone to answer the phone for us and say "we're Irwin Groner is rabbi at Cong. Shaarey Zedek. out" when we don't want to be annoyed. We call this a "white lie" for, after all, it doesn't really hurt anybody. But we have weakened our resistance to untruth, for the significant feature of a half- truth is that it's a half-lie. And thus we adjust ourselves to the legitimacy of lying. One day, a call is made to us for an urgent communal need, and we satisfy ourselves with less than we can give, with less than we can do. We have a great array of excuses, alibis and rationalizations. "Are others giving more? Besides I have so many obligations. Also, the economic climate is present- ly unfavorable." We soothe ourselves by these evasions; we lower the sense of obliga- tion; and we blunt our sensitivity. Consider these as small il- lustrations of a large and regular process that affects human life. What spoils life is not catastrophic failure, but rather, slipshod habits and trifling stupidity. We are promised atonement on this day. The prophet Isaiah declares: "Though your sins be as scaiet, they will become as white as snow." We believe that God forgives. He will provide atonement for our grievous sins of omission and commis- sion. He knows how frail is the flesh, how weak and fragile is the human being. He recognizes that we are, at times, overwhelmed by tidal waves of desire and that we abdicate our will, our judg- ment and our reason to our appetite. Though- our sins be like scarlet, crimson with rebellion and lust, proclaim- ing our shame, they will be forgiven. I worry about the sins that are not scarlet, but gray. They are not vivid, but rather dull and drab. As a rabbi, I rarely encounter acts of indefensible wickedness. But what I do see with wearisome regularity is stupidity, silliness, pettiness, and vanity. Who can calculate the misery we inflict on each other by these small sins? My concern is not only what we do to each other, but also what these petty sins do to us, how they constantly weaken us and gnaw away at our character. As we enter the Day of Atonement, let each of us, in the privacy of heart and mind, think about the little foxes that destroy the vineyards. 32581 Northwestern Highway, Farmington Hills, MI 48018 (313) 737-7122 VERTICAL BLINDS ark to 75% off! BEST DEAL GUARANTEED...OR IT'S FREE!* I VERTICAL DOORWALL $ 9 9 0 II -78"x84" TAKE WITH ByBali Hundreds of colors in 1" and 1/2" louver styles. PVC: I PVC MINI BLINDS STIK I I 99 !STARTING AT $4 -23x42! 1.....azilir I/ MN • V NE 'Previous Orders Excluded D I _ MIMI _ •1/ 1 II — 'ME, ■ 3303 ROCHESTER RD Daily 10-6-14 & Th 10-9 524-1883 UTICA 13921 HALL ROAD M -Fr 10-9- Sal 10-6 247-1870 PLEATED SHADES Ball I Joanna Combines the charm of fabric with the beauty of mini-blinds 60 en FREE SHOP-AT-HOME! CALL: 353-6191 ',Bala — NM I I IMI • I IM • • MN MONEI Mil I iff — A MN II 011s1111110 IIIPfts..1 IIIMVIII IIEIMII AN ■ .11=I ■ ANIMMI Mia AIL SIMI • a TROY 135% ROYAL ()AK •• • • • - ' • 549-0038 • SOUTHGATE NEW STORE! 2709 FORT ST Daily 10-6- M & Th 10-9 SOUTHFIELD 21325 TELEGRAPH M F • Sal 10-6 352-6610 LIVONIA 33710 PLYMOUTH RD Daily 10-6 • M & Th 10-9 261-6530 ROSEVILLE 25923 GRAT1OT AVENUE Daily 10-6.14 & Th 10-9 777-9510 PONTIAC 137 S TELEGRAPH NI Fr 10-9 • Sat 10-6 332-7200 DEARBORN 22293 MICHIGAN AVE Daily 10-6 • 14 3 Th 10.9 274-6000 ANN ARBORNPSI 2628 WASHTENAW Daily 10-6 • M & Th 10.9 4344644 - ALL STORES OPEN SUNDAY 12 TO 4 PM. • FLINT 230-0614 • GRAND RAPIDS 940-1744 • KALAMAZOO 342-1078 • TOLEDO 537-6827 An interesting new look in Sterling Silver and 18 kt. Gold with Lapiz, Amethyst or Onyx. Every piece uniquely different. LaBret Jewelers Fine Jewelry And Gifts IN ROBIN'S NEST • WEST BLOOMFIELD • 7421 Orchard Lake Road Corner of Orchard Lake Rd. and Northwestern Hwy. Mon.-Sat. 10-5:30 • Thurs. 10-8 • Repairs done on premises • 737-2333 Visa, American Express, Mastercard, Diners Club • Free Gift Wrap • Cash Refunds THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 35