TO SOVE OF YOU

THIS YEAR HAS BEE\ 0\E OF SORROW.

TO VA\Y OF YOU A YEAR OF VERCY.

injures himself?" my con-
gregant asks. And who does
not. We open together the
first page of the Kol Nidre,
read the verse taken from the
Book of Numbers that pleads
for forgiveness on the grounds
that "all the people act in er-
ror, sin unwittingly." The
sages sensed that no one com-
mits a sin unless there enters
into him a siprit of folly (T.
Sotah 3a).
What is "the spirit of my
folly," not God's but mine?
That question is essential for
self-revelation and is one of
the major aims in the intro-
spective prayers of the Days of
Awe. What is my folly? Who
am I who violates my self;
who am I who judges myself
and seeks to heal my self?
who am I who judges myself
and seeks to help my self?
The High Holy day prayers
are precisely geared for that
sort of self-discovery. Forget
the hammer. Bring forth in-
stead the mirror that reflects
the "imago dei" in me. For
now, let God as the wholly
Other alone. lb begin with,
turn the prayers inward. It is
I who suffer, who injure, who ,
accuse, who forgive and who
change.
My text for my friend comes
from the biblical portion read
on the Sabbath before Rosh
Hashanah. Do not look above
or below, beyond the heavens
or beyond the seas. It is "in
thy mouth and in thy heart
thou mayest do it"
(Deuteronomy 30). Look to
the multiple selves within
you. They are strangers. They
must be introduced to each
other. That introduction is '
essential to vidui, confession.
Becoming aware of the
presence, difference, and op-
position of the selves has as
its goal inner reconciliation
which some call teshuvah,
turning.
Prayer is difficult. But the
difficulty is not with grasping
understanding of the Other.
In fact, laying the matter on
the Other may be turned into
an excuse for abstaining from
real work. It is easier to throw ,
oneself on a wholly transcen-
dent Other than to search out ,
the transcendence within
yourself.
As for feeling alienated, do
not separate yourself from
your self. Seek connection
within. The way is towards ,
what Abraham Isaac Kook
called hakarah peninit, in-
ward recognition. The inner
nexus between the selves
within may gradually direct
your attention. ❑

WE ASK YOU TO JOI\ US I\ AGAI\

OFFERM OUR COTOLE\CES TO

THOSE FAVILIES THAT WE ASSISTED.

nmx

.; -tort

WISHING YOU AND YOURS A HEALTHY NEW YEAR

HEBREW MEMORIAL CHAPEL

A Very Happy, Healthy
rind Prosperous New Year
To All Our Friends,
Customers and Relatives

Nate, Aida, Carol Greenspan,
Joel & Debby Kopinsky
Lil & Adrienne

We at Roland Optics
wish our friends
a healthy & happy
New Year!

CHARTER HOUSE
HAIR SHOP

ON THE BOARDWALK

Management and Staff
Wish Their
Customers and Friends
The Very Best Of
Health, Happiness and
Prosperity
In The New Year

SHOE GALLERY, LTD.

Women's Fashion Footwear

6700 Orchard Lake Road
West Bloomfield Plaza

851-5470

Best Wishes To Our
Customers and Friends
For A Healthy and Happy
New Year

AND

EL—ir'CVII
suizarmwaims

6335 ORCHARD LAKE RD • ORCHARD MALL
West Bloomfield -
855-9200

HAMILTON, MILLER, HUDSON &
FAYNE TRAVEL CORPORATION

and its employees
offer sincere wishes
to everyone
For a Healthful and Joyous
New Year

ORCHARD LAKE ROAD, SOUTH OF MAPLE (2 Doors From Stage & Co. Deli)
851-HAIR
HAIR STYLING FOR MEN

WE FEATURE HAIR PIECES BY

et\

M an Hair TUESDAY 7 THRU to SATURDAYS
6

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a.m.

p.m.

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to our
FRIENDS & CUSTOMERS
JACK & CHRISTINA

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

105