I HOLIDAYS I
Recalling Sins
Continued from preceding page
May the coming year be
one filled with health,
happiness and
prosperity for all our
friends and family.
NATHAN & SALLY SAGINAW
A Very Happy and Healthy
New Year to All Our Friends
and Family.
HELEN & FRED BROWN
MARTIN, STEVEN & RODNEY
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
MARION & SAM AUGUST
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
RUTH & NORMAN BEITNER
AARON, DAVID, JONATHAN & JENNIFER
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
MRS. BEN BENESON & FAMILY
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
ERNIE & GLORIA BEREN
May the New Year Bring
To All Our Friends
and Family — Health,
Joy, Prosperity
and Everything
Good in Life.
CHARLOTTE & HERBERT MITNICK
To All Our
Relatives
and Friends,
Our wish for a
year filled with
happiness,
health and prosperity.
EDDIE & SHIRLEY ROSENBERG
May the coming
year be filled
with health and
happiness for
all our family
and friends.
May the coming
JUDI & HOWARD FRIEDMAN
LESLEE & LORY
SEYMOUR & SYLVIA FURMAN
& FAMILY
Scottsdale, Arizona
yarin
i11W 111‘13`2
year be filled
with health and
happiness for
all our family
and friends.
11T1711 'caws illtn
to all
our friends
and relatives.
to all
our friends
and relatives.
NATHAN & SONIA NOTHMAN
HARRY, ANDREA, JASON &
STEPHANIE POTACH
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
Best wishes for a
happy, healthy
New Year.
Best wishes for a
happy, healthy
New Year.
WAYNE, DEBBIE & CAYLA ROSE LUSKY
DAVE & PAULINE GOODSTEIN
LORRAINE GREEN
ROBERT & KAREN
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
THE MOSS FAMILY
JERRY, MARSHA, JULIE, STEVEN & MARC
104
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1990
enemy?" The issue is being
raised in the context of
prayer, when one has leisure
to meditate and thoughtfully
consider the situation in the
presence of God. For, after
all, was not even an enemy
created in the image of God?
Perhaps the issue can be
even broadened by the way
we see God. There are times
when God is described as "a
man of war" (Exodus 15:3).
On other occasions, God is
described as "merciful and
compassionate, long-suffer-
ing, and abundant in
goodness and truth" (Exodus
34:6).
Are these two sides of the
same God? Are they conflic-
ting and irreconcilable at-
tributes? Is it a theological
paradox or an impenetrable
mystery? Perhaps it is an if
anthropopathic fallacy, i.e.,
human feelings ascribed to
God.
Leaving this theological
riddle to the theologians, we
must deal with the matter in
the daily context of reading
the newspaper, hearing the
radio, seeing the television.
How do we react, how should
we respond, how should we
pray when innocent civilians
— men, women and children
— are taken hostage,
wounded and killed?
This may raise an inter-
esting question of definition.
One person's terrorist may
be another's freedom fighter.
The evil empire may see the
other side as a fascist op-
pressor or even as a great
Satan. One person's
murderer may be considered
another's martyr. What to ,7)
do?
It is precisely here that
Jewish tradition offers
guidance.
Once, Rabbi Meir was
harassed by "lawless peo-
ple." He prayed that they
should die. Upon hearing
this prayer, his wife Bruria
(using Psalms 104:35 as a
theological pun) admonished
him, saying: "Do not pray
that the wicked be no more,
but that there be no more
wickedness. Do not pray for
the death of an enemy, but
the death of enmity" (Brachot
10a).
This incident begins to ad-
dress our concern. It is say-
ing that with reference to
prayer, the focus should be
on eliminating hostility.
Judaism, not being a pacifist
but a practical religion,
understands the expression
that hatred cannot and
should not be ignored. But at
the same time, it advises one
to keep things in perspective,
and filter events through the
lens of moral balance.
An example of setting the