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