TORAH PORTION We Can Never Say Thank You Enough. Over the years, thousands of you have sent JARC tributes to your family and friends. We've thanked you, but perhaps not enough. The Need To Recover The Primitive Response RABBI IRWIN GRONER Your support has helped operate 11 beautiful homes for men and women with developmental dis- abilities. It has helped others learn to live independently. It has provided critical family support services. Special to The Jewish News T Thank you for your tributes. They are, like you, never forgotten. Call today to make a tribute. 352-5272. A Jewish Association for Residential Care for persons with developmental disabilities 28366 Franklin Road Southfield, MI 48034 (313) 352-5272 HERE'S A CHANCE TO SPOIL YOUR KID ROTTEN! NEW FROM THE B'NAI B'RITH MEMBERS' INSURANCE PROGRAM YOUR COMPREHENSIVE Specializing In Wooden Play Structures For Home Or Child Care Centers. 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Please have a B'nai B'rith representa- tive contact me now with more L information: 48 Name Men's furnishings ana accessories 19011 West Ten- Mile Road Southfield, Michigan 48075 Address (Between Southfield and Eve•green) City/Stole/Zip Hours: Telephone FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1991 Age .1 352-1080 Mon.-Sat. Thursday 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. PARKING AND ENTRANCE IN REAR he Book of Vayikra describes the system of sacrifices the people of Israel followed in the days of Moses and during the period when the Holy Temple stood in Jerusalem. The karbanot, sacrifices, are presented in detail: the burnt offering, the peace offering, the sin offer- ing, the guilt offering. The priest would accept these sacrifices and place them on the altar. The layman, moved by deep emotion, would place his hands upon the head of the offering while the Levites would sing to the accompani- ment of instrumental music. The contemporary Jew may wonder about the relevance of these verses to his problems and needs. He may even deem the whole order of sacrificial practice barbaric. What messages does the Book of Leviticus convey to a world so far removed in time and cir- cumstance from the world of the Bible? The source of this expres- sion of contemporary con- tempt is the incorrect way we regard ancient life. We criticize the institutions of 3,000 years ago in the light of 20th century civilization. We need to understand what lies beneath the surface, the motives that inspired the of- ferings of old. What is the conception behind the system of sacrifices? It is the desire of man to commune with God. The human being was stirred by a powerful need to give ex- pression to his sense of awe and reverence. The word kar- bon, sacrifice, is derived from the Hebrew karov which means to draw near. The goal of the sacrifice was to enable the worshipper to experience the Divine Presence, to sense His love, and to feel the strength of His nearness. God is the host of the universe, we dwell in His house; we are all His guests; we owe Him thanks. The Israelite sought to show his gratitude to God for the blessings he had received. He looked upon his harvest and flocks; and in his heart arose an urge to express his gratitude to the power that provided rain in its due season, without which the land would have been barren Irwin Groner is senior rabbi of Congregation. Shaarey Zedek. and the animals would have perished. How was he to do this? By sacrificing part of his increase as a token of thankfulness. "A primitive method," we say with contempt. But is the sense of gratitude primitive? Is it unnecessary now to ar- ticulate the idea that we are dependent upon God for our life and the means of our ex- istence, that we have the du- ty of thanking Him for the blessings He sends us? On the contrary, it can be argued that modern man's sense of gratitude to God is weaker than it was in the past. We need to recover the so-called "primitive" response of an- cient man who longed to thank God for what He had provided. The memory of the Vayikra Shabbat HaChodesh: Leviticus 1:1-5:26, Exodus 12:1-20, Numbers 28:9-15, Ezekiel 45:16-46:18. (/ N sacrifices of old upon the altar serves as a reminder of our duty. A second theme of sacrifice is atonement, for there were offerings brought in response to the desire for forgiveness. To sin in Judaism is to miss the mark, to fall short of the high ideals we set for ourselves. Since man is prone to error and weakness, the purpose of the sin offering was to cleanse the soul, to ex- purgate guilt, to restore and renew the relationship of God and man. Several years ago, the book Love Story reached multitudes. Its most famous line, which became part of folk culture, was "Love means never having to say you're sorry." The Book of Vayikra teaches the opposite: to live is to love, and in our relation- ships of love with our mates, our parents, our children, our community, our people, we commit acts of thoughtless- ness, weakness, or error. It is difficult for us to admit that we have transgressed, and therefore, we are required, says the Book of Vayikra, to confront our weakness, to make restitution, to bring an offering and to cleanse the soul. A third concept is suggested by the public or communal sacrifices such as the olah, or N K N I