I TORAH PORTION I

Aish HaTorah Presents .. .

Just do it and don't
ask questions...

Everything you wanted to know about Judaism, but were too afraid to ask your Bubie.

Priest And Prophet
Speak To Us All

RABBI MORTON F. YOLKUT

Special to The Jewish News

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There's more to Jewish wisdom than chicken soup. These five seminars will present
concepts more powerful than a speeding matzoh ball. You'll learn about:

Materialism and Spiritualism • Prayer • The Sabbath
Jewish Observance • Love, Sex and Marriage

These five enjoyable and intellectually stimulating sessions show why
Jewish living makes more sense now than ever.

This.Crash Course in Judaism
will take place on the following Wednesdays:

March 4th, 11th, 25th, April 1st, 8th

7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Congregation Ohel Moed in West Bloomfield
$20 for all five seminars

Phone 737-0400

Say Yes to Jewish Literacy!!!

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Rekindling the Jewish Spirit

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Lawrence M. Allan, Pres.

30400 Telegraph Road
Suite 134
Bingham Farms, MI 48010
(313) 642-5575

AWARDED CERTIFICATE BY GIA
IN GRADING AND EVALUATION

DAILY 10-5:30
THURS. 10-7
SAT. 10-3

established 1919

FINE JEWELERS

GEM/DIAMOND SPECIALIST

42 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1992

ne of the most im-
pressive themes in
the book of Exodus is
the harmonious collaboration
between the two great
leaders, Moses and Aaron.
At the beginning of the
book, as God orders Moses to
go to Pharaoh and demand
the release of the Israelites,
He joins him with his brother
Aaron who is known as one
"who speaks well?' Moreover,
God reassures Moses, accor-
ding to Rashi, that though
Aaron was the elder brother
he would never be envious of
the major role assigned to
Moses as the liberator of the
people. (Rashi on Exodus 4:14)
Indeed, remarkable har-
mony prevailed between the
two brothers during the next
four decades. They discharge
their respective duties one at
a time, in rotation, always
with full cooperation and
mutual respect and trust.
There were times when
Moses' leadership was need-
ed; other times Aaron was the
right person. For example, in
our current sedra of Tetzave,
all of the commandments
regarding the duties and
functions of the priesthood
are addressed to Aaron ex-
clusively. Moses' name does
not appear even once in this
week's portion. So there was
always a clear division of
authority, with Moses as pro-
phet and Aaron as priest.
Moses and Aaron were to
become the archetypes of two
distinct religious per-
sonalities in Jewish history:
the navi, the prophet; and the
kohen, the priest. The pro-
phet, as the man of din
(justice), is an idealist. Like
Moses, chief of prophets, he
holds'fast to his ideals and in-
sists upon the application of
his teachings, without' corn-
promise. The priest, as the
bearer of rachamim (compas-
sion), is a realist. Like Aaron,
the first high priest, he
understands the conditions in
which his ideals are to be liv-
ed, he appreciates the failings
of the flesh and the frailty of
human nature. The prophet is
the demanding critic, while
the priest is the tolerant
father.
The rabbinate is heir to
both traditions — of din and
rachamim. It has historically
been expected to combine
both functions: that of Moses

Morton Yolkut is rabbi of
Congregation B'nai David.

and Aaron, of navi and kohen.
The rabbi, as spiritual leader,
was expected to reporach his
people and encourage them,
criticize them and inspire
them, judge them and love
them.
In recent times rabbis have
often allowed the prophetic
dimensions of their calling to
be muted. They teach, en-
courage, inspire; but much
less often do they raise their
voices in criticism or
righteous indignation. They
have in them much more of
Aaron than of Moses.
Rachamim, especially in
modern America, brings more
results than din. More is ac-
complished with friendship
than with reproach, in love
than in rebuke.
Yet the rabbi is true neither
to himself nor to his tr dition
nor to his God if he eliminates

a

Shabbat Tezave
Exodus 27:20-30:10
Ezekiel 43:10-27

entirely the prophetic and
critical element from his per-
sonality. The great talmudic
sage Abaya once remarked
that if a rabbi is extremely
well-liked by his congrega-
tion, it is often not so much
because of his innate
superiority as because he
tactfully refrains from every
kind of criticism (Ketubot
105b). In Eastern European
Jewish folklore, they used to
say that a rabbi who never
criticizes his people is no rab-
bi; on the other hand, a rabbi
who always critizes his com-
munity is no mentsh.
This is not merely a profes-
sional dilemma for rabbis and
spiritual leaders. It is the
Torah and tradition which
speak to all Jews with two
distinct voices. Some of us res-
pond better to the uncondi-
tional demands of the pro-
phet, others to the fatherly
plea of the priest. Both are
authentic voices to Judaism.
Which will be more effective
depends upon the individual
constitutions and distinct per-
sonalities of each of us. We
would do well to listen to both
with all our hearts and with
all our souls. II]

Zionism is an idea, a neces-
sity, a moving force in the
lives of all Jews, not merely
of the oppressed. A race
cannot give full expression
to its genius except in its
own home on indigenous
soil.
—Rabbi Judah Magnes

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