Wayne State University
LITERARY IMAGES OF THE GULF WAR
KAREN ALKALAY-GUT
Sabbath Of Beginning
Interaction Is Vital
Tel Aviv University
Chair, Israel Association of Writers in English
Wednesday, October 28, 1992
WOMEN & WAR:
POEMS OF THE GULF WAR
& OTHER INCIDENTS
IMAGES OF THE GULF WAR
IN ISRAELI POETRY
1 P.M.
Congregation Beth Abraham
Wayne State University Campus
Faculty Admin Building, Room 3339
Hillel Moses
5075 W Maple, West Bloomfield
Co-sponsored by Women's Studies
Co-sponsored by Congregation Beth
Abraham Hillel Moses and
the Midrasha-College of Jewish Studies
A division of the
Agency for Jewish Education
7:30 P.M.
This program is also supported by a grant from the
DeRoy Testamentary Foundation Arts & Culture Fund
of the United Jewish Foundation.
The Center is a cooperative venture of the University
and the United Jewish Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
Admission Free
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Inquiries 577-2679
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Midfasha
.AIDAK SRIDIE5
COLLEGE OF JEVVISI 16 I LADIES
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A division of the Agency lot Jewish Educotion
B'NAI DAVID
INST'IT'UTE FOR ADULT EDUCATION
FALL SEMESTER, 1992
• Lectures on vital contemporary issues by Rabbi Morton E Yolkut
• Discussion period to follow each lecture
• Free to members and non-members
• Come and bring your friends for a stimulating evening in a
relaxed atmosphere
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS • OCTOBER 28 — NOVEMBER 11
LECTURE SERIES 8:15 — 9:30 P.M.
JEWISH DILEMMAS IN THE 90'S
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October 28 — ABORTION:
Is Traditional Judaism pro-life or pro-choice?
November 4
FAITH AFTER THE HOLOCAUST:
How does one believe in God after Auschwitz?
November 11 — OUR HOUSE DIVIDED:
Will there be one Jewish community by the year 2000?
For Additional Information Contact:
CONGREGATION B'NAI DAVID
52
24350 SOUTHFIELD ROAD • SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN 48075 • 557.8210
RABBI MORTON F. YOLKUT/SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
I
his Sabbath is known
by a special name.
It is called Shabbat
Bereshit because we
begin the very first sedrah of
the first book of the Torah. It
is the Sabbath of beginning —
telling us the story of the
beginning of the world, the
beginning of life and the
beginning of man.
As we again examine the
first words of Bereshit we find
our rabbinic commentators
concerned with the fact that
the Torah begins with the let-
ter bet. The question is why
the Bible does not open its ac-
count of creation with the
aleph and chooses rather to
ignore the first letter in favor
of the second.
Many and varied are the ex-
planations offered in answer
to this question. Perhaps the
simplest and most cogent rep-
ly is presented in the distinc-
tion made by the Midrash
that the bet is the language
of Berachah, blessing, while
the aleph is the language of
arirah, curse. (Bereshit Rab-
bah 1:14)
In interpreting this distinc-
tion in its widest ramifica-
tion, we find more than a
philological explanation.
Numerically the aleph
represents one, and the bet
stands for two. In the very
first letter of the Torah —
God's blueprint for human —
existence we already are of-
fered the choice between two
alternatives in interpersonal
relationships.
Will man's life on earth be
dominated by the aleph, by an
egotistical reliance on his
oneness; by a self-centered
determination that the fulfill-
ment of his desires, his in-
terests and his demands is
the raison d'etre of his life;
that the aleph of ani (me, I)
becomes the critical force of
existence? Or, on the contrary,
should human society be
predicted on the bet — that
symbol of the interaction of
two individuals working in
harmony, friendship and
mutual concern. As Hillel
phrased it in the Mishnah: "If
I am only for myself, what am
I?" The person whose purpose
in life is only the gratification
of his own desires and wishes
to the exclusion of the in-
terests and needs of his fellow
human beings — such an in-
Morton Yolkut is rabbi of
Congregation B'nai David.
dividual hardly fulfills his
Creator's blueprint for
humanity.
Therefore, our Torah com-
mences with a bet and not an
aleph so that mankind in
general, and we Jews in par-
ticular, will be impressed
with the sublime lesson that
it is the "two-ness" of
humanity, rather than the
"one-ness" of the individual
that must determine the pur-
pose of God's creative act.
We find two profound ex-
amples of these all-important
alternatives presented to man
at the very onset of his
history.
Of unforgettable impact are
the words of Cain to God's
question recorded in this
week's sedrah: "Where is
Abel your brother?" "I know
not; am I my brother's
Shabbat Bereshit:
Genesis 1:1-6:8
Isaiah 42:5-43:10.
keeper?" Here, clearly and
forcefully is an example of the
type of human conduct:—
represented by the aleph
which sees no need to con-
sider duties or respon-
sibilities toward our brother
— only one's own desires and
demands are to determine our
way of life. The needs of our
fellow human beings are of no
concern to us because we are
not our brother's keeper.
On the other hand, later in
the first book of the Torah, we
encounter the lengthy and
moving story of Joseph and
his brothers. Here, once
again, we are confronted with
the drama of conflicting
duties and desires. Never-
theless, when Joseph is given
an opportunity to answer a
stranger's question, "What do
you seek?" His reply is for-
thright: "I seek my brethren."
It has been aptly said: a
man wrapped up in himself
makes a very small package.
The world was created with a
bet mandating each in-
dividual with an eternal
obligation to seek the welfare
of his fellow man.
Happy are those who live
their lives true to this lesson
of the bet, the first letter of ET,
the Torah, the letter of bless-
ing. These people not only
bring blessing to their fellow
man, they are blessed.
❑