ToRmp104 &th el's istp-hood

cordially invitRs you to our

finnual Partg Planning lloweasci
aindag, fRbruarg 7,1993
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

at

ToRrnpl 13gth el, 7400 TgJggraph Road,
BloornfiOd tli115

Caterers
Florists 'Cr Confectioners
-Cr Photographers c Party Rentals
Video Photographers
Limonsine and Valet Services
* Cartoonists
Talent Agencies
Invitations
IA- Room Decorators
Free Admission

The Perfect
Addition To Your Home
An AGAM Mezuza
Daum Crystal

Regularly $435

Specially Priced $375

Call Alicia R. Nelson

Tradition! Tradition!
557-0109

for an appointment

*or choose one of our 53 menorahs!

The Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Detroit
Wants To Inform The Public That:

• All Faygo Sodas sold in the Detroit area are Kosher, whether or not they have the Kosher
symbol on the label.

• It has been found that many baked items available under the Pace Pride label in Pace
stores in the Detroit area are carrying a Chof K dairy label. This is without the authoriza-
tion of the Chof K. The only Pace baked goods under Kosher supervision are in one
store in Paramus, New Jersey.

• With Tu-B'Shvat coming, please remember that items like dried apples, bulk raisins, and
retail prunes need Kosher approval.

• We have found that some flavors of Borden's Ice Cream being sold in GFS stores in this
area are bearing an unauthorized OU on the 5-Quart size.

COUNCIL OF ORTHODOX RABBIS • MERKAZ

17071 West 10 Mile Rd. • Southfield, MI 48075 • 559-5005/06

A Wilderness Journey
Builds A People

DR. RICHARD C. HERTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

p

haraoh was under the
impression the Israel-
ites were going only
for a three days'
journey into the wilderness
for the purpose of offering
sacrifices when he finally let
them go. When the Egyptian
officers he had dispatched to
bring them back discovered
what had happened, the
Israelites realized they had
no alternative but to flee fur-
ther into the desert and
across the Red Sea. But how?
The Egyptians felt that to be
smitten with the 10 plagues
and then compelled to let
their slaves depart and see
them go off with some of their
riches was more than they
could endure. What hap-
pened?
The text of this week's
sedrah tells of the miraculous
rescue at sea. But where to
go? Moses had no road map.
The shorter way to Canaan
along the coast, the direct
caravan route, was closed to
them. The Egyptians had
heavy fortresses along the
way. Instead of continuing to
march northward along the
coast of the Mediterranean,
they were bid instead to turn
south, keeping the Gulf of
Suez on their left and follow-
ing landmarks that have long
since disappeared and cannot
be identified.
After several days, during
which Pharoah recovered
from his panic over the loss of
so many thousands of his
slaves and laborers, he real-
ized what he had lost. The
Israelites beheld the hosts of
Egypt in hot pursuit. The
Midrash tells how the
Israelites were distracted by
fear and demoralized by
divided councils.
The Torah says that a pillar
of cloud stood between the
Israelites and the Egyptians
so that the Egyptians couldn't
see the former slaves whom
they were now pursuing.
Then miraculously God caus-
ed the sea to go back with a
strong wind. The waters were
divided so that the children of
Israel could go through.
When the waters subsided,
the Egyptians who were pur-
suing went in after them, in
the midst of the sea — and all
perished.
A miraculous rescue! The
indelible impression that this
event made on Israel was

Richard Hertz is rabbi emeritus
of Temple Beth El.

something never forgotten.
The grateful people of Israel
saw these as acts of God. No
matter what the natural ex-
planation for the parting of
the waters, the Israelites
always told and retold this
event as a miracle, this ele-
ment as an act of God.
Now began the long trek
that took 38 years to reach
the borders of Moab before
getting ready to enter
Canaan.
Chapter 15 contains a
memorable song at the Red
Sea. It is one of the oldest bits
of poetry in all of Scripture
and contains the poetic fire
and vivid imagery describing
the horror, triumph and
gratitude that the hosts of
Israel had lived through dur-
ing that long night of salva-
tion. The poem conveys a

Shabbat
Beshalach:
Exodus
13:17-17:16
Judges 4:4-5:31.

sense of sweeping power, ex-
altation and gratitude and
had a strong impact on the
people of Israel.
With the song of Moses
ringing in their ears, the
heart of Moses overflowed
with emotion. Yet, he did not
know that he was just at the
beginning of his journey. The
real task of converting slaves
into people of God was still
ahead. A people trained for
generations in bondage could
not cast off instantly the ef-
fects of that training. The
desert became Israel's train-
ing ground and from now on,
the next 40 years were to
show the genius of the leader-
ship of Moses. E

Temple Kol Ami
Family Fun Day

Temple Kol Ami will host
their annual family fun after-
noon of crafts and bingo
1:30-4:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at the
temple.
There is a charge. For infor-
mation and tickets, call Myr-
na Fisher, 661-9896.

