AN ALTERNATIVE
FOR THE HIGH HOLY DAYS

BirminghamlBloomfield Synagogue - Chabad

WE'RE A SMALL GROUP OF DEDICATED JEWS.

Dedicated to the preservation and practice of Judaic worship
that's been the bedrock of our people for centuries.

We invite you to join with us in celebrating and
reaffirming that dedication during these most
holy days coming soon.

Perhaps you feel it's time to reexperience the
warmth and communion of what "schul" meant
to our people in less "modern" times. But if never
experienced . . . come see what you missed.

BIRMINGHAM/BLOOMFIELD CHABAD
357 North Woodward
c/o Masonic Temple, Bloomfield Hills

For more information, call 544 8639

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OCCASION

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A Blessing Or Curse
Depends On Our View

RABBI IRWIN GRONER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

I

ook!" Moses exclaims
to the Jewish people,
"Today, I give you a
blessing and a curse."
(Deuteronomy 11:26) What a
singular way to begin a
discoourse. "Re'ey, look!"
What did Moses intend that
Israel see? What did he show
them? We cannot dismiss the
word "look" simply as a
poetic expression, a figure of
speech, because every word in
the Torah is purposeful,
deliberate, evocative of pro-
found wisdom.
The text suggests this
thought. When we look at the
world about us, do we see a
blessing or a curse? Some will
look with critical eyes, seek-
ing fault, complaining.
Others view the same scene
but with different eyes and
experience different percep-
tions. Is the cup of our life
half empty, or half full?
"What do you see" is a fun-
damental question that tells
us more about the viewer
than about the world. As we
arise each morning, are we
moved to words of discontent
or praise? Do we feel we have
been short-changed or over-
paid? Is our familiar stance
the posture of discontent, or
are we grateful for the bless-
ings of health and security
and love so regularly bestow-
ed upon us that we may forget
their value?
A noted American rabbi
once made the following
observation: "Stand close to a
mountain and you will see on-
ly a massive wall of earth and
stone. Stand at a distance and
you will see heights. Often,
we find fault with what we
see, when the fault really lies
in where we stand."
One salesman of shoes goes
to Africa, returns and
declares, "There is no use try-
ing there, since the people do
not even wear shoes."
Another comes back and says,
"What a market have I found.
All we have to do is teach
them how to wear shoes." And
so it is with all of life. What
really counts the most is not
what happens to us, but how
we respond. Some are blessed
with the ability to find
reasons for joy and gratitude
wherever they look, and some
are cursed with the tendency
to find reasons for unhap-
piness and discontent in

IrwinGroner is senior rabbi of

Congregation Sharrey Zedek.

whatever they see and do.
How do we view Jewish life?
Is it a blessing or a curse? Do
we see Jewish existence in
our time as marked only by
decay, assimilation and emp-
tiness? Can we also see the
sources of renewal in Jewish
life, the quest for faith, the
challenge of revitalizing the
Jewish spirit? Have we sur-
rendered to despair about the
survival of the Jewish people?
Do we consider the State of
Israel doomed to suffer from
a continual state of beliger-
ence with her Arab neigh-
bors? Or do we have a larger
vision that sees the ultimate
resolution of conflict be-
tween Israel and the Arabs.

Shabbat Re'e:
Deuteronomy
11:26-16:17
Isaiah 54:11-55:5.

Our vision is directed not
only outward but inward, the
smaller circle of our relation-
ships. When we look at life, do
we see only our own needs
and concerns, or does our vi-
sion encompass the hopes and
yearnings of others?
Do we regard our fellow
human beings as persons
created to advance our own
welfare, or as people with
hopes and aspirations,
hungers and dreams like our
own? In judging our fellow
man, do we criticize and
curse, or do we empathize and
bless?
The story is told of Rabbi
Levi Yitzhok of Berditchev,
the great lover of man kind,
who was riding in a wagon
with his sexton. They passed
another wagon, whose axle
was broken, and the driver
was standing in the mud, try-
ing to fix it; he was wearing
his tallit and tefillin. The sex-
ton was furious. "Look at the
scoundrel," he exclaimed,
"fixing his wagon, greasing
his wheels while he is in the
middle of prayer."
"On, no," said Reb Levi.
"Look at that wonderful Jew;
even while greasing his
wagon wheels, he wears his
tallit and tefillin and says
`Shema Yisrael.' "
Every life has within it
reasons for heartache and sor-
row, as well as reasons for
celebration and gratitude.
Whether we bless or curse is
our choice and ours alone. 0