Congregation Shaarey Zedek
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Presents
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November 6 & 7, 1993
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Rabbi Moshe Tutnauer
Scholar in Residence
A Distinguished Leader of the Conservative.Movement in Israel and
Renowned Scholar and Orator
SHABBAT MORNING SERVICES
November 6
TOPIC: "JEWS OF SILENCE — SILENT NO LONGER"
8:45 A.M. Services
A first hand report on Jewish Life and the establishment of the
11:45 A.M. Lecture
Conservative movement in the former Soviet Union.
SHABBAT LUNCHEON
TOPIC: "THE SPIRITUAL AWAKENING OF THE TRADITIONAL JEW"
November 6
New ways of encountering meaning and spirituality in the prayer
12:30 P.M.
book.
SUNDAY MORNING
November 7
TOPIC: "JERUSALEM: RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE HOLY CITY"
10:00 A.M.
A perspective on the ideological and political conflicts in Israeli
Complimentary Breakfast society. What is their impact on the peace process?
THE GREAT WEEKEND IS SPONSORED BY THE BERRY FAMILY
Under the General Auspices of the Cultural Commission of the Congregation
Lori and Steven Weisberg are Co-Chairs of the Weekend, Dr. Alden M. Leib is Co-Chair of the
Cultural Commission
Breakfast is Co-Sponsored by the Men's Club
Make Check Payable to: CSZ "GREAT WEEKEND LUNCHEON"
Enclosed is my check for
($9.00 ea. adult - $5.00 ea. child thru 12 yrs.) for
reservation(s) for Shabbat Luncheon on Saturday, Nov. 6, 1993. Please hold
places for the Men's Club Breakfast on Sunday a.m. Nov. 7, 1993. (no charge)
Name
Phone Number
The Public is Invited
3ewisit Singles, 50 or Over
2
Come to Singles Cxtension group's
jootball jrolic
0
4
'
etti.
Sunday - 21oventher 7, 1993 - 6:30
(Dinner and dancing to live music.
(1-Vine, nibbles, vegetarian pizza, salad,
(Dessert, coffee, tea, punch.
Paid-uymembers L$10.00 2Von-members i$12.00
R eservations appreciated or pag at door.
4
'Temple Jsrael
5725 Walnut Lake !Road
(West (Bloomfield
30
48
Checks payable to: Singles extension Broup
Mail to: (Box 771 Southfield, LAU 48037
3 :or info call - 2art8 Chairperson Ethel rfraurig 682-7232
Edith Ellis 932-0025 'Barbara ginsburg 352-7261
Study And Practice
Make Mitzvot Real
RABBI AMY B. BIGMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
I
his week's Torah por-
tion begins with God
appearing to Abraham
as he sits "at the en-
trance of (his) tent as the day
grew hot. Looking up, he saw
three men standing near
him ..." (Genesis 18:1-2). Tra-
dition understands the three
men to be "angels" or mes-
sengers of God, although
Abraham did not know them
as such. He simply saw three
human beings standing be-
fore him as he sat by his tent.
The men appear to Abra-
ham immediately following
the circumcisions of Abra-
ham, his son Ishmael, and all
of the males in his household,
as is related at the conclu-
sion of last week's parasha.
The Talmud tells us that
God appeared to Abraham
three days following his cir-
cumcision in order to see how
Abraham was recuperating
(Baba Metzia 86b). God saw
that Abraham was suffering,
wrapping and unwrapping
the bandages which covered
the circumcision, and thus
God quickly withdrew from
Abraham's presence. Based
upon the opening verse of this
week's parasha and its com-
mentary, we learn of the
mitzvah of visiting the sick,
bikkur cholim. This mitzvah
is so important, the rabbis
tell us, that even the Holy
One Blessed be God performs
it!
Returning to the Torah
text, we find that despite the
physical pain resulting from
the circumcision, Abraham
literally runs from the en-
trance of his tent to greet the
strangers who appeared to
him. He goes out of his way
to welcome the strangers;
Abraham's hospitality knows
no bounds.
Abraham asks the men to
stay, offering water to be
brought in which they can
bathe their feet, inviting
them to rest under the tree
and offering "a morsel of
bread that you may refresh
yourselves." (Genesis 18:2-5).
Although he promised the
strangers only a "morsel" of
bread, "Abraham hastened
into the tent to Sarah, and
said, 'Quick, three measures
of choice flour! Knead and
make cakes.' Then Abraham
ran to the herd, took a calf,
tender and choice, and gave
Amy Bigman is a rabbi at
Temple Enianu-El.
it to a servant-boy, who has-
tened to prepare it." (Genesis
18:6-7).
Abraham had prepared
much more for the men than
he had promised them. He
also made sure that the food
was of the highest quality
available. By virtue of the ac-
tions taken by him and his
household on behalf of the
strangers, the Talmud de-
clares Abraham a righteous
man.
Not only did Abraham
arrange for his wife and his
servant to make preparations
for his guests, but Abraham,
despite the pain from his re-
cent circumcision, actually
ran to take care of the men
himself.
We then hear no more
about God's visit with Abra-
ham. Based upon this, we are
taught that "hospitality to
wayfarers is greater than
welcoming God's presence."
(Shabbat 127a). Abraham
knew that it was more im-
Shabbat Vayera:
Genesis 18:1 -
22:24
II Kings 4:1-37.
portant to attend to the peo-
ple at his door than to
"receive God."
Like Abraham, we too
learn that treating our fellow
human beings with kindness,
feeding those who are hun-
gry, aiding those who are
hurt or sick, are more impor-
tant than "welcoming God's
presence" through prayer or
study.
Ours is a religion of doing,
not merely of prayer and
faith. Judaism teaches that
we must do mitzvot, such as
the mitzvot of bikkur cholim
and hachnasat orchirn ("hos-
pitality to strangers") which
are derived from this week's
Torah portion. It is not
enough for us to simply study
the traditions without putting
them into practice. It is not
enough to merely pray to
God; Judaism obligates us to
actively participate in tikkun
olain ("repairing the world").
One religious school text-
book explains mitzvot and our
responsibilities this way: "Ac-
cepting the responsibility to
be part of the Jewish people
means being a fixer. It means