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Torah Portion
What's Missing?
An Honest Life
Is A Basic Tenet
III are!
DR. RICHARD C. HERTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
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TEMPLE EMANU-EL
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14450 West Ten Mile, Oak Park, Ml • (810) 967-4020
Rabbi Lane Steinger, Rabbi Amy B. Brodsky, Rabbi Emeritus Milton Rosenbaum,
Cantor Emeritus Norman Rose, Temple Educator Ira J. Wise, R.J.E.
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"We were so proud when our son celebrated his Bar Mitzvah
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forthrightness, and a genuine
humanity.
Now a story about how honest
a person can be. Back in the
days when Poland was the center
of a great Jewish community,
there was a synagogue in a cer-
tain town which looked like every
other synagogue, except that
when you entered the vestibule,
the first thing you saw was a set
of scales in a special glass case
opposite the big door. To the
townspeople, the scales had
become a tradition. They said
they played a part in saving this
whole town from what seemed
certain destruction.
Many, many years back a
great drought fell upon the town.
For months there was no rain-
fall. It seemed as if the whole
town was doomed. People in
those days believed that prayer
could bring forth rain. The rabbi
prayed one night, long past
midnight. As if in a dream, he
heard a voice say, "Your prayers
will bring you no help. There is
only one man in this town who
can help. It is Kalman, the
grocer. You must summon all
Jews in town to prayer at the
great synagogue and Kalman
must lead the whole congrega-
tion in prayer."
The rabbi awoke and decided
How honest can a person be? he had truly been dreaming, for
Moses knew that the fine laws this Kalman, who was he? He is
and ordinances, the sound creeds an ignoramus. Hardly able to
and doctrines given to the peo- read, crude and rude, sometimes
ple of Israel, were simply a even quarrelsome. Can it really
means for strengthening char- be that the Almighty wishes him
acter and insuring successful to be the spokesman for the
living. A satisfying beneficial life whole community? But the
can be secured only by honesty dream seemed to be a divine
in dealing with others. A good message.
The rabbi summoned the
conscience never costs as much
elders of the city ad asked them
as it is worth.
In today's sedrah we are cau- to announce that every man,
tioned specifically about correct woman and child assemble in the
weights and measurements. In great synagogue for morning ser-
order to teach that God desires vices. Everyone sat or stood in
not only righteousness on the silence waiting for the cantor to
part of the individual, but pro- go up to the bimah to begin the
tection for the poor and the service. But the cantor remained
needy. It is as if to say, honesty in his place. The rabbi remained
builds understanding, self-secu- in his place.
After a while the door of the
rity and friendship. Judaism, we
are taught by our Torah portion synagogue opened and Kalman,
this week, demands that we live the grocer entered. He pushed
an upright life, that we remain his way in and took his regular
worthy of God's protection and seat near the back of the syna-
gogue. When the rabbi saw
His love.
We have learned from long af- Kalman, he arose from his seat,
ter Moses laid down these rules walked down the aisle, and said,
that honesty embodies other at- "Kalman, go up to the bimah.
tributes of character, such as in- You will be our cantor for today.
tegrity, sound judgement, You must lead the congregation
in prayer."
Kalman was as startled.
Richard Hertz is rabbi emeritus
"How can I be the cantor? I don't
of Temple Beth El.
he Talmud tells us that the
very first question at the
last judgment day will be
"Did you deal honestly with
your fellow man?" Elsewhere, the '
rabbis of ancient times com-
mented wisely, "To be honest in
business is to fulfill the whole
Torah." (Mekilta to Exodus 15:26)
Our Torah portion this week
is concerned with number of
diverse laws and rules for hon-
est and ethical conduct. After
listing a number of rules where-
by the children of Israel could
deal kindly and honorably with
each other and with their neigh-
bors, Moses then set down this
nile: "Thou shalt not have in thy
bag diverse weights, a great or a
small one. Thou shalt not have
in thy house diverse measures,
a great one or a small one. A per-
fect and just weight shalt thou
have. A perfect and just measure
shalt thou have." (Deuteronomy
25:13-16)
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Shabbat Ki Teze:
Deuteronomy
21:10-25:19
Isaiah 54:1-10.