E Ivi Illi IN1 INII ■ E L Torah Portion What's Missing? An Honest Life Is A Basic Tenet III are! DR. RICHARD C. HERTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS T Please join us for a special Shabbat Service to welcome prospective members on Friday, August 1 9th at 8:15 p.m. TEMPLE EMANU-EL ,,,- ig 4 p II, -- ,) - 4. 00 jii 4, :F c, 3tc`'' 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. Temple Administrator Beth A. Robinson, Temple President Sharon Jaffe RELIGIOUS SCHOOL K-12 * MEN'S CLUB zx YOUTH GROUP xx MAZON * SOCIAL ACTION Join Our Extended Family at 0 CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM (") C7' ed O 0 0 "We were so proud when our son celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at Beth Shalom. It's so exciting to know that our daughter will have the same opportunity," ex, Beth Shalom. Where men and women are equally counted in minyan and all aspects of Jewish life. z cy-&-c2 C/) w w CD CC w w 14 We have so much to offer: • Religious School K-12 Grade • Free Kindergarten • New High School Program Congregation Beth Shalom 14601 West Lincoln Oak Park, Michigan 48237 KADIMA * SISTERHOOD xx ENHANCED GENFRATION rn 0 c) -3 Learn about Membership, High Holiday tickets, and our Religious School by calling: 547-7970. 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) z 0 1±1 )0c CULTURAL COMMISSION