41- F0 LIFE! Even The Outcast Is Deserving Of Love MAC (MichigAN JEwish AIDS CoAliTioN) ANd ThE HERS STUdy, WAyNE STATE UNIVERSITY IN SUPPORT of AIDS EdUCATION ANd Shabbat Toledot: Genesis 25:19-28:9; Malachi 1:1-2:7. RESEARCH RABBI ELIEZER COHEN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS T BENEFIT CONCERT GREETINqS FROM THE HONORAblE DENNIS ARChER F MAYOR Of DETROIT ► Music by CAST MEMBERS Of "TliE PHANTOM Of ThE OpERA WITH CANTOR STEphEN Dubov MONDAY DECEMBER 2, 1996 • 7:30 p.m, TEmplE Burk El • 14 MIlE AT TEINRAph Rd, $30 PER PERSON CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX dEdUCTiblE FOR TICkET INFORMATION, CAII MAC (810) 5946522 30161 SouifiEld Rd. • SUITE 102 • SouifiEld, MI 48076 • Family Owned & Operated • Personalized Service 1997 GRAND CHEROKEE 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE LAREDO 4x4 . 4x4 ..... SPORT is\\ Chrysler Employees Save Even More! • Stk# 124 Cn Stk# J926 L1J C./) LLJ Cr L1J SALE PRICE $ 18 • 999* 319 ** Per Month SALE PRICE $25,488* is Jeep Eagle 34 ONLY $ $1 -,650 Due at Inception • 23 Lease Payments Left • Total of 30,000 Miles • 15,000 Miles Per Year .....:.: •••••••••,,,,, " ' ''.vf. .. ./ ,,,::*ft..1::::::.:::::::::: : : : : : : : : : : : : : :*: :*.m: „: , . . . .: :::: : :,::::::::::::::$5,5,,::::::,,, ei Since .., - 6700 Highland Rd. (M-59) 1955 t s E his week's Torah portion, Toledot, contains the well- known story of Jacob tak- ing the blessing that his father, Isaac, had intended for his older brother, Esau. Besides the obvious problem of Jacob's deceit at his mother Rivka's insistence, we are confronted by a father who, it seems, is intent on pass- ing the entire heritage and future of the Jewish people to the ab- solutely unsuitable and unwor- thy son. What could be in Isaac's mind to not only bless but actually en- trust Esau, the crude hunter and the husband of a Canaanite woman, the authority and re- sponsibility to become head of the household, which is what the blessing represented. Actually it seems clear to me that the blessing was not the spir- itual blessing to carry on the her- itage. That blessing, that God "will give you and your offspring the blessing of Abraham and to inherit the land," was reserved only for Jacob as he left home (Genesis 27:4) Instead, the bless- ing that Jacob "stole" was for God to grant "from the dew of the heavens and the choicest produce of the land and the abundance of grain and wine" and for power over others (Genesis 27:28-29). This certainly is a blessing that the materialistic Esau would ap- preciate, but clearly the spiritu- al heritage was to go to Jacob. Rivka, on the other hand, insist- ed that Jacob also take the bless- ing of wealth and power (posSibly in fulfillment of the prophecy that "the older serve the younger" (Genesis 25:34). Rivka knew that Esau despised the lifestyle, de- mands and restrictions of the tra- ditions of the family; she considered him to be wicked and thus undeserving of any blessing. Isaac, I believe, understood very well what his son Esau was, and was as heartbroken over Esau's attitude and marriage as was Rivka. But, whereas Rivka's anguish became shame and ha- tred toward her wicked and in- corrigible son, Isaac sought to maintain contact and to demon- strate his love and hope for his wayward son. Esau's one interest and talent, his hunting, was used by Isaac as an avenue to praise and show his appreciation for Esau's en- (across from Alpine Ski Village) (810) 889 8989 Hours: Mon. & Thurs. 8:30am-9:00pm Tues, Wed., Fr. 8:30am-6:00pm Servce, parts & body shop Mon. 7-7, Tues.-Fri. 7-6 RO Photo may not represent actual vehicle. Sale includes incoming & in- " CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH JEEP EAGLE stock vehicles only. Previous sales excluded. All prices include all fac- Subject to lender's lease approval. Lease tory to dealer incentives. — payment based on 36 mo. closed end lease. Lessee is responsible for 51650 out of pocket and includes first payment and SO security dep. Add 6% use tax to monthly payment plus plates. Customer has option to purchase vehicle at lease end at price determined at lease inception. To get total obligation multiply payment x term. 15,000 miles per year average with 15c per mile excess charge. •All sale prices plus tax, title, doc, dent. & rebates. •Subject to Chryslers College Graduate Program approval. Sale ends 11-23-96 Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation Or Chadash. deavors. He attempted to chan- nel Esau's pursuits as an oppor- tunity for Esau to demonstrate his love, respect and gratitude to his father and thus offer Isaac a reason to bless him. The more it seemed that Esau would be alien- ated and drift away, the more Isaac would pursue every oppor- tunity to maintain the relation- ship. Rabbi Eliezer Cohen "Isaac loved Esau because of the provision he provided for his mouth" (Genesis 25:28) and, C: therefore, requests that Esau take up his weapons and bring provisions "that I love and bring it to me that I may eat, in order that I may bless you" (Genesis 27:34). Isaac enables Esau to re- main close to him, his father, and showed his appreciation by of- fering Esau the blessing. And this love was reciprocated. Not only did Esau bring the food for his fa- ther, Esau truly loved and re- spected Isaac, even if he didn't conform in other ways. The verse at the end of the se- drah is particularly poignant: "Esau saw that the women of Canaan (his wives) were bad in the view of Isaac, his father. And Esau went to Ishmael to marry Machlas, the daughter of Ish- mael, the son of Abraham," (Gen- esis28:8) Although his mother Rivka was anguished over his marriage to Canaanite women, it is only his father's attitude that had any meaning for Esau. And although he kept these wives, he at least makes an attempt to sat- isfy his beloved father by taking the daughter of Ishmael as a wife. Clearly, being punitive to the point of alienation with a way- ward son had no effect upon him— But to extend oneself, not to con- done unacceptable behavior, but