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What In The World?

Repairing mistaken notions about a popular Hebrew phrase.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Q: I was surprised when I read re-
cently that Mike Wallace of "60
Minutes" got his start as the host of

a TV game show. Could you please
tell me what that show was, along
with the names of any other Jewish

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celebrities whose careers began the
same way?
A: Mike Wallace (whose
birth name was Myron, by
the way), was the host of a
short-lived game show
called "Majority Rules,"
which aired in 1950 on
ABC.
Seven years later, Jack
Benny hosted a TV game
show called "The Big Sur-
prise" (NBC).
• Finally, believe it or not
playwright Moss Hart was
the host of "Yes and No,"
also on NBC, which aired in
1950.
Probably the best-known
Jewish game show host of
all time is, of course, Mon-
ty Hall of "Let's Make A
Deal," the only guy in the
world who might actually
give you $60 if you had a
fish in your pants.

true God, as the Jews already
do. It is in this second paragraph
that the concept of tikkun olam
is introduced. Specifically, the
phrase is le-taken olam be-
malchut shaddai, "to perfect the
world through the Almighty's
sovereignty" ("tikkun" is the
noun form of the infinitive le-tak

olam became a key theme of
Jewish Renewal (a movement
devoted to spiritual awakening
through liberalism, "sharing and
caring," "reaching out to reach
in," etc.), and has become a kind
of Jewish answer to Christian
humanitarianism.

-

en).

Q: Did you see Evi-
tg? Wasn't Madonna
fabulous? At last —
m.
the Material Girl finds
a role equal to her (i\/
fabulous talent! Isn't
that fabulous!
I know, of course,
that Madonna is
Catholic. But since
I'm Jewish and think
she's just, well, fabu-
lous, naturally I'm al-
ways looking for her
Jewish connections.
I know she was pals
for a long time with
comedian Sandra
Bernhard. I know she
got her start with a
band that rehearsed
in an abandoned syn-
Q: For the past few years I've
agogue.
And I read re-
heard a lot about the mitzvah
cently
that she's
of tikkun olam, "repairing the
What
do
the
fabulous
Madonna
and
Jews
who
keep
kosher
consulting
with a Kab-
world." From what I've read, it
have in common?
balistic
rabbi
on be-
seems to become sort of oblig-
half
of
her
daughter,
Lourdes.
ation to help correct all the wrongs
More often than not in He-
Now here's my question to you,
on the planet. We have a book in our. brew literature, the word
Tell
Me Why. Is it true that Madon-
"tikkun"
appears
in
a
mystical
synagogue library on the 613 mitvot
context.
Some
Kabbalists
spoke
na's
veil/ favorite snack in the world
of the Torah and it doesn't even
of tikkun olam as a restoration is kosher?
mention tikkun olam. When I went of world order, meaning that the
A: That's what the tabloids
to Hebrew school, none of my teach- natural order has been disrupt-
say, so it has to be true, doesn't
ers eversaid anything about tikkun ed by the destruction of the Tem- it?
olam, either. Where does this mitz- ple and the exile of the Jewish
Yes, who could have imagined
people. Other mystics used that that fabulous talent,
vah come from?
A: "Mitzvah" (commanchnent) tikkun olam as a spiritual stage Madonna, and observant Jews

is not an accurate description of
tikkun olam. The concept of
tikkun olam is found in a Jew-
ish prayer called Aleinu
Le'Shabeiach. The prayer, of an-
cient origin, was first recited in
the Musaf service of Rosh
Hashanah. Later, it was added
as the closing prayer of the three
weekday services. Appropriate-
ly enough, Aleinu's main theme
is the supremacy of God,
monarch of the universe. An ac-
companying theme is the Jew-
ish people's special relationship
with God, and Israel's believe in
God alone, and no other deity.
The second paragraph of
Aleinu expresses the hope for a
universal recognition of God and
that all peoples will worship the

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in preparation for the coming of
Mashiach, the messiah.
The "perfection of the world
through the Almighty's sover-
eignty" as stated in Aleinu would
seem to fit in with the mystical
approach to Israel's restoration.
Nonetheless, there are those
who put their own spin on the
phrase. Among them is MiChael
Lerner, former ethical guru to
President and Mrs. Clinton. In
June 1986 he founded the ultra-
liberal magazine Tikkun: A bi-

everywhere would have some-
thing in common? But it's true
indeed, for Madonna's favorite
treat is none other than Hot
Tamales, which she reportedly
insists be in her dressing room
whenever she appears in con-
cert. Hot Tamales are certified
kosher by the Union of Ortho-
dox Jewish Congregations of
America. El

Me Why,
Send questions to
s,
News, 27676
monthly Jewish critique of The . Jewish . New
politics, culture and society. It Franklin Road, Southfield, MI
was mainly Mr. Lerner (and his 48034, or fax to (810). 354-6069.
magazine) who established All letters must be signed and in-
"tikkun olam" as the Jewish mis- clude the writer's address. Ques-
t-ions answered in the column will
sion to set the world right.
Mr. Lerner's version of tikkun feature only the writer's initials
and city of residence.

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