FURNITURE OUTLET Any Plan Of Action Requires 'Thought First $1499 5 pc. King WATERFALL BEDROOM SET Set Includes: 72" dresser or 72" armoire $299 36 X 36 RADIUS TRIANGLE COCKTAIL FACTORY DIRECT LAMINATE FURNITURE $389 36 X 18X30 • Bedroom Sets •Dining Tables i rtt nters Cocktail, STables • Home, 0 tc. WATERFALL DESK Customize to Fit Your Needs! $439 60 X 18 X 30 CLASSIC CREDENZA I Visit Our Factory Showroom or Call to Shop at Home (810) 366-0220 Hours: Tues - Fri 10-5, Sat 11-4 4153 Pioneer Dr. • Commerce Twp $329 45" Diameter ROUND DINING TABLE $279 36 X 36 SQUARE COCKTAIL $1599 72" X 72" TRIO WALL UNIT • Prices Reflect Solid Colors ' • All prices are plus tax $329 24 X 48 INSIDE WATERFALL COCKTAIL TABLE 5 pc. QUEEN OMEGA BEDROOM SET Includes: 72 dresser or 72" armoire Our BETH ACHIM Family would like to invite YOUR Family to join us at two OPEN HOUSES to be held on Sunday, August 10, 1997 West Bloomfield: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm or Huntington Woods: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Also, please join us on Saturday, August 16, 1997 at our RABBI'S KIDDUSH for prospective new members. For more information, and High Holiday tickets please call or fax us at Office (248)-352-8670 Fax (248) 352-5752 38 Shabbat Matot-Mass'ei: Numbers 30:2-36:13; Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4. Congregation Beth Achim 21100 West Twelve Mile Road, Southfield, Michigan 48076 n the beginning of the first half ligence, with reasoning ability and of this week's double portion, with speech, it is, therefore, in- we come across the laws of cumbent upon us to recognize that we have also been laden with the nedarim — oaths. In order to appreciate the responsibility to utilize all of these Torah's attitude about oaths, we characteristics in positive ways. first have to understand the mes- It is expected of us — by He who sage of the phrase lo yachel d'uaro, endowed us — that we will think k'chol hayotzay mipeev ya'aseh — before speaking, especially where committing ourselves to he shall not desecrate his a specific plan of action or word. According to what type of behavior. Lo emanates from his mouth so shall he do yacheyl d'varoh — once the mental thought has (Chapter 30:3). It is an ancient teach- been transmitted in the ing of the sages that there form of a statement, "he are four levels in creation: shall not desecrate his domeym (silent, inani- word." mate), tzomey'ach (grow- The sages of the Tal- ing), chai (living) and mud emphasized further RABBI m'daber (speaking). AVIE SHAPIRO that even without the The first of these, specific oath formula, an SPECIAL domeym, refers to ele- individual is still held re- TO THE ments of nature such as sponsible by a higher JEWISH NEWS the soil, rocks — any- moral system for adher- thing that just sits where ing to whatever is spoken. it is and doesn't do anything. This lesson is reviewed again Tzomey'ach refers to all vege- in Chapter 32. There we read of tation — everything which grows the request presented to Moshe from the ground, from the lowest Rabeinu by the two and a half grass to the tallest tree and in- tribes (Reuven, Gad and half of cluding whatever grows on the Menashe). They propose that be- tree. cause of their abundant herds Chai applies to all living crea- they should be permitted to take tures other than mankind: ani- possession of lush, fertile lands on mals, fish, fowl and insects. They the eastern bank of the Jordan are higher up on the ladder of cre- River and not be required to cross ation than the first two but not westward with the other tribes. quite on that fourth and highest As we delve into this episode, level. The most intelligent crea- we hear Moshe's irate rebuke, ture in the chai category survives comparing the requesting group in its existence via the instincts to the previous generation which, with which God imbued it. It is in- after witnessing the array of mir- capable of the intelligent reason- acles required to bring about the ing, calculation, strategy and exodus, crossing the Red Sea and long-term planning which is sole- receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai, ly the realm of m'daber, the crown rebelled against the Almighty's of creation: humankind. plan to bring them to the We make mention of this promised land (Chapters 13,14). unique quality of ours in the In response to Moshe's reaction, fourth blessing of the daily week- the tribes offer to build shelters day Amidah when we intone the for their families and livestock and words, Atoh choneyn l'odom clays, then to lead the assault against um'lameyd le'enosh binah ... (You the Canaanite tribes occupying favor mankind with the knowl- the west-of-the-Jordan territories. edge and teach [him] under- Additionally, they say that they standing ...) It cannot be will not return to their position overemphasized that this gift of east of the Jordan until all of the intelligence—knowledge and un- other tribes have been assigned derstanding, the ability to accu- their portions of the inheritance mulate wisdom and store it in the west. internally and then refer to it for Nowhere in their answer to later use—all °fulls is what sep- Moshe do we find the words "oath" arates and distinguishes the or "promise." They have merely m'daber from the mere chai. spoken their minds, and their Because mankind has been words should be sufficiently reli- blessed by the creator with intel- able. In Moshe's acceptance of their offer, he does not require an oath or promise; rather, he says Rabbi Avie Shapiro is director of by way of requiring assurance religious activities at that they will "keep their word" is Fleischman (34:23) "... and that which came Residence I Blumberg Plaza.