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Be Aware Of Behavior
As God's Holy People

thoughtfulness and sensitivity to oth-
ers, our goodness and righteousness
should themselves proclaim us, indi-
vidually, and our people collectively, as
God's holy nation. The fact is that this
shows how far from the ideal, from
real Torah observance, we have
strayed.
he last half of this week's
As to the end of the verse "and they
sedrah contains the toche-
cho, the chastisement or
will fear you," there are those who
interpret it simply. If the Jewish peo-
warning to the Jewish peo-
ple were truly identified by their
ple about what will befall them if
they forsake God and his Torah.
behavior as "God's nation," then the
Tragically, the suffering
other nations wouldn't dare
so vividly described in these
to harass us, either our of
verses has occurred repeat-
awe for us of fear of arousing
edly throughout the genera-
God's wrath. There is,
tions of Jewish history. BLit
though, another interpreta-
the warnings and suffering
tion that focuses more close-
portrayed are preceded in
ly on my original point. The
the Torah by a rather short
great Gaon of Vilna, Rabbi
Eliahua (1720 1797), inter-
description of the advan-
tages and blessings that will
prets the Hebrew phrase
vyaru mimenu not to mean
be ours if we will but keep
RABB I
the Torah.
and they will fear you," but
ELIEZER
Among these advantages
rather
"they will fear from
COHEN
are material blessings, fruit-
you,"
which
is an equally
Special to The
fulness and plenty, but these
correct literal translation of
Jewish News
the Hebrew.
verses also describe the spir-
itual nature of the Jewish
What the Vilna Gaon learns
is that all of the non-Jewish nations
people if they "are careful to do all of
His commandments," (Deuteronomy
will see that the truly Torah-observant
Jewish people are holy and God's
28:1): "The Lord will establish you
nation and "learn to fear God from
to him as holy nation as He swore to
them." That the Jewish people would
you because you keep the command-
serve as the model for all nations to
ments of the Lord your God and go
become God fearing. And this, says
in His ways. And all the peoples of
the earth will see that the name of
the Gaon, is our obligation as Jews: to
imitate God's ways, to keep His Torah
the Lord is called upon you and they
will fear you," (Deuteronomy 29: 10-
and live so holy a life that even non-
11). These verses tell us very clearly
J ews would want to emulate us and
our society.
that if we keep the Torah by fulfilling
How far we are from fulfilling this
the commandments and by going in
duty!
the ways of God, we will be holy
nation. This holiness, further, will be
so manifest that even the other peo-
ples of the world will recognize us
not only as a holy nation but also as
God's own nation.
It is one thing to claim and pro-
Congregation B'nai Moshe will dress
claim that we are holy; it is quite
its
Torah scrolls in white mantles for
another thing to live in such a way
the
Days of Awe in a Selichot service,
that our very behavior demonstrates
8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27. New
recognizable sanctity to the observer.
members of the synagogue will be
The authentic Torah-true lifestyle is
given
the honor of changing over the
one that should be able to be identi-
Torah
covers.
fied as godly — even by the nations
The evening will begin with a
of the earth not familiar with the
dessert
reception sponsored by the
Torah itself.
congregational
membership commit-
Our behavior, our relationships
tees.
At
9
p.m.
there
will be a screen-
with others, both Jew and non-Jew,
ing
of
"Havana
Nagila:
The Jews in
our honesty and integrity, our dignity
Cuba," a documentary which was a
and nobility of behavior, our
recent first prize winner in the
International Jewish Video
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of
Competition. The Selichot service
Congregation Or Chadash.
will begin at 10:30 p.m.

Shabbat Ki Tavo:
Deuteronomy 26:
1-29:8; Isaiah 60:1-22.

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