„. Torah
„
Portion

arking Privileges
In God's World

IF NOT NOW,
WHEN?

the hour is,up the meter uses the word
"expired." Haven't I seen that word
used in some other connection?
Yet the parking meter is a fascinat-
ing invention to think about when
one's mind isn't occupied with more
weighty matters. It seems to me that
one can learn a great deal from it. And
now that I think about it, it occurs to
me that I have never seen a parking
ast week, as I have done so
meter
on the grounds of a cemetery.
often in the past, I parked
In
the
Talmud there is a statement:
my car at a parking meter
"A
person's
character is displayed in
and deposited the required
the
way
he
handles
his coin, cup and
coins. I knew that I had one hour in
his
anger
(pocket,
potion,
passion)."
which to transact my business. But as
In
dealing
with
time
—
as
we
I walked away, I couldn't help focusing
approach
a
calendar
change
in time
-on the meter with its feature which
from
5757
to
5758
—
we
would
be
had simply not occurred to me before.
wise
to
assume
limited
time
on
the
This modern gadget, a
meter of life. Who can be so
result of urban crowding,
certain that the meter will
treats all cars with impartiali-
allow
unlimited amounts of
/f. The latest, top-of-the-line
life's
most
precious com-
car gets no more time than
modity — time.
the battered, rusty economy
When the sages said,
model, which has served for
"Repent
one day before you
many years. Both are alike to
die,"
they
were saying that
the meter, which says to
the
parking
meter may run
them, "No more than one
out
tomorrow.
Since one
hour."
RABBI
rarely
knows
when
he will
There are some people
DAVID
A.
die,
we
are
supposed
to live
who take care of their affairs
every day as if it were our
NELSON
less than the permitted
last. This is how Judaism
Special to The
hour. Can they complain that
understood the modern
Jewish
News
they have been cheated, that
idea
of enhancing the quali-
they paid for a full hour and
ty
of
one's life. Imagine
1sed only a portion of it? The answer
how
we
would
behave
if we thought
is obviously in the negative. The meter
that
our
life's
parking
meter
was run-
never owes you any time; you cannot
ning
out!
come back another day and claim the
Shabbat Shalom in this Shabbat
time you did not use.
when
we are instructed to "choose
On the other hand, there are those
life"
if
you and your offspring would
who cannot get their business done
live
by
loving the Lord your God,
within the limits set by the meter.
heeding
His commandments and
This is regrettable, but nothing can be
holding
fast
to Him. (Deuteronomy
done about it. One must learn to reg-
30:10-20).
Fdate his affairs according to the time
-allotted to him. When that period is
over, he may not park legally any
longer, but must move on, making
room for others who will take his
space.
Congregation Beth Achim will observe
Suppose a person desires to outwit
Selichot
Sept. 27. Saturday, Havdalah
the meter and decides to put in several
will
be
followed
by a progressive din-
coins thus hoping to prolong his park-
ner
for
chavurot
members that will
ing time. Does it help him in any
take place at several member homes
way? If you were familiar with the
prior to meeting at the synagogue at
workings of the instrument, you real-
10:15 p.m. at the synagogue, a pro-
ize that no matter how much money
gram
will be presented by Lyra, a trio
you may have, you can only get one
of
singers.
Dessert will follow the pro-
hour of time from it. Putting in more
gram
at
11:15
p.m.
•-money will give you no more privi-
Selichot
services
will begin at mid-
geges.
night. There is no charge for the pro-
It is interesting to me that when
gram or dessert. Call the synagogue
office, (248) 352-8670, for informa-
David Nelson is rabbi of
tion.
Congregation Beth Shalom.

Shabbat Nitzavim-
'Vayelech: Deuteronomy
29:9-30:20; Isaiah
61:10-63:9.

Here it is, almost the end of the year, the market's at an
all-time high, and you're wondering if the tax folks are
going to eat you — and your profits — alive.

Thanks to the bull market, many investments have
doubled in value. If you sell now, before the end of the
year, Uncle Sam will want a hefty share of your good
fortune.

Well, there's another way for charitable givers.

Set up a philanthropic fund now with the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, and you'll:

1) avoid major estate taxes when sold

2) earn 7.5% on funds while they're on deposit
with United Jewish Foundation

3) have a say in how your charitable dollars will
be spent

4) feel you've done something of lasting value for
your community

There's never been a better time than now.

For information, call George Cohen in the Endowment Department of
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, (248) 642-4260, ext. 204.

c

-

r

Beth Achim
Plans Selichot

P.O. Box 2030 • Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-2030
(248) 642-4260

e

UNITED
JEWISH
OUNDATION

F

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