SMUT SERVICES
FOR SINGLES
Alicia Nelson
Teacher, businesswoman and matchmaker
Torah Portion
How We Live As Jews
Accepts God's Challenge
Friday, December 12, 8 p.m.
CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM
14601 W. Lincoln, Oak Park
I
Services will be followed by an Oneg Shabbat
Mrs. Nelson is the owner of Tradition! Tradition
and taught at Hillel Day School and
Beth Shalom High School. Active
in Jewish women's and civic
organizations, Mrs. Nelson helped
organize the first community
women's seder in 1995. Her topic
is "Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make
Me a Match."
The Shabbat Services program is
sponsored by the Michigan Board
of Rabbis in cooperation with The
Jewish News and the Community
Outreach and Education Department of the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. For
information, call Kari Grosinger at Federation,
(248) 642-4260, ext. 241.
PARTICIPATING CONGREGATIONS
REFORM
Congregation Shir Tikvah
Temple Beth El
Temple Emanu-El
Temple Israel
Temple Kol Ami
Temple Shir Shalom
HUMANIST
Birmingham Temple
CONSERVATIVE
Adat Shalom Synagogue
Congregation Beth Abraham
Hillel Moses
Congregation Beth Achim
Congregation Beth Shalom
Congregation B'nai David
Congregation B'nai Moshe
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
HunterDouglas
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Finishes
what happens when a vacation comes?
Do the Shabbat candlesticks find their
way into a suitcase? If the family is at
home, kashrut is observed. But in
someone else's home, does fear of
embarrassment or a desire to "fit in"
serve as a rationalization for leaving
kashrut behind?
ears ago, while shopping in
it is natural to feel moreo,
Of
the Old City of Jerusalem, I
comfortable observing at home where
bought a small plaque
we can control the surroundings. But
depicting Jacob's dream. In
we have to move beyond that. We
the picture, Jacob is lying with a rock
should be working toward a point at
under his head while above him smil-
which we fulfill the obliga-
ing angels are ascending and
tions of our tradition outside
descending the ladder.
our homes as carefully as we
This dream seems to be
do at home.
an expression of deep spiri-
In the first paragraph of
tual yearning on the part of
the Sh'ma, we are taught tha;_--,
Jacob. A text in Midrash
the words of the Torah
Rababah compares the lad-
should be in our hearts and
der to Mt. Sinai; the angels
in our minds "at home and
represent Moses and Aaron;
away." While the home is
Jacob symbolizes all of Israel.
RABBI ROBERT the natural place to focus
But, some commentaries
our observance, we should
DOB RUSIN
seem to approach the story
realize that what we do out-
Special to The
in a less spiritual, more prag-
side is vitally important.
Jewish News .
matic manner. Rashi, for
Observance outside the
example, comments that
home not only sends a
Jacob is witnessing something specific,
strong message and can inspire and
namely the "changing of the guard." -
educate those who see us but also
The angels who have protected him
helps us to further deepen our com-
inside Eretz Yisrael are returning to
mitment to Judaism by reminding us
heaven and the ones who will protect
that there are no "boundaries" to our
him outside come down to join him.
commitments as Jews.
On the one hand, Rashi's commen-
To expand upon Rashi's comment,
tary seems to take some of the elevat-
God wanted Jacob to know that the
ing spirit out of the story. On the
world is really one place. Borders, even
other hand, the commentary has
those of the land of Israel, don't reallf,
always struck me as potentially being
separate o-ne place from another.
the p'shat, the intended meaning of the
Rather, this world is all under God's
story. Jacob is on the border of Israel
control and Jacob could expect God's
and the Torah's message of a universal
protection everywhere.
God who rules everywhere unlike the
As Jacob's descendants, we must
gods of the other nations whose
learn this lesson, too. Any place is a
dominion ends at the border is appro-
good starting point to observe Jewish
priately stressed here.
tradition, and the home is the best
While it may not be as spiritually
place of all to start. But at some point
uplifting as other explanations of the
it should occur to all Jews that how
dream, there is an important message
we live our lives outside our homes is
in this commentary for Jacob and for
as important and, on occasion, more
us. For Jacob, the message is: "Don't
important than what we do in the pri-
worry. I, God, will continue to protect
vacy of our domain.
you as you leave your homeland." For
Something surprises me about the
us, the message might be: "I am still
plaque we have. I've always been sur-
here outside your home. Our relation-
prised that the artist painted Jacob not
ship should be the same on the road
in spiritual ecstasy but with a quiet,
as at home."
contemplative face. Perhaps the artist
Our relationship with God centers
was influenced by Rashi's commen-
around mitzvot. Unfortunately for
tary, perhaps we should read the story
many Jews there seem to be different
this way, too, recognizing that if we
rules at home and away from home. If
want to experience the spiritually
a family is home on Friday evening,
uplifting message of this dream, we
candles are lit, kiddush is said. But
have to accept the challenge of having
our tradition accompany us wherever
Robert Dobrusin is rabbi of Beth
we go.
Shabbat Vayetze:
Genesis 28: 10-32: 3 ;
Hosea 12: 13- 14: 10
y
Israel Congregation in Ann Arbor.