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 WINDOW F ASHIONS HAS YOUR WINDOWS COVERED APPLAUSE® Single and Double Honeyco Shades • Energy Efficient • Economical • Fits Any Shape Window LightLines® Aluminum Blinds 1" Slat Desi • Spring Tempered • Dust Sheild " • Special Black out "de-light" feature • Hidden Brackets • Child Safety Tassel UPGRADE: Suede & Pearlized 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.