Torah Portion

"A JEW"

For 3,500 years, millions were
proud to be called that...
Take one day and
find out why.
For

many of us,
Judaism has meant
little more than simplistic answers
for an overly complex world. At best, we
get a feeling of nostalgia remembering Jewish tradi-
tions from our childhood - or we may experience a
sort of 'belonging', when we find ourselves in
Jewish company. But is Judaism a factor of great
relevence to our lives?
Hardly?
And yet, this was not always so.
For 3,500 years, despite repeated
conquering by other nations, dispersions across the
globe, and expulsions from country after country,
Jews clung to Judaism as if it were the world's most
precious jewel.

What did they have? What gave them the grit to be
able to withstand the worst the world had to offer
and say, "You can't take my Judaism?"
For more than 3,500 years, our ancestors knew
something we don't today. If we want what they
had, a glimmer of the secret they understood, take
one Sunday out to attend the DISCOVERY
Seminar.
Join us for the most unusual adventure of dis-
covery you're likely to take. You'll not only learn
about Judaism, you'll learn about yourself. And
that's a discovery you cannot afford to miss.

For more information call
248-932-4088

• Sunday, February 8
1-6 pm
Tam O'Shanter Country Club

(5051 Orchard Lake Road at Walnut Lake and Lone Pine Rds.)

The Aish HaTorah
DISCOVERY Seminar
A one-day voyage into the "why" of being Jewish

I

1/16
1998

64

Presented by World Wide Financial

A Fear Of God,
A Love Of People

midwives' God fearing must illustrate \--)
a fundamental value essential for a
leader and desirable in all others.
Indeed the Torah's inclusion of the
midwives' preserving of life as a form
of being God-fearing is an invitation
for clarification and investigation.
The Or HaChaim, Rabbi Chaim
ben Attar, notes that the midwives'
praise comes from their desire for
RABBI BERNARD ANTIN
there to be no stillbirths. Conceivably
the midwives could have used those
Special to The Jewish News
children who would be born dead as
haraoh fearing the birth of
means of covering up all the live
an Israelite savior orders the
births. However, as the rabbi
midwives Shifra and Pua to
explains, the midwives did not want
kill males at birth. The
that kind of cover story; they prayed
Torah attests that the midwives did
no male be stillborn and no
more than not commit
child was. Pharaoh's decree
murder, they saw to the
was thoroughly disregarded.
infants' welfare. As Rashi
This is not the only place
points out, the word v't'chye-
in the Torah where preserva-
nah "... and they kept
tion of life and the fear of
[them] alive " in 1:17
God are intertwined. Joseph
means with food and water.
assured his brothers that
It is clear that if Pharaoh
they were not in mortal
knew his decree was being
danger by telling them in
purposely defied, the mid-
Bereshit 42:18 he is God-
RABBI
wives would face death. Yet
fearing.
BERNARD
when describing what moti-
Conversely, in Bereshit
ANTIN
vated these women to risk
the absence of the
20:11,
Special to The
their lives, words like brav-
fear
of
God in Gerar is what
Jewish News
ery, selflessness or compas-
prompted Avraham our
sionate are not used. Rather
father to claim Sarah our
the midwives' act was an expression
mother as his sister. Otherwise,
of being God-fearing (Shemot 1:17).
Avraham implies to Avimelech he
But, was the midwives' behavior
would have been murdered so- that
worthy of special mention? The mid-
Sarah could become available. The
wives had been ordered to take lives
connection between the value
or lose their own, a sin for which
ascribed to human life and the fear of c—/\
Jewish Law requires martyrdom. To
God is clear.
be sure, the Talmud in Sanhedrin 74a
Apparently even a minimal fear of
declares such unwavering fidelity to
God incorporates a moral sense that
principle as a sanctification of God's
values others' lives. An absence of
name. However, what aspect of the
God fearing, on the other hand, cre-
midwives' conduct made this incident
ates a perspective where others' lives
unique? Why would the Torah make
enjoy only a minimal value. Now
a big deal over someone doing what
then, the question becomes how did
is expected of her? Clearly, Shifra and
the midwives' God-centered fear
Pua had done something extraordi-
translate into a people/life-preserving r='
nary.
value?
Shemot 1:21 teaches that the mid-
Maimonidies in the second chap-
wives were rewarded with houses.
ter of laws the foundations of Torah
These houses, Rashi says, were fami-
explains how the fear of God is culti-
lies of priests, levi'im, and King
vated. Maimonidies says the fear of
David's dynasty which these women
God comes-about from contempla-
merited to found. Rabbi Moshe
tion of God's works "... creation in its
Feinstein supplements Rashi by
wondrous grandeur and incompara-
pointing out why being God-fearing
ble wisdom ...” The conclusion to be
is a key personality trait for future
reached from such musings is a desire
priests, levi'im and kings.
to be close to God as well as an
Therefore, the specialness of the
awareness of man's place in the con-
text of God's design. An image
emerges of humanity albeit quite
Bernard Antin, formerly the mash-
giach ruchani for Touro College in New
small in relation to the cosmos and at
York, practices law in Southfield.
the same time specially empowered to

Shabbat Shemot:
Exodus 1:1-6:1;
Isaiah 27:6-28:13;
29:22-23.

IED

