B orah Portion
God Helps Those
Who Help Themselves
longer could the people be complete-
ly passive and have God miraculously
protect them from harm. They must
learn to take some responsibility for
themselves. The sojourn in the
wilderness was to be their training
ground for becoming independent
and responsible — to live in the real
world much as all children must learn
to become independent of their par-
his week's Torah portion
ents.
begins with the verse:
Deuteronomy 8:5 states, "You
"When Pharaoh sent this
should know in your heart that just
nation out, God did not
as a person disciplines his child, so
lead them through the land of the
the Lord your God disciplines you."
Philistines, which was close ... lest the
And just as a parent must teach inde-
nation reconsider when they see war
pendence little by little from a con-
and return to Egypt" (Exodus 13:17).
text of trust and confidence
In spite of all the suffer-
in the aid of the parent, so
ing, hardship and travail of
was it with the Jewish peo-
their lives in Egypt, as long
ple in the wilderness.
as the security inherent in
Time and time again,
slavery was an option for the
whenever the people experi-
people, the danger existed
ence adversity, discomfort
that they would give up
or fear, they cry out against
their newly won freedom
Moses and God and threat-
and return to Egypt. The
en to return to the comfort-
insecurity of a life of free-
ing, if not comfortable, life
RABBI
E
LIEZER
dom and the discomfort of
of slavery. Time and again
CO
HEN
making their own decisions
they test God's commit-
Spec ial to
were frightening prospects
The Jew ish News ment to their welfare.
for those who knew naught
The manna itself, by its
but slavery. This then was
very nature, is an attempt
the purpose of their sojourn
to teach them trust in God and at the
through the wilderness — to make
same time they learn to become inde-
them independent and capable of
pendent. The manna, on the one
establishing their own community in
hand, was miraculous and continually
the land of Israel.
provided to them; but, on the other
This difficult struggle for self-
hand, they could not hoard it or even
_.->reliance is repeatedly evident in the
store it for the next day (except for
Torah portion. When confronted
Shabbat). They were provided for —
with the pursuit of the Egyptian
but only temporarily, both in the
army, they cry out: "... are there not
sense of each day's limit and only
enough graves in Egypt that you took
until they enter the land of Israel.
us to die in the wilderness; what is
Faith and trust in God cannot
this that you have done to us to take
simply mean an absolutely passive
us from Egypt? Is this not as we said
sense of "God's will be done," but
to you in Egypt? Leave us alone that
rather the sense that our active
we may serve Egypt. It would be bet-
attempt at survival and success may
, ==cer for us than to die in the wilder-
be helped along by God.
ness" (Exodus 14:11-12).
These were the lessons the Jewish
Moses responds to this outburst by
people had to learn before they were
telling the people: "... do not be
ready to enter the land of Israel and
afraid; stand and see God's salvation
establish their own community. Thus,
... God will fight for you and you
when they displayed their lack of
will remain silent." (Exodus 13:13-
confidence in God and themselves
14). Even Moses expected God to
with the acceptance of the negative
save the people without any initiative
report of the scouts (Numbers 13,14)
on their part just as He had humbled
and again threatened to return to
,Egypt with His plagues and had
Egypt, God decreed that the genera-
brought the people out of slavery.
tion would never be able to enter the
To this, God asks: "Why do you
land.
cry out to Me? Tell the children of
For them, the generation of slaves,
Israel to travel" (Exodus 14:16). No
returning to Egypt always remained
Shabbat
Shira/Beshalach:
Exodus 13:17-17•16•
Judges 4:4-5:31.
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of
Congregation Or Chadash.
only their children, brought up in the
wilderness and for whom Egypt was-
n't "home," would be able to enter
the land. In fact, from that point on
in the Torah, in spite of many
instances of complaints and trouble,
not once do they say, "Let's go back
to Egypt."
Trust in God, but demonstrate
independence and responsibility of
action. This is the lesson of the gen-
eration of the wilderness.
❑
Shir Tikvah
Learning Service
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Mon.— Sat. 9:30 A.M. to 5:00
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Troy-based Congregation Shir Tikvah
will host a learning Sabbath service
7:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, at
Northminster Church. This service is
in conjunction with the Detroit-wide
Jewish community effort to Rekindle
Shabbat.
The fourth- sixth-grade Family
Education students will assist Rabbi
Sleutelberg in leading some of the
prayers.
Participants are welcome to attend
an Oneg Shabbat (coffee and dessert
buffet) after the service. For informa-
tion, call the temple administrator,
(248) 619-9669.
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droPeverr.
Pholograph, Inc.
Improve Hebrew
Through Series
31543 W. 13 MILE RD.
Temple Kol Ami will host a Tuesday
lunch and learn series, "Vocabulary
101: Hebrew and Yiddish words you
need to know to feel like a mayven,"
noon Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the temple.
This informal session will be con-
ducted by Elissa Berg, educational
director.
Students can register for the whole
series (eight classes for $36) or drop
in for $5 per session. Bring lunch;
cold drinks and coffee will be provid-
ed. Register by calling the education
office, (248) 661-0040.
HAIR
SENSATION
an option. Thus, that entire genera-
tion had to die in the wilderness and
FARMINGTON HILLS
(248) 553-4867
.
1
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