Torah Portion
46 Years m
Business
and We're Still
Developing
To Ignore Self-Improvement
Is To Call Down A Plague
eased one" to realize the harm he
causes and to affect a recovery. A
properly functioning community
cannot and should not tolerate such
Les and Dave
malignant and virulent behavior that
C
has the frightening tendency also to
■ Superior Quality
be contagious.
■ Competitively Priced
C
Likewise, with the nega on hous-
es,
the Torah (Leviticus 14:34)
■ State-of-the-Art
he bulk of this week's
Techniques
explicitly
states: "When you come
parshot is taken up with
into
the
land
of Canaan that I give
—
nega
three types of
32731 Franklin Rd.
to you as a possession and I strike a
types
of
plagues
that
can
Franklin, MI 48025
nega on the house of your possession
strike one's body, clothing or house.
..." This plague is specifi-
(248) 626-3666
The Talmud (Sanhedrin
cally
directed against the
71A) brings the opinion that
Jewish
community
a "plagued house never was
dwelling
in their own land
and never will be and that
and
establishing
their own
the Torah writes about it for
community.
As
the
us to learn about and bene-
Midrash Halachah (Sifro
fit from this learning."
Metzora 5:3) derives: "As
These verses, then, are
a possession:' not until the
not necessarily describing
land is conquered and dis-
actual plagues or disease,
but rather parables from
RABBI ELIEZER tributed to the tribes,
extended families and
which we are to learn some
CO HEN
nuclear families" did the
lesson to improve ourselves
Spec ial to
or our community.
The Jew ish News nega appear. Once the
Jewish people are truly set-
The Talmud (Eruchin
tled in their own land and
16A) tells us that "the 'plagues of
attempting to lead a life governed by
nega' can be caused by seven things:
the Torah — that is, to establish a
derogatory speech, murder, false
community of mutual concern and
oath, sexual immorality, arrogance,
love, a community of justice and
thievery and lack of generosity." The
righteousness as mandated by the
Talmud then goes on to bring proof
Torah
— does the plague of anti-
texts for each of the seven causes.
social
behavior
become a destructive
Clearly, these seven modes of behav-
malignancy.
Then,
only removal of
ior are not only negative but are
the "cancer" can insure a healthy,
anti-social. They destroy the very
Torah-true community.
fabric of a society, causing divisive-
Divisiveness, hatred and alienation
ness, distrust, hatred and a break-
caused
by immoderate and destruc-
down of all constructive interperson-
tive
speech,
by dishonesty and faith-
al relationships.
lessness,
by
arrogance,
violence and
Society cannot progress and, in
selfishness
must
be
diagnosed
and
fact, will break down completely as
identified,
isolated
and
eliminated
its population exhibits these behav-
for the community to remain viable,
iors. The nega, the plague, of these
healthy and vigorous. O.
verses is then a symptom of a dis-
eased character of the individual or a
diseased community in the collective.
Private and
Thus, the Talmud (Eruchin 16B)
points out that the Torah demands
Group Lessons
that the person struck by the nega
Pre-Bar Mitzvah
Adat Shalom Synagogue will hold its
must "dwell by himself, outside the
Junior Groups
annual Youth Main Sanctuary Ser-
(Leviticus
(Ages 10-14)
camp and his habitation
vice
9 a.m. Saturday, May 2. Syna-
13:46) because he caused alienation
Wedding Packages
gogue teens will lead the Shabbat
between
man
and
wife,
between
Every Friday Night
morning service.
someone and his fellow." Such anti-
Adult Dance Parties
A catered lunch sponsored by the
social behavior that causes schism
Experience the Art of
congregation's Ronnie Posen Youth
and
hatred,
division
and
distrust
Partner Dancing
Fund will follow Kiddush. Youth
must be excluded and eradicated
awards will be presented at the lun-
from
the
community.
28651 N.W. Highway
cheon.
The miscreant must be isolated
Southfield, MI 48034
Advance reservations for the lun-
and expelled for the community to
(248) 356-5678
cheon are required: Call the Youth
function properly and for the "dis-
and Education office, (248) 626-
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congrega-
2153.
CLASSIFIEDS
Duman
tion Or Chadash
sus
GET
=1
Shabbat rarialMezora:
Leviticus 12:1-15:33; II
Kings 7:3-20.
Synagogues
Honor Leaders
T
classic
photography
,
Adat Shalom
Youth Service
I
5/1
1998
ITN
RESULTS!
Call
(248)354-5959
The Racusins
Congregations Beth Abraham Hillel
Moses and Beth Shalom will honor
Leonard Farber and Ellen and
Richard Racusin, their respective
1998 JTS award recipients on Satur-
day, May 2.
Leonard Farber, along with his
wife, Dolores, has been a longtime
member, worker and leader in
numerous capacities in what was pre-
viously Beth
Abraham, and
later, Beth
Abraham Hil-
lel Moses.
Richard
and Ellen
Racusin have
been active at
Beth Shalom
for many years
and in many
Leonard Farber
different
capacities. Mr. Racusin serves as a
member-at-large on the congrega-
tional board of directors and as trea-
surer for the Men's Club. He is also a
member of the Cultural Commis-
sion, the Shabbat and Holiday Cele-
bration Committee, the Building and
Maintenance Committee, the Shab-
bat and Holiday Ushering Commit-
tee, and the Renovation Committee.
Ellen Racusin works as a mathe-
matics tutor at Oakland Community
College (OCC). She also has been an
adjunct mathematics instructor at
the college. She is sisterhood treasur-
er and the slated nominee for sister-
hood president.