Margot and Warren Torah Portion Return, Repentance And Torah Observance APARTMENTS We're Celebrating 20 Years of Providing Quality Assisted Living for Older Adults We offer: • Spacious, furnished apartments with private bedrooms and full kitchens • Supportive services and Personal Care assistance provided by trained geriatric care staff and social workers • Kosher-style meals, seven days per week • Jewish Holiday Celebrations & Social/Recreational Activities If someone you know desires a shared, family-like setting, please call Jan Bayer at 248-559-1500 Jewish Family Service of Ahrwolitan Drrroit /Mk empty thing it is 'from you' that it is so; and why? Because you did not weary yourself upon it. It is your life. When is it your life? When you weary yourself upon it." Rabbi Mana understands that Moshe is telling the people that to truly make the Torah meaningful and the source of their existence, they must not only keep its rules, but must also try to understand it and internalize that learning and understanding. his Shabbat is known tra- To the Jew who feels that the ditionally as Shabbat Torah is empty, meaningless and Shuva, the Sabbath of irrelevant to him and his Return, or Shabbat life, Rabbi Mana proclaims Teshuva, the Sabbath of that the lack is not within Repentance. the Torah, but rather it is Both names emphasize from you. The Jew for the same point, for in whom the Torah is not "his Hebrew the root word of life," the source of his very is the teshuva, repentance, existence, simply does not word to return, shuva. We know or understand the are bid to return to God Torah. Rabbi Mana says and to the proper way of even more than that; he life that we, in our igno- emphasizes the point that rance or arrogance, our b RABBI ELIEZER understanding the Torah desire or stubbornness, have COHEN requires hard work, dili- forsaken. Special to the gence and devoted time — This week's portion con- cc to weary oneself upon it. Jewish News tains the shim, song or The Torah cannot be poem, that Moshe (Moses) understood — really places before the people as understood — in a superficial man- a testimony to God's love for the ner. Jewish people and His ultimate jus- The Talmud makes the same tice and righteousness in dealing point. "Rabbi Yitzchok said, 'If one with them. Following this shira, says to you I wearied myself (learn- Moshe exhorts the people one last ing Torah) and did not achieve time before his death to remain (understanding), don't believe him; faithful to God and His Torah. or if he says I didn't weary myself Moshe proclaims to his beloved 16) 32:15 nation (Deuteronomy ... set your hearts upon all these things that I testify to you today, that you charge your children to be sure to do all the words of the Torah; for it is not an empty thing from you, but it is your very life ..." Moshe tells them that the source of life, their very being, existence and identity, is God's Torah. The very essence of the Jew is his being commanded by God to keep the Torah. However, the term "from you" that Moshe uses is almost as strange a construction in Hebrew as it is in the English translation. The Jerusalem Talmud picks up on this unusual usage and interprets the verse, " ... as Rabbi Mana interpreted: 'for it is not an empty thing ...' and if it is an Shabbat Haazinu: Deuteronomy 32:1-52; Hosea 14:2-10; Micah 7:18-20; Joel 2:15-27. - WHERE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE! • Innovative designs • Impeccable installation • Incomparable service • 17 years of experience 248.855.8747 Call today for your free in-home consultation - '411IOR eeVreft 0144 Formerly of The Closet Company, Inc. * * * * * STAIRWAY LIFTS* * * * * THE CAREFREE WAY TO CLIMB STAIRS When you're disabled, or just not able to move around as free.; - as you once could, stairs can be a real prob- lem. But there is a simple answer. The powered stairway lift. Easily installed to fit curved or straight stairs. They give you back the ability to move around your own home. Folds back-gets in nobody's way. CALL OR STOP BY FOR A FREE DEMONSTRATION 9/17 1999 ACTON RENTAL & SALES LARRY ARONOFF 82 Detroit Jewish News I love my Stairway Lift! / It takes me up and down the stairs with the push of a but- ton. Call for details! (313) 891-6500 (248) 540-5550 Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation Or Ch. adash.