Walking
The Walk

A rabbi exhibits the inner dinmensions of joy
on the holiday of Sukkot.

its. Then he drew an analogy to the
body/soul connection, which
"behaves" during the days between
Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur
porting a Homburg hat and
when
God, the king, is close. He
beard, he looks like a
then explained the princess' begging
Jerusalem cbasid. When he
for the king to extend his visit as the
speaks, he sounds like a
impetus for the holiday of Sukkot
philosophy professor. Actually, he's
(Please see Apple Tree, page 69).
both.
After discussing the myriad mitzvot
On the day after Yom Kippur,
of Sukkot as a way to maintain con-
Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb, former profes-
nection to "the king," Rabbi Gottlieb
sor of mathematical logic at Johns
then asked, "Ahh ... but what happens
Hopkins University in Baltimore,
after Sukkot?"
addressed nearly 100 listeners at an
He noted that Sukkot ends with
Ohr Somayach Detroit "Lunch and
Simchat Torah, and concluded that
Learn."
Torah study is what keeps the Jewish
Appearing at the Franklin Fitness &
soul's connection to God throughout
Racquet Club in Southfield, Rabbi
the rest of the year.
Gottlieb spoke on "The Inner
Gregg Nathanson of West
Dimensions of Joy on Sukkot." He
Bloomfield
enjoyed Rabbi Gottlieb's
now teaches Jewish philosophy at
analogy
comparing
learning Torah to
Yeshivat Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem.
mountain
climbing.
The rabbi had
He's the author of The Informed Soul
said,
throwing
up
his
hands, "As
(Feldheim Publishers) and Living Up
soon
as
you
struggle
to
get over the
... To the Truth, his newest book.
top,
there's
another
one
"He's a very strong speaker, a
on
the
other
side!
You
Rabbi
Dovid
very smart fellow," said audi-
Gottlieb offers his never reach the end goal
ence member Allan Reinstein
studied
with Torah learning, but
of Farmington Hills.
on
the
it helps to look back and
P
Articulately attacking the
holiday of Sukkot. see what you've accom-
subject matter as though out-
plished."
lining a thesis, Rabbi Gottlieb
Nathanson,
who has begun learn-
(repentance)
first analyzed the teshuva
ing
Torah
and
performing
various
process of Yom Kippur. He used para-
mitzvot,
called
it
"encouraging
to
bles and discussed the psychologically
think
about
looking
back
to
check
beneficial process of guilt.
your progress."
Ruthe Levy of Oak Park said she
Fred Leeb of Orchard Lake com-
enjoyed the rabbi's talk. "Even though
mented
on the rabbi's zeal. "It was
I have an Orthodox background," she
great to see someone totally connect-
said, "he gave me new nuggets to chew
),
ed, speaking with such enthusiasm,
on that I didn't know before."
Leeb said. "He talks the talk and
Rabbi Gottlieb offered the story
walks
the walk." I 1
of a princess whose husband mis-
treats her, except when the king vis-

SUSAN TAWIL '
Special to the Jewish News

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9/24
1999

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