The Couples Committee of the Jewish Federation
Young Adult Division proudly presents our first

Torah Portion

Barn Dance
& Hay Ride

The Greatest Mitzvah
Is Being Part Of The Whole

Bring a date, dance partner,
friend, or spouse

Saturday,
October 28
8 p.m. - midnight

Upland Hills Farm

T

481 Lake George Road, Oxford

$15 per person

Join us for hayrides,
square dancing, campfires,
s'mores, hot apple cider,
spirits and a bonfire!

Questions? Cal Rebecca Rosen at (248) 203-1492
or e-mail: rosen@jfmd.org

Please respond by Monday, October 23

T his is .ecierisrtion

YOUNG
ADULT
DIVISION

Visit us on the Web: www.thisisfederation.org/YAD

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there are among the Jews those with
good deeds but without Torah knowl-
edge. And just as the aravot have nei-
ther flavor nor fragrance, there are
among them those with neither Torah
knowledge nor good deeds. What does
God do with them? He can't destroy
them. So God says, 'Bind them
here are many mitzvot in
together into one assemblage and they
the Torah for which it is
will atone one for the other and I will
difficult to find some kind
be elevated.' Therefore, Moshe com-
of explanation of rational-
manded the Jews (Leviticus 23:40):
ization. Except for a very few mitzvot,
`Take for yourselves on the first day...'"
the Torah itself does not give reasons.
Thus the midrash gives us a power-
Therefore, sages through the gener-
ful message in its interpreta-
ations have speculated and
tion of the symbolism of the
offered a variety of explana-
mitzvah. Every Jew, without
tions for each mitzvah, mak-
exception, is indispensable
ing it clear that our obser-
to the nation. Just as the
vance in no way depends on
mitzvah performed without
an explanation. Certainly one
all four species is invalid —
of the strangest mitzvot in
and they must be joined
the Torah is the command-
together — so, too, the
ment of arbdah minim —
Jewish people must have all
the four species.
of its parts. This includes
We are bidden in the
RABBI E LIEZER even one who has never
Torah (Leviticus 23:40) to
learned any Torah knowl-
CO HEN
take the four species "and
edge and has never per-
Specia 1 to the
rejoice before the Lord your
formed even one good deed.
Jewish News
God for seven days." These
The Jew farthest from
four species have been identi-
Jewish knowledge and
fied by Jewish law and tradition as the
observance, the miscreant who never
etrog (citron), the lulav (date palm
did even one good deed in his life is
branch), hadasim (three myrtle
still an absolutely indispensable part of
branches) and aravot (two willow
God's holy nation.
branches). These four types of vegeta-
The obligation of the mitzvah
is to join all of the species together
to create one unit — just as the
Jewish people must join into one
indivisible, mutually dependent
unit.
It is through this unity (in spite of
or maybe because of its diversity)
that God Himself is elevated in
the minds and hearts of all
observers. How can we claim to be
God's own people if we cannot come
tion are held together and waved at
together as one? What a desecration of
certain points in the service — specifi-
God's glory if we, His own nation,
cally during Hallel, the festival psalms
cannot unify and show each other
of praise to God.
mutual respect and love, concern and
There is a midrash (Leviticus Raba
compassion. ❑
30:11) that gives us a beautiful inter-
pretation of the significance and sym-
bolism of this mitzvah:
"It represents the Jews. Just as the
etrog has flavor and fragrance, so the
What other symbolic meaning
Jews; there are those among them with
can we find in the mitzvah of
Torah knowledge and good deeds. Just
arba'ah minim? What is it that
as the lulav has flavor (of the dates)
keeps us from unifying? What
and no fragrance, so there are among
actions can I, as an individual,
the Jews those with Torah knowledge
take to foster more unity among
but without good deeds. Just as the
Jews? How can we, as a nation,
hadasim have fragrance but no flavor,
better reflect our identity as
God's holy nation?
is rabbi of Congregation

Shabbat Sukkot:
Leviticus 22:26-23:44;
Numbers 29:12-16;
Zachariah 14:1-21.

Eliezer Cohen
Or Chadash.

';;W:ST-WM,WWINV; AN

