The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit presents THE MAIN EVENT featuring • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • S • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 4/19 • 2002 • 58 • Torah Portion Spirituality Is Achieved By Holy Deeds, Not Feelings Interestingly, most of these com- mandments have nothing to do with what we would consider holiness at all. Where's meditation? What about the Reb Sholmo Carlebach-style Kabbalat Shabbat? Those make me feel holy. So why didn't they make the'list? • They didn't make the list because I ye got great news! Well, good it isn't about feeling holy, it's about news and bad news. being holy. Ramban, the great It seems that researchers Spanish sage, explains that we can from Duke University in only achieve holiness by gaining a Durham, N.C., have found a drug measure of control over ourselves. that builds muscle mass in When we learn to separate mice. With a little time and our needs from our desires patience, I'm sure they'll — when we focus on find a way to make it work what's right and not simply on people, too. what I want, we have That's where I come in. inculcated Godliness and The good news is, I no holiness into ourselves. longer have to work out to All too often, we care stay in shape. No more more about what feels sweaty clothes and hard right than what we know workouts at the gym. That's to be true. Even though I the bad news, too. I guess knew it wouldn't be good RABBI I've been wasting my time for me, I ate the Ben and REUVEN running three times a week Jerry's for dessert because it SPOLTER at the Jewish Community tasted good. The same is Special to the Center when I could have true for spirituality. Too Jewish News been taking a pill to stay in often, we look for religiosi- shape all along. ty that "tastes good," with- If only it were that easy. out wondering whether it's really Yet, when it comes to religion, good for us. Then, when that spiri- too many of us think it's like taking tual ice cream is gone, we wonder a pill. We think holiness is some why we're left feeling bloated and magical, spiritual nirvana we can unfulfilled. read in a book or achieve through In reality, holiness shouldn't be meditation. But it isn't nearly that too easy because if it were, it would- simple. n't be worth anything. Only because Kedoshim, the second of the two it's so hard is holiness so significant. parshiyot (Torah portions) we read It's hard to pay my taxes in full this week, teaches us how to achieve without cutting corners. And it's the lofty goal of holiness. "You shall hard to keep kosher in a town with be holy, for I am holy," God tells us. so few kosher restaurants. It's hard to Sounds easy enough, but this only refrain from speaking slanderously begs the question: How do I do it? about a foolish co-worker. Can I become holy by connecting There are a few tips that I can myself to my fellow Jews? Will I find give you to help you on your path spirituality in a temple to humanity towards becoming more holy. And, utterly devoid of God? No, says the I'd love to tell you them, but I have Torah, I will not because spirituality to go running. There's some ice and holiness lay not so much in how cream that I have to go work off. I feel, but in how I act. . If we wish to find holiness, God tells us, we will only find it by keep- ing the mitzvot (commandments). Honor and fear your parents. Don't At the end of the parshah, God worship idols. Don't steal. Don't explicitly connects our keeping hate your brother. Don't cheat on of the mitzvot with our inheri- your spouse. In fact, Kedoshim lists tance of the land of Israel. Does 51 different mitzvot ranging from our behavior as Jews, both as charity to the poor to honesty in individuals and as a community, business to how I cut my hair. strengthen or weaken our hold on the Holy Land? Reuven Spolter is rabbi of Young Israel Shabbat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim: Leviticus 16.1-20:27; Amos 9:7-15. . Wednesday, May 8, 2002 Adat Shalom Synagogue 29901 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills . Strolling Dinner: 7 pm / Program: 8 pm $36 ticket price Conversations $500 Individual minimum gift requirement to Federation's Annual Campaign 2002 $250 Young Adult Division minimum gift requirement Advance registration required Questions? Contact Amy Kasmin, (248) 203-1481, or e-mail kasmin@jfmd.org To register online, visit wwvv.thisisfederation.org Thanks to TaMaROFF Automotive Group FEDERATION1 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN help ts 2002 Ilern Men ❑ T his is c-eoleration •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • of Oak Park.