Torah Portion
Being Without God And Mitzvot
Is To Not Be Alive At All
Shabbat Nahamu
Parshah Va-Ethannan:
Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11
Isaiah 40:1-26
E
read the book Tuesdays with Morrie,
the inspiring story of a man who
chose to use the last days before his
death to share his life and learning
with family and friends. The process
of listening to his teacher Morrie
affected and changed Mitch Albom's
life and our lives, in turn, as we read
and witness.
These ethical and spiritual teach-
ings are a blessing and a gift from
our parents and teachers.
As Moses begins to tell the people
again of the mitzvot they
are to hold dear, he says:
very good educator will
sing the praises of the "set
induction." In the class-
room, a set induction sets
the mood for the lesson to follow. A
five-minute clip from a
"Seinfeld" episode on gos-
"V'atem ha-dv'kim badonai
sip can set the stage for a
elokeichem hayyim kulkhem
lesson on lashon harah (evil
h-ayom" — "You, who
speech). The learners' atten-
hold on to the Lord, your
tion and energy are focused
God, are alive today."
on the lesson.
(Deuteronomy 4:4) The
Our parshah (Torah por-
verse is sung every week in
tion) begins as Moses pre-
synagogue when we begin
pares for his own death.
the Torah service.
God tells Moses that he will RABBI TZIONA
Ray Abraham Isaac
not enter the Promised
Kook, one of the first
SZ ADMAN
Land with the Israelites; it
chief rabbis of British
Speci al to the
is his time to die. With his
Palestine, explains that the
Jewis h News
last breath, Moses gives
life promised by the Torah
final instructions to the
is not the opposite of
people, emphasizing our covenant
death, but the alternative to a mere
with the God of our ancestors, the
vegetative existence. To live without
God who took us out of Egypt, and
God and mitzvot, to live without
our responsibility to the mitzvot in
living right and
good lives.
Moses' speech is
his final gift to the
people as they leave
their childhood in
the desert for their
adult lives in Eretz
Yisrael (Land Of
Israel). The message
is not new, but the set induction of
ethics and spiritual awareness, is to
Moses' departure brings a new
live in the shadow of life, to not be
attention and a new energy to the
alive at all.
lesson.
It is a full life that Moses
As I see Moses' words and his
bequeaths to us as his own life ends.
instructions to teach them to our
It is a full spiritual life that all par-
children and our children's children,
ents wish to pass on to their chil-
I am reminded of two wonderful
dren.
books: The Memoirs of Gluckel of
by
Hameln and Tuesdays with Morrie
Mitch Albom. The Memoirs of
Gluckel of Hameln was written as an
ethical will by a Jewish woman in
What ethical will or teaching do
the late 17th century. This Jewish
you wish to leave your children?
mother left her children a multi-vol-
How will you do so? How do we
ume work of her hope, dreams and
set the stage for our relationship
spiritual-ethical teachings.
with
God and our own spiritual-
Many of us have seen the film or
ity? What memories of parents
Tziona Szajman is a rabbi and educa-
and teachers sustain your Jewish
tor at Congregation Beth Shalom. Her
identity?
It is a full life that Moses
bequeaths to us as his
own life ends.
Important Notice to
Holocaust Survivors
and Their Heirs
If you are a Holocaust survivor or the heir of a Holocaust victim, you may have a
legitimate unpaid Holocaust era life, education or dowry claim.
You can file a claim through a Claims Resolution Process set up by the
International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims (ICHEIC).
The Commission consists of representatives of United States insurance
regulators, five European insurance companies and their subsidiaries, the State
of Israel, worldwide Jewish and Holocaust survivor organizations and European
regulators as Observers.
ICHEIC has managed an extensive research effort to identify potential
policyholders. In total, 450,000 names have been published representing more
than 500,000 insurance policies. The list will be updated with new names in the
coming weeks. However, these lists are unlikely to include all the names of
Holocaust victims who had insurance policies during the relevant period. People
should not be discouraged from filing claims simply because their name or the
names of family members do not appear on any published lists. Anyone who
believes he or she has a valid life, education or dowry policy is encouraged to
present the claim to ICHEIC.
The opportunity exists for you to receive payment if you submit a claim before
September 30, 2003.
The Claims Resolution Process is a free service that provides individuals with a
central source for information on, investigation into, and payment of these
outstanding policies.
If you or someone you know may be eligible visit the website:
www.icheic.org
or call '1-800-957-3203
741910
Always Remembering you...
Robyn Mitnick
suinne's
BRIDAL GALLERY
33316 Grand River Ave/Downtown Farmington
appointment prefered
248/474/3131
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conlyeriations, •
e-mail address is:
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248.351.5174
8/ 8
2003
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