THE ISAAC AGREE
DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGE
Torah Portion
Invites the Community to Celebrate
THE HIGH HOLIDAYS
at our new location
The Sins Of The Individual
Affect The Entire Society
The Millennium Centre (former Northland Theatre)
15600 J. L. Hudson Drive, Southfield, MI 48075
The second battle, against Ai, is a fail-
ure. We then find out that the reason is
because of Achan's transgression.
This is in contrast to the verse in
Nitzavim, for Achan's transgression was a
secret one and, therefore, he alone
should have been punished.
•
In the Babylonian Talmud
(Sanhedrin
43b),
Rav
Judah
suggests
hen I was young, I loved
that the dots in Parshat Nitzavim are
dot-to-dot puzzles. I've
there to tell us that following the cross-
always enjoyed pimles
ing of the Jordan, even secret sins
and word games, but as a
become the responsibility of the com-
child, it was my greatest pleasure to
munity.
The words "for us and our chil-
draw a line continuously from one num-
dren" are dotted because they
ber to the next, never knowing
apply even to the first part of
until the end what the picture
the verse.
would turn out to be.
So which is it? Am I only
Parshat Nitzavim contains a
responsible for my own trans-
kind of dot-to-dot pt1771e
gressions or am I part of the
Found here is one of the places
collective whole of the com-
in the Torah in which the
munity,
judged together with
scribes of old have left us with
them
for
our combined
dots above letters. We don't
actions, good and bad?
always know the reason for the
There is a story of a town
dots, but they serve as a spring-
in
which
all the residents
board for an abundance of rab- RABBI ELLIOT
were
instructed
to bring a
.binic commentary.
PAC HTER
bottle
of
wine
from
their per-
Like my childhood puzzles,
Specia 1 to the
sonal
collection,
and
pour it
these dots start out as a mys-
Jewis h News
into the community wine vat
tery; but after studying the
in order to replenish the pub-
commentaries, we begin to see
lic supply. One resident had a brilliant
a clearer picture.
idea. He decided to bring a bottle of
The verse in question says: "Con-
water.
After all, he thought, with all the
cealed acts concern the Lord our God;
wine
being
poured into the vat by my
but with overt acts, it is for us and our
neighbors, no one will notice my one
children ever to apply all the provisions
bottle of water. After all the townspeo-
of this teaching." (Deuteronomy 29:28).
ple completed making their contribu-
A dot appears over each of the letters
tions, the mayor s removed the first sam-
of the Hebrew lanu ul'vaneinu — for us
ple
of wine and discovered in horror
and our children — as well as on the
that
what emerged was clear water —
first letter (ayin) of the word "ever,"
everyone
had the same brilliant idea!
making a total of 11 dots.
The action of the individual, even in
The application of this verse seems to
secret, almost always impacts the com-
be: If one sins in private (concealed acts),
munity. Our good deeds, even small,
God will punish only the sinner. But if
will
improve our society.
one's transgressions are known to the
And
our willingness to help bring an
whole community (overt acts), then the
evil
neighbor
to repentance will be effort
entire community will face the conse-
well
spent.
H
quences of the sin of the individual.
Doesn't this make sense? What I do
in private is between me and God. But
consider this from the Book of Joshua:
Joshua leads the Israelites in the con-
Should repentance be handled on
quest of Canaan. The opening battle,
an individual or communal basis?
against Jericho, is a success; but an indi-
If my neighbor is running crimi-
vidual Israelite, Achan, violates God's
nal activity out of his home, to
commandment and keeps some of the
what extent is it my responsibili-
spoils of victory in his tent.
ty to stop him? Is it ever fair to
punish
an entire class for the mis-
Elliot Pachter is the rabbi of Congregation
deeds
of
one or two students?
I
B'nai Moshe. His e-mail address is
1,3
rabepach@bnaimoshe.org
Shabbat Nitzavim-
Vayalech: Deuteronomy
29:9-31:30; Isaiah
61:10-63:9.
W
Conversations
A warm, friendly environment.
No admission charge. No tickets required.
Friday evening, September 26
7:45 p.m.
Saturday morning, September 27
8:30 a.m.
Sunday morning, September 28
8:30 a.m.
Sunday night, October 5 (Kol Nidre)
6:45 p.m.
Monday morning, October 6
9:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
Yizkor
Mincha
5:00 p.m.
Shofar
8:15 p.m.
For further information, call (313) 961-9328
3
SA
I The Members of the
SHOLEM ALEICHEM
INSTITUTE
invite you to join them at their
SECULAR HIGH HOLIDAY ASSEMBLIES
to be held at
ORCHARD LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL
6000 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield
ROSH HASHANA: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2003(10 a.m.-12 Noon)
KOL NIDRE: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2003 (8 p.m.-9:30 p.m.)
YOM KIPPUR: MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2003 (10 a.m.-12 Noon)
As Always No Ticket Required
Membership inquiries welcome. Call Institute Office (248) 423-4406
Far your best price,
selection ,anel
persorz‘dizeel service
CINDY
9,
SCHLUSSEL
Anb.
►
CHRYSLER
Rymolith
I
motor
an
SC3Ie.S.
,
vv ce I I e. cl I c:a
mi
41b.
Jeep
Eagle
9/19
2003
65