Spirituality Torah Portion / Synagogues Life And Death And The Power of God Shabbat Vayikra: Leviticus 1:1-5:26• Isaiah 43:21-44:23. . Ilipir hat did Jews argue about before we had Israeli politics, feminism and gay rights? It's hard to believe, but the topic that elicited the most passion was an entirely aca- demic point: whether animal sacrifice remained a legitimate form of Jewish worship. I say that this dispute was academic for the obvious reason that Jews haven't offered animal sacrifice since the Romans destroyed our Temple in 70 C.E. Yet, never underestimate the significance of aspiration. Orthodox prayer books have in recent years high- lighted the sacrifices, providing detailed explanations about just where to splash the blood. Reform liturgy followed the lead of Mordecai Kaplan, who derided the "parade of animals" and removed all prayers for a restora- tion of the sacrificial cult. Daniel Nevins is a spiritual leader at Adat Shalom Synagogue. CONSERVATIVE days 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 8 a.m., 6 p.m. lvriah religious school (810) 732-6312. Allen. Ritual director: Dr. Martin Herman. President: Dr. Ellen Kahn. Services: Saturday 8:30 a.m. ADAT SHALOM SYNAGOGUE BETH ISRAEL (ANN ARBOR) CONGREGATION CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK 29901 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, 48334, (248) 851- 5100. Rabbis: Daniel Nevins, Herbert Yoskowitz. Cantor: Howard Glantz. Rabbi emeritus: Efry Spectre. Cantor emeritus: Larry Vieder. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6:45 p.m.; weekdays 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Bar mitzvah of Evan Adelsberg, son of Phyllis and David Adelsberg. BEIT KODESH BETH TEPHILATH MOSES CONGREGATION BETH AHM 5075 W. Maple, West Bloomfield, 48322, (248) 851-6880. Rabbi: Charles Popky. Ritual director: Joseph Mermelstein. Rabbi emeritus: A. Irving Schnipper. Cantor Emeritus: Shabtai Ackerman. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 a.m., 6:30 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 7 p.m.; Sundays and civic holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m. BETH ISRAEL (FLINT) 3/26 70 CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM 2727 Michigan St SE, Grand Rapids, 49506-1297, (616) 949-2840. Rabbi: David J.B. Krishef. Cantor: Stuart R. Rapaport. Services: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 7:30 a.m.; Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. 31840 W. Seven Mile, Livonia, (248) 477-8974. Cantor: David Gutman. President Larry Stein. Vice presidents: Martin Diskin, Al Gittleman. Services: Friday 8 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. 2004 2000 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor, 48104, (734) 665- 9897. Rabbi: Robert Dobrusin. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 a.m.; weekdays 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 5 p.m. 14601 W. Lincoln, Oak Park, 48237, (248) 547-7970. Rabbi: David A. Nelson. Cantor: Samuel L. Greenbaum. Ritual director: Rev. Samuel Semp. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6:15 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 6:30 p.m. Bar mitzvah of David Martin Baum, son of Denise and Elliott Baum. AHAVAS ISRAEL (GRAND RAPIDS) m offerings and meal offerings, the As is often the case, my own thanksgiving and expiation rites. What Conservative movement staked out a does all this mean? A powerful clue is middle ground, continuing to study, given in the beginning: just before the the ancient sacrifices and to review animal was killed (shechitah), the their details in our liturgy. Yet we donor placed his hands on the head of stopped pleading with God to restore the sacrifice (semichah). the sacrifices. Instead, Conservative This moment of physical contact congregations respectfully acknowl- just before the sacrifice must have had edge our past practice and leave it to God to determine the form of worship great spiritual power. In the Talmud, Rabbi Chiya bar Ashi says in the name in messianic times. of Rav that these two rituals had to be In this practice we follow juxtaposed (Brakhot 42a). Maimonides, who presented But what exactly was being the sacrifices in great detail accomplished? but in his Mishneh Torah, Was the donor transfer- who also argued that animal ring his guilt to the animal, sacrifice was a temporary so that its death atoned for strategy to wean ancient his sin? This common expla- Israel off of idolatrous wor- nation simply does not stand ship, not a permanent fea- up to scrutiny. Semichah was ture of our religion (Guide of performed not only for expi- the Perplexed, 111:32). When we pray for RABBI DANIEL ation offerings but also for all sacrifices. Such a transfer redemption — for the NEVINS rebuilding of Jerusalem, what Special to the may have been the core of the Yom Kippur scapegoat rite, exactly do we hope to restore Jewish News but it was not the point of the — the sacrifices just as they daily sacrifices. No, it is evi- Were, or a new bloodless ritual dent that the ritual of semi- that offers God only the "serv- chah was not to transfer sin, but to ice of the heart"? inspire awe for the force of life and This week, we linger upon the details of all the sacrifices — the burnt death. G-5240 Calkins Road, Flint, 48532, (810) 732-6310. Cantor emeritus: Sholom Kalib. President: Leonard Meizlish. Services: Saturday 9:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; week- 146 South Ave., Mt. Clemens, 48043, (810) 465-0641. Services: weekdays 7:15 a.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. CONGREGATION B'NAI MOSHE 6800 Drake, West Bloomfield, 48322, (248) 788-0600. Rabbi: Elliot Pachter. Cantor: Earl Berris. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6:15 p.m.; Monday- Thursday 7 a.m., 6 p.m.; Friday 7 a.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 9 a.m.; Sunday 6 p.m. Bar mitzvah of Bennett Price, son of Katie and Martin Price. ISAAC AGREE DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGUE 1457 Griswold, Detroit, 48226, (313) 961-9328. Chazan: Cantor Usher Adler. Baal Kriah: Rabbi Craig Rabbis: Joseph H. Krakoff, Jonathan E. Berkun. Rabbi emeritus: Irwin Groner. Cantor: Chaim Najman. Ritual director: Leonard Gutman. Southfield: 27375 Bell Road, Southfield, 48034, (248) 357-5544. Services: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:30 a.m.; Monday, Thursday 7:15 a.m.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 8:45 a.m., 6:15 p.m.; Sunday 8:45 a.m. B'nai mitzvah of Matthew David Ellias, son of Lisa and Frank Ellias; Jamie Kyla Fishman, daughter of Leslie and Jefrey Fishman. West Bloomfield, B'nai Israel Center: 4200 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323-2772, (248) 357- 5544. Services: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:15 a.m.; Monday, Thursday 7 a.m.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6:15 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Havdalah. bar mitzvah of Yonaton Lev Freedman, son of Joan and Steven Freedman. TEMPLE ISRAEL 2300 Center Ave., Bay City, 48708; (989) 893-7811. Cantor: Daniel Gale. President: Dr. Jonathan Abramson. Services: Saturday 9:30 a.m. A liberal, egalitarian con- gregation serving the tri-cities area. Religious and Hebrew education programs for children and adults. INDEPENDENT AHAVAT SHALOM 207 Grandview Parkway, #209, Traverse City, 49684, (231) 929-4330. Rabbi: Stacie Bahle. Year round Shabbat serv- ices, holidays, education. The word "sacrifice" is already a Christian interpretation of our rituals. The animals do not suffer on behalf of the people. If we want to understand the ancient ritual, we must recall its Hebrew name: korban. This means "drawing close." When the donor brought forward this animal and laid hands upon its head, it was for the purpose of coming closer to God. God gives life and God brings death, and revives us once again. This is the greatest power of the Almighty, and it was this timeless dynamic that was rehearsed in the ancient worship service. Whether or not Israel will again offer animal sacrifice, we can leave for the Messiah to answer. Meanwhile, we who practice Judaism must infuse our rituals with the same sense of awe, majesty and power that our ancestors felt in the Temple. ❑ Conversations Place your hand on the head of someone you love and bless them. What do you experience at the moment of contact? ,w4.4 !:', NNW& WwERMIntaNnagt,.7.4 ' GROSSE POINTE JEWISH COUNCIL (313) 882-6700. Rabbi: Nicholas Behrrriann. Cantorial soloist Bryant Frank. JEWBILATION P.O. Box 130014, Ann Arbor, 48103, (734) 996-3524 or 995-1963. Rev. Lauren Zinn. Services: Friday 6:15, follow- ing dinner. Jewish Roots with Interfaith Wings holds bi- monthly Shabbat dinner, services, kids' programs, family school and Hebrew school for all ages. ORTHODOX AGUDAS YISROEL MOGEN ABRAHAM 15751 W. Lincoln, Southfield, 48075, (248) 552-1971. Rabbis: Dov Loketch, Asher Eisenberger. President: Irwin Cohen. ANN ARBOR CHABAD HOUSE 715 Hill St., Ann Arbor, 48104, (734) 995-3276. Rabbi: Aharon Goldstein. Services: Friday at sundown; Saturday 9:45 a.m., 20 min. before sundown; weekdays 7:30 a.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Times for weekdays and Sunday are for the academic year. ANN ARBOR ORTHODOX MINYAN 1429 Hill St., Ann Arbor, 48014. Rabbi: Rod Glogower. Services: Friday at sundown; Saturday 9:30 a.m. and 20 minutes before sundown; weekdays during the academic year 7:30 am.; Sunday 9 a.m. BAIS CHABAD OF FARMINGTON HILLS 32000 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, 48334, (248) 855- 2910. Rabbi: Chaim Bergstein. Services: Friday sundown;