Spirituality Torah Portion/Synagogues The Significance Of The 8th Day Shabbat Metzora: Leviticus 14:1-15:33; II Kings 7:3-20. T he Torah declares that the consecration of a newborn male as a member of the Jewish people, is to take place on the eighth day after the baby's birth; of this, we are commanded in this week's Torah portion. Why on the eighth day? Last week, we were told "On the eighth day, Moses called Aaron and his sons ..." This was after Aaron and his sons had spent seven days conse- crating themselves to serve as the priests of the people of Israel. On the eighth day, Moses calls to them, and they appear before the whole assembly , of the people to be publicly consecrat- ed as priests. Why on the eighth day? It might be supposed that such cer- emonies should take place on the sev- Irwin Groner is rabbi emeritus of Congregation Shaarey Zedek. enth day? Seven is such a typical num- of Sukkot. The holiday of Chanukah ber in the Bible, and seems to be the is famous for its eight days. Jewish tra- natural number of cyclical occur- dition tells of the pure oil which rences. Sabbath is the seventh day and burned for eight days instead of one. signifies the end of a week. Seven All this shows that we have two weeks are counted in order to have special numbers in Jewish tradition: the Sabbatical year of rest for the land, seven and eight. Seven days, or years, for in the seventh year, no working of constitute a seemingly natural cycle. the land is allowed. So, if seven is But the eighth day is the day of tran- such a meaningful number, why is the sition, the day when new roles are eighth day the one set aside assumed. The newborn is for acts of consecration? just a baby, not formally ini- Let us consider other tiated to any nation, until events that occur on the the brit mitah on the eighth eighth day. All cleansing rit- day. He then becomes a uals in the Torah, whether it member of the Jewish peo- is a leper or someone with ple, a partner in the emissions, are done on the covenant of Abraham. eighth day. That is, the Aaron and his sons under- unclean person must wait went preparation to be seven days observing rituals priests for seven days; but RABBI IRWIN of cleansing; and on the on the eighth day, they GRO NER eighth day, that person assumed the role of priests Speci a I to the brings a sacrifice and leaves in front of all Israel. Jewish News the state of uncleanliness. Rabbi Pinchas Peli The holiday of Sukkot offered this interpretation. ends with a holy day, which is the The eighth day is special because it eighth day, Shemini Atzeret. adds another dimension to God's cre- Solomon's dedication of the Temple ation. If seven is the number conse- was for eight days, during the festival crated by God, it is eight that man, DOR CHADASH — U. OF MICH. Keeping Kosher All kosher dairy items are free from any animal by-products. Sponsored by Lubavitch Women's Organization. For information on keeping kosher or for help making your kitchen kosher, contact Miriam Amzalak at (248) 548-6771 or e-mail• iniri amamzdak @i uno .com CONSERVATIVE ADAT SHALOM SYNAGOGUE 29901 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, 48334, (248) 851- 5100. Rabbis: Daniel Nevins, Herbert Yoskowitz, Rachel Lawson Shere. Rabbi emeritus: Efry Spectre. Cantor: Yevsey Gutman. Cantor emeritus: Larry Vieder. Services: Friday 7:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 am., 8 p.m.; weekdays 7:30 am., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 am. Bar mitzvah of Aaron Klisman, son of Anne and Mark Klisman. AHAVAS ISRAEL (GRAND RAPIDS) 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 am.; Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. BELT KODESH 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 am. CONGREGATION BETH AHM 5075 W. Maple, West Bloomfield, 48322, (248) 851-6880. Ritual director: Joseph Mermelstein. Rabbi emeritus: A Irving Schnipper. Cantor Emeritus: Shabtai Ackerman. Guest rabbi: Aaron Bergman. Visiting scholar: Dr. Howard Lupovitch. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 a.m., 7:45 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 7 p.m.; Sundays and civic holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m. BETH ISRAEL (FLINT) G-5240 Calkins Road, Riot, 48532, (810) 732-6310. Cantor emeritus: Sholom Kalib. President: Dr. Harold Steinman. Services: Saturday 9:30 am., 6 p.m.; weekdays 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 8 a.m., 6 p.m. lvriah religious school (810) 732-6312. BETH ISRAEL (ANN ARBOR) CONGREGATION U-M Hillel; 1429 Hill St. Ann Arbor 48104. (734) 769- 0500. Rabbi: Jason A. Miller. Co-chairs: Naomi Karp, Perry Teicher. Egalitarian Cariebach-style service at casndle- lighting time Fridays. Monthly Shabbat morning service. Monthly Shabbat Minchah Seudah Shlishit Check Web site for times www.umhillel.org - ISAAC AGREE DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGUE 1457 Griswold, Detroit, 48226, (313) 961-9328. Chazan: Cantor Usher Adler. Baal Kriah: Howard Marcus. Cantorial soloist Neil Barris. Ritual director. Dr. Martin Herman. President Dr. Ellen Kahn. Services: Saturday 8:30 a.m. CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK 146 South Ave., Mt Clemens, 48043, (586) 465-0641. Services: weekdays 7:15 a.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. Rabbis: Joseph H. Krakoff, Jonathan E. Berkun, Eric S. Yanoff. 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 9 a.m., 7:45 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Bar mitzvah of Derek Jacob Shillman, son of Barbara and Jeffrey Shillman. Thursday, April 21, Fast of Firstborn and siyyum at 7 a.m. West Bloomfield, B'nai Israel Center 4200 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323-2772, (248) 357-5544. Services: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:15 am.; Monday, Thursday 7 am.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 am., 7:45 p.m.; Sunday 9 am. Thursday, April 21, Fast of Firstborn and siyyum at 7 am. CONGREGATION B'NAI MOSHE TEMPLE ISRAEL 2000 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor, 48104, (734) 665-9897. Rabbi: Robert Dobnjsin. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 am.; weekdays 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 7:30 p.m. CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM 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., 6:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; week- days 7 am., 6:30 p.m. JAMD Shabbat. BETH TEPHILATH MOSES 6800 Drake, West Bloomfield, 48322, (248) 788-0600. Rabbi: Elliot Pechter. Cantor: Earl Berris. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 am., 8 p.m.; Monday-Friday 7 a.m., Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 9 a.m.; Sunday 6 p.m. Bat mitzvah of Sara Nathanson, daughter of Sheryl and Gregg Nathanson. 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 congre- gation serving the ti-cities area. Religious and Hebrew education programs for children and adults. the partner of God in the world, can add to the sanctity of the world. On the eighth day, we sanctify God's cre- ation and thus bring about consecra- tion. Yet, the seventh day remains the holy day. Indeed, the reason that the eighth day is chosen is because the newborn must have lived through a Shabbat before he can be consecrated to the people Israel. A Jew must expe- rience Shabbat as the potential to become a member of the nation is actualized only after the holiness of one Shabbat has passed. After experi- encing God's holy Sabbath, man can then participate in the task of increas- inc, holiness in the world, fulfillinc, his b as the partner of the Lord. task Conversations What is there about the experi- ence of Shabbat that is so vital to one's being able to "fulfill his task as the partner of the Lord"? • DIDEPENDENT AHAVAT SHALOM 413 N. Division St, Traverse City. 49684, (231) 929-4330. Rabbi: Chava (Stacie) Bahle. Weekly Shabbat celebrations, holidays. year round programming, children's education. Summer programming for downstate visitors. GROSSE POINTE JEWISH COUNCIL (313) 882-6700. Rabbi: Nicholas Behrmann. 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. ORIMODOX 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 am., 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 am. SYNAGOGUE LISTINGS on page 66 4/14 2005 65