Spirituality

Torah Portion/Synagogues

The Sweetness Of The Grain Offering

Shabbat Hagadol;
Parshat Achare Mot:
Leviticus 16:1-18:30;
Malachi 3:4-24.

N

estled in the hills of central
Tuscany is a gem of a town
called Pitigliano. The Jews of
this agricultural village lovingly referred
to it as the "Little Jerusalem." Edda
Servi Machlin, whose magnificent
recipe book The Classic Cuisine of the
Italian Jews serves as a memoir for
Pitigliano, describes the tumult preced-
ing Pesach, climaxing in the frenzied
work in the communal matzah bakery:
"Toward evening, the men came to
share in the joys of this almost mysti-
cal ritual with their mothers, their sis-
ters, their wives, their friends. When
the big wicker baskets were filled to
capacity with fresh and fragrant mat-
zot and sweets, each family brought

Daniel Nevins is a spiritual leader at
Adat Shalom Synagogue.

home their own, hiding the contents
come easy, after all. Study and reflec-
inside those cabinets and shelves
tion are important too. We don't want
which had been previously emptied
to just show up at the seder with no
and cleaned for the purpose, not to be
original thoughts about the meaning
touched until the great night — the
of freedom. But there is another ele-
night of the first seder — arrived."
ment which is just as crucial for a
The great night — this is the focus
transformational seder — sweetness.
of our attention on this great (gadol)
That element was abundant in
Shabbat, whose name derives from the Pitigliano, and it also is key to the
penultimate line of its
haftorah this Shabbat.
haftorah: "Behold I send you
Our text comes from the
the prophet Elijah, before
prophet Malachi, the "seal of
the coming of the day of the
the prophets." It begins,
Lord, which is great (gadol)
"VArvah
It shall be
and awesome." On this
sweet." What shall be sweet?
Shabbat, we prepare our-
"The grain offering (minchah)
selves to journey through
of Israel will be sweet to the
time, to experience the great
Lord as in the days of old."
liberation from slavery.
This prophecy begins with
Moreover, we hope to
a vision of sweet sacrifice, and
unlock the gates of redemp-
RABBI
it ends with arrival of Elijah.
tion so that this Passover will
DANIEL
Michael Fishbane comments
not merely recreate what
that this prophecy reverses
NEVINS
was, but will also model the
Jeremiah's declaration that
Special to the
ultimate redemption of
Israel's offerings are no longer
Jewish News
humanity from war, hatred
sweet to God (6:20). Malachi,
and suffering. This is the
therefore, describes a reversal
great and awesome day of the Lord.
of the alienation between God and
How do we get there? Our frenzied
Israel. Once again, our worship will be
cleaning, shopping and cooking are
sweet and pleasing to God.
part of the answer. Redemption can't
Without a temple, we do not burn

—

.

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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 a.m., 7:30 p.m.; week-
days 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Passover:
Saturday, April 23,'7:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 24, 9 a.m.,
6 p.m.; Monday, April 25, 9 a.m., 8 p.m.

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
a.m.; Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.

BEIT 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 a.m.

CONGREGATION BETH AHM

5075 W. Maple, West Bloomfield, 48322, (248) 851-
6880. Ritual director: Joseph Mermelstein. Rabbi emer-
itus: A. Irving Schnipper. Cantor Emeritus: Shabtai
Ackerman. Guest rabbi: Aaron Bergman. Visiting schol-
ar: Dr. Howard Lupovitch. Services: Friday 6 p.m.;

4/21

2005

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Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 2 p.m.; Monday-Friday
7 a.m., Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal
holidays 9 a.m.; Sunday 6 p.m. Haftorah. Robert Roth.
New Grandparents Shabbat. Passover: Sunday, April 24,
9 a.m., 6 p.m.; Monday, April 25, 9 a.m., 8:15 p.m.

DOR CHADASH

Saturday 9:30 a.m., 6 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, Flint, 48532, (810) 732-6310.
Cantor emeritus: Sholom Kalib. President: Dr. Harold
Steinman. Services: Saturday 9:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; week-
days 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 8
a.m., 6 p.m. Ivriah religious school (810) 732-6312.

BETH ISRAEL (ANN ARBOR)
CONGREGATION

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 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 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.;
weekdays 7 a.m., 6:30 p.m..

BETH TEPHILATH MOSES

146 South Ave., Mt. Clemens, 48043, (586) 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:

—

U. OF MICH.

U-M Hillel; 1429 Hill St., Ann Arbor 48104, (734) 769-
0500. Rabbi: Jason A. Miller. Co-chairs: Naomi Karp,
Perry Teicher. Egalitarian Carlebach-style service at
casndlelighting 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 Bards. Ritual director: Dr. Martin Herman.
President: Dr. Ellen Kahn. Services: Saturday 8:30 a.m.

CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK

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., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m.
Passover: Sunday, April 24, 6 p.m.; Monday, April 25,
8:45 p.m.
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 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Passover:
Sunday, April 24, 6 p.m.; Monday, April 25, 8:45 p.m.

grain today. Or do we? This week on
Friday, we burn bread as part of our
general purge of all chametz in our
homes. Moreover, our entire holiday
is an adaptation of the grain offering.
So it is not impossible to view the
matzah as a modern grain offering.
But is it sweet? Will Elijah be lured
out of retirement to usher in the
redemption this year?
Read the entire haftorah. It chal-
lenges us never to become smug, but
always to try harder to serve God with
humility, kindness, and integrity. On
Passover, we have the opportunity to
make this service sweeter than a seder
mint. If we do, Elijah just might
arrive to collect his extra heavy sweet-
ened wine from our tables. I wish you
and your families a zissen Pesach, a
sweet and kosher festival. ❑

Conversations

Adults love to watch the children
perform on Pesach, but we are per-
forming for them, too. What can
you do to impress the children
with your love of this festival?

TEMPLE ISRAEL

2300 Center Ave., Bay City, 48708; (989) 893-7811.
Cantor: Daniel Gale. President: Dr. Jonathan Abramson.
Services: Saturday 9:30 am. A liberal, egalitarian con-
gregation serving the tri-cities area. Religious and
Hebrew education programs for children and adults.

INDEPENDENT

AHAVAT SHALOM

413 N. Division St., Traverse City, 49684, (231) 929-
4330. Rabbi: Chava (Stacie) Bailie. Weekly Shabbat cel-
ebrations, 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, fol-
lowing 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; week-

