Torah Portion/Synagogues Korach Lacked Passion For Torah Shabbat Korach: Numbers 16:1-18:32; I Samuel 11:14-12:22. W hat was the precise content of the rebellion of Korach and his cohorts against Moses? "Behold (said Korach, Datan and Aviram), I argue against (Moses) and nullify (by means of logic) his words (of Torah)." What did these rebels do? They stood up and assembled 250 heads of court, mainly from the tribe of Reuven and clothed them in garments that were completely colored royal blue. They came and before Moses said to him, "Is a garment which is wholly royal blue obligated to have ritual fringes or not?" Moses respond- ed, "Such a garment is obligated." They began to mock him. Is it pos- sible that a garment of another color be freed from the obligation of ritual fringes with but one fringe of royal blue — and this garment, which is Shlomo Riskin is head of Israel's Ohr Torah Stone Institute and chief rabbi of Efrat. wholly royal blue, not be freed of the commandments. obligation?" Why is the commandment of ritual Korah and his cohorts were scoff- fringes singled out from all of the oth- ing at Moses' message of Torah on the ers to be fondled and kissed and this, basis of analytical logic, a logic that despite Gaonic condemnation of the threatened to destroy the very premise practice? of the commandments. Were they jus- For insight, let us review a most tified in their argument? novel and striking interpretation of In order to understand the proper the "sin of the scouts" offered by Ray response to their claim, let us Joseph B. Soleveitchik in examine a custom surround- response to a problematic ing the commandment of the opening of last week's por- ritual fringes. Apparently, tion of Shelach: "And the there was an old custom to Lord spoke to Moses, saying touch one's ritual fringes dur- send forth for yourselves ing the recitation of the men who will scout out the Shema each morning, to land of Canaan ..." hold them in one's hands, to (Numbers 13:1, 2). Why pass them over one's eyes and would God possibly suggest to kiss them. The 10th cen- a reconnaissance mission to tury Babylonian scholars Ray look over the land, to decide RABBI Hai Gaon and Rav Natronai whether or not its conquest SHLOMO Gaon attempted to uproot would be a realistic achieve- RISKIN this custom, arguing, "Why ment? Why place Divine Special to the handle the ritual fringes at all will into the hands of a Jewish News after one looked at them at "committee"? the time of putting them on The ray maintains that and made a blessing over them?" the verb latur does not mean to "scout Not only did the custom refuse to out" in terms of "to evaluate," but fall into oblivion, but it even became rather "to seek out with passion," just more pronounced in succeeding gen- as the end of the Torah reading uses erations. This was sensed to be a wor- the same verb — in the context of the thy custom and expressed love for the commandment of ritual fringes — to Giving Tzedakah The Talmud says we must provide financial support to non-Jews as well as Jews, visit the non-Jewish sick along with the Jewish sick and arrange for the burial of non-Jews as well as Jews Presented by Lubavitch Women's Organization. For information on keeping kosher or lighting Shabbat candles, contact Miriam Amzalak (248) 548-6771, miriamainzalaklunu.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 a.m., 9 p.m.; weekdays 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. AHAVAS ISRAEL (GRAND RAPIDS) BETH ISRAEL (ANN ARBOR) CONGREGATION BEIT KODESH 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.; weekdays 7 am., 6:30 p.m. Chilren's monthly birthday blessings. Aufruf of Gabriel Joanes and Rachel Goldstein. CONGREGATION BETH AHM 38 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. lvriah religious school (810) 732-6312. 2000 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor, 48104, (734) 665-9897. Rabbi: Robert Dobrusin. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 am.; weekdays 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 7:30 p.m. 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.; Saturday 9:30 a.m., 8:45 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 7 6/30 BETH ISRAEL (FLINT) 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: Martin Diskin. Vice presi- dents: Aaron Engel, Jeffrey Kirsch. Services: Friday 8 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. 2005 p.m.; Sundays and civic holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m. CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM BETH TEPHILATH MOSES 146 South Ave., Mt. Clemens, 48043, (586) 465-0641. Services: weekdays 7:15 a.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.; Sunday 8 am. 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., 8:30 p.m.; Monday- Friday 7 a.m., Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 9 a.m.; Sunday 6 p.m. Haftorah, Laurie Novetsky. Aufruf of Melissa Fischer and Eric Novetsky. DOR CHADASH — 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 candlelighting 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 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., 9 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 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 a.m.; Monday, Thursday 7 a.m.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 9 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. TEMPLE ISRAEL 2300 Center Ave., Bay City, 48708; (989) 893-7811. Cantor: Daniel Gale. President: Dr. Jonathan instruct that we not seek out with pas- sion after the stirring of our hearts and our eyes (Numbers 15:40). A successful marriage, a proper conquest and inhabitation of the land of Israel and the knowledge and per- formance of Torah are each fraught with unsuspected roadblocks and tan- talizing temptations along the way. Only the passion of love, which defies logic, and romance, which supersedes reason, can provide one with the req- uisite strength to overcome all obsta- cles in pursuit of these worthwhile and as critical goals. The sin of the scouts and the com- mand of the ritual fringes united by a verb which means passionate love come to teach that there must be an emotion which supersedes intellect, a love which overcomes logic in the realms of Torah and Israel. And Torah must be passionately pursued if the commandments will prove more pow- erful than other sensuous seductions. Hence the ritual fringes, reminding us of beloved commandments which come from heaven, must be fondled by our left hand (corresponding to the heart) and kissed by our mouths. Only a beloved and passionate, fruitful Torah has the capacity to overcome a bald and arid, cold and dry logical Korach. ❑ Abramson. Services: Saturday 9:30 a.m. A liberal, egalitarian congregation serving the tri-cities area. Religious and Hebrew education programs for chil- dren and adults. INDEPENDENT AHAVAT SHALOM 413 N. Division St., Traverse City, 49684, (231) 929- 4330. Rabbi: Chava (Stacie) Bahle. Weekly Shabbat celebrations, holidays, year round programming, chil- dren'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- days 7:30 a.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Times for weekdays and Sunday are for the academic year.