Torah Portion/Synagogues
Using Your Words
Shabbat Chukkat:
Numbers 19: 1-22: I ;
Judges 11:1-33.
I
n this week's parashah, Moses is
once again feeling the stress of
leadership. Tired and quickly los-
ing hope following the death of his sis-
ter Miriam, Moses hears the Israelites
complain that they would have rather
died in Egypt than in the desert.
They go so far as to wish they had
died a horrible death along with those
punished for joining Korach's rebellion.
They grumble that they were happier
during their slave years in Egypt, where
at least they had certain assurances
compared to their current nomadic
experience. They protest that they have
been brought to a wretched place with
no good food to eat or water to drink.
To produce water for the people,
the Lord commands Moses and his
brother Aaron to assemble the com-
munity and order a rock to yield its
Rabbi Jason Miller is assistant director of
the University of Michigan Hillel
Foundation. This summer, he is also rabbi
in residence at Camp Ramah in Canada.
striking the rock twice in frustration. In
water for the Israelites to drink.
the Talmud we find the lesson: "When
Rather than obeying the Lord's
a prophet [like Moses] loses his temper,
order verbatim, Moses takes his rod
his gift of prophecy abandons him."
and strikes the rock twice, producing
Several excuses can potentially be
drinking water. Immediately, Moses is
made in defense of Moses' action.
condemned by God to die in the
Clearly the leadership of such a com-
wilderness rather than being allowed
plaining nation in the hot desert grew
to marshal his troops all the way to
taxing on Moses, raising his stress level
the Promised Land "because you did
and making it more difficult
not trust Me enough to
to reason with the Israelites.
affirm My sanctity in the
Further, he did have the
sight of the Israelite people."
best interest of the people in
This certainly seems a
mind when answering their
harsh punishment for Moses'
call for more drinking water.
actions, but upon deeper
However, he allowed his
examination there is much
emotions to get the better of
to learn from both the mis-
him and resorted to hitting
take and the punishment.
rather than speaking.
Rashi comments that the
While Moses hit an inan-
double striking of the rock
RABBI
imate object rather than
was unnecessary and proved
JASON A.
speaking to it, his action
insulting to the sanctity of
should alert us to a serious
MILLER
God by diminishing the
problem today.
Special
to
the
greatness of the miracle. A
Domestic abuse occurs in
midrash explains that the sin
Jewish News
Jewish families at about the
of Moses was not merely the
same rate of 15 percent as in the gen-
physical act of striking the rock, but
eral community. However, studies
also that he lost control of his temper
demonstrate that Jewish women tend
during Israel's rebellion.
to stay in abusive relationships two or
The commentaries of Maimonides
three times longer than those in the
and Samson Raphael Hirsch concur
general population.
that the severe punishment was for los-
The misnomer that domestic abuse
ing patience with the Israelites and
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, miriamamzalakl@junu.com ,
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. Aufruf of Mindy
Hayman and Larry Markle.
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: Martin Diskin. Vice presi-
dents: Aaron Engel, Jeffrey Kirsch. 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
❑
For information on domestic abuse in
the Jewish community, visit
www.jcada.org.
Conversations
Why do you think Aaron was
punished alongside Moses? How
important is it to be precise in
following God's demands?
.
Giving Tzeclakah
CONSERVATIVE
is not a Jewish concern further exacer-
bates the problem by discouraging
abused women from reporting the
abuse to others.
Rather than speaking to each other
about difficult issues within the rela-
tionship, many partners (mostly men
according to statistics) resort to vio-
lence. Oftentimes, men blame their
abusive actions on stress from work
and they allow their emotions to
impair their better judgment.
Regardless of how demanding one's
life may seem with weighty responsibil-
ities at home and at work, resorting to
abuse is never acceptable. The lesson of
Moses aptly demonstrates this for us.
His punishment was indeed severe,
but so is the message it sends to our
community. It is always better to use
words than to hit.
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
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. lvriah 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
Services: weekdays 7:15 a.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.;
Sunday 8 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.
CONGREGATION B'NAI MOSHE
TEMPLE ISRAEL
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 holi-
days 9 a.m.; Sunday 6 p.m. Haftorah, Marty Price.
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.
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 a.m., 6:30 p.m.
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.
BETH TEPHILATH MOSES
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.;
146 South Ave., Mt. Clemens, 48043, (586) 465-0641.
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.
DEDEPENDENT
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.
JEW13ILATION
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.
SYNAGOGUES on page 62
7/ 7
2005
61