To Life r) 17.? PORTION Family Feast Or Food Fight? Shabbat Toldot: Genesis 25:19-28:9; Malachi 1:1-2:7. F right will stick to him. ood is featured Apparently, Isaac does in this week's not know about the proph- narrative about ecy made to Rebecca in the divided family of which God decreed that Isaac and Rebecca. Jacob would be superior. For a bowl of soup, Isaac is also ignorant about the first-born twin Esau the lentil soup exchange, trades his birthright to and he certainly does not Jacob. In exchange for a know about the future free-range venison steak, threats of violence from Isaac offers his elder son Rabbi Daniel S. Esau. What he knows now a blessing. With a steak Nevins is that Esau needs a mitz- from the domesticated Special to the vah — an opportunity to herd, Rebecca success- Jewish News shine, to earn his blessing. fully switches the boys Sadly, the tender and their blessings. moment of family feast What follows is a bit- becomes an ugly food fight. Tragically, ter howl of rage from Esau, a violent this is not the last time that a meal tremble of fear in Isaac and Rebecca's panicked plea for Jacob to flee. Food is leads to mayhem. Many familieS gathering this week the key to Toldot, but it isn't always a for their Thanksgiving feast are anx- blessing. ious about the emergence of dormant It is easy to understand the power • conflicts. What should be a time of of the lentil stew for Esau, returning unity and gratitude can often devolve famished from a futile hunt. No, he into a drama of jealousy and bitter- wouldn't have died without that bowl of soup; but you can see that he was in ness. We look to Isaac and Rebecca and no position to negotiate a better deal. ask what can be learned from their Esau's appetite is his undoing. difficulties. We should give each per- Yet I have long wondered about son an important task and appropri-, Isaac. Why does he demand fresh ate recognition. We should pair our meat from Esau before blessing him? Isaac tells Esau to go hunt some game, gratitude to God with appreciation for our family. May God bless our families "then prepare a dish for me such as I with peace. 5 like, and bring it to me to eat, so that my being may bless you before I die." Daniel Nevins is a rabbi at Adat Shalom Why does Isaac need this meal in Synagogue in Farmington Hills. order to bless Esau? A simple explanation is that, in his terminal state, Isaac needs a good COnversations meal in order to gain strength enough How should Rebecca have to offer a proper blessing. Yet surely acted to fulfill the prophecy? something from around the farm Could she haVe averted conflict would have sufficed! between her sons, or was that I prefer the explanation given by inevitable? Ovadiah Sforno (Italy, 1470-1550): "Isaac wanted Esau to provide delica- cies so that Esau would be busy in the mitzvah of honoring his father. In this way the blessing would take effect." Isaac gives Esau a challenging task in the hope that the blessing of birth- 34 November 23 • 2006 D GES - Memorial Candlelighting The Lakes area chapter of the Compassionate Friends, a national self-help support group for families grieving the death of a child, will light candles on Sunday, Dec. 10, in sym- bolic remembrance. This is the 10th annual Worldwide Candlelighting. The local interfaith candlelighting will be part of a special nondenominational service at 7 p.m. at Shephard of the Lakes Lutheran Church, 2905 S. Commerce Rd., Wolverine Lake. It will feature music by Jeff Tessler, read- ings, poems and an open- ing address by Compassionate Friends National Executive Director Pat Loder. Candles Evan Otis are first lit at 7 p.m., local time, just west of the International Date Line. As candles burn down in one time zone, they are lit in the next, creating a 24-hour wave of light as the observance continues around the world. The theme: "That their light may always shine." "The period from Thanksgiving through New Year is an extremely difficult time of the year for families grieving the death of a child;' explains Lakes area chapter leader David Otis, who is Jewish. He volunteers his time in memory of his son, Evan Tyler Otis, who died at the age of 21/2 in 1998. The national TCF Web site, www. compassionatefriends.org., will feature a remembrance book Dec. 10 for fami- lies to post tributes. To contact the Lakes area chapter of the Compassionate Friends, call David Otis, (248) 738-2612. Muslim Voices Gather The American Jewish Committee Metropolitan Detroit Chapter and Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills will host a public forum featuring a local Muslim scholar, an imam and two community leaders. The presentation will be 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, at Adat Shalom. Rabbi David Rosen, AJC's direc- tor of interreligious affairs and the Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding, will serve as the moderator. The panel will consist of Imam Mohammad Mardini of the American Muslim Center; Professor Saeed Khan, Department of Near East and Asian Studies at Wayne State University and Institute of Social Policy and Understanding, Detroit; Victor Begg, chairman, Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan; and Najah Bazzy, of the Islamic Center of America. There is no charge but reservations are recommended. For information, contact the AJCommittee, (248) 646- 7686 or detroit@ajc.org . Women's Day Of Learning The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit will hold its annual Women's Day of Learning 1-4:45 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, at Yeshivat Akiva, 21100 W. 12 Mile, Southfield. "Ethics of the Mothers" will bring together women for a day of study, dis- cussion and camaraderie with keynote speaker Lori Palatnik. She will speak on "Jewish Women, Who We Are, and Where Are We Going?" Participants will study in two breakout sessions with local rabbis and scholars, including Rabbi Sara O'Donnel Adler, Rabbi Lauren Berkun, Dr. Janet Snider, Vardina Robinson, Cobi Sacerdoti and Rena Spolter. The $25 cost includes refresh- ments (dietary laws observed). Preregistration is requested; walk-ins are welcome. For information, call Dale Rubin, (248) 203-1520 or e-mail rubin@jfmd.org. Support For Moms On Tuesday, Dec. 5, health care pro- fessionals from Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital will present practical strate- gies for mothers at "Super Heroes ... Super Moms," a free program at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield. Participants can attend the entire program or sessions of interest. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. for the 10 a.m.-4 p.m. program. RSVP by Nov. 30 online at www.lvsh.org or by phone at (248) 937-4000. A $5 lunch can be ordered when registering. Chanukah Potluck The Birmingham Temple will com- memorate Chanukah with a potluck dinner followed by a family holiday celebration 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22. The dinner will include potato latkes provided by the temple, located at 28611 W. 12 Mile, Farmington Hills. RSVP by Dec. 18: (248) 477-1410 or e-mail info@birminghamtemple.org .