To 'Life!
128th VMS SEASON
200612001
Stephen Petronio
ompany
Stephen Petronio artistic director
Music by Rufus Wainwright
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 8 PM
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 8 PM
Power Center
"The most appealing thing
about Stephen Petronio's
choreography has always
been its raw New York
energymPetronio taps into
the mania of the downtown
New York scene."
(The Times, London)
New music, visual art, and fashion
collide in Stephen Petronio's dances,
producing powerfully modern landscapes for
the senses. This expressive company performs
to new music by Canadian singer/songwriter
Rufus Wainwright.
PROGRAM
Bud Suite (Music by Rufus Wainwright) (2006)
BLOOM (Music by Rufus Wainwright) (2006
The Rite Part (Music by Stravinsky and Mitchell Lager) (1992)
Call or click for tickets!
urns 134.764.2538 I www.musiorg
010H
the 734 area code, call toll-free 800.221 1229
Funded in pat t b. National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts.
Media Partners Metro Times and Detroit Jewish News.
54
February 15
2007
TOR
S:
PORTION
To Live Justly
And Righteously
Shabbat Shekalim, Parshat Mishpatim:
Exodus 21:1-24:18; 30: 11-16;
11 Kings 12:1 17.
-
T
his week's Torah por-
elders of the nation and placed before
tion begins with the verse
them all of these things that God
(Exodus 21:1): "And these
commanded. And the whole nation
are the statutes that you should place
answered together and said: All that
before them." And near the end of
God commanded we will do ..."'
the portion, we have a ceremony of
It was the statutes of Parshat
establishing a covenant between God
Mishpatim, the document of the cov-
and the Jewish people, with the climax enant, that they accepted; it was this
being (24:7): "And he
vision of a just, righteous
took the document of
and caring society that
the covenant and read it
is the goal, purpose and
to (into the ears of) the
ideal of God's Torah.
nation and they said: All
It is likewise significant
that God said we will do
that also in last week's
and we will listen'."
portion, before the events
Between these two
of Sinai, we have the story
verses we have a lengthy
of the advice of Yitro,
catalogue of a whole vari-
Moshe's father-in-law, to
ety of commandments
establish just courts and
Rabbi Eliezer
touching all aspects of
judges. Thus, God's rev-
Cohen
Jewish life (53 command-
elation is surrounded on
Special to the
ments out of the pro-
both sides — sandwiched
Jewish News
verbial 613 according to
between — Yitro's advice
Maimonides' count).
and Parshat Mishpatim.
The main focus, though, of this
This "frame" makes it absolutely
covenantal commitment is the area
clear that the crux of the observance
of civil law, courts, justice and prop-
of the Torah and its commandments
erty and human rights. We find in
is to create a society based on abso-
these statutes a program to create a
lute justice, truth, righteousness and
society of justice and equality (espe-
protection for all. The commitment of
cially including the marginalized,
that generation remains our obliga-
the most vulnerable and the stranger
tion. We must work to achieve this
— Exodus 22:20-23).
goal and ideal. E
We are commanded to establish just
courts of law, presided over by incor-
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation Or
ruptible judges, to guarantee equal
Chadash in Oak Park.
rights to all, and to protect individuals
and the entire community from vic-
timization and tyranny.
Conversations
This, then, is the vision of the
Why is true justice a prerequi-
Jewish people put before them by
site for any kind of constructive
Moshe: A just and righteous society
progress in a community? Why
created by compliance with God's laws
is corruption such a temptation?
and a commitment to do His bidding.
How can we assure that our
In last week's portion, as a prelude
leaders and judges are honest
to God's revelation, we read (19:7-8):
and incorruptible?
"And Moshe came and called to the