TORAH PORTION
Israel's Only
Natural Resource
The Brainpower of Its People
How To Fulfill Our
Obligations As Jews
Shabbat Mattot: Numbers 30:2-42;
Jeremiah 1:1-2:3.
Ann Arbor
these obligations inspire might be
vastly different from one Jew to the
s our biblical ancestors
next. But the one reality of our lives
were preparing to enter
as Jews is that we can never really say,
the land of Canaan and to
we are clear — we have fulfilled our
begin the conquest of the
obligations:'
land, the leaders of the
Some might consider this
tribes of Reuben and Gad
to be a negative, inspiring a
approached Moses with a
sense of "Jewish guilt"; but
controversial request. They
the truth is, it is this per-
asked Moses to allow them
manent sense of obligation
to remain on the eastern
that has helped our tradi-
side of the Jordan River
tion to survive, to flourish
rather than cross over the
and to continue to inspire
river with the rest of the
generation after generation.
people. They found the land
While we might choose
Rabbi Robert
on the eastern side more
to
express our obligation
Dobrusin
suitable for them as they
differently
from our fel-
Special to the
owned many cattle.
low
Jew
or
while we might
Jewish News
Moses agrees to a corn-
express our obligation dif-
promise with these tribes:
ferently from one phase of
If they will join the rest of the people
life to the next, that obligation always
in the conquest of the land across the
is present and demands of us contin-
Jordan, they can return and settle on
ued thought and continued commit-
the eastern side. Moses says to them
ment as we move through life. From
that once the land has been con-
bar-bat mitzvah or from the time of
quered, they "will be clear before the
the bet din, throughout our entire
lord and before Israel:'
lives, we remain obligated.
As the Etz Hayim Chumash points
While there may be times in our
out, this language as well as the later
lives when we will fulfill that obliga-
expression "do what you have prom-
tion more eagerly and more fully than
ised" (literally, "do what has come
other times, that obligation will always
out of your mouth") indicate that the
exist and we will never completely
leaders of these tribes had taken an
"be cleat" This is what has helped our
oath before God and, once the oath
people to survive for thousands of
was completed, they were "clear." This
years and, God willing, will continue
was critical because oaths in the time
to help us to survive for thousands of
of the Torah tended to be for specific
years to come. 0
periods of time or related to specific
actions. Thus, it was important to
Robert Dobrusin is rabbi of Beth Israel
know when one had fulfilled one's
Congregation in Ann Arbor.
oath since oaths were taken so seri-
ously.
When we stood on the bimah as a
Conversations
bar or bat mitzvah or before the bet
While we all fulfill our obligation
din as a potential Jew by choice, we,
to our people in different ways,
in essence, took an oath to take our
what is the one thing you feel
connection with the Jewish people
you have done in your life that
and our obligation to God and to our
most dramatically demonstrates
tradition seriously. We then act on that
your sense of obligation to our
connection and obligation throughout
people and our tradition?
our lives. The specific actions that
A
"
Without oil, without enough water and
with landmass the size of New
Jersey, Israel is focused
on developing its only
natural resource:
The Technion educates the entrepreneurs
whose businesses constitute
two-thirds of Israel's
•
companies on Nasdaq;
0
the leaders who
•
manage 90 of its 100
largest companies;
and the innovators
whose companies
employ 100,000
people.
The brainpower of its
people.
Israel has become
a world leader in
science, technology
and medicine. It has
more technology-
based start-up
companies per capita
than any other country;
more companies on
Nasdaq than any country
except the United States and
Canada; and a standard of living
that places it firmly among First
World nations.
The scientific
breakthroughs and
economic progress
generated at the
Technion benefit not
only Israel's people.
These achievements
in medicine, water
conservation and anti-terror
technologies enhance life for people
around the world.
At the heart of these achievements is
the nation's education and research in
science and technology, centered at the
Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.
The Technion is ranked among the
world's leading science and technology
universities.
N7
0111,
American
Technion
Society
The American Technion Society is proud
to be a partner in these efforts. With your
help, we can ensure that Israel's scientists
continue shaping a stronger Israel and a
better, safer world.
Join us.
To join us, call 248-737-1990
or email detroit@ats.org
To learn more about Technion research,
visit www.ats.org
Scott Leemaster, Chair
Jo Strausz Rosen, Detroit Director
Allan Gelfond "Geli", Regional Director
30230 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 155, Farmington Hills, MI 48334
1412740
inside the JN
the last week of
every month
For more information
call: 248.354.6060
July 24 • 2008
A33