Spirituality

TORAH PORTION

,..

J E WIS H
WOMEN'S

FOUNDATION

The Purpose
Of The Plagues

OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT

Enhancing the Lives of Jewish Women

Announcing the Jewish Women's Foundation's

2010 GRANT CYCLE

Parshat Va'ayra: Exodus 6:2-9:35;
Ezekiel; 28:25-29:21.

The Jewish Women's Foundation of Metropolitan

Detroit is pleased to announce that it is now accepting

I

requests for funding in 2010.

Letters of Intent are due no later than noon on February 16, 2010.

For a grant application timeline, guidelines, instructions and forms,
please visit our website: www.jewishdetroit.org/jwf and click on

2010 Grant Guidelines and Instructions ; or contact
Helen Katz, Director, at katz@jfmd.org or 248-203-1483.

The Jewish Women's Foundation Mission

The Jewish Women's Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit
is dedicated to expandin g opportunities and enrichin g the

lives of Jewish women and girls through strategic grant
making and education. The Foundation empowers its Trustees

as philanthropists, social advocates and leaders.

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n this week's Torah Portion,
truly are punished for their iniqui-
Va'ayra, we have the beginning
ties. Without real justice, existence
of the plagues in Egypt and the
would seem meaningless. Thus, God
resulting exodus of the Jewish People wants to show clearly that Divine
from slavery.
Justice does, indeed, exist.
It is clear from the verses
But I think an even more
of the Torah that these
important reason can be
events were intended to
given for God's demonstra-
teach Pharaoh and the
tion of the power of His
Egyptians as well as the
might through destruction.
Jews and, in fact, all of
Human nature seems to
mankind for all future gen-
be such that goodness,
erations, that God exists, is
benevolence, kindness and
One and is all-powerful.
mercy are all too often
God's omnipotence
taken for granted.
is demonstrated by the
We all see in our own
Rabbi Eliezer
plagues against Egypt
lives
that the goodness and
Co hen
and by the destruction of
blessings
that God showers
Specia I to the
Pharaoh and his army at
upon
us
—
our very lives
Jewish News
the splitting of the sea. But
and families, our pleasures
one must ask: If God is
and successes, our joys
indeed a God "... merciful and gra-
and achievements — are only rarely
cious, long-suffering and abundant in attributed to God. This was the very
kindness and truth, extending mercy lesson that God attempted to teach
to thousands and forgiving ...",
the Jewish People during their 40-
as God describes Himself (Exodus
year trek through the wilderness. The
34:6,7), why demonstrate His exis-
world into which we were born is a
tence and power through devastation wonderful place; all of our existence
and suffering?
is a loving gift of a benevolent God.
In fact, Moses, himself, calls upon
But how many of us, and how
God to "... magnify Your power as
often, do we realize and acknowledge
You said: 'The Lord is long-suffering
this truth? When suffering takes
with abundant mercy, forgiving sin
place, we question God — but we are
...'" (Numbers 14:17,18). God's real
happy to accept the goodness without
strength is the power of love and
acknowledgment or gratitude to its
mercy, not vindictiveness, punish-
real source. We can understand and
ment and the cause of human suffer-
appreciate the awesome power of
ing. Why would God seem to justify
destructive forces, but rarely do we
this false characterization, (such as
think of power and force when we
that given by traditional Christianity) experience or think of benevolence.
that the God of Judaism is a stern,
Truly, that God demonstrates His
vengeful, angry God of punishment,
awesome power to impress us with
rather than a loving God of mercy
His strength through devastation and
and forgiveness?
suffering says more about us than it
It seems to me that there are two
says about Him. El
possible correct answers to this ques-
tion. First, God is demonstrating that
there is, in fact, ultimate justice even
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi at Or Chadash
if we don't perceive it. The wicked
of Oak Park / Huntington Woods.

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Why do we so often take God's goodness and blessings for granted?
What can we do to be more aware and grateful for God's love?
Would it even have been possible for God to impress the world with His
omnipotence through goodness?