I
11 ■ 111111•M
7
Parshat Ki Tetze: Deuteronomy 21:10-
25:19; Isaiah 54:1-10.
Efrat, West Bank
GALA
The Woodward Avenue Sind
honoring Andy Meisner Oakland CountyTreasurer
An evening
short on speeches
—and long on
champagne, food, and fun
Please join us!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Elul 22, 5770
6:oo pm
The Woodward Avenue Skid
25595 Woodward Avenue, Royal Oak, MI 48067
To purchase tickets and contribute, contact us at
www.woodwardshul.org
(248) 414-SHUL (7485)/woodwardshul@gmail.com
1614760
THE ISAAC AGREE
DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGUE
Invites the Community to Observe
THE HIGH HOLIDAYS
The Plaza Hotel: Ballroom
(adjacent to the Millennium Center)
16400 J. L. Hudson Drive, Southfield, MI 48075
(at the intersection of Northwestern Hwy's Service Dr.)
A Warm, Friendly Environment.
No Admission Charge. No Tickets Required.
ROSH HASHANAH SERVICES
Wednesday Evening, Sept. 8: Maariv
Thursday Morning, Sept. 9:
Mincha/Maariv
Friday Morning, Sept. 10:
6:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m.
6:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m.
SHABBAT SHUVAH SERVICES
Friday Evening, Sept. 10: Mincha/Maariv/Kabbalat Shabbat 6:00 p.m.
Saturday Morning, Sept. 11:
9:00 a.m.
YOM KIPPUR SERVICES
Friday Evening, Sept. 17: Kol Nidre
7:15 p.m.
Saturday Morning, Sept. 18:
9:30 a.m.
Yizkor
12:30 p.m.
Mincha
5:45 p.m.
N'ilah
7:00 p.m.
Blowing of the Shofar .... 8:20 p.m'
46
August 19 2010
TORAH PORTION
Biblical Directions
For Parenting
CHAMPAG E
to benefit
Spirituality
hands, legs and full ability of hear-
ing and seeing in order to punish a
he words of the Bible in this
youth. I have always interpreted this
week's portion are rather
as the necessary parental hands to
stark and even jarring to the
embrace as well as to chastise, the
modern ear: "If a man has
necessary parental legs to
a wayward and rebellious
accompany him to places
child, who does not listen to
of learning, inspiration and
the voice of his father and
fun as he was growing up,
the voice of his mother, and
the necessary parental ears
they warn and flog him, but
to hear his dreams, fears
he still does not obey them;
and frustrations and the
Then his parents may take
necessary parental eyes to
him out to the judges of
see what he's doing, what
the city, telling them that
he's not doing and whom
"this our son is wayward
he is befriending. Children
Rabbi Shlomo
and rebellious, he does not
deserve to receive time and
Riskin
obey our voice, he is a glut-
attention from parents —
Special to the
ton and a drunkard," upon
and quantity time is the real
Jewish News
which all the people of the
definition of quality time!
city pelt him with stones and he dies,
If parents are not personally and
so that you rout out the evil in your
significantly involved in the develop-
midst, and all of Israel will take heed
ment of their child, then the child
and be frightened" (Deuteronomy
cannot be blamed, or punished, for
21:18-21).
becoming wayward or rebellious
The sages of the Talmud ini-
according to the Talmud.
tially take the approach that here is a
Moreover, the mother and father
youngster who seems to be growing
must be "equal in voice, appearance
into a menacing murderous, monster.
and stature": They must provide a sin-
They limit the time period of the case
gle message of values and lifestyle to
in question to three months follow-
which they themselves subscribe; and
ing the onset of puberty, insist that he
they must act in concert and harmony
must have stolen a large amount of
in providing a unified household.
meat and wine from his parents which
All of this leads to a ringing talmu-
he himself consumed and conclude
dic declaration: "The case of the way-
that "this youth is punished now for
ward and rebellious child never was
what will inevitably happen later on;
and never will be. Expound the verses
it is better that he die (more or less)
and you will receive reward?'
innocent rather than be put to death
Apparently, the limitations were so
after having committed homicide."
great that they obviated the possibil-
Many modern commentaries argue
ity of ever executing the punishment;
that our Bible is actually limiting an
nevertheless, especially parents have
ancient practice in which parents
much to learn about the seriousness
had unlimited authority over their
of parenting by taking to heart, mind
children, even to the extent of putting
and action the rabbinic explication of
their rebellious children to death; and
the verses.
here the waywardness is defined, the
It is crucial that parents do every-
time span is limited and the Judges
thing they can, to the best of their
must be brought into the situation.
ability, to give their children the
Nevertheless, the very axiom of "pun-
basic three things which every child
ishing now for what will inevitably
deserves from his/her parents: love,
happen later on" runs counter to
limits and personal involvement. ❑
everything else in our entire biblical
and judicial system.
Shlomo Riskin is head of Israel's Ohr Torah
First of all, parents must have their
Stone Institute and chief rabbi of Efrat.
T