>> Torah portion SHOLEM ALEICHEM INSTITUTE invites you to join them at their SECULAR HIGH HOLIDAY ASSEMBLIES to be held at a NEW venue Parshat Ki Tavo: Deuteronomy 26:1- 29:8; Isaiah 60:1-22. T he special relationship the Jewish nation shares with God is expressed many times throughout the Torah. Because a complete relationship has many different facets, each expression conveys a differ- ent aspect of this deep and full relationship. In this week's Torah reading, we find a most important expression of this relationship, but it is some- what unclear as to exactly which aspect of this special relationship the Torah is speaking about. In Deuteronomy 26:17 we read: "You have distin- guished God today to be your God ..." and in the next verse, we read: "And God has distinguished you to be His treasured nation ..." The word "distinguished" used in translation is the excellent choice of the Artscroll translators; however the exact etymology of the word he-emarta used in the original Hebrew is some- what of a mystery. Based on context and hints from other places, Rashi concludes that it means "singled out:' meaning that of all the other possible gods, we singled out HaShem to be our God. And in the same sense, God has "singled us out" to be His treasured nation. The Malbim, an 18th-century com- mentary, explains that by accepting to do His commandments, the Jewish nation has chosen God to be our suitor and, in return, He has chosen us. Unkulus (c. 35-120 C.E.), in his Aramaic translation of the Torah, trans- lates the word he-emarta in yet a third way. He explains that we have made God the one and only God in the world. The converse of this would have to be that God says that there is no other nation other than the Jewish nation. What could be the meaning of this? It is explicit in the verses from this week's portion. God says to us, "You have made me the one and only God by pro- claiming in the Shema that I am the only God, and I respond in kind by taking pride in the nation Israel, the one and only nation on the Earth:' This dovetails with the translation of Unkulus. In what way are we the one and only nation on the Earth? There are different levels of oneness. For example, what about the oneness of a puzzle? Here, each piece of the puzzle reveals a different part of the picture, which cannot be filled in by any other piece. Each piece is crucial to every other piece in order to complete the picture. This is the metaphor for the oneness of the Jewish nation. Each one of us has a unique contribution to make that combines with the offering of every other Jew to form the complete picture of the Jewish nation. Without any piece, the picture is incomplete. What is the picture on the box of the puzzle that represents the Jewish nation? A mirror image of all the Godliness that God wants to reveal to the world. Each individual one of us represents one piece of that revelation, through the correct choices we make. Thus, the Jewish nation in its entirety com- prises the full spectrum of Godliness that is capable of being revealed in the world. It is for this reason that we are the only nation that is one, and therefore, we are the nation suitable for reflect- ing the oneness of God. This is symbolized in the tefillin that we wear, proclaiming the Oneness of our mate, the only one for us, and God does the same. It reminds me of when two high- school sweethearts exchanged rings. It was a sign that you are the only one for me. I am not looking at anyone else. It is like a marriage in which each spouse recognizes how his mate is the only one for them. These are the stron- gest marriages. This concept brings together all the explanations of the commentaries mentioned above. How privileged we should feel to have been chosen as God's mate. ❑ Rabbi Avi Cohen is director of the Jean and Theodore Weiss Partners in Torah program of Yeshiva Beth Yehudah in Southfield. The Hillel Day School Chapel 32200 Middlebelt Rd. (Between Northwestern Hwy. and 14 Mile Rd.) Farmington Hills ROSH HASHANAH THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH AT 10 AM KOL NIDRE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH AT 8 PM YOM KIPPUR SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH AT 10 AM As Always No Ticket Required Membership inquiries welcome. Call Institute Office (248) 423-4406 1855320 THE ISAAC AGREE DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGUE Invites the Community to Observe DOWNTOWN SYNACI OCI UE THE HIGH HOLY DAYS The Holocaust Memorial Center 28123 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, MI (Less than a block North of the Orchard Lake Road Exit of 1-696) A Warm, Friendly Environment. No Admission Charge. No Tickets Required. ROSH HASHANAH SERVICES Wednesday Evening, September 4: Maariv Thursday Morning, September 5 Thursday Evening, September 5: Mincha/Maariv Friday Morning, September 6 .7:00 p.m. 8:30 a.m. 7:00 p.m. 8:30 a.m. SHABBAT SHUVAH SERVICES Friday Evening, September 6: Mincha/Maariv/Kabbalat Shabbat 7:00 p.m. NOTE: Downtown at the Synagogue Saturday Morning, September 7 9:00 a.m. YOM KIPPUR SERVICES Friday Evening, September 13: Kol Nidre Saturday Morning, September 14• Yizkor Mincha N'ilah Blowing of the Shofar 12:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. .7:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 9:30 a.m. Questions? 313-962-4047 August 22 • 2013 51