spirit

THANKSGIVING
DINNER

torah portion

14 99

$

Plus Tax

Roasted Turkey Breast off the
bone, Pan Gravy, Challah
Stuffi ng, Choice of Mixed
Vegetables or Carrots, Choice
of Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
or Roasted Redskin Potatoes,
Cranberry Chutney, Challah
Bread, House Baked Sour Cream
Coffee Cake or 7 Layer Cake.
Order must be placed by
November 21 and picked up
between 10am and 6pm
on the November 22.

Per Person. Carry-Out Only

Thank you for your support
during construction.

At War With Ourselves

A

nd the children struggled
within [Rebecca], and she
said, “If it be so, why am I
like this?” And she went to inquire
of the Lord. And the Lord said to
her, “Two nations are in your womb,
and two kingdoms will separate
from your innards, and one kingdom
will become mightier than the other
kingdom, and the elder will serve the
younger.” (Genesis 25:22-23)
We all have our moments.
Sometimes we are genu-
also the one that thinks
inely inspired. We feel uplift-
and ponders on the foreign
ed. We feel spiritual. We feel
thoughts. But, in fact, there
that we have what it takes. A
are two souls, each waging
Chasidic way of expressing
war against the other in the
this feeling is a tefach hecher,
person’s mind,” wrote Rabbi
an inch above worldly mat-
Shneur Zalman of Liadi,
ters.
Tanya, chapter 28.
More often than not, how-
In other words, defin-
ever, we feel earthly, materi- Rabbi Yisrael
ing ourselves by the type of
alistic and unrefined. Most
Pinson
thoughts we think is a grave
of the time, we also act upon
mistake. Our “self ” will
this feeling and say things
never be clearly defined as
that could be considered
long as the battle is raging.
unrefined or do things that
We can’t call one part of ourselves
are not spiritual.
the winner just because it scored a
We also have the ability to follow
home run. Until the game is over,
that unrefined action with a totally
there are two talented teams who
focused moment of spiritual uplift-
are fighting for the prize.
ing. We could be gossiping, and a
In our bodies, we have two souls
couple seconds later we could be
who are trying to win control over
engrossed in prayer.
our thoughts, speech and actions.
So we ask ourselves: Are we
schizophrenic? Or worse, are we just There is always a team that is ahead
and one that is catching up; but
hypocrites? Who is the real “me”?
How could a mouth that just uttered there is never a winner. Until we
exhale our last breath, we are still in
angry words to a fellow, switch over
the game.
to read God’s praises?
So now we know that it is not
“This refutes a common error.
schizophrenia, nor are we being
When a foreign thought occurs to
hypocrites. It’s just about winning
some people during prayer, they
the next hand, one hand at a time.
mistakenly conclude that their
prayer is worthless; for if one prayed Who are you rooting for? •
properly and correctly, no foreign
Rabbi Yisrael Pinson is founder and director of
thoughts would arise in his mind.
Chabad of Greater Downtown Detroit and a
They would be correct if there
chaplain with Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy
would be but one soul within a per-
Network.
son, the same soul that prays being

20% Discount

Dine-in Only. One coupon per table. Not
valid with any other offer. Exp 12-31-17

Parshat Toldot:
Genesis 25:19-29:9;
I Samuel 20:18-42.
(Shabbat Machar
Chodesh)

6724 Orchard Lake Rd.
West Bloomfi eld 248-737-3890

www.picklesandryedeli.com
www.facebook.com/picklesandrye

(335,>
796+<*;065

The

Nutcracker

“The Nutcracker” is now a 21 st Century spectacle!
Bright, high-tech and filled with imagery!”

–David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer

at the Detroit Opera House

Sat., Nov. 25 at 2:30 & 7:30 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 26 at 2:30 p.m.

Matinees Feature Family Friendly Activities

Featuring The Cincinnati Ballet
with LIVE Michigan Opera
Theatre Orchestra

Conducted by Carmon De Leone

2017-2018 Dance Season Sponsor

MichiganOpera.org or 313.237.7464

jn

November 16 • 2017

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