spirit
torah portion
IN MEMORIAM
Eugene “Gene” Applebaum
1936 – 2017
Strength
In Faith
The American Technion Society – Detroit Chapter
mourns the loss of Mr. Eugene Applebaum.
Mr. Applebaum was a pillar of the Detroit Jewish community
and beyond. He was a visionary leader and philanthropist.
May his memory be a blessing.
CATHY DEUTCHMAN
SCOTT LEEMASTER
Detroit Chapter President
ATS Chairman of the Board
LARRY JACKIER
JOEY SELESNY
Chairman of the
Technion Board of Governors
Regional Director
O
6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 304
%ORRP¿HOG+LOOV0,
|| ats.org
WINTER SAVINGS
We’ll Go Out on a Limb for You!
Award Winning
Tree Service
Now offering
Spikeless
Pruning
t Residential & Commercial
t Fully Insured
t Quality Work
t 20 Years Experience
t Owner Ran & Operated
t Year Round Service
WE TRY TO BEAT
ANY INSURED
COMPANY’S
WRITTEN ESTIMATE
ANY TREE SERVICE
30% OFF
PLUS
Save An Additional
10% OFF
If Service Is Approved
Within 3 Days of Estimate.
8JUI$PVQPO0OMZ$BOOPU#F$PNCJOFEXJUI"OZ0UIFS
0GGFS/PU"QQMJDBCMFXJUI"OZ0UIFS0GGFSPS.JOJNVN$IBSHF
$PVQPO/PU7BMJEGPS4UVNQ(SJOEJOH&YQJSFT
8.JMF3Et'BSNJOHUPO)JMMT
'BSNJOHUPO)JMMT248-888-6990
-JWPOJB734-513-7299
5FYU0OMZ2VPUFT734-812-4199
www.cleancuttreeexperts.com
Tree Removal t Tree Shaping t Lot Clearing t Shrub Removal
Tree Trimming t Shrub Topping t Storm Damage t Shrub Trimming
SPECIALIZING IN LARGE & HAZARDOUS REMOVALS
34
January 11 • 2018
2224310
Parshat Vaera:
Exodus 6:2-9:35;
Ezekiel 28:25-29:21.
ur world is in a pretty tough
place. The news fluctuates
back and forth between infu-
riating, terrifying and exhausting. Is
there any hope in the future? I think
that if anyone needs me, I’ll be Up
North. In a cabin. Off the grid. Away
from everyone but my family.
autonomy, God needed our ruach
I imagine our ancestors felt
(spirit) to be full.
even worse. Enslaved and
Redemption can only be
oppressed in Egypt, the
achieved when we seek free-
Israelite nation in exile was on
dom and faith. Redemption
its knees and ready to break.
can only be achieved when
It was that moment, then,
we believe in ourselves, in our
that God found in Moses, the
leaders and in God.
shepherd and former prince
Some 40 years after our
of Egypt, a redeemer to lead
Torah portion, as Moses’ life
God’s children into freedom.
comes to an end, he says to
Rabbi Aaron
In this week’s Torah por-
our ancestors, “Be strong and
tion, we read of God appear- Starr
resolute, be not in fear or in
ing to Moses and estab-
dread … for the Lord your
lishing with him a close,
God marches with you: God
intimate relationship. God
will not fail or forsake you”
explains in five steps how God has
(Deuteronomy 31:6-7).
heard our ancestors’ suffering, how
It remains good advice. When times
God will bring them out of slavery
are difficult, we must not wait for a
and how God will carry them on
miracle to arrive for us to gain our
eagles’ wings to the Promised Land.
faith in a bright future. Rather, we
must first summon the strength of
“But when Moses told this to the
faith — in each other, in our leaders
Israelites, they would not listen to
and in God — and then the miracle
Moses, mikotzer ruach umei-aovdah
can be realized in partnership with
kashah” (Exodus 6:9).
God.
Why were the Israelites unable to
I suppose, then, that I will stick it
hear God’s message of hope? Mei-
out here … at least until I can install
avodah kashah is easy to translate:
“hard work.” Mikotzer ruach is a bigger some indoor plumbing in that cabin
Up North.
challenge; that is to say, what does
In this week of Parashat Vaera,
the Torah mean when it conveys our
may we seek the strength of faith and
ancestors were of “stunted spirit”?
of community so that together, we
Perhaps here our ancestors failed to
might partner in building a world of
accept Moses’ faith and optimism
peace. •
because they were physically — and
spiritually — exhausted.
Rabbi Aaron Starr is spiritual leader of
Moses’ battle against our ancestors’
kotzer ruach (stunted spirit) continues Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield.
throughout the 40 years of wandering
CONVERSATIONS
in the wilderness. In fact, ultimately,
What can you do to increase the
we come to learn that the reason our
strength of your faith? How might
ancestors required 40 years to go from
you partner with the community to
Egypt to the Land of Israel is they
achieve the proverbial Promised
needed a generation of slave mentality
Land? How might faith be more dif-
to die off in order to pursue a freedom
ficult to achieve in our time than in
and faith in the Promised Land. In
our ancestors’ time? How might it be
order for redemption to take hold, for
easier to achieve?
the Jews to retake Israel and to gain