Torah portion

SPIRIT

TORAH PORTION

Remembering Who We Are

The portion describes the The Kiddush cup, fancy, elaborate clothing of candlesticks and challah on the priesthood when making Shabbat remind us that we sacrifices. It also describes are entitled to rest and a life the Ark of the Covenant that at home that is joyous and

Iread a story about a and put down a different was to be covered in gold. happy. Jewish immigrant from ritual item: Kiddush cup, It seems strange that while The mezuzah reminds Europe who moved to the Shabbat candles, tallit, the Israelites are trying us to remember our values lower east side of New York Chanukah candles. to get to the promised when we leave for work and in the early years of 20th The man came land they stop and make when we come back home. century. back to life. The items such elaborate costumes The tallit reminds us that

To get a job, he changed reconnected him and objects. we are robed in splendor, no his traditional clothes and to his past and his Doing so was not matter how modest our lives. worked on Shabbat and family. They reminded Rabbi Aaron ritual for ritual’s sake The purpose of ritual, of holidays. He needed to feed him who he was: a Bergman and not for God, doing Jewish, is to remember his family and felt he had no human entitled to because God does that we are all capable of other choice. dignity, not just a Parshat not need anything. goodness and that we can He often slept at work because of late hours at night 248.289.0600 drone. This is the main Tetzaveh: Exodus 27:2830:10; Ezekiel It was to remind a group of recently freed create a world of beauty and splendor even when we feel and early hours in morning. point in our Torah www.tusharvakhariya.com 43_10-27. slaves that they were like we are in the wilderness. He often seemed distant, depressed and lost. portion. When we remember who we tushar@tvhomes.com (Shushan Purim) capable of beauty and splendor, that they could

At night, his children are, we can face 210 S Old Woodward | Suite 200 | Birmingham MI 48009 remember who they would go to work where the challenges of life more 6755 Telegraph Road | Bloomfield Hills MI 48301 really were, and not Pharaoh’s he was asleep at a desk optimistically and joyfully. vision of who they were.

Aaron Bergman is a rabbi at Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills.

348 CRANBROOK COURT BLOOMFIELD HILLS MI 48304 | 8,181 sqft | 5 bedrooms | 5.2 bathrooms

248.289.0660 www.tusharvakhariya.com

6755 Telegraph Road | Bloomfield Hills MI 48301 210 S Old Woodward | Suite 200 | Birmingham MI 48009