Page 4-The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, September 13, 1984
Worid-Miaiial
M-T
Rabbi Burak
ByI
RABBLMOSES J. BURAK
Question: In my synagogue, the Musaf sen- ji ice of Rosh Hashanah is not completed until |i; Ground 3 in the afternoon. I think that-sterri- i ble. What's wrong with finishing early and hav- i; ing lunch around 1 p.m. on Rosh Hashanah? :|i
The only devout a group that manages to
finish at an hour that
you would like is to be
found within frum Ger-
man Jewry. But, their
morning service on
Rosh Hashanah starts at
6. Thus, by 1 o'clock in
the afternoon, they have
put in a solid seven s hours of prayers and
devotions.
So, if your services start at 9 in the morning, you should notbe finished until 4 in the afternoon, according to their ratio. But, if you start at 8 a.m., then a 3 p.m. finish is just fine.
Convince: your group to begin the services at 6 in the morning, and you will be out in tiirie for an :;: early lunch.
However, let me ask you a few questions. Where's the rush? What is there to do on Rosh ;;• Hashanah besides praying? If you get through the :i service at ah early hour, what will you do with the rest of the day? The Code, OH. Chapter 583:2 V does not permit us to sleep that afternoon. The clas-s sic authorities tell us that he who sleeps on Rosh ? Hashanah afternoon will have a sleepy year, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that. You aren't goiiig to watch any ball game that •i day.You can't go out to golf. All these things are f forbidden.
All that there is to do is to go down to a river, or any other body of water, say tashlich, and throw your sins into the water. And that doesn't take long, unless you have tons and tons of sins that will take you endless hours to unload into the river.
We have good reason to pray ail day on Rosh Hashanah, That's what they do in the Yeshi-vas.Tliey understand the significance of the day, and, in consequence the service goes on and on.The readers speak every word carefully, and make every word count.They have no chazzan thei^ to say a single Word 10 times. That's forbidden in the Yeshivas.But, every word is enunciated carefully. Qn tlie Day of Judgment one doesn't want to hiaike any mistakes J
The whole world is being judged. Every man's record is being examuied on high Man's deeds and misdeeds are carefully studied and weighed. If the scale tiJM to t^e right, aU is well. But if it tilts to the left, all is not well.
Then, man should pray all day, and seek to make a favorable impression at least on the Days of Awe. But, the human machine does require a little food in order to carry out this day-long program. That's why they pause for Kiddush, in the yeshivas and in some synagogue, a little before the blowing of the shofar. After tasting a little food — and who needs a lot on this day of days, one is far more relaxed for the shofar blowing and the Musaf. Then, when all that needs to be said has been said, they sit down to lunch, followed by mincha and tashlich.
The Code, it must be admitted, does hot require you to pray all day on Rosh Hashanah; In OH. Chapter 584:1, iwe are told to pray until half the day is oyer. The commentaries add that this is a minimum requirement. Iri the same Code we find that there weremany people who mlade it their custom to fast on both days of Rosh Hashanah. While we are not quite up to that, we should be in no hur- || ry to get to the table.
It might be wise to take a little more honey with |i
the challa and the apple on Rosh Hashanah. ||
Perhaps that would make us all have a sweet dis- i;|
position and allow time tb stand still as we pray H
for ourselves, for our families, for Canada, for Is- i
rael, and for our brothers who live in lands where- i|i they ar not free to pray.
Prayerslike that take a long time.
The Jerusalem Foundation
mourns the death of
Bernard M. Bloomfield
a true friend of Jerusalem,
and extends condolences to the family.
Canadian voice objection
Latvof R^tu
TORONTO-
In a move to prevent the Knesset from changing the controversial Law of Return, Conservative and Reform rabbinal associations in Canada have baiid-ed together to oppose a possible amendment.
A joint press release to The CJN, issued by Rabbi
Robert Marcus, president of the Rabbinical Assembly, Ontario Region, Rabbi Steven Garten, president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Canadian Region, and Rabbi Michael S. Stroh, president of Kadima: Canadian Council of Reform Zionists, stated their position
that since "pluralism is a fact of Jewish life," the Knesset should make no" changes to the Law of Return '' for the sake of the Jewish peopl? and the State of Israel." ^
NEW YORK (JTA) -
A rabbi who fled as a reftigee from Germany in the 1930s will become the first American rabbi to return to East Germany in clerical capacity when he travels to East Berlin to officiate at High Holy Day services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The return of Rabbi Ernst Lorge, retired spiritual leader of Temple Israel Skokie, HI., has been arranged by the American Jewish Committee, which last year provided books, religious articles and sacramental wine to the Jewish community of East Berlin. The books are now housed in the city's Jewish Community Library.
An estimated 100 to 150 of the city's 200 Jews are expected to attend the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, where they will hear Rabbi Lorge deliver five sermons in liis native German language* During his 2-weel( stay, he will also visit the Jewish old-age home. "
Fewer than 600 Jews live today in the German Democratic Republic, concentrated in eight cities, with the largest cbnmiuni-ty living in East Berlin, The German government provides funds for these communities and for maintaining more than 100 Jewish cemeteries spread throughout the country.
Explaining his plans for his sermons. Rabbi Lorge said he would emphasize "religious themes and the unity of the Jewish people throughout the world;''
Lorge, who was bom in Mainz in 1916, left Germany for the United States in 1936. He was ordained in the rabbinate here in 1942.
From 1944-46, he served as a U.S. Army chaplain with the 69th Infantry Division in England, France, Belgium and Germany. That division was the first to cross through to Russian lines from the East, and Lorge became the first Jewish chaplain to aid survivors at Auschwitz.
His involvement in helping displaced persons includes the establishment of schools and newspapers, : distribution of food and clothing, and the provision of legal aid to camp survivors detained by law enforcement authorities.
In 1967, he returned to West Germany at the invitation of the education and culture ministry to lecture in several university towns to educators on the Holocaust. "My philosophy is that we should not award Hitler a posthumous victory by allowing Germany to be devoid of Jewish life and influence," Lorge explained.
The rabbi's scheduled visit to East Berlin came about as a result of a meeting last year between AJC leaders and Dr. Peter Kirchner, president of East Berlin's Jewish community. The AJC delegation, the first American conmiunal group to meet with Jewish officials in East Berlin, learned then that the community was without a rabbi.
iB^THE CANADIAN ZIONIST FEDERATION
deeply mourns the passing of
BERNARD M. BLOOMFIELD,
distinguished leader and dedicated servant ofmany humanitarian and philanthropic causes in Canada and Israel.
Beloved husband of the CZF President^
NERI J. BLOOMFIELD
May the family of the deceased be comforted among the other Mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Text of the press release follows:
The purpose of the Law of Return is the ingathering of the Jewish people into its homeland. The proposed amending of the Law of Return would result in accepting as valid conversions made only by Orthodox rabbis and would frustrate the intention of the Law of Return and threaten the unity of the Jewish people.
The majority of Jews in the Diaspora affiliate with the Reform and Conservative movements. The implication of amending the Law of Return is that the State of Israel invalidates the Jewish religious legitimacy of more than two-thirds of the Jewish people. At this moment in Jewish history and in the history of the State of Israel when unity among Jews is essential such an act might do irreparable harm to the Jewish people,
Halacha (Jewish law) is not the issue but rather who has the right to interpret the Halacha and who has the authority to control religious functions and functionaries. This is therefore
a political and not a religious controversy.
All conversions in Toronto under the auspices of the Rabbinical Assembly (Conservative) and the Central Conference of American Rabbis (Reform) are conducted according to Halacha. These converts would not be recognized as Jews if the Law of Return were changed.
Speaking on behalf of the Israeli government in 1970, the Minister of Justice Yaakov Shunshon Shapira stated the following: "...there are Liberal, Conserative and Reform Jews of all kinds and...they perform conversions. Therefore, I (as
Minister of Justice) do not want to fix Halachot nor am I authorized to fix Halachqt. We therefore say that whoever comes with any certificate of conversion from any Jewish conununity, as long as he does not profess another religion, will be accepted as a Jew...."
Pluralism is a fact of Jewish life and the World Zionist Organization has called upon Israel to recognize and treat equally all Jewish religious movements. For the sake of the Jewish people and the State of Israel we call upon the Knesset to make no changes to the Law of Return.
'•Ti* « o ITS'
si* O « » » » »
Canddion HadasMh-WIZO
deeply grieves the passing of
Bernard M/HMmfieM
a true friend, outstanding leader, motivating force of numerous Canadian and Israeli organizations, beloved husband of our Honorary National President,
Neri J. Bloomfield.
We extend our sincerest sympathy to Neri, Evelyn Schachter, Harry Bloomfield, and the entire family.
Cecily Peters, National President
Together with the whole House of Israel ^JPH^ we mourn the loss of
BERNARD BLOOMFIELD ^'
arid express our deepest sympathy to his family The Canadian Associates of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
The Jewish National Fund of Canada
mourns with sadness the passing of
.f UNO OF CANADA
Bernard M, Bloomfield
Lifetime Honorary JNF President
and extends condolences to his wife, Neri, and the
Bloomfield family. -
His dedication to the cause of the Jewish National Fund, his personal warmth and compassionate caring will be forever missed by aU who knew him.
up
•p,
The Board of Directors of
B^nai Brith Canada
expresses condolences to
Hairy Bloomfield,
National Vice President,
on the passing of his father
Internationally renowned Jewish leader.
We pray that his family will be spared further sorrow: