6 - THE BULLETIN — Thursday, November 11,19.93
SYNAGOGUE CALENDAR
C^ndlelighting:
Remember ih&Sabbathito keep it holy ..
Fourth Commandment, Exoduis; 20:8
Friday, November 12,4;16
Sed ra Toldpt Havdala Shabbat ends
November 13, 5:17 p.m.
Friday, Novemlier 19,4:08 p.m.
;  Sedra Vayetze Havdala Shabbat ends
November 20s 5:10 p;m.
_ Beth Hamldrash (Sephar-djc Orthodox), 3231 HeatherSt; Rabbi Y. Benar-roch; Daily? am.; Shabbat, Sun., and pubtiq holidays 9 a.m.; FrI. 5 p.m.; Sat. sunset. 872-4222 or 873-2371.
Beth Israel (Gohserva-tjve),4350 Oak St. Rabbi W.. Solomon, Cantor M. N Ixon. Torah reader D. Rubin ■ Choir S; Pelman. Daily 8 a.m. (public holidays, 9 a.m.) and 6 p.ni. FrI. 8:15 p.m. Sat. 9:15 a.in. and 6 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. 731-4161.        " : ■■
Burquesi Jewish Com-
munity (Tradltipnal). Oneg Shabbat services second Friday of each month, 8 p.m. 526-7235.
Beth Shalom Sanctuary
(Traditional), OJCC, 108 North Glenmore Rd.. Kel-. owna. 852-2312.
Beth TIkvah (Conservative), 9711 Geal Rd:. Richmond. Rabbi M. Cohen, Torah reader T. Vi/ol I nsky. Fri. .8 p.m: (first FrI. of month 6 p.m.); Sat. 9:30 a.m. 271-6262.
Chabad House Kabbalah Centre (Chassid Ic), 3673 W. Broadway. Rabbi L. Dubrawsky. Sun: morning minyan i 0 a.m. 737>1574.
Chabad-Lubavitch (Chas-sidic), 5750 Oak St. Rabbi Y.Wineberg. Daily 7 a.m. and sunset; Fri. sunset; Sat. 10 a.m.; Sun! 9 a.m. and sunset. 266-1313.
Chabad of Surrey Community Centre (Chassidic). 210-6950 Nicholson Rd., Delta. Rabbi M. Altei n .Sat. 9:30 a.m., 596-9030.
* ■/■ * ■•.*'■'■■■
Eltz Chaim (Orthodox), 8080 Franciss Rd., Richmond. Rabbi A. Feigel-stock. Dally minyan 7 a.m.; Fri. sunset; Sat. 9 a.m. and sunset; Sun. 9 a.m. 275-0007.
Har El (Conservative North Shore JGC, 1735 Inglewopd Aye., West Van. Rabbi I. Balla, cantorialf leader^ R; Edel,. Fri- 7 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. 922-8245 or 92^-9133.
Or Shalom (Traditional Egalitarran), 710 E. 10th Ave. Rabbi I. Marmorstein. Wed. 7:15 a.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. 872-1614.
Schara Tzedeck (Orth o-dox), 3476Oak St. Rabbi M. Feuerstein, Cantor Yasicbv Orzech, Torah reader Rev. J. Marciano. Dally 7:15 a.m. and sunset; Fri. 1/2 hr. before sunset; Sat 9 a^nri. and sunset; Sun. 8:30 a.m. and sunset. 736-7607.
Louis BrierHome (Orthodox), 1055 W. 41st Ave. C. Kornfeld, D. Kornfeld, R. Rosenberg. Daily rnincha, 4:30 p.m.; Friday, 4:15 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. 261-9376.
Jack Handel
OTTAWA — Business-ma n Jack Handel passed ~away on Oct. 15 following a lengthy illnessTTHIeAyas 83.
Born in Winnipeg in 1910, Mr. Handel also lived in Regina. He. moved to Ottawa in 1937 arid served five years with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Following the war, he purchased Delahay's Men's Wear which he operated until his retirement.
Mr. Handel was predeceased by two brothers, Asher of Vancouver and Joe of Winnipeg. He is sUrvived by his wife Beatrice and son Bruce, both of Ottawa; brpthersSimon of Montreal and Sidney of Regina; and sisters Anna Wolfe of Montreal, Rosela Sarner of Regina and Tobie Sandomirsky of Yancouver.
Funeral services were held in Ottawa Oct. 18.
Jewish Calendar
Em a rtu- EI (C o riser -vatlve), 1461 Blanshard, Victoria. Rabbi V. Rein-stein. Thurs. 7 a.m.; Sat. 9:15 a.m. 382-0615.
Temple Sholom (Reform), 7190 Oak St. Rabbi P. Bregmah, cantorial soloist A. Guttman. Morning minyans; Mpn. and Wed. 7:15 a.m.; FrI. 8:15 p.m.; Sat. 10:30 a.m. 266-7190.
5754 —
Erev Chanuka Chanuka
Fast i 0th of Tevet
Dec. 8 Dec. 9-16 Dec. 24
5754 -1994
Rosh Chodesh Tu B'Shvat
Jan. 13 Jan. 27
>••••«
		
		
By SHLOMO RISKIN		
TOLDOT '
EFRAT, Israel — THE ETERNAL POWER of the Biblical narrative is due in no small measure to the fact that it deals with human problems, hum^n relationships, parents and children, husbands and wives.
And perhaps the greatest drama of all can be found in the tensions which erupt between parents Isaac and Rebecca twin sons Esau and Jacob. :
Isaac favors Esau, his first-born, hunting aggressive sori. . Rebecca favors the riiore sensitive and studious Jacob, '. Moreover. Esau takes Hittite wives, in effect intermarrying frorn the Biblical perspective.
And so. when Isaac the father instructs Esau the son to bring him venison nieat after which, he will give him the blessing and presuniably the birthright: Rebecca springs to action.
She coaxes Jacob into pretending to be Esau, coaches him in an act of deception, as a result of which the younger twin • receives both blessing arid birthright from a duped father.
And that's precisely what bothers us about Rebecca. No matter how many times we read the story, it's difficult to understand why she deceives her husband.
WhydPesn'tshe ratherspeak to Isaac, convince him of the justice of her — and Jacob's — cause, of the right of the younger to be the leader of his. family, to carry the destiny of his forbears? -■'v:"^^.'
How can she convince Jacob to pretend to be si o me one he isn't, entei- his blind father's tent, serve him a meal under false pretences, and in effect steal the blessing Isaac had intended to give to Esau?
Arid, etjually problematic, when Isaac discovers he's been deceived, why doesn't he raise a storm, rage like Lear, and punish Jacob for lying?
Nx)thing of the sort happens. Much to the contrary, the first words out of Isaac's mouth is the corifirmation of the act of deception: ''He too will be blessed. "[Geri. 27:33J
Blessings? Now? He's just discovered he's been made a fool of. And even Jacob must be surprised by his father's reaction. Afterall, only a few verses ea rlier he had argued with his mother's plan, saying "Suppose my father touches me, and I shall seem to himasa mocker, and I shall bring a curse uport myself and not a blessing-[Gen. 27:12]
J.B Newall Manuments
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And what's also difficult tp understand is that When the game is finally up, Isaac is still reluctant to bless Esau, who makes three separate requests, finally emitting the pitiful gasp: '7s there only one blessing that yOu have, my father? FatherlBless rne top."fGert. 27:38]
If Rebecca's behavior pushing Jacob tP steal the blessing is difficult to understand, Isaac's behavipr in allowing Jacob to keep the blessing is even more bewildering.
To help explain what may be the true motivation on every side, let me consider the possibility that an act of deceptioh might have been the only way to teach a certain truth thkt could not have been taught in any other way.
The Torah establishes that Isaac loves Esau; " . . . because the trapping was in his mouth. A ndRebeccah loved Jddob, "(Gen. 25:28] no reason given.
The usual explanation for Isaac's favoritism towards Esau is that the son supplied the father with a lot of venison, an idiomatic explanation of the Hebrew phrase tzayidbfiv, [Gen. 26:28] (literally the 'trapping is in his mouth.')
Esau is a hunter, and the game he traps ends up in Isaac's mouth. r:'^':
However. Rashi cites the Mid rash to reveal another possible meaning. The previous verse had described Eiau as an ishtzayid. i'diTSipptT), in a figurative as well asTiteral and professional war; Esau 'trapped' his father, pretending to be deeply religious by asking detailed religio-legal questions, such as whether or not one was required tp tithe salt
"Sure he may be a little wild, my Esau," the proud father would say. '^but he's a gpod boy, he's very 'frum'." ;. The ambiguity of the Biblical phrase therefore suggests that Esau's mouth was a trap, that the elder son created ve rba 1 ill us io ns i n p rd e r to e nsnare hi s u n s us pec t ing, ra ther ; naive, father. ■ •.
With this in mind, it turns out that one character in our Torah portion cart see through a deceiver's trap. And the textual hint comes from the portion's opening verses, "These are the chronicles of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham begot Isaac, and /Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebecca, the daughter of Betuel the Aramean from Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the A rameart, to be his wife." [25:19-20]
Now why does the Torah tell us not only whose daughter she was, but whose sister — Laban? And eyen if the Torah wants to mention both, why add 'Aramean' to each figure's name, when simply Saying 'from Padan-Aram' would have been enough to tell us their location?
1 believe that the word 'Aramean,' does not Only refer to a geographical place, but also describes a state of being.
Rememberjhat the Hebrew word "ramai** — the same le t te rs a s A ra mea n, m uc h the sa me sound, mea ns a cro o k o r a deceiver. ■,„ ■,.■ V;;.'/'^
Therefore, the double entendre creates another level of meaning; Isaac, begotten by Abraham, the most righteous . man of his generation, got married to a woriiari frbm Aram; a family of rfl/na//w, hiistlers and thieves, ■ • :
Hence it was Rebecca who was trained to see through deception, who recognized the true character of Esau, a personality trait he could conceal from Isaac his father, who had no experience with thieves or deceivers.
From Page 1
until he was found in .1989 hiding in a Catholic monastery. /: :■•
He had been hidde n si nee the end bf World War II in various Catholic convents, with the approval Pf some of the highest members pf the Catholic Church in France. This was shown by an investigation ordered two years 'dgo by Cardinal Albert .Decourtray, the archbishop of Lyon.
In the early 1970s, then-President. Georges Pompidou pardoned Tbuyier, enabling him to come out of hidingarid regain possession of his belongings, which included a home. .
Whenmembers of the wartime French Resistance heard this, they lodged a lawsuit against Touyier for crimes against humanity, which is not cPvered by the statute of liriiitations on war crimes. Touvier again Went into hiding in monasteries.
On May^4, 1989, French gendarmes arrested Touvier in a convent near Nice.
Jailed for two; years, hie Was released in 1991 by a court prder that cited his age and poor health. He suffers from bladder cancer:
A first appeal by Touvi-er's lawyers led to a surpris-
ing decision by a Paris cpurt to throw the case out of court.
The ensuing uproar led the French Justice Department to appeal the decision.
In the long coiirse of legal events, mostjpf the charges against Touvier were dropped for technical reasons.
The Pnly one remaining is the role of Touvier in the execution of seven ^ Jewish hostages on June 29, 1944, in Rillieux-la-Pape, a suburb of Lyon, in retaliation for the . assassination of Vichy's minister of propaganda, Philippe Henriot.
Touvier has always acknowledged that it was he who picked the seven to be exe-cuted. But he has main^ tained that by doing sP he saved the Jives of hundreds of Jews who would have been murdered.
A few months ago, French Nazi-hunter Serge Klarsfeld, who has kept the focus Pn French wartime collaborators, said iri an interview that he was convinced that "unless Touvier leaves France or is killed by a lunatic or diesof old age, the trial will take place."
But he also said that French judicial authorities are doing their best to delay the case of Maurice Papon,
What must Rebecca do? She may well have attempted to convince her husband with words that he was choosing the wrong, son/but to no avail. Isaac believed that he had the ability to discern human nature, he had confidence in his Own judgnient. Hence the deception, a daring plan indeed.
The matriarch must utilize the ploy of deception to enable her husband to recognize the truth, to realize his own vulnerability. ''■"V;'/-/^."^
Rebecca understands that she must first prove to Isaac that his judgment may be faulty, that he can bedeceived by a child of his. And so she convinces Jacob to pretend to be Esau, to appear to his father to be something (or someone) different than what he really is.
And when Isaac reaHzes that he was fooled this time by Jagob, he understands that he may well have been fooled all of the preceeding years by Esau. At that moment he con-cedes to Rebecca, and confirms Jacob's birthright and bless-1 ing: ''He, too, will be blessed.*'
Shabbat Shalom.
COMIC BOOK
From Page 2
She expressed her concerns to Rita Sussmuth, ' president of the German Bundestag, or parliament, and asked if the book could be reviewed again. Sussmuth passed the request to Gunter Reichert, president of the centre. Shortly after that the distributiPn was stopped. ■ ,,s-;
; Tilman Ernst, who directed the project for the centre, said the distribution was stopped "due to hefty criticism from within the centre." ^
But he also acknowledged that the main criticisms from the centre's vice preside nt. Wolfgang Arnold, were not niade public until after Shomrat's worries were known. .
—He said the distributiori has been stopped only temporarily, arid a group of politicians is to review the project this month. Objectionable parts could be removed or altered and the book could be sent out again, he said.
Jurgen Wilke. a member of an independent committee of experts that assisted'^''' the centre in the project, said ; he and others had difficulty
with the project's title: Tyranny and DemPCracy.
"This gives the Wrong impression. There was no democracy at this time."
Solveig Weber, a spokeswoman for the Reading FoundatiPn. said democracy was included in the : title since the bpok and the learning material are designed to promote democracy. But she said the title could be changed.-
The boo'kflias its supporters. :v_- ^.
Chancellor Helmut Kohl : a nd   German   Pre side nt Richard, von Weizsacker both have written letters of praise to Friedemann Be-. durftig, the c omic bo ok's author, Nazi-hunter Simon XViesenthal has also come out in support of the_ef.fort. : ■.'   Shorn rat, of the Israeli Embassy, said she didn't want to contradict these views, but wanted to make her concerns known.
Bedurftig defended his book, in part, by saying that with the rise of neo-Nazism in Germany, rnore knowledge is better than less.
."Whoever knows about the history of the Third Reich." he said, "cannot become a neb-Nazi."