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When the Jewish people finally left Egypt after their experience under slavery, they began a lengthy sojourn in the desert so that the servile mentality absorbed during hundreds of years of bondage could be purged from their outlook.
Prior to departing, Moses told Pharaoh that he must permit the Israelites to leave so that they could perform sacrifices in the wilderness.
And they did. From the end of the Book of Exodus through Leviticus and beyond, the Torah describes in fascinating detail the laws regarding sacrifice.
And yet seven weeks after leaving Egypt, when they arrived at Mount Sinai, the Isriaelites were to encounter an epoch-making occurrence which did not involve ritual sacrifice.
This point is brought home eloquently by Rabbi Shubert Spero in his new book Morality, Halakha and the Jewish Tradition (Ktav), where he shows
that the cehtKil core ciftfte^ve^ moral law, e;xpressed in awesome simi^ity in the Ten Commandments.
These sublime teachings, first received and then communicated to the world, have become thie bedrock of all civilized societies.
The late Rabbi Hayim Haievy Donin noted that in Hebrew the holiday is referred ioaszmanmatan Tbrateinu, ""the time of the giving of the Tornh." Why only the "gi^ang" and not the "receiving?"
"The answer is that while the giving may have taken place at one time and the occasion can be ipommemorated, the reeeiviog of the Torah by the Jews must continue to take place evety day and everywhere.''
This can be done by investing in our Hves in the holiness that flows from the moral principles found in the Decalogue.
A pressing priority
When the Canadian Jewish Congress Plenary Assembly meets in Montreal this week, there will be a number of important issues to which Congress delegates will address themselves.
In addition to the international issues (Israel, Soviet Jewry, anti-Semitism), there is one overiding concern that should attract delegate participation.
The number of Nazi criminals in Canada is, as CJC president Irwin Cotler stated recently, "an affront to conscience."
For years the government in Ottawa has dragged its feet, both on the identification and prosecution of Nazi criminals. In mitigation of the government's stand, some have said that Ottawa did not wi^h to stir up ethnic sensitivities by moving on Nazis here.
One wonders about the morality of groups that would be hurt by the exposure within their midst of
murderers of children?
In the thirty-eight years that have elapsed, the authorities in Ottawa have not prosecuted a jsingle Nazi criminal. Helmut Raudi, the Lithuanian accused of murdering thpuisarids of Jews, has not been charged with any crime.
He is being held pending an extradition expulsion order to stand trial in West Germany. His lawyers are currently considering an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada iit order to prevent his extradition.
The CJC, we hope, will focus attention on the Nazi issue during its Montreal meetings. The presence of Nazis is a festering wound on the body of this nation: Canada cannot afford the human pollutants that soil the honour of this nation.
won't
a
We note with great interest the news that Yeshiva university in New York City has had another large smicha class.
Four young Canadians, all from eastern Canada, were part of the ordination ceremonies. They join the more than one thousand YU rabbis who now occupy rabbinical pulpits all over the United States and Canada.
In the press releases by Yeshiva university, there is a remarkable item about one of the graduates. It seems that in addition to being a rabbi, the young man is also a dentist.
It is not uncommon^ of course, for smicha holders at YU to pursue professional careers. Many enter the business and teaching professions.
This is the first time, however, that a smicha student has chosen to exercise the profession of dentistry.
Asked to comment on that combination, the young rabbi-dentist indicated that he saw no inconsistency in that both the rabbinate and dentistry saw as their goals ministering to people and alleviating their pain.
We are unable to predict what the neophyte rabbi-dehtist says to his patients when they are on his chair; we are able to predict with some certainty, however, what he will be saying each time he introduces a sermon or dVar Torah to members of his congregation. (He does have one)
"Ladies and gentlemen, this won't hurt a bit."
Letters represent the writer'spasanalpptr^^     donotirm^^m^ editorial outlook. Right of reply is open to reci^y inaccuracies andojfe^ Vancouver, VSZ3K5. '^^t:;.',,'
Drunk driving iaws need major overhaul
Dear Mr. Kaplan:
I am writing to you regarding the drinking and driving problem which exists in our province. I am very concerned with oUr Courts injustice and with the public ignorance of the tragic consequences caused by drunk drivers. The ignorance i.' .^f the problem that must be corrected.
One of the keys to the solution of this pr'^lem is changing our titudes, making drunk drivers socially u.-aUv^ptable. This is ne by raising awareness and education on how' to be 'ividually responsible^
Drunk drivers killaiid they must be punished. We must deter others from doing the same. Our laws are in definite need of oyerhauL We need tougher penalties and to eliminate- some of the many Idopholes. Our Courts are much too lenient with drunk 'drivers, most of whom are repeat offenders. Can we afford to hiave > our streets and highways, to maim or kill our
loved ones/
It is everyone's problem. If you are net part of the solution, you are part of the prwhlem. Please stop the carnage on our -'^"ds. Make themi safe and free of drunk drivers.
RITA AKSELROD
'GiAi^ of the Uw'
Shavuot, which falls oii the sixth ofSivan—this year May 18-19 —has many names. We translate it asrthcFeas| o^Wtcks. but it is also known as Chgg Habikurim — Festival of ihe First Fruits; Festival of the Harvest — Chag Ha KatMri^VNOzd^Xon — Atzeret; and the Time of the Giving of oUrTomh —• Zman Mattan Toratenu. In Israel, it is celebrate for on^day and in the Diaspora, for two days.
Just as Shavuot has many names^ there are ^Iso many reasons for its celebration, both religious and seasonal. Occurring exactly seven weeks after the second day of Passover, it is connected to it both agriculturally and historically because it marks the end of the grain harvest and the receiving of the Torah, which was believed to be the dominant reason for the Exodus from Egypt. The festival does not have a lot of ritual associated with it, but this does not diminish its significance.
Shavuot represents the greatest manifestation iti the history of mankind when G-d revealed Himself directly to 600,000 people. According to tradition, we all.stood at Sinai and received the Torah directly.
Some of the. most wonderful customs of the year are associated with Shavuot. We decorate our homes and synagogues with branches, greenery and flowers. In some synagogues, grass is spread on the floor to.represent the grass on which Israel stood at the time of receiving the Law; and the air is filled with the perfume of sweet-smelling herbs and grasses. A crown of flowers and branches is often woven and placed atop the Torah scroll.  . . ^
Tilckun Leil Shavuot
There is a custom, known as Tikkun Lei!Shavuot, to stay up the entire night studying and discussing Torah. If involves studying a small section from every Book of the Bible and every section of Talmud a symbolical study of the entire body of Jewish writings.
There are two reasons for this: it is believed that the Israelites fell asleep during the night before the receiving of the Law, and had to be awakened by Moses.»Now, to show our eagerness (and because Moses isn't available to wake us ujp!) we stay up all night. '. . ■■ ■
The second reason is because Sinai is taken as the marriage between G-d and His people, Israel, and of heaven and earth. Just as it is the custom for attendaiits to stay up all night with a bride before the wedding, we take the Torah as symbolizing the
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