Friday, September 2, 1960
JEWISH WESTERN BULLETIN
MONTREAL NEW YORK MEXICO
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Create a proper mood for the
season
RABBI BERT A. WOYTHALER
JBditor's note: This is the first of a series of articles being written by Rabbi Woythaler of Congregation Beth Israel prior to the High Holy Days.
so.
It is recorded in the Mishnah Brachot, that, "The pious of old would pause before entering the Sjmagpgue for prayer in order to attune themselves to the jnood to pray." They would not pro-ceied from the matket place directly into the synagogue for thjere! had to he created within tbkm the- right atmosphere and proper mood for worship before came into the House of
As we enter upon the High Holidays it is also most important for us to set the proper moOd for the approaching sacred season; If these solemn days are to Imye any significance for us, wipipust be prepared for them sivffyiuailx,-,emotionally and psy-^ diK>logipally. As music can only he apprecliated by music lovers, and art appreciated by art con-ncusseurs, so can religious experi^ ences. only be shared by those w.bo are fully prepared to come into tiie. House of God in a mood conducive ij^ the exalted oc-"jcasidn.-
What is the.mood needed for the appreciation of these sacred dsiys? What kind of mental orientation is xequired to benefit
from this penitential season?
To get in the proper mood, we must, for one thing, step out of out every - day materialistic world and attune ourselves to the spiritual sphere of religion. We must change our thinking and accept the fact that not everything has a price in materialistic terms, and can be measured in dollars and cents* There are values that iare of greater importance to our lives than bank' ing accounts and are more necessary for our well-being than material possessions.
The story is told of a man who tried to welcome the New Year with a - business psychology. He was ovisr-come on the day before Rosh Hashana with a desire to know the future. Before he knew it, there was mysteriously placed before him, on his d^k, a complete edition of his favourite newspaper for the coming, year. He instantly decided that since he ^ould take aiairgii^ss; onlthe
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UN Vf I LING OF tOMtSTONE
in memory pf the late
Sundoy, Sept. 11
.12:30 p.m.
SGhara Tzedeck Cemetery
Rabbi Bernard Goldenberg and Cantor Dov Prcpis wiil officiate
Friends and relatives are asked to attend.
events of th^ immediate future', he would start reading the paper from the day furthest away, the last day of the year, and then turn back, to the days nearer atliand. ' .'v^
The maiu was in the habit of always looking first at-the stock market quotations; and so he did now. Some of the stocks he owned were not doing so well on the last day of the year while others were doing better. He realized that this knowledge gave him a chance to arrange his speculations in such a way that he would grow immensely rich. He took a pen and paper and feverishly noted down the many changes in the market^jconmieiac' ing ^om that far awa^ date a^ working back into the present.
He was overjoyed with the prospects of • his financial gains. But when he was about to close the last edition of the paper, the one closest to New Year's Day, his eyes were caught by a small item on the page opposite the stock market news. He changed color as he read: "In the early hour of the first day of the New Year, Mr. So and So was found dead at his desk." He read his own obituary.
This story cruelly reflects the futility of materialistic thinking during the sacred season. What we are talking about during these solemn days are questions much more vital than stock market quotations. They are questions of life and death, of spiritual growth or moral decay,- of mental health or moral deterioration.
This is the subject matter before us at this season. Only if we regard it as something important and attune ourselves to dealing with it, can we get into the proper mood to benefit from the High Holiday services.
In the second place, we must be of humble spirit and be honest within ourselves in order to ^et intq tho proper, mood. This is .a diiffkolt undertaking be-
cause we have developed many illusions about ourselves. We are living in a competitive society where in order to survive and to keep up the race we have 'constantly to sell ourselves, praise ourselves and give ourselves a build-up in order to impress others. This boastful attitude has become our second nature. While this may be necessary for success in the commercial world, it is. a handicap at this hour of repentance apd self-appraisal.
In order to see ourselves as we really are, we must stop selling and advertising ourselves ^nd learn to recognize our weaknesses and inadequacies. This is what Jewish tradition means when it urges us: "And ye shall afflict your person and no manner of work shall ye do." During this High Holiday season we are hot in the normal field of life. We are in the presence of God whom we cannot fool with pretences and build-ups. In this realm of Grod only the man of humility and honest self-appraisal is of value and importance.
Thirdly, we must enter upon the; sacred season in a sineei-e and serious mood. The |dictum that, "Confession is good :for the soul" is more than a theological doctrine. It ,^ also represents sound psychological counsel. Repentance-has healing power for the himian mind. It brings whole^jril^ Relief to our torment-,ed sou^s and fregh hope to.^our guilt-ridden corisciences. It is, therefore, most beneficial for us to take the call for repentance seriously and avail ourselves of its unlimited opportunities.
Jewish tradition points out that frbmthe^ beginning of the hionili erf- Ehil, which starts this week> uik after Yom
KippurV^re days of favor in the eyes" of God. Foir during these days God listens more than at any,other time to the players of his people. If we approach this High Holiday season in the proper mood, these solehm days win also become favorable days for us and help us to enter into the. New Year as wiser, more mature and better Jhuman beings.
UBC eVoning /clo^ses will include course on Israel, Middle East
A course on "Israel and the Middle East" will be available at the University of British Columbia when evening classes begin in; mid-September. Professor John Wood of Victoria, who viisited the Middle East on a Koerner Foundation grant this summer will conduct the course.
For the first time on the non-credit program, courses will be offered in sociology. These will deal with race and ethnic relations, and with other problems pertaining to contemporary society on the North American continent.
Political and social conditions in Africa, the United Kingdom and other member countries of the Commonwealth will be discussed! by Professor Geoffrey Davies, who has recently completed a year's study tour of the Commonwealth.
Brochures giving full details of courses and fees may be obtained by writing or telephoning^ the- UBC extension department, CA 4-1 Hi, local 525.
Stateless persons given rights
GENEVA—(WJA) The UN Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons has been in force since June 1960. Up to the present, the Convention has been ratified by seven countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Israel, Norway, the United Kingdom and Yugoslavia).
Sixteen countries which have signed the Convention have not yet ratified it, including the German Federal Republic, the Holy See, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. The convention was adopted by a conference of Plenipotentiaries which met at UN headquarters in September 1954.
Governments accepting the
Convention underiake to treat stateless persons in the same way as their own nationals in many fundamental fields, such as freedom of religion, access to courts of law, and social security. In other matters, such as employment and*Requisition of property, stateless' persons will enjoy privileges similar to those granted, to aliens generally. It also provides for the issue to stateless persons of travel documents in place of national passports.
Twenty-five teachers
JERUSALEM—A group of 25 teachers from the United States recently arrived to settle in Israel. They are at present undergoing an intensive five weeks course in Hebrew. The members of the group will teach English in various Israeli high schools.
Rev. Fred S. Gartner
can be reached for circumcisions
RE 3-3413 or RE 3-8600
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RAYPERRAULT
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LIBERAL CANDIDATES FOR VANCOUVER-POE«?
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