6 —THE BULLETIN —Thursday. February 2^
SYNAGCkSlJE CALENDAR
Remember the Sabbathr to keep It^^^ ..
Fourth Commandmeht/Exodus, 20:8
Qandlellghting: Friday^ February 26; 5:33 p.m. Friday, Mkrch 5,5:44 jpiii,
V ; Sedra T^rumah Sedra Tetzaveh: Havdala Shabbat end^^ ^^^^
February 27; 6:34 p!m^ ; ; March 6, 6o45 p:m
Beth HamidrashnBeph-
ardic Ortttodox). 3231 Heather St. Rabbi Y, Benar-roeh. Daily 7a.m.; Shabbat, Sun. and public holidays 9 am.; Fri. 5 p.m.; Sat. sunset. 872-4222 dr 873-2371. •
Beth Israel (Conserva-live); 4350 Oak St: Rabbi W. Solomon, Cantor M, Nixon. Torah reader D. Rubin, Choir S. Pel man. Daily 8 a.m. (public holidays, 9 a.m.) and 6 p.m.; Fri. 8:15 p.m.; Sat. 9:15;a.m. and 6 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m. and 6 p m. 731-4161;
Burquest Jewish Cpm-miirHty (Tradi4ional)T^Qneg Shabbat services second Friday of each month, 8 p.m. 941^3486,
Chabad HbudeKabbiilah Centre (Chassidic), 3673 vy. Broadway. Rabbi L. Dubrawsky. Sun. morning minyan 10 a.m. 737-1574.
Ghabad-Lubavitch (Chassidic). 5750 Oak St. Rabbi y.Wlneberg. Daily 7 am. and sunset; Fri. sunset; Sat, Id a.m.; Sun. 9 a.m. and sunset. 266-1313.
Beth Shalom Sanctuary
(Traditional), OJCC, 108 North Glenmore Rd.. Kel-owna.Sat. 9:30a.m. 862-2312.
Beth Tikvah (Conservative), 91711 Geal Rd., Richmond. Rabbi M. Cohen, Torah reader T. Wolinsky. Fri; 8 p:m. (first Fri. of month 6 p.m.); Sat. 9:30 a:m. 271-6262.
Chabad 6f Surrey Community; Centre (Chassidic). 210-6950 Nicholson Rd., Delta. Rabbi M. Alteln.Sat. 10 a.m. 596-9030. ; ^
Eitz Chalm (Orthodox). 808O Frances Rd.. Richmond. Rabbi A. Felgel-stbck. Daily minyan 7 a.m.; Fri. sunset; Sat. 9 a:m. and sunset; Sun. 9 a.m. v 275r0007.
Emanu-EI (Conservative), 1461 Blanshard.-Victoria. Rabbi V. Reinstein. Sat. 9:15 a.m. 382-0615.
Brier Home, 1055 W. 41st Ave. C. Kornfeld, D. Korn-feld, R. Rosenberg. Daily 8 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.; Sat /Sun. 9 a.m. 261-9376. ^
Temple Sholom (Reform), 7190 Oak St. Rabbi P. Bregman. cantorial soloist A. Guttman. Morning minyans; Sun. 9:30 a.m.; Mon. and Wed. 7:15 a.m.; Fri. 8:15 p.m.; Sat. 10:30 a.m. 266-7190
. 6.
JEWISH CALENDAR
5753-1993
Fast of Esther March 4
ErevPurIm March 6
Purim March 7
Shushan Purim March 8
Rosh Chodesh March 23
Erev Pesach April 5
Pesach April 6-13
YoniHashoah April 18
deaths
CHARLES KEMP
% ••■Feb;.14^;/;
As another Bulletin community service. Deaths will be published as they are received.
I Relatives arid Friends are advised thatthe
IINVEILINCOF HEADSTONE
in loving memory of the late
will take place Tuesday, March 9 at 11:30 a.m.
at the
iliara Tzedeck
Rabbi W. Solomon land CaniorM^ Nixon will officiate
J.B. Newall Monuments
Hebrew Inscriptions Our specialty Established 1909 Personal attention, paid to ALL ORDERS Fraser and 35tli 327-1312
By SBLOMO RISKIN
■■ ^: TRUMAH
EFRAT, Israel — WHAT DOES IT TAKE to "dwell in the house of G-d"? Who are the true protectors of our faith?
This week-s Torah reading. Trumati, describes the mish-kan, commonly translated as Sanctuary but literally meaning the dwelling places of the Divine.
The torah details the various accoutrenients — curtains, , candelabrum, table for showbread, altar — but the central feature wias the Holy Ark, repository of the Sacred Tablets of Stone. ;.V •■;
Perhaps the strangestand most unique feature of the ark are the A'ri/v/ntv or cherubs, right above its winged creatures ^yhose ambiguous identity provides the commentators with a diversity ofconcepts, including Rashi*s infant-faced creatures, the misappropriated ancestor for the rosy cheeked babies, usually flying around the canvases of courtly painters depicting angels and goddesses.
All we know from the Torah is that the Kruvim are winged. Other characteristics are not given. But perhaps the essence of their identity is to be found not so much from their physical appearance — what they look like — but rather from their function— what they do.
We read: **A nd the cherubs shall spread out their wings on the high, screening the ark-cover with theirwings, withtheir faces toward each other, toward the arkcover, shall the faces of the cherubs be.*' [25:201
When you screen something, you protect it, andjust as the cherubs in Genesis were called upon to protect the Garden of Eden after the expulsion of Adam and Eve, it would seem that oiir cherubs in the Sanctuary are stationed for the purpose of protection: v
But they are also not meaiit to protect the gold in the cover of the Ark, for mOre talents of gold were assigned to Other objects, but rather that which the Ark contained, the treasure that is placed inside. /
And these are, as the verse tells us explicitly; the Testimonies, the Tablets, the Torah that G^ gave to Moses to be stored inside the Afk. Hence, the purpose ofthe cherubs is to protect the Torah. '
But what must one do to adequately protect the Torah? Apprently» it is not a matter of muscle or weaponry since these are not features of the cherubs of the Sanctuary. The Midrash, cited by Rashi (ad loc) describes them as being of human child-like form Avith wings, stressing the necessity of the younger genei-ation to reach upwards and soar to the heavens by means of studying and living in accordance with^^^^^ the Divine gift to Israel; this ensures the eternity; and protection, of Torah.
But there is yet another significance to the cherubs that is
~ Mar "El XGOnservatlve)T-North Shore JCC, 1735 I ng Iewood Ave.. vyest Van; Rabbi I. Balla. cantorial leader R. Edel. Fri. 7 p./n.; Sat. 10 a.m. 922-8245 or 922-9133.
Or Shalom (Traditional Egalitarian). 561 W. 28th Ave. Rabbi I. Marmorstein. Sat 10 a.m. 872-1614.
Schara Tzedeck (Orthodox), 3476 Oak St. Rabbi M. Feuerstein. Rabbi S. Gran-da II, C an tor A. Katzi r, Torah reader Rev; J. Marci-ano. Daily 7:15 am. and sunset; Fri. 7:30 p.m.; Sat, 9 a:m. and sunset; Sun. 8:30 am. aiid sunset. 736-7607.
Shaarey Teffllah/Louls
Zeida Rootirian
Zelda Rootman passed away in Lion's Gate Hospi-^lal Feb, 8. exactly a month after her husband^ predeceased her on Jan.~ 9. She was 88.
The couple had striven to live independently in their own North Shore home, despite battling ill health for many years.
The foriner Zelda Kpsasky was born in Poland, coming to Canada with herfamily as a child of eight. She was the eldest of six child ren born to Esther and David Kosasky, who were builders and founding members of Shaa-rey Zedek Synagogue in Winnipeg.
The deceased was educated in Winnipeg .where she received a service medal for her volunteer work with the Mount Garmer Clinic. .:
She married Jack Root- . maniiiCalgaryin 1932,joining him as a merchant and business woman iii his various stores, including the once famous The Station Store on Cordova in Van-^ couver across from the old CPR Station. For many years they operated, the Smithers Gerieral Store, becoming well known, highly respected personalities in that B.C. community. Mrs. Rootman was a
ZELDA ROOTMAN
member there of the Order of Royal Purplev Lodge 47.
She resided in Vancouver for various periods since 1943; retiring here with her husband to live in North Vancouver; Wherever they settled, Mrs. Rootman maintained a kosher home even when far removed from organized Jewish life; Always known for her hospitality, she was affiliated all these decades with Schara Tzedeck Synagogue and was one of the early supporters of the North Shore Jewish Community Association as well as being a life member of Vancouver Hadassah-WIZO and active with His-tadrut. Workers for Zion and Canadian Friends of
:amal;';';-
The Rootmans were founding members of the Jewish National Fund's Rebuilders of Jerusalem and participants in the Jerusalem
Garden Grove and; many JNF endeavors.
The^couple'^ legendary devotion to each other was described in the eulogy held at her graveside, where she was buried Feb. 9 at Schara Tzedeck cemetery beside her husband of over 60 years. Rabbi S. Crandall and Gan-tor - A. Katzir officiated: Chevra Kadisha was in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Rootman is survived by her brother Hyriian 0. Kosasky of Sherman Oaks, Calif.; two sisters in Winnipeg, Fran Keenberg and Symie MasloVe; and a niece, Doreeri ROzen, in West Vancouver.
Betty Hbchman
of critical irnpo.rt to. us today. A passage in the Talmud points out the contradictory descriptions of the cherubs, the verse in our portion describitig the cherubs as facing each other, while a verse in Chronicles U[3:13] refers to them as turned toward the Temple, and away from each bther.(A T. Baba Batra,99a)
The Talmud removes the contradiction by explaining that' the cherubs face each other when the people of Israel d6 the will of G-d, but when the cherubs are turned awayfrom each other, it means that the people are not doing the will of G-d.
But isn't it strange that the position of cherubs facing the Temple is the one designated to symbolize the people not doingthe will of G-d? Herein perhapUies the deepest meail-ing of all.
The figures who protect the Torah throughput the generations, are not merely the child ren who study; they are the rabbis, scholars, teachers and talmiedei hakhJamim of eabh ; and every age, the Torah leaders and Torah decisors. And it is not enough that these important religious personalities face the Temple; they must face each other as jivell!
The Taliriud is telling us that the Torah (the Ark) is ideally protected only when the protectors of the Torah relate to each other, when the rabbis and the sages and Scholars show respect aiid love for each other. Then their harmonious lives will be an authentic expression of the phrase that 'Tora/t Sages multiply peace in the world." [Berakhot64af
Facing each other means recognizing others' authority, knowledge, and honest motivation to protect the Torah, and *pther' means just that; the one who disagrees with you, whose opihipns differ.
What sometimes happens is that Torah scholars, winged cherubs soaring toward the highest heights, will not look at each other fpr any number of political or psychological reasons, language or cultural barriers Ashkenazi or Sephardi prejudices, Lithuanian or Hassidic sterebtypings.
And so when we get to an age when the modern-day cherubs turii away from each other, even though as individuals they may be giants in their achievements, so pious they never take their eyes out of the holy book, despite their steady gaze directed towards the Holy Temple, they maystilL not be doing the Will of G-df /^^ ^
Hence the pendulum swings both ways. Jjust as doing the will of G-d is reflected in the cherubs facing each other, when they don't face-each other, they must 1oe going against the willof Grd; ' ' -V A;-; ^
Indeed the Rashbam points put in his coinment on our Talmudic selectioii that whenever 4he cherubs faced the Temple but not each other, the Divine Presence >yjas nevertheless removed. ..V''-:'
Thus the Talmud records (B.T. EruvinlSb) that for years the Academies of Hillel and the Academies of Shammai disputed until a voice descended from heaven: these and Those are the word of the living G-d, and the law is like the Acaderny of Hillel".
However, queries the Talmud, if both reflect the word of G-d (true pluralism) why is the law like the Academy Of
SHAMAT SHALOM -T Page 8
Louis Brier Home resident Betty Hochman passed away Feb. 5 at the age of 90.
The former Betty Froriir son was born in Russia on March 17,1903. She came to Canada in 1905, living in Winnipeg and Catriper, Manitoba before settling in Vancouver in 1942.
She married Morris Hbchman at Beth Israel synagogue in 1950.
Predeceased by her husband in 1979, Mrs. Hoch-mah is survived by stepdaughter and son-in-law Harriet and Arnold Shine of Vancouver; brother arid sister-in-law Morris and Peggy Fronison, brother and sister-in-law Arthur and . Clara Fromson, all of Winnipeg; sister and brother-in-law Jessie and Albert Kay of Saskatoon, and sister arid .brbther-in-law Dorothy and William Skinrier of Vari-couver;. as well as three grandchildren arid two great-grandchildren.
Graveside funeral services were held Feb; 7 at Schara
Tzedeck witb Rabbi Shlonio Graridall officiating. Gheyra Kadisha was in charge of arrangements.
Rose Steimah
. Rose Steiman, a bookkeeper and stenographer in her native Winnipeg, died Feb. 8 at Louis- Brier Home and Hospital. She was 78.
She was bom Rose Alt-man On Sept. 24, 1914 in Winnipeg, where she married Arthur Meyer Steiman on Feb. 25, 1950.
Mrs. Steiman moved to Toronto in 1991, then to Vancouver last Nov. 2.
She was a member of B'nai B'rith and theYMHA in Winnipeg. Her hobbies included knitting and cooking.
Predeceased by her husband Arthur, Mrs. Steiniaii is survived by son HarOld Marshall Steimjan of Vancouver, daughter and son-in-law Cynthia Roberta and Paul BujOld of North Van-couver; sister Bessie Lichter of -Winnipeg; brother and sister-in-law Joe and Jean Altman of Toronto; and three grandchildren.
Graveside funeral services were held Feb. 10 at Schara Tzedeck cemetery. Rabbi Shlomo Crandall officiated. Chevra Kadisha was in charge of arrangements.
Obituary forms are available at The Bulletin, 679-^575. There is no charge for this service.