Community Magazine November 2008

26 Community magazine Dedicated in memory of Mr. Irving Semah   – the word of Gd. The concept of “emet” does not always mean factual accuracy. There is no greater “truth” than observing the will of Gd, fulfilling the Divine command. As we have seen, Yaakov acted in this story as Gd had wanted him to act. This is ultimate “emet,” the highest level of truth. Avraham Avinu, the pillar of kindness, was put to the test of the akedah, when Gd commanded him to offer his beloved son as a sacrifice. (In the end, of course, a Heavenly angel ordered Avraham to withdraw his sword.) Gd called upon Avraham to demonstrate that his hessed stemmed from loyalty to Gd, rather than a natural, intuitive desire to help others. By show- ing his willingness to commit the ultimate act of cruelty in fulfillment of the divine com- mand, in direct opposition to his natural affinity for benev- olence, Avraham showed that his hessed was genuine, a result of his unwavering devotion to Gd. The story of Yaakov and the blessings should perhaps be understood in a similar vein. Yaakov, the paradigm of truth, was put in a situ- ation that forced him to be less than perfectly truthful. Like Avraham at the akeda h, Yaakov demonstrated that his quality of emet grew out of a genuine sense of yir’at Shamayim (fear of Heaven), and not merely a natural affin- ity for truthfulness. When necessary, he was prepared to compromise factual truth for the sake of the ultimate truth, to fulfill the will of the Almighty. This story, then, actually demonstrates the greatness of Yaakov’s commitment to emet. It proves that his truth was the truth of sincere reli- gious devotion, that he was committed to emet because he was committed to Gd – the ultimate source of truth. Today, people are often encouraged to express their feelings openly and freely, to be perfectly frank and unre- strained, regardless of the consequences. What we have seen is that as important as honesty is, it must be evaluated within the broader framework of yir’at Shamayim and character development. Regardless of how one feels, he must not utter an insulting remark to his fellow in the name of “honesty,” to vent his emotions. If Gd deviated from the truth in order to avoid even the slightest feelings of tension between Avraham and Sara, then certainly we must exercise extreme care and caution when speaking to and about others. We will then not only be following in the ways of the Almighty, but also be worthy of calling ourselves the faithful bearers of the legacy of Yaakov – the paradigmatic man of truth. 312 Main Street (Between Corlies and Allen Ave) Allenhurst, NJ 11-10 Daily , Friday-closed , Shabbat night: 1hour past Shabbat until 1am (732) 663-2910 Kasher Lmhadrin · Basar bait yosef LOOKS GOOD? Accept no imitations! Tastes even better.  The Best Kosher Sushi In NJ • Ask About Our Lunch Programs & Catering Confidential and proprietary material for Verizon Wireless personnel and Authorized Agents/Retailers only. Use this material is not permitted to any unauthoriz d persons or third parties except by written a quad band architecture lets customers stay connected in over 195 destinations worldwide. „ Rich multimedia experience . The Storm will deliver all the things that customers love about their BlackBerry device – email messaging, security and more. And now, customers will enjoy high–speed HTML browsing, a 3.2 MP camera and so much more. „ It’s the Network . The Storm will be available only on America’s Most Reliable Wireless Network, and it runs on America’s largest 3G network. So when customers come in and ask you about the slick new touch BlackBerry® device they read about on a blog, you can tell them, “Yes, we’re getting it and yes, I can tell you about it.” „ Stay in the know . Advise your customers to register at www.verizonwireless.com/storm to receive the latest news and updates on the anticipated release of the BlackBerry® Storm™. Verizon Wireless will send an email reminder with the date on which the BlackBerry® Storm™ will be released. „ Use around the world . The Storm™ will support wireless services in more than 195 destinations worldwide. Information on global coverage and pricing can be found online at http://b2b.vzw.com/international/outside_us.html . „ Be On the Lookout . Additional information will come from Verizon Wireless soon. camera and so much more. It’s the Network . The Storm will be available only on Am ica’s Mos Reliable Wireless Network, and it runs on America’s largest 3G network. So when customers ome in and ask you about the slick new touch BlackBerry®