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Children’s author Chaikin
to visit Hebrew Academy
Miriam Chaikin, author of 13
books for Jewish children, will
visit the Hebrew Academy Friday,
Nov. 22, as the annual author-in
residence sponsored by the Barbara
Weinberg Memorial Fund. The
endowment, established by Sol
Weinberg and his family in memory
of M rs. Weinberg, a devoted library
volunteer, has enabled the Hebrew
Academy to bring a Jewish children’s
author to highlight Jewish Book
Month, which occurs this year
between Nov. 7 and Dec. 7.
A native of Jerusalem, Mrs.
Chaikin grew up n Brooklyn. She
now lives in New York City, where
she is the editor of a major pub
lishing house. In addition to her
“Molly” books, Mrs. Chaikin has
written several other novels including
“Getting Even” and “Finders,
Miriam Chaikin
Weepers.’' Her Orthodox background
shows through in two other charming
novels about Yossi, a young boy
from a Hassidic family, in “How
Yossi Beat the Evil Urge” and
“Yossi Asks the Angels for Help.”
A complete set of holiday books
has won for Mrs. Chaikin the
Association of Jewish Libraries
Sydney Taylor Body-Of-Work Award
for 1984. These include “The Seventh
Day:” the Story of the Jewish
Sabbath, “Shake a Palm Branch:”
the Story and Meaning of Sukkot;
“Light Another Candle:” the Story
and Meaning of Hanuka; “Ask
Another Question:” the Story and
Meaning of Passover; and “Make
Noise, Make Merry:” the Story
and Meaning of Purim. In addition
to writingforchildren, Mrs. Chaikin
has also published short stories
and poetry.
Author-in-residence day will be
shared with students from the Epstein
School who have been invited to
the afternoon assembly program
featuring Mrs. Chaikin.
Reason—the basis for Judaism?
Adapted from the works of Rabbi Menachcm M
Schneerson. the 1 ubavitcher Rebbe, by Rabbi
Yossi New. Chabad of Georgia
In the Sidra of the week we see
how Abraham’s two sons, Isaac
and Ishmael parted ways; the former
to become the next link in the
chain of the founders of the Jewish
nation, and the latter to propagate
the Ishmaelite Arab tribes.
When told by G-d that he would
yet beget a son Isaac, Abraham
said he would be satisfied if Ishmael
would walk in G-d’s path and that
G-d’s promise that Abraham would
be the father of a great nation
would be fulfilled through Ishmael.
Abraham’s feelings are not difficult
to understand. IshmaePs mother,
Hagar, conducted herself in ac
cordance with the strictest tenets of
Abraham’s faith. Moreover, though
formerly a princess in the palace of
the mightiest kingdom of the time—a
daughter of Pharaoh, King of Egypt—
she gave up her royal life to be a
handmaid to Sarah, simply to become
a part of Abraham’s household.
She had undoubtedly raised Ishmael
too in this spirit. In the light of the
above it is very difficult to understand
G-d’s answer to Abraham, empha
sizing and insisting that only “through
Isaac will your children be named”!
The differences between Isaac and
Ishmael were as follows: IshmaePs
birth was in a natural manner,
whereas Isaac’s birth was miraculous.
It was impossible that Abraham
and Sarah should conceive naturally
at their age. No one believed that
such a thing could occur, and even
Abraham himself did not consider
himself worth of such a great miracle.
Another difference between the sons
was in the fulfillment of the precept
of circumcision. Thirteen is the age
of maturity and it is therefore
designated in Jewish tradition as
the age of responsibility when one
becomes bar mitzva—dutybound
to observe all the mitzvots. Ishmael
was circumcised at 13 and agreed
to make his “covenant” with G-d
rationally. Isaac, on the other hand.
was circumcised when only 8 days
old! He could not be asked his
opinion. His reason and intellect
were not yet developed, yet he was
already brought into an “everlasting
covenant” with the Almighty.
Ishmael made his conduct de
pendent upon reason and intellect.
At 13 his reason directed him to
enter into a covenant with G-d. In
later years however, that very same
intellect rationally convinced him
to behave otherwise and it was
necessary to send him away from
the house of Abraham. G-d insisted
that the founding of the Jewish
People must be through Isaac, whose
very birth was above the laws of
nature, and who was brought into
an everlasting covenant at the age
of eight days—when his reason
“had no say in the matter.” His
bond to G-d was therefore higher
Rabbi Schneerson
than his intellect.
The message to us from the
foregoing is clear. We cannot assume
that our children will choose the
right path when they reach the age
of reason. A complete and un
adulterated Jewish education and
training must be given them from
their earliest years. Our youth must
be taught that they belong to the
most ancient of peoples with the
most ancient Torah, who have
endured so many centuries of severe
hardship and persecution and whose
continued existence is purely
miraculous. Hence, they do not
have to reckon with the “laws of
nature,” for the Jewish people have
never been governed by these laws.
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PAGE 11 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE November 8, 1985