2011 Memorial Evening marking the 16th Yahrzeit of Etta Ehrman Kossowsky z.l.
Introduction
Dr Esther Ehrman, Etta's mother, welcomed the great loyalty to Etta of all who had come, noting the importance of friends and friendship in Etta's life. Esther gave a brief account of the learning in Etta's name and the financial state of the Etta Kossowsky Fund before welcoming Professor Spolsky.
Moshe's Pursuit of Justice; a cognitive-cultural experience
The guest speaker, Professor Ellen Spolsky of Bar Ilan University, speaks about the need for physical balance essential to human beings and the parallel balance that law provides to redress the imbalance of injustice. Moshe gave expression to this redressing of imbalance in killing the Egyptian slave-driver. He was doing this, not yet in obedience to law; there was no law; he was acting, with his body, as an 'outlaw'. To learn about the moral balance needed for the life of society, the Israelites had to leave Egypt and be shown the ways of lawfulness and justice.
Your Chassidim shall praise You
The devar Torah by Eli Ehrman, Etta's brother, was the verse 'All your works shall give thanks unto You, O Lord and your chassidim shall bless you' from the Ashrei prayer (Ps.114). Eli reflects on our understanding of what is 'good'; are things good because G-d said so or are things intrinsically good and therefore G-d taught this to us.
