Parshat Tetzaveh/Zachor

TORAH Artscroll 464 Hertz 339 MAFTIR Artscroll 1066 Hertz 856 HAFTORAH Artscroll 1214 Hertz 995 A large part of Parshas Tetzaveh is devoted to the garments of the Kohanim . One of the Bigdai Kehunah is the Choshen Mishpat. The Choshen Mishpat, or Choshen as it is commonly called, is a Breastplate that contains the names of the shevatim of Israel, engraved on twelve stones. The Urim V'Tumim is a writing of the Explicit Name of G-d, that was placed into the Choshen. The Urim V'Tumim gave the Choshen the ability to convey communications from HaShem . The Choshen, which the Kohen Gadol wore, served an invaluable role. Whenever the Jewish nation was faced with a critical issue affecting their national welfare (for example, a question of whether to go to war or not), the Kohen Gadol would seek the advice from HaShem and the answer would appear on the Choshen. I remember as a child, thinking that this was the greatest thing in the world. "If only I had my own Urim V'Tumim, I would pass all my tests and I would know if the Yankees would win" - it was a wonderful dream. Of course, the Urim V'Tumim was not used for such frivolous matters. It was used for matters of utmost

February 23, 2013 13 Adar, 5773

Rabbi Frand on Parshas Tetzaveh/Zachor

importance. The Ramba"n gives us an insight into the workings of the Choshen and the Urim V'Tumim: The word Urim means 'lights'. Whenever the Kohen Gadol needed to receive an answer, the letters of the names of the Tribes, inscribed on the twelve stones of the Breastplate would illuminate. That was the 'Urim' part. But the letters would be scrambled. It was not as simple as reading out: G-O T-O W-A-R. One needed to break the code -- what were the lights of the letters of the Breastplate saying? The Ramba"n explains that there are secondary holy names called the 'Tumim'. These 'Tumim' gave the Kohen Gadol the ability to interpret the 'Urim'. The ability to use the 'Tumim' to interpret the lights of the 'Urim' was a form of Ruach HaKodesh. The Talmud says [Berachos 31a] that, in fact, there were times when the Kohen could not figure out what the letters were saying. There is a famous Gemara about the High Priest Eli, who misread the letters of the Urim v'Tumim regarding Chana. Eli read the letters appearing on the Breastplate to be Shin-CofReish-Hay (Shikorah -- drunken one) when in fact the correct reading was Cof-Shin-Reish-Hay (Kesheira -- worthy one). At that precise moment, Eli lacked the power of 'Tumim'. The sefer Bais Av, by Rav Elyakim Schlesinger, mentions that nowadays there are people who are blessed with the power of 'Urim'. What is the power of 'Urim' nowadays? Orah [Light] -- This refers to Torah. There are people who are steeped in Torah, have knowledge of Torah and can bring proofs from Torah. But not everyone who has the power of 'Urim' -- who looks at the Torah and sees the light of the Torah also has the power of 'Tumim'. It does not immediately follow that most anyone has the power to interpret what the Torah is in fact saying. The people who have the power of the 'Tumim' are a few treasured individuals in each generation. That is a special ability. Many people have Urim. They see the Torah and can proclaim something is HaShem's will and this is "the opinion of Torah". But that is not always the case. To truly perceive Da'as Torah, one needs the power of 'Tumim'. Many times, people sincerely and honestly say "This is the 'Urim' -- this is what the Torah wants," but sometimes these people do not have the power of 'Tumim'. A profound example of this is found in the Haftorah from Parshas Zachor [Samuel I; Chapter 15]. We see an unbelievable thing in this Haftorah. Shmuel HaNovi told Shaul HaMelech to go and eradicate Amalek. Shmuel HaNovi was extremely explicit. Shaul was instructed to have no mercy. He was to kill man, woman, and child. He was to kill out all the

Aufruf Jesse Braunstein

Times

Candle Lighting Friday Mincha Hashkama Parsha Shiur Youth Minyan Main Minyan Beit Midrash Gemorah shiur Mincha Shabbat Ends Purim Schedule Sunday, Feb. 24 Mon., Thurs. Tues., Wed., Fri. Mincha Late Maariv (Mon.-Thurs.)

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Latest Times for Shema/ Shmoneh Esrei February 23 March 2

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Next Shabbat Ki Sisa Candle Lighting Mincha 5:28 pm 5:30 pm

Kiddush is sponsored by Sari & Stuart Braunstein in honor of the upcoming marriage of their son Jesse To Alyssa Small

Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Roya & Ben Shavolian in memory of his mother Hoori Shavolian, zl.

Bima Flowers in the Beit Midrash are sponsored by Drora Brody and the Brody Bunch in honor of Dr. Paul Brodys 19th (chai +1) year reading Megillat Esther at GNS

26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 (516) 487-6100 animals -- camels to donkeys! Shaul HaMelech went to war and smote Amalek, but he had mercy on the King of Amalek and on the animals. HaShem became angry with Shaul and ordered Shmuel HaNovi to strip the monarchy from him. When Shmuel came to deliver this message to Shaul, the King came out to greet the prophet. Shaul HaMelech's first words to Shmuel HaNovi were "I have fulfilled the word of HaShem." How is this possible? Shaul HaMelech could not bring himself to kill them all. He had mercy. So the first words out of his mouth should have been, "Shmuel, I am sorry. Shmuel, I blew it -- I have a soft heart." However, that is not what Shaul said. Shaul HaMelech bragged about fulfilling the letter of the law! HaShem made a clear inventory of what he wanted accomplished. Shaul was supposed to kill all the animals. He did not kill all the animals. How could he claim he fulfilled the word of HaShem? There can only be one answer. Shaul HaMelech believed that this was the Will of HaShem. He believed that by saving the animals and eventually sacrificing them, that would be a sanctification of HaShem's Name. Shaul believed that this is what HaShem really intended. This was Shaul's understanding , based on the power of the 'Urim'. This is a classic example of having the power of 'Urim' but not the power of 'Tumim'. A person can sometimes be blinded, whether it is for reasons of personal motive or out of fear of people or for any other reason. For some reason, Shaul HaMelech misinterpreted the 'Urim'. He looked at the words of the Torah and said, 'This is what HaShem means; this is what HaShem wants' - - and yet was completely wrong. The power of 'Tumim' is reserved for the select few. That is why we need a leader; that is why we need a Rav; that is why we need a Rosh Yeshiva. As much as we think we may be able to figure out the 'Urim' on our own, we still need guidance -- because we do not always know the 'Tumim'. We can be well intended and think we have textual proofs, but if we do not have the guidance of a person who is gifted with the insight of 'Tumim', we can make tragic errors. The end of the book of Shoftim contains one of the most sordid incidents in Jewish history, that of the Concubine in Givah. The aftermath of that incident was that the other shevatim gathered against Benyamin. They were justifiably outraged. They wanted to fulfill the will of HaShem and ensure that justice was served. However, after the fact, they realized that they had gone too far. They repented, they offered sacrifices, and they tried to make amends to preserve the Tribe of Benyamin. If their intentions had been noble, how did it happen that they became so carried away with their actions? The last verse of the book of Shoftim provides an

Shabbat Announcements Parshat Tetzaveh/Zachor 5773 answer. "In those days there was no king in Israel, every man did as he saw fit in his own eyes." That is the bottom line. One can be well intended. He can act for the sake of Heaven. He can prove that "this is what it says to do in the Torah". He can see the lights of the 'Urim' as clear as day. But if he does not have the 'Tumim,' he will not know how to interpret the 'Urim'. He will not know how far to go and what to do. He will not know when to stop and when to go. When do such things happen? When there is no 'king' in Israel. Unless we have a bona fide leader, the worst of things can happen. The power of the 'Urim' and the 'Tumim' combined is reserved for the few of a generation. HaShem should have Mercy upon us and direct us to the guidance of the people who not only have the power of the 'Urim' but also the power of the 'Tumim.'

Great Neck Synagogue Shabbat Activities Program

Dale Polakoff, Rabbi Ian Lichter, Assistant Rabbi Dr. Ephraim Wolf ,zl, Rabbi Emeritus Zeev Kron, Cantor Eleazer Schulman, zl, Cantor Emeritus Rabbi Sholom Jensen, Youth Director Zehava & Michael Atlas, Youth Directors Mark Twersky, Executive Director Rabbi Avraham Bronstein, Program Director Dr. Scott Danoff, President Harold Domnitch, Chairman of the Board

SAVETHEDATE
YOMHASHOAHHOLOCAUSTREMEMBRANCEDAY

GREATNECKSYNAGOGUE FEBRUARYCHESEDCOLLECTION
WanttoGiveSomeOldStuffaNewLife?
PLEASEBRINGwalkers,wheelchairs,crutches, commodes,dressings,plasticsheets,soap,antibacterial sprays,latexgloves,splints,braces,gauze,bandages, usedmedicalinstruments,unusedneedles,catheters, diapers(adultandchildrens),diabetestestingstrips,etc. ASPECIALrequestisoutforusedDUFFLEBAGS,inwhich topackitemsforshipment,aswellasRUBBERBOOTSto beusedbythosedistributingsupplies.

Sunday,April7,2013,7:00P.M. GREATNECKSYNAGOGUEpresents

JealousOfTheBirds

Anawardwinningdocumentarythatasks? WhydidsurvivorsremaininGermany afterthewar? QandAwillfollowwithSusiOrleanBahat, whoseparentsareinthefilm andwhosesonproducedit.

DROPSUPPLIESOFFbythefrontdoor: 13CHURCHSTREET
MondayFeb.25thThursdayFeb.28th

Bringyourchildrenwithyoutoinsurethat DONOTBRINGANYPRESCRIPTIONMEDICATION,ORANY futuregenerationswillnotforgettheHolocaust. EXPIREDMATERIALS.

INMEMORYOFTHE6,000,000JEWS WHODIEDINTHEHOLOCAUST.
PASSOVER is coming !! Great Neck Synagogue Hunger Initiative will be reaching out once again to provide Passover staples and Seder food for individuals and families in need. Our initiative is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 in the coat room lobby at the Shul. DRIVERS are needed to assist us in deliveries (as well as non-driver companions for each car), as well as packers on March 19th from 12-5pm. Monetary contributions would be greatly appreciated. Please deliver checks to Shul, mark them Hunger Initiative Pesach, and make the check payable to Great Neck Synagogue. May we all be blessed with the privilege to enjoy the Passover festival in freedom. Please contact Cindy Hodkin at koshercookinggn@gmail.com to volunteer, or call her @482-7771 from 9am to 9pm.

Forfurtherinformation,contact NechamaLissLevinson@5167733572

MarchPassoverProductsChesedCollection: LastyearwehelpedHundredsoffamilies forPassoverthroughTomcheiShabbos. Weneedyourhelp!!

PleaseVolunteertocollectthePassover Products(Matza,Cannedfoods,cake mixes,cookies,etc.)atyourhomeduring themonthofMarch!

WethankalloftheGNSMembersfortheir generositytomakePesachspecialforsomany needyfamilies. CallSharonGoldwyn9172877334 orMarkTwersky5164876100 tovolunteer.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
GNS UPCOMING EVENTS
HASHKAMA MINYAN Kiddush is sponsored by Robin & Jeroen Bours in memory of her brother Tzvi Hersh ben Baruch Baer, zl.

WITHIN OUR FAMILY

Mazal Tov to Sari & Stuart Braunstein on the upcoming marriage of their son Jesse to Alyssa Small, daughter of Carol & David Small of Lawrence. DOS YIDDISH VORT Mazal Tov to Sarita & Ben Greszes on the Bar Mitzvah of Enjoy a "freilechen Purim" at the Yiddish Vort with a "mayse.....a their grandson Yossi, son of Michelle & David Gershbaum. glayzele tay....etleche Hamentaschen" on Wed., Feb., 20 at 1:30 pm. Mazal Tov to Renee & Abe Krieger on the birth of a All welcome.For more information call Roz Wagner- 487-9795 grandson, born to their children Anna & Daniel Klein in Baltimore. PURIM CARNAVAL The North Shore Hebrew academy PTA invites the entire community to Mazal Tov to Marc & Davida Yehaskel on the birth of their a carnival on Sunday, February 24th from 12:30-2:30 at 16 Cherry daughter. Mazal Tov also to grandparents Magda & Sam Lane. Cost $5 per child - adults are free. Fun activities with Coach Eric, Yehaskel. carnival items from NY Fun Factory. Pizza, drinks and snacks for sale. Mazal Tov to Malka & Rabbi Shmuel Ismach on the birth of a son. THANK YOU GNS JANUARY CHESED COLLECTION Mazal Tov to Scott Mayer, son of Kimberly & Jason Mayer, We thank Judy Lillian and Hindi Lunzer for all their efforts to make the January Chesed Collection of Sheets, Towels and Blankets a great on winning first place in OHEL'S 2013 school essay competition success that will benefit over 100 families. It will be distributed by for grades 3-5, entitled "From the Eye of the Storm, Learning Oneg Shabbos! An outstanding job and we thank everyone who and Growing after Hurricane Sandy. Mazal Tov also to the contributed from the GNS to make this possible! proud grandparents, to our member Susan Mayer and to Myrna & Harvey Green. FEBRUARY CHESED COLLECTION
We will be collecting: walkers, wheelchairs, crutches, duffle bags, rubber boots, commodes, dressings, plastic sheets, soap, antibacterial sprays, latex gloves, splints, braces, gauze, bandages, used medical instruments, unused needles, catheters, diapers (adult and childrens), diabetes testing strips, etc. Drop supplies off by the front door of the Liss-Levinsons, 13 Church Street, Mon., Feb., 25thThur., Feb., 28th. JERUSALEM MARATHON The Breitbart family will be running in the Jerusalem Marathon races on March 1, 2013, where Arnie will be running the marathon and Viviane and Marcelle will be running the 10K. They are running in support of Shalva. Please help us support Shalva by making a donation online at www.run4shalva.org/view_profile.php?id=572, or checks can be made out to American Friends of Shalva, and mailed to Breitbart Family, 10 Imperial Court, GN, NY 11023. A LIFE SAVING MITZVAH Rabbi Block from Roslyn has asked us to publicize that a member of their community is in need of a kidney transplant and is looking for that special type of person who would literally give the gift of life by donating one of their kidneys. The potential donor must have type B or O blood. If you have any interest at all in this life saving mitzvah, please contact Rabbi Block at razleeners@aol.com.

FLORENCE SHAFFER SCHOLARSHIP The Sisterhood will be presenting one Florence Shaffer Memorial Fund Scholarship to a female senior in High School, who plans to go to college or seminary in Israel next fall. To be eligible, the applicants family must be members of GNS and a short essay describing her ambitions and what she hopes to achieve with her education. The applicant should also submit a list of colleges and/or programs in Israel to which she is applying and a copy of any scholarship application submitted. Please submit applications no later than March 1, 2013 to the attention of The Florence Shaffer Memorial Fund Scholarship Committee c/o GNS, 26 Old Mill Road, GN, NY 11023. MENS CLUB UPCOMING EVENTS: Tues., Feb., 26 at 8:00pm: Our first in a Medical series to keep you updated with the latest information on health issues will feature Myles Mittleman, MD, Otolaryngologist (ENT) and K Scott Danoff, DMD, General and Prosthetic Dentistry who will discuss "Sleep Apnea and Snoring". Sun. March 3. 3:00pm : The Mens Club is going to an Hockey game at the Nassau Coliseum to view the Islanders playing the Ottawa Senators. Group price is $36 per ticket. (Checks to GNS Mens Club). If interested, please contact Steve Blumner 639-8941. Sun. March 17, 9:00 am: The annual Rabbis Dialogue at GNS. Sun. April 7: Semi annual Blood Drive. Sunday, April 14 10:00am: A world renown activist against Islamic fundamentalism, author of "Stop the Islamization of America" Pamela Geller will be talking at our Sunday morning breakfast. She appears regularly on TV and radio. All welcome. Sun. June 30: Annual Fishing Trip. June Tba: The Defensive Driving course held over two evenings. GNS- MARCH PASSOVER PRODUCTS CHESED COLLECTION: Last year we helped Hundreds of families for Passover through Tomchei Shabbos. We need your help!! Please Volunteer to collect the Passover Products (Matza, Canned foods, cake mixes, cookies, etc.) at your home during the month of March! We thank all of the GNS Members for their generosity to make Pesach special for so many needy families. Call Sharon Goldwyn 917 287 7334 or Mark Twersky SAVE THE DATE The NSHA Annual Journal Dinner celebrating its 58th tradition of excellence will take place on Thursday evening May 2nd at Citi Field honoring two long time NSHA/NSHAHS board member families and founding families of the High School Corinne and Joe Franco & Bonnie and Michael Orbach. For more information please contact Arnie Flatow at aflatow@nsha.org

Eli Moradi and family wish to thank Rabbi Polakoff, Rabbi Lichter and the community for their support following the passing of his mother Jahan Moradi, zl.
Saturday, 13 Adar Gilbert Aronowitz for Florence Aronowitz Elliot Diamond for Louis Diamond Harvey Kaylie for Tess Kaylie Davis Lax for Sara Leah Lax Roselin Wagner for Yehuda Leib Prebluda Elaine Wolf for Rabbi Ephraim Wolf Sunday, 14 Adar Mansour Farhadian for Ayub Farhadian Monday, 15 Adar Miriam Bader for William Fleshel Ronald Braun for Muriel Braun Alan Prawer for Pinchas Prawer Israel Slochowsky for Morris Slochowsky Tuesday 16 Adar Frank Bachrach for Lotte Bachrach Peter Epstein for Ann Epstein Ivan kaufman for Morris Enoch Kaufman Ellen Polakoff for Helene Pinsker Phyllis L. Ringel for Minnie Gitter Hadassah Wachstock for Frieda Kessler Wednesday, 17 Adar Stanley Dacher for Lena Dacher Myra Honig for Abraham Mathews Louise Kahn for Sarah Tuch Thursday, 18 Adar Murray Frank for Yetta Frank Edwin Frederick for Bertha Frederick Ben Shavolian for Hoori Shavolian Mervin Verbit for Yetta Verbit Friday, 19 Adar Brenda Parver for Sol Altman

Y A H R Z E I T