You are on page 1of 4

Parshat Lech Lecha

TORAH

October 27, 2012 11 Cheshvan, 5773

Artscroll 54 Hertz 45 Haftorah Artscroll 1133 Hertz 60 Afruf David Zobel


Times

RabbiFrandonParshatLechLecha
The Lech Lecha Test Rates Higher Than The Ur Kasdim Test The Mishna tells us [Avos 5:3] that Avraham Avinu was tested 10 times and that he passed all 10 tests. There are varying opinions as to exactly what the 10 tests were. However virtually all commentaries enumerate the command to leave his land, his birthplace, and his father's home to go off to the Land he would be shown by G-d ("Lech lecha m'artzecha...") as one of the ten tests. According to many commentaries, however, this was not the first test. According to this approach, the first test Avraham faced was the test of "Ur Kasdim". Rashi points out that the name Ur Kasdim alludes to the miraculous salvation of Avram when thrown into a fiery pit for refusal to pay homage to the prevailing idols of his society. The pasuk alludes to this when it says, "And He said to him: I am the L-rd who took you out from Ur Kasdim..." [Bereshis 15:7] Avram was an iconoclast. Despite the deep-seated beliefs of the civilization in which he grew up, he broke their idols and even broke his father's idols. The entire society of Ur Kasdim shunted him to the extent that they gave him the choice of worshipping their idols or being thrown into a fire together with his monotheistic beliefs. He chose the latter and miraculously emerged unharmed. The Torah alludes to this story when it mentions that "G-d took Avram out from Ur Kasdim". The commentaries are troubled by the fact that the miracle of Ur Kasdim is not explicitly mentioned in the Torah. The test of "Lech Lecha m'artzecha..." -which on the face of it does not seem as great as the test to leave his childhood home with the promise that things will work out for his benefit -- is spelled out in detail. Why does the Torah omit the miracle of Ur Kasdim? Over the years, we have discussed this question many times. We once quoted an answer from Rav Weinberg, zt"l, who said that Ur Kasdim was something Avram did out of his own convictions; it was not a response to a Divine Command. Lech Lecha -- leaving his home -- was a Divine Command and hence the fact that Avram obeyed this Command was of greater significance than the fact that he was prepared to act under his own convictions. In the eyes of the Torah, obeying the Master of the Universe is really the greatest test. This is articulated by our Rabbis in the comment "Greater is one who is commanded and does, more so than one who is not commanded and does" [Kidushin 31a]. Doing something that you are supposed to do is greater than doing something that you want to do. Therefore, the test of Ur Kasdim is not as great as the test of Lech Lecha. On this occasion, I would like to present a different answer to this question from Rav Simcha Zissel Brody, in his volume Sam Derech. Rav Brody says that people face two types of tests in their lifetimes. One type is those things that may be categorized as "glamorous tests" - defining moments in a person's lifetime. At such times, when a person is well aware that he is at a junction in his lifetime when he must make a crucial decision -even one involving great selfsacrifice -- he may be able to muster the courage and determination to make the proper decision. However, there are other tests in life -- the daily type of challenges that come our way, day in, day out -- that each and every one of us face. These tests are not glamorous. They are not exciting. They are very run of the mill, but they are challenges nonetheless. The test of "Ur Kasdim" was one of those glamorous definingmoment types of tests. The test of "Lech Lecha" is typical of the "daily grind" type of test. People sometimes have a capacity to rise above what they really are and to achieve spiritual levels above their normal capacities, but that is not who they really are. There was an incident in Eretz Yisrael where a terrorist attempted to board a bus filled with soldiers and other Israeli citizens. Somehow, the terrorist tripped while getting onto the bus, fell over backwards and banged his head on the sidewalk, temporarily dazing himself. The bus driver and a medic who happened to be on board ran out to help him, thinking he was an innocent passenger trying to board the bus. In order to resuscitate him they ripped open his shirt and they saw he had a bomb strapped to his body. This terrorist was literally a ticking time bomb. The bomb could be

Candle Lighting Friday Mincha Hashkama Parsha Shiur Main Minyan Beit Midrash Teen Minyan Gemorah shiur Mincha Shabbat Ends Sunday, Oct. 28 Mon., Thurs. Tues., Wed., Fri. Mincha

5:40 pm 5:45 pm 8:00 am 8:30 am 9:00 am 9:15 am 9:15 am 4:30 pm 5:30 pm 6:47 pm 7:30/8:30 am 6:35/7:45 am 6:45/7:45 am 5:35 pm

Latest Times for Shema/ Shmoneh Esrei October 27


10:00/10:53 am

Kiddush is sponsored by 10:04/10:55 am November 3 Great Neck Synagogue With a herring table Next Shabbat By Lisa & Michael Vayera Aryeh For a Refuah Shlema Candle Lighting 5:32 pm all the Cholim in in the community

Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by the Mandelbaum Family in memory of Jack Mandelbaum, zl Yehuda Zelig ben Chaim Mayer

Mincha

5:35 pm

Bima Flowers are Sponsored by Doreen & George Zobel n honor of the Aufuf of their son David

26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 (516) 487-6100 detonated at any minute and the two fellows trying to save him would have been blown to pieces. The bus driver and the medic held the fellow down to the ground and yelled to everyone to get out of the bus and run for their lives. Everyone except an elderly lady who could not move fast enough and another person trying to help her escaped injury. The elderly lady was killed and her aid was injured when the bomb went off a few moments later, however, miraculously the other passengers were saved. There was an interview with the bus driver. The journalist asked how he had the bravery to do what he did. The interviewer told the bus driver, "You are a hero!" The bus driver responded, "I am a cowardly type of person. If I would have been asked ahead of time whether I would do such a thing, I definitely would have responded in the negative. I do not know what it was, but something overcame me at the moment and I held the guy down to save the other people." This is a test of the "Ur Kasdim variety". I don't know whether this is adrenalin or whether it is some latent power in people that makes them rise to the occasion. We all can have such moments of heroism and self-sacrifice, moments where we escape our natural emotions of fear or cowardice or selfishness. For a moment, we may become selfless heroes. Ur Kasdim moments are fleeting. They do not necessarily represent the real person who emerges heroically from such situations. Lech Lecha is the ordinary test of "do I get up tomorrow for minyan?" Lech Lecha is do I come home from work at night and learn with my child and help him do his homework or do I say "do it yourself and let me read the paper." Nobody thinks about the challenge of "should I learn with my child right now or not?" as being a defining moment in life! No one considers such actions to be the essence of heroism. Lech Lecha moments are moments when we face financial difficulties and we do not question G-d's Providence. Lech Lecha moments are facing all the trials and tribulations that life sends us -- health issues, financial issues, children issues. They are daily grind issues: same old, same old. This is "Lech Lecha". This is what Avram did. He went to Eretz Yisrael. G-d promised him things would be great, but they were tough. There was a famine in the land. Where is the greatness? This is life. Avram Avinu did not question, did not challenge, and did not lose faith. There is nothing glamorous or exciting here, just the day in day out routine of life. Rav Simcha Zissel explains that the Torah only alludes to Ur Kasdim. Such heroism is great. It is admirable. However, in the eyes of the Torah, the day in, day out, tests, represented by "Lech Lecha," are what really count. Everyone can rise to the occasion occasionally. However, to do what you are supposed to do every day -- day in, and day out -- without questioning, this is a real test. Books are not written about such tests and people are not honored at banquets for being such heroes, but this is life and in the eyes of the Torah, this is where heroism really emerges. That is why the test of Lech Lecha "rates" as the greater of the two tests.

Shabbat Announcements Parshat Lech Lecha 5773

YOUTHCLASSES
***NewJr.HighGirlsChesedClub TheclubwillmeetweeklyatGreatNeckSynagogueon Tuesdaysfrom7:007:45pmtoplananddiscussvarious organizationstocontactandeventstorunthatwillbenefit thelargerJewishcommunity.RabbiLichterwillsupervise theclubandactasanadvisortotheirsuggestions.Theclub willhostitsfirstmeetingonTuesday,Oct.16th.Please contactRabbiLichteratilichter.gns.orgformore InformationandtosignupyourdaughterforthisChesed opportunity.

***NewJr.HighBoysTefillinClass
AclasstaughtbyRabbiLichteronThursdaysfrom5:306:15 pmforBarMitzvahagedboyswhowouldliketolearnabout thelawsandreasonsbehindthemitzvahofTefillin.Theclass willmeetintheBraunYouthCenterandapizzadinnerwill beserved.ThefirstclasswillbeThursday,Oct.18th.Please contactRabbiLichteratilichter@gns.orgtosignyourson upfortheclass.

Parsha&Pizza
Thisclass,taughtbyRabbiLichter,focusingonParshat HashavuawillcontinuetomeetthisyearonWednesday nightsfrom7:007:30,gearedfor2ndgradeto5thgrade. Pizzadinnerisserved,prizesandseforimareawardedto attendees.ThefirstclassisWednesdaynight,Oct.17thin theChalfinRoomatGreatNeckSynagogue.ContactRabbi Lichterforanyquestionsabouttheclass.ilichter@gns.org.

HighSchoolClass
OurhighschoolersmeetwithRabbiLichteronThursday nightsfordinnerandlearningfrom6:307:30pm.Theclass focusesonthedailyissuesthatHighSchoolteensconfront intheirlivesandprovidesforbothasocialandeducational atmosphere.ThefirstclassisThursdaynight,Oct.18that GreatNeckSynagogue.DropinonThursdaynightsand youllbehooked.

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

Great Neck Synagogue Blood Drive In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, please dedicate your October blood donation to a Breast Cancer Survivor.

Sunday, October 28, 2012 8:15am- 12:45pm


ALL DONORS will be entered into a RAFFLE 4 chances to WIN!!

26 Old Mill Rd

1- Autographed NY Rangers Hockey Stick & Puck 2 Two tickets to Live with Kelly & Michael 3- Two tickets to Jimmy Kimmel Live! & JKL gift bag 4- Dinner for Two at Cho-Sen
In addition, ALL donors will receive a coupon for pickles or soup. Eligibility Criteria: Bring ID with signature or photo. Minimum weight 110 lbs. Age 16 75 (16 year olds must have parental permission. Age 76 and over need doctors note) Eat well (low fat) & drink fluids No tattoos for past 12 months For questions concerning medical eligibility call 1800-688-0900 To schedule an appointment please call Al Leiderman 482-0628

GNSOCTOBERCHESEDCOLLECTION WinterCoats&babyitems tobenefitOnegShabbas Wearecollectingbabyclothesingentlyworn,goodcondition. Donatebabyitemsingoodcondition WearealsocollectingWinterCoats(allsizes) ingentlyused,goodcondition. Pleaseleaveatthehomeof Brenda&EdParver 7StrathmoreRoad till October29,2012 Youareinvitedtothe GreatNeckSynagogue AnnualChaiSisterhoodDinner Featuringourguestspeaker RachelleWeisberger AuthorofBiblicalBeauty Wednesday,November7th,6PM,atColbeh,GreatNeck Members$40,Nonmembers$45 SponsorshipsavailableGold($72)Silver($36)Bronze($18) PleaseRSVPbyNovember1stto JudyLillien5164876845 FarlaFrumkinFarlafrumkin@gmail.com

ANNOUNCEMENTS
GNS UPCOMING EVENTS
GNS ANNUAL FALL BLOOD DRIVE GNS is sponsoring its Annual Fall Blood Drive on Sunday, Oct. 28th from 8:15am-2:15 pm in the gym. Everyone who is 16 or older and weighs 110 pounds or more and who feels well and healthy can donate blood and help save the life of a friend or neighbor. If you are unable to donate, you can still help by volunteering the day of the drive or by making phone calls in advance. Donating blood or volunteering to help with calls in advance or on the day is also a great opportunity for your young folks to earn community service credit. Our goal with this years drive is to donate 75 pints. Please help save three people with your donation its a wonderful Mitzvah! Please contact Al Leiderman 482-0628. SISTERHOOD EVENTS SAVE THE DATE!!! Wed. Oct., 24th, at 8 PM, Dr. Elimelech Goldberg, founder of Kids Kicking Cancer is giving us an informative lecture on stress management for Busy Adults. Thank you to Pam Bilfeld for organizing this event. CHAI ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DINNER Will be on Nov. 7th, at 6 PM at Colbeh. Our Speaker, Rachelle Weisberger, author of Biblical Beauty, will show us how to integrate biblical, historical and cultural perspectives with practical advice and specific tips on a variety of subjects. She will offer enlightening guidance on skin care, sun care, makeup, hair care, fragrance, jewelry, healthy aging, motherhood and leadership. We are so excited to hear her! Please RSVP as soon as possible. Volunteers are still needed to secure raffle prizes, take home gifts, and setting up the room. Please contact Judy Lillien if you'd like to volunteer. Thank you to Judy Lillien for her tireless efforts in organizing this event. Don't forget to order your new HELEN NASH cookbook! It costs $35, payable to the Sisterhood of GNS. Please send in your orders ASAP. DOS YIDDISH VORT Let the New Year begin with a song, a story, a laugh at DOS YIDDISH VORT, Wed., Oct., 24 at 1:30 pm. For info call Roz Wagner. 487-9795. NEW YORK CITY MARATHON FOR THE BLUE CARD Arnie Breitbart will be running the New York City Marathon on Nov. 4 to raise funds for The Blue Card, a vital organization providing support to impoverished Holocaust survivors. Donations can be made online at www.imathlete.com/donate/ArnoldBreitbart?z=1345498166026, or checks can be made out to The Blue Card and mailed to Arnie Breitbart, 10 Imperial Court, Great Neck, NY 11023. GNS MENS CLUB On Mon., Nov. 26, 2012 at 7:30 PM, Barry Fox, a College Financial Aid Consultant, will be speaking on "Financial Aid and Grants available to College Students". THANKSGIVING IS COMING. You can show your THANKS and be GIVING by buying a Thanksgiving dinner for a resident of Arrandale Senior Housing. $18 buys a dinner and you can sponsor it in honor or in memory of someone you love. Volunteers are also being recruited to help serve the dinner or to PERFORM in our talent show at Arrandale House on Thursday November 22nd, from 11:30-2:00 pm. Contact Mark to sponsor a dinner and contact Nechama to become a volunteer. (lisslev@verizon.net) FINAL NOTICE Looking for volunteer bakers to bake pies for Thanksgiving, to help young Jewish women and their families facing ovarian cancer, as part of a unique new program sponsored by Sharsheret. To be part of the fun, contact Tovah Marmer (twerber@gmail.com) or call her at 487-3025. HAVE YOUR PIE AND EAT IT TOO!! ORDER PIES FOR THANKSGIVING (homemade and pareve) and ALL of the funds raised will go to Sharsheret to support young Jewish women and their families with OVARIAN CANCER. Check it out at www.sharsheret.org/pies-for-prevention/greatneck. RAFFLE PRIZES WANTED We are now collecting raffle prizes for the GNS Annual Dinner scheduled for Saturday evening, December 15, 2012. We strongly encourage you to donate credit card points for prizes that can include airline tickets and hotel accommodations. We are also looking for prizes such as timeshare vacation places, beautiful jewelry, fur, electronics, judaica, gift certificates, internship opportunities, theatre and sports tickets, camp discounts, as well as other prize donations that you might have that will make our dinner extra special! Please submit your raffle prize donations to Mark Twersky at mtwersky@gns.org. Thank you very much!

WITHIN OUR FAMILY


Mazal Tov to Nadine Eckstein on the birth of a great-granddaughter born to her grandchildren Shoshanna & Yehuda Fein in Israel. Mazal Tov to Hilda Schulman on the birth of a great-grandson born to her grandchildren Danielle & Ben Jaffe. Mazal Tov to Judy & Abe Soleimani on the birth of a granddaughter born to their children Lauren & Joseph Soleimani. Mazal Tov to Roz & David Wagner on the upcoming marriage of their grandson Eliron Levinson to Devorah Shlian on October 28th. Mazal Tov to Doreen & George Zobel on the aufruf and upcoming marriage of their son David to Teodora Miletchkova. Mazal Tov also to grandmother Sabina Geist.
RAISING MONEY FOR ALYN HOSPITAL Team Great Neck will once again cycle in Israel to help raise money for the Alyn Hospital, which specializes in rehabilitating children who are the victims of terrorist attacks, congenital diseases, developmental defects and other debilitating disorders. This year a group of 11 from Great Neck, including Milt Mitzner and Drs. Laura and Scott Danoff from GNS, will either volunteer to help or ride over 300 miles in the Negev to show their support for this most worthy cause. If you would like to help by making a contribution, please send a check made out to Friends of Alyn Hospital to Dr. Scott Danoff at 49-33 Little Neck Parkway, Little Neck, NY 11362."

COMMUNITY UPCOMING EVENTS


OHEL INVITES YOU On Sat. night, October 27th at 8:30pm, OHEL invites you to an inspiring evening and photography exhibit by Sherry Silver to benefit the children and families of OHEL at the home of David & Diane Rein, 1 Cove Lane, Kings Point. Wine, single-malt scotch and dessert will be served. This event is co-presented by GNS and YIGN. Committee Chairs are Nicole & Mordi Dicker, Sara & Andrew Feldschreiber, Gloria & Harvey Kaylie, Rabbi & Rebbetzin Lerner, Rabbi & Rebbetzin Polakoff, Karen & Robert Spitalnick. Space is limited, rsvp is required. Please contact Laurie Szenicer at (718) 686-3316 or Laurie_Szenicer@ohelfamily.org. NORTH SHORE HEBREW ACADEMY OPEN HOUSE The NSHA Open House will be on Monday October 29th, at 16 Cherry Lane, at 7:30 p.m . You can tour various classrooms and hear from the administration and other faculty members covering grades toddler through eighth grade. See what makes NSHA such a special place to send your children! Please RSVP to Judy Smilow at (516)487-8687 ext 128. CHAYALEI BODIM EVENT IN GREAT NECK Carol and Jeff Kaufman, together with Debbie and Andrew Kane, all parents of IDF "lone soldiers," invite the Great Neck Synagogue and Young Israel Community to join for an inspiring evening with Lt. Col. Tzvika Levy, Director of the IDF's Ministry of Defense Kibbutz Lone Soldier Program, and founder of The Association for the Welfare of Lone Soldiers. This event will be held at the Kane's home at 11 Bromley Lane, Great Neck, on Tuesday evening October 30th at 8:00 PM. Col. Levy will speaking about the current challenges facing Israel and the IDF. Rabbis Lerner and Polakoff will also be speaking. Tax deductible donations to The Good People Fund (EIN#261887249) with a note in the memo stating, "Tzvikas Lone Soldiers" . Checks can be sent to the Kanes at 11 Bromley Lane, Great Neck, NY 11023.

Y A H R Z E I T

Saturday, 11 Cheshvan Harvey Brenner for Susan Brenner Mellan Evelyn Henis for Harry Noah Roslyn Korman for Charles Wasserman Charles Mandelbaum for Jack Mandelbaum Sunday, 12 Cheshvan Frank Buchsbaum for Josephine Buchsbaum Roslyn Dicker for Miriam Gottlieb Sydelle Knepper for Rosalie Marin Tricia Moslin for Nycha Solomon Monday, 13 Cheshvan Eva Bachrach for Joseph Grunfarb Abigail Epstein for H. Howard Ostrin Pauline Loewenstein for David Rutta Marcia Williams for Murry Bergtraum Tuesday, 14 Cheshvan Milton Rabinowitz for Avraham Rabinowitz Ellen Siegel for Shirley Crair Wednesday, 15 Cheshvan Pauline Loewenstein for Emanuel Rutta Ira Lubin for Nathan Lubin Brian Smith for Francine Smith Thursday, 16 Cheshvan Herman Davidovics for Samuel Davidovics Friday, 17 Cheshvan Miriam Bader for Sarah Fleshel Perry Schneider for Sandra Schneider

You might also like