Parshat Tetzaveh Shabbat-Zachor

TORAH Artscroll, 464 Hertz, 339

March 3, 2012 9 Adar, 5772

Rabbi Frand on Parshat Tetzaveh/Parshat Zachor

Twisting The Word of Hashem Until We Believe We Are Righteous Someone does not understand something over here. Shaul is not at all remorseful. He repetitively maintains his righteousness. There are two approaches that we may take to answer this question. I saw one approach in the name of Rav Chaim Soloveitchik. This is a classic halachic response to the question. When Shmuel gave Shaul the orders regarding Amalek he said: "Destroy everything he has" (v'hacharamtem es kol asher lo) [Pasuk 3]. V'hacharamtem is a technical term meaning everything belonging to Amalek should be made into 'cherem' [forbidden

Hashem. I fulfilled the word of MAFTIR Hashem." [Pasuk 13] Artscroll, 1066 Hertz, 856 This is very perplexing statement given the On Parshas Zachor, fact that Shaul did not HAFTORAH the Haftorah that Artscroll, 1214 entirely fulfill Shmuel's Hertz, 995 we read is from explicit instructions. Shmuel I Chapter Shmuel immediately Times 15. I find this story inquired about the Candle Lighting 5:31 pm of Shmuel and sound of the sheep Shaul to be one of (indicating that Shaul Friday Mincha 5:30 pm the most did not fulfill the Hashkama 8:00 am compelling instructions to kill all Parsha Shiur 8:30 am Haftorahs of the the animals). Main Minyan 9:00 am year. Shmuel told Shaul, in no Shmuel further asks: Beit Midrash 9:15 am uncertain terms, to "Why did you not obey Teen Minyan 9:30 am wipe out Amalek the voice of Hashem? Gemorah Shiur 4:25 pm man, woman, You rushed to the loot Mincha 5:25 pm children, and and did what was evil in Shabbat Ends 6:34 pm animals, the eyes of eradicating any Hasehm." [Pasuk 19] memory of Amalek, Shaul then strangely Sunday 7:30/8:30 am in accordance with responds: "But I March 4 the Biblical heeded the voice of Mon., 6:35/7:45 am command, as we Hashem and I walked Wed., Thurs. read in the Maftir of the path on which See page 3 for Purim Schedule Parshas Zachor. Hashem sent
Tues.,Fri. Mincha Late Maariv Mon./Thurs. 6:45/7:45 am 5:40 pm Shaul returned to 8:15 pm Shmuel and said:

"Blessed are you to

me..." [Pasuk 20] How do we understand this communication?

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Shabbat Announcements Parshat Tetzaveh Shabbat-Zachor 5772

property]. Rav Chaim explains that the only way property can be made 'cherem' is to first own it. One must first acquire the property before one can proclaim it 'cherem'. Shaul did not want to destroy all the property so he tried to circumvent the order. His method of circumvention was to be makdish [dedicate] the cattle to the Almighty. Once the cattle was hekdesh [sanctified to G-d], it no longer belonged to the people and therefore they could not make it 'cherem'. This, Rav Chaim Soloveitchik explains, is the explanation of the dialog between Shmuel and Shaul. Shmuel said everything should be made into 'cherem'. Shaul explained that they saw the animals and thought it was a good idea to offer them as sacrifices, so they immediately sanctified them. Once they were the property of Heaven, they could no longer be destroyed. This is the "Brisker approach" to this issue. The Baalei Mussar take another approach. The Navi says about Shaul "And he made war in the valley (va'yarev banachal) [Pasuk 5]. The Talmud says that Shaul argued based on the law of Eglah Arufah [the calf decapitated in a valley in the aftermath of an unsolved murder] -- that it was not in the spirit of Torah to wipe out man, woman, and child [Yoma 22b]. If the Torah is so concerned about a single person who is killed (as we see from the ritual of Eglah Arufah) -- that an offering must be brought, certainly it would not be the Will of G-d for me to wipe out Amalek including all their animals. It must be that the Will of G-d was to use the animals of Amalek to bring sacrifices. This is a classic example of how we twist and turn the Word of Hashem into what suits us. The Dvar Hashem becomes what we think the Dvar Hashem is or what we expect the Dvar Hashem should be. That is why we can find such a disparate dialog between Shmuel and Shaul. This is how Shaul can, in the face of open evidence to the contrary, brazenly claim: "I have fulfilled the Word of G-d." According to the way he twisted things, this is precisely what he was doing.

We do it all the time. "This is what the Almighty really wants." We have the uncanny ability when debating what Torah law demands of us to come to the conclusion that the law is in fact what we want it to be. We twist and turn the Torah to our satisfaction until everything we do is not sin-free, but is actually a righteous fulfillment of the Word of Hashem.

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Dani&MarcyAharon Bart&EmmaBaum Jeff&LisaBenjamin Brett&JudyBlatter Mark&LindaBunim Hal&DebbieChadow Elie&LauraCohen Scott&LauraDanoff Tommy&DebbieFurst Mark&RobynGelberg Abe&LynnGlasman SharonGoldwyn Sol&TaliaGoldwyn Isaac&InaGreszes Charlie&DoreenHadid Natan&DinaHamerman Joseph&DonnaHecht Erica&ElliotHeisler Robert&DebbieHollander Adam&DidiHutt Joe&LaurenHyman Mark&AmyKalter Nick&VivianKron Annie&RobertMendelson Myles&RonaMittleman Zach&YifatMittleman Avery&EllenModlin Jon&DaniellaMuller Jon&DinaOhebshalom Jared&LizOrt Ed&BrendaParver Alan&LouisaPrawer Murray&MarciRabinowitz Grant&GalitReichlin David&DianeRein Jonathan&AmyReiss Mikey&AvivaRosenberg Dov&AlizaSassoon Ezra&SusanSheena Evan&JessicaShusterman Mitch&EllenSiegel Seth&LaurenSilberstein Robert&KarenSpitalnick Howard&MicheleWolf Ed&KarenWydra Adam&KarenZalta

Great Neck Synagogue Shabbat Activities Program

Dale Polakoff, Rabbi Ian Lichter, Assistant Rabbi Dr. Ephraim Wolf ,zl, Rabbi Emeritus Daniel Schwechter, Rabbinic Intern Zeev Kron, Cantor Eleazer Schulman, zl, Cantor Emeritus Rabbi Sholom Jensen, Youth Director Mark Twersky, Executive Director Avraham Bronstein, Program Director Joseph Hecht, President Harold Domnitch, Chairman of the Board

Thoushaltattendthe AnnualRabbinicDialogue!

Joinusas RabbiDalePolakoff, RabbisMeirandTaraFeldman andRabbiHowardStecker engageinanenjoyable, stimulatingandprovocativedebate onJewishissuesandcurrenttopicsofinterest Thislivelyexchangeissponsoredby: GreatNeckSynagogueMensClub TempleBethElBrotherhood TempleIsraelMensClub SUNDAY,MARCH11 AT TEMPLEBETHEL OLDMILLROAD COMPLIMENTARYBREAKFAST AT9:15AM THEDIALOGUEBEGINSAT10:00AM

PURIMSCHEDULE TAANITESTHERWed.,March7,2012 Fastbeginsat4:56amandendsat6:33pm Shacharit6:20am/7:45am(withselichot) Minchaat5:30pm PURIMEVENINGWednesdayevening,March7,2012 PleasenotethattherewillbefourMegilahreadingsthisyear 1)MaarivandMegilahat6:15pminBeitMidrash 2)MaarivandMegilahat6:15pminYouthCenter 3)MaarivandMegilahat6:30pminMainShul WewillbeusingamicrophoneintheMainShulthisyear 4)MaarivandMegilahat7:30pminYouthCenter YouthPurimprogramat7:30pminGym PurimExtravaganzaat8:30pminMainBallroom PurimTisch10:15pm PURIMDAYThurs.,March8,2012 1stshacharitat6:00aminBeitMidrash 2ndshacharitat7:45aminMainShul 3rdshacharitat9:00aminYouthCenter Megilahreadingapproximately25minutesafterstartofminyan WomensTefilahMegilahreading9:00amsharpinBeitMidrash EarlyMincha12:35pm RegularMincha5:40pm LateMaariv8:15pm

GNS 2012Monthly Chesed Collection Calendar

Month
April 2012 May June July August September October November December January 2013 February March

GreatNeckSynagogue MonthlyChesedCollection March2012

Items to be collected
Passover Products/ Chometz Give away Small appliances/New Kitchen and Household items Sports equipment Cell phones/Eyeglasses/Shoes School Supplies /Books Pass It Forward Baby items Winter Clothing/Wedding Gowns Games/Toys Blankets/Sheets/Towels Crutches/Wheelchairs/Walkers Etc Spring clothing/Toiletry & Household Cleaning items/Diapers

Please choose a month and volunteer as a coordinator to help insure that each monthly collection will run smoothly.

Wearecollecting: SpringClothing Diapers Toiletries andCleaningSupplies Startyourspringcleaningearly andatthesametime helpthoselessfortunate. Dropwillbeat GreatNeckSynagogue TuesdayandWednesday: March1314,2012 Between9amand8pm. Formoreinfopleasecontact thismonthschairpersons GladysMoslin4669772 orgmoslin@yahoo.com andTriciaMoslinat4828539or wireitlive@gmail.com.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
HASHKAMA MINYAN KIDDUSH Kiddush is sponsored by Gil Aronowitz in memory of his wife Florence,zl and his mother Fannie,zl. SUNDAY BREAKFAST Breakfast is sponsored by Gil Aronowitz in memory of his wife Florence,zl and his mother Fannie,zl, and by Paul Brody & Family as a Seudat Hodaya, with thanks to Hashem. YOUTH SNACKS Snacks are sponsored by Erica & Eliot Heisler in honor of James 11th birthday. MENS CLUB Annual Rabbinic Dialogue: Come and support Rabbi Polakoff as he engages Rabbis Meir and Tara Feldman and Rabbi Howard Stecker in an enjoyable, stimulating and provocative debate on Jewish issues and current topics of interest at Temple Beth-El on Sunday, March 11. Breakfast at 9:15 and the debate at 10:00. PREVENTION TREATMENT AND SURVIVAL OF PROSTATE CANCER Do you know that PROSTATE CANCER is one of the deadliest diseases for men? On Tuesday, April 24 , at 7:45 pm Dr. David B. Samadi , one of the leading experts in the field, invites you to learn about the Prevention, Treatment and Survival of Prostate Cancer. PURIM CARDS The Sisterhood is offering Purim Cards that are available to purchase for $7/each or a package of 10 for $65. Share the joy of Purim with loved ones anywhere. To order, contact Vivian Kron at vivian@vikron.com. NEW CHESED FAMILY PROGRAM ON PURIM Join Rabbi Lichter and GNS families as we extend the Simcha of Purim to others at the Center for Extended Care and Rehabilitation. Join us for singing, smiling and cheering up the residents. The center is located at 330 Community Drive on the North Shore University Hospital campus, take the number 3 entrance, follow the road all the way up, bear right until you see the all glass building in the back. Meet in the front lobby at 1:00 pm sharp! We will be there for about 45 minutes. Please email ilichter@gns.org as spots are limited.

Within Our Family Mazal Tov to Carol & Stephen Karbowitz on the upcoming marriage of their daughter Rachel to Joshua Spindel, son of Susan & Herb Spindel of Toronto. Mazal Tov also to grandmother Elizabeth Katzwer. Mazal Tov to Lital & Josh Amini on the birth of their son. Mazal Tov to Galit & Grant Reichlin on the birth of their daughter. Mazal Tov also to siblings Leah & Ilan and grandparents Leonard & Louise Kahn. Mazal Tov to Stacey & Adam Rapp on the birth of a daughter. Mazal Tov to Susan & Ezra Sheena on the engagement of their son Bradley to Nicole Finkelstein of West Hempstead. Mazal Tov to Irene & Leslie Kahn on the birth of A grandson born to his children Paul & Jamie Kahn.

NEW KOSHER COOKBOOK FOR SALE Congregation Keter Torah in Teaneck, New Jersey recently published a new cookbook, Temptations: Modern Kosher Recipes for Every Occasion. The Sisterhood of GNS will receive a portion of the sale price of all books purchased online by our members. To order your copy, please go to www.ketertorah.org/ cookbook and mention our shul name online.

YIDDISH VORT MEETING Why does Dem Uncles Purim Gelt disappoint his nephews? Dos Yiddish Vort explains it all on Wednesday, March 7 at 1:30 pm. All welcome! For info, call Roz Wagner 487-9795. APPLICATIONS FOR THE FLORENCE SHAFFER MEMORIAL FUND SCHOLARSHIP High school senior young women, whose family are members of GNS, are encouraged to apply for the Sisterhood Florence Shaffer Memorial Fund Scholarship. This is a strictly need-based financial scholarship to help with some of the expenses of college or a program in Israel. This year the Scholarship Committee is planning to award one scholarship of up to $3,600. Applications are available from the synagogue office and are due March 1, 2012. DEAD SEA SCROLLS EXHIBIT CANCELLATION Unfortunately, there was no response to view Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit, in NYC and it is now officially cancelled. SAVE-THE DATE The North Shore Hebrew Academy's Annual Journal Dinner celebrating its 57 year tradition of excellence has been postponed from Sunday, March 25th to Tuesday, May 22nd Rosh Chodesh Sivan at CITI FIELD honoring Sarit & Shlomo Elias and Kathy & Arnie Flatow. More information and invitations to follow.

Y A H R Z E I T

Saturday, 9 Adar Faye Berke for Lawrence J.S. Jacobs Kenneth S. Magida for Frieda Magida Milton MItzner for Morris Mitzner Rabbi Dale Polakoff for Herbert Rosen Sunday, 10 Adar Martin Brownstein for Florence Brownstein Ruth Shalit-Apelbaum for Simcha Shevili Monday, 11 Adar Carol Buckmann for Mayer Siegel Morris Nasser for Ezra Nasser Tuesday, 12 Adar Kenneth Greenhut for Adolph Emil Greenhut Philip Hanfling for Nathan Hanfling Barry Lipsius for Corrine Lipsius Dina Sharifian for Yagoub Misaghi Dennis Wolf for Joyce Wolf Wednesday, 13 Adar Gilbert Aronowitz for Florence Aronowitz Elliot Diamond for Louis Diamond Harvey Kaylie for Tess Kaylie David Lax for Sara Leah Lax Roselin Wagner for Yehuda Leib Prebluda Elaine Wolf for Ephraim Wolf Thursday, 14 Adar Marilyn Druker for Bernard Druker Friday, 15 Adar Miriam Bader for William Fleshel Ronald Braun for Muriel Braun Benny Hakimi for Aaron Hakimi Alan Prawer for Pinchas Prawer Brenda Rosmarin for Samuel Ressler Israel Slochowsky for Morris Slochowsky