Parshiot Nitzavim-Vayelech

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September 24, 2011 25 Elul, 5771

Rabbi Frand on Parshiot Nitzavim-Vayelech

Parshas Nitzavim begins with the words: "You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem, your G-d: Your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers -- all the men of Israel" [Devorim 29:9]. Rashi comments (in his second interpretation): "Since Israel was going out from leader to leader, from Moshe to Yehoshua, therefore he made a standing assembly (matzeivah) of them in order to exhort them. And so did Yehoshua do (before he died). And so too, Shmuel, who said 'Stand and I shall contest with you', when Israel left his hand and entered the hand of Shaul." What does it mean to make the people into a 'matzeivah'? Rav Moshe Feinstein, in his published thoughts on Chumash, introduces an interesting concept. The thought is based on a somewhat homiletic idea. The Torah commands elsewhere: "Do not set up for yourselves a pillar ('matzeivah') that the L-rd your G-d despises" [Devorim 16:22]. Many masters of 'derush' (homiletics) interpret this pasuk [verse] to mean that a person should never make HIMSELF into a 'matzeivah'. still. A person should never say: "What do you want from me? I have my wife. I have my kids. I learn my daf. I daven three times a day. I am a good guy. Leave me alone!" A person must never stagnate spiritually and thereby make himself into a 'matzeivah'.

Times

Candle Lighting Friday Mincha Hashkama Parsha Shiur Main Minyan Beit Midrash Teen Minyan Gemorah Shiur Mincha Shabbat Ends Sunday September 25 Mon.

6:32 pm 6:35 pm 8:00 am 8:30 am 9:00 am 9:15 am 9:30 am 5:25 pm 6:35 pm

7:35 pm

7:30/8:30 am 6:35/7:45 am

In other words, Tues., Wed. 6:45/7:45 am whenever a leader would prepare for the Thurs., Fri. handing over of the Rosh Hashanah nation, so to speak, to (See page 2 for the schedule) the next generation of Mincha 6:25 pm leadership, he would Sun-Thurs. make them into a "standing Latest times for assembly" (matzeivah). Shema/Shmoneh Esrei September 24 October 1 9:46/10:46 am 9:48/10:47 am Next Shabbat Haazinu Candle lighting Mincha 6:24 pm 6:25 pm

Our Sages comment on the words "Vayelech Moshe" [And Moshe went] at the beginning of next week's parsha that the word "Vayelech" indicates chastisement A 'matzeivah' is an altar made of one piece of stone (tochacha). We as opposed to a 'mizbeach' understand that there is plenty of tochacha in that is an altar made of Parshas Ki Savo and so many stones. The too in Parshas Nitzavim. symbolism of a one-piece stone is: This is where the But where is the tochacha in the word person is now and this is where he is always going to "Vayelech" at the beginning of Parshas be. A person is not a Vayelech? 'matzeivah'. A person should never make himself The answer is that into a 'matzeivah' saying: Parshas Vayelech was "this is all that I am." A written on the last day of person must try to grow. Moshe Rabbeinu's life Either we grow or we regress. Spiritually, there is (the Seventh day of Adar). The Torah is no such thing as standing

SLICHOT Saturday evening Sept. 24, 2011 9:30 pm we will be showing the movie IRANIUM 10:30 pm Slichot service in Main Sanctuary 12:30 am in Beit Midrash

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Shabbat Announcements Parshiot Nitzavim-Vayelech

indicating to us that even at the age of 120, Moshe Rabbeinu was still a 'holech' (a mover). There are two types of beings in this word -- a stationary being (an 'omed') and a dynamic being (a 'holech') -- someone who is always on the move. Moshe Rabbeinu did not walk into his retirement party dressed casually, without a tie, looking forward to giving up the tremendous burden of leadership that he bore on his shoulders all these years. Even to the very end, Moshe was a 'holech'. This is the chastisement -- to the rest of us! The Vilna Gaon comments on a pasuk in Zecharia [3:7]: "And I will place before you movers (mehalchim) between these stationary people (haOmdim haEleh)". The Gaon states that the only being that should be spiritually stationary is an angel. The pasuk is teaching that a person -- sometimes -can even be a mover after his death, moving amongst the 'omdim', i.e. -- the angels! If a person works and accomplishes something while in this world and leaves a legacy, then even after death, he can be a 'holech'. However, the time when a person is on this planet is certainly not the time to relax. There will be plenty of time to relax... in the next world. As we get older, we look ahead to the generation older than us. I am strengthened by the fact that I see many people older than I, past retirement age, who remain dynamic and creative. They are still 'holchim' well into their seventies and eighties. They never allow themselves to become merely "omdim" (stationary). Some people go on to even greater life accomplishments after they "retire" from their professional careers than during that "productive period". This is the way it should be with all of us. We must remain 'holchim.' To return to our point of departure, Rav Moshe interprets "Atem Nitzavim" [You are standing] as "he made them into a 'matzeivah'." As he is about to hand the nation over to Yehoshua, Moshe gives his disciple a status report on the nation. "Yehoshua, this is where they are spiritually right now. It is your

responsibility to take them to the next level." It is necessary to have such a measure, a snapshot in time, against which future progress can be compared and calibrated. This is why, throughout Biblical history, every leader would make the people into a 'matzeivah' at the time when he was about to hand over the nation to the next generation's leadership. This was to create a sort of snapshot, as if to say, "Where do they stand at this moment in time?" The past leader "took stock of the nation" before handing them over to the next leader. This is the meaning of "he made them into a 'matzeivah.'"

ROSH HASHANA SCHEDULE Wednesday, September 28, Rosh Hashana Eve An Eruv Tavshilin should be prepared Candle Lighting 6:24 pm Services 6:25 pm Thursday, September 29, Rosh hashana l Morning 8:00 am Mincha 6:25 pm Candle Lighting after 7:31 pm Friday, September 30, Rosh Hashana ll Morning 8:00 am

YOUTH CLASSES
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 Mark Twersky, Executive Director Joseph Hecht, President Harold Domnitch, Chairman of the Board

Elementary Parsha and Pizza Wednesdays - 8:00 8:30 pm Junior High Dinner & Discussion Thursdays beginning 10/27 5:45 6:30 pm High School Dinner & Discussion Thursdays beginning 10/27 6:30 7:30 pm All classes are with Rabbi Lichter and will be geared to both Public school and Yeshiva students.

DoyouknowthatPROSTATECANCER isoneofthedeadliestdiseasesformen? OnTuesday,September20,at8:00pm TheGreatNeckSynagogueMensClub Invitesyoutolearnaboutthe Prevention,TreatmentandSurvival ofProstateCancer fromoneoftheleadingexperts inthefield Dr.DavidB.Samadi

SLICHOT
SaturdayeveningSept.24,2011 9:30pmwewillbeshowingthemovie IRANIUM 10:30pmSlichotservicein MainSanctuary 12:30aminBeitMidrash

GreatNeckSynagogueHungerInitiative, UnitedMashadiCommunityHelpingHandsCommittee

PassitForwardisback!
WhenyouareshoppingatGreatNeckGlatt,Everfresh, MazursorShopDelightfortheholidays: Orderaspecialfamilymealforonly$15(soup,maindish, sidedish)whichwillbedeliveredintimeforRoshHaShana tofamiliesinneed Youcanalsocallinyourorder: Mazurs@7184285000 GreatNeckGlatt@5167736328 ShopDelight@5164661300 Everfresh@5167734600
PASSITFORWARDVOLUNTEERSNOWNEEDED: Cooks:Tocookfood(soup,main,side,ordesserts)forthe needyforRoshHaShana.Bringwellpacked,cookedkosher foodto18Birchwood,onMondaySept16th,from26pm. Shleppers:Strongpeopletohelpshlepfoodfortheneedy, Mondayafternoon,Sept26th,24pm.Walkingdistancefrom GreatNeckNorthHS. Drivers:Topickupordeliverfoodtoneedyfamilies,anytwo hoursfrom2pmto7pm,MondayafternoonSept26th. Packers:Neededintwoorthreehourshiftsfrom11:00amto 6:00pm,MondaySept,26th. Ifyoucandoanyofthesethings,pleaseemailCindyHodkinat ckorman@csklaw.cc.

SaveTheDate Fridayevening October14 (intheSukkah)

Tiredofcookingafter twodaysofYomTov? JoinusatourInaugural FridayNightFamilyDinner withtheRabbisasweenjoya ShabbatandYomTovmeal underthestarsinthe GNSHeleneFinkSukkah withGreatNecksown Dr.WilliamHelmreich. Babysittingwillbeprovided.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
SISTERHOOD ELECTION MEETING AND BAKING DEMONSTRATION Please join us on Tuesday evening, October 4th at 7:30pm in the Braun Youth Center for our Sisterhood election meeting of the executive and general board members. If you would like to nominate yourself or a friend for a position on the board, please email Diane Rein at <mailto:drein@verizon.net> A proposed slate of officers will be presented at the meeting for voting. Immediately following the meeting, we are excited to have Cindy Hodkin do a holiday rugelach baking demonstration. Everyone can participate and bring home rugelach to bake! Advance reservations are required for the baking event. Also please bring a rolling pin if you can. We are grateful to Cindy Hodkin for sponsoring this event in memory of her father Bernard Korman z"l. SISTERHOOD HOLIDAY WINE SALE Please place your holiday wine order from Lakeville Wine & Spirits. Lakeville Wine & Spirits is the largest shomer shabbos liquor store on Long Island. Conveniently located on the corner of Lakeville Road and Union Turnpike, in the Lakeville Shopping Center. The store has hundreds of kosher wines in stock and specializes in wines from Israel. The Sisterhood of Great Neck Synagogue will receive 10% of all sales proceeds and the store will deliver the wine to you! For more information, please call Mark Glicksman at the store (516) 352-1100 and mention Sisterhood! SISTERHOOD FLOWER POWER FUNDRAISING The Sisterhood has set up an account with Flower Power Fundraising and we welcome our entire synagogue membership to place orders at www.flowerpowerfundraising.com under the name "Sisterhood Great Neck Synagogue". 50% of every purchase on this website goes to Sisterhood! For great tips on planting bulbs, go to finegardening.com. SAVE THE DATE The Sisterhood is excited to announce that Reyna Simnegar, cookbook author of "Persian Food from the Non-Persian Bride" will be our special guest speaker at our Annual Sisterhood Dinner on Tuesday evening November 8th. There will also be a book signing that evening. Please mark your calendar and go to kosherpersianfood.com to learn more about Reyna Simnegar! Thank you to Judy Lillien, Farla Frumkin, Ellen Polakoff and Vivian Kron for their help organizing this. ROSH HASHANAH FLOWERS The Sisterhood is proud to offer a beautiful fresh flower centerpiece for Rosh Hashanah (includes roses, tropical flowers, lilies and other seasonal flowers) from the newly opened Super Fresh Flower Market located at 441 Middle Neck Road. The cost is $25 prepaid only by this Sunday September 25th noontime. Drop off payment at 35 Margarat Court.). Extra $6 for delivery. Pick up is Tuesday evening September 27th from 6:008:00pm at the store. We are grateful to Judy Lillien for organizing this wonderful opportunity for us. Sisterhood will receive a portion of the proceeds. Please contact Judy (516) 487-6845 If you

Within Our Family Mazal Tov to Ada & Mitch Benerofe on the marriage of her son Jonathan to Stephanie Jacobs. Mazal Tov to Cheryl & Ron Silverman on the Bar Mitzvah of their son Aaron. Mazal Tov to Laden & Elyahou Elyassoff on the engagement of their son Isaac to Shireen Azizian, daughter of Yafa & Azaria Azizian.
FYI An exhibit of the paintings by Chava Shalmon will be on display in the Village of Great Neck Plaza, 2 Gussack Plaza till Sept. 27.There will be a special reception on Wed. Sept. 21, from 6:30-7:45pm. DOS YIDDISH VORT Food and festivals Jewish Style will be dissected at "Dos Yiddish Vort" on Tuesday, September 20, at 1:30 Pm. All are welcome. For further info, Roz Wagner 487-9795 MIKVAH NEWS The GN Mikvah will be open for men, only on erev RH, Wed. Sept.28, and erev YK, Fri. Oct. 7, from 5am-3pm. Men must bring their own towels. The cost is $30.00 per person per visit. MENS CLUB UPCOMING EVENTS Prostate Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases for men. On Tuesday, September 20, at 8:00 pm, Dr. David B. Samadi, Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, will speak on Prostate Cancer - Prevention, Treatment and Survival.

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SELICHOT AND THE MOVIE IRANIUM During these days of chicanery at the United Nations, frought with danger for the Jewish people, we will be gathering together this Motzei Shabbat for the beginning of Selichot. There will be an early selichot at 10:30 pm in the Main Sanctuary led by our own Chazzan Kron and a later selichot at 12:30 am in the Beit Midrash. At 9:30 pm, preceeding the early selichot, we will be showing the movie Iranium depicting the worlds avoidance of the growing crises of nuclear armaments in Iran. If feeling vulnerable in a dangerous world helps us connect to Hashem with our selichot, theres no better way to begin this season then by joining us for the viewing of this powerful film.

Y A H R Z E I T

Saturday, 25 Elul Edith Lubin for Reuben Feigenbaum Felecia Morris for Leonard Morris Ellen Siegel for Stacey Crair Galina Weiss for Shara Lebovich Sunday, 26 Elul Hal Beretz for Leo Beretz Allan Beyda for Joshua Beyda Jane Tuvia for Yakov Ebin Judy Weinstein for Regina Kloogman Monday, 27 Elul Lauren Hyman for Arnold Glatt Celia Lemonik for Rosalie Dorner Hindi Lunzer for Selma Mermelstein Payman Rabiei for Efraim Mashala Tuesday, 28 Elul Louis Goldstein for Nathan Goldstein Wednesday, 29 Elul Lorraine Buchsbaum for Gussie Shkolnick Zachary Dicker for Mintza Dicker David Lax for Yoel Lax Susan Mayer for Frieda Abramson Edward Parver for Harry Parver Thursday, 1 Tishrei Anne Gold for Rebecca Feinstein George Miner for Irving Miner Chava Shalmon for Abraham Grinszpan Friday, 2 Tishrei Vicky Maher for Herschel Brzezinski