Parshat Vayeishev

Artscroll, 198 Hertz, 141 Artscroll, 1142 Hertz, 152 Shabbat Chatan Isaac Elyassoff
Times

December 17, 2011 21 Kislev, 5772

Torah

Rabbi Frand on Parshat Vayeishev

Yosef and Yehudah: Down But Not Out In the middle of the narration of the story of Yosef and his brothers [starting at the beginning of Bereshis Chapters 36], the Torah interjects the story of Yehuda and Tamar [Chapter 38]. Yehuda had 3 sons, the first son - Er -- was married to a woman named Tamar. Er died and then the second brother -Onan -- married Tamar. When Onan also died, Yehudah did not want to allow his third son (Shelah) to marry Tamar. Tamar disguised herself and tricked Yehudah into performing a form of levirate marriage with her. When she became noticeably pregnant, Yehudah accused her of being unfaithful to his family. Rather than embarrassing him and announcing that he made her pregnant, she merely ambiguously said that she was pregnant from the person who gave her certain items as a security pledge. Yehudah recognized the items as his own. Rather than deny the fact that he was indeed the one who lived with her, he admitted that he was the father of her children. In fact, one of the two sons born to Yehudah and Tamar (Peretz) eventually became the ancestor of King David and the Davidic dynasty. Immediately after this interjection, the Torah resumes the story of Yosef, telling us that he was brought down to Egypt and placed in the house of Potiphar, Pharaoh's officer, chamberlain of the butchers. Rashi explains the juxtaposition of the two stories by the words "And Yehudah went down..." [Bereshis 38:1]. Yehudah had been admired by all his brothers; however after the sale of Yosef (which Yehudah suggested as an alternative to killing him) and the deep depression that overtook their father Yaakov, the brothers dethroned Yehudah from his role of leadership. They told him "had you insisted that we return him to our father instead of killing him, we would have also listened to you!" When the narration of Yosef resumes, there is a similar expression of descent: "And Yosef was brought down to Egypt" [Bereshis 39:1] Here, too, Rashi comments on the linkage of the two stories and the fact that Yehudah was dethroned from leadership because of the fact that

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Shabbat Announcements Parshat Vayeishev 5772

Yosef was brought down to Egypt.

sometimes we are thrown into circumstances that present us with tremendous challenges. We The Shemen haTov comments that the incidents look like we are at the bottom of the pit looking that occurred with Yehudah and Yosef may both be up, like we have suffered an irreversible setback. described as "yerida", but there are tremendous Sometimes these very situations present lessons to be learned from these so-called "down- opportunities to meet those challenges and falls". As things turned out, both descents were thereby greatly improve our life situation. opportunities for these two brothers to achieve their maximum potential and to reach the highThe dual descents of Yehudah and Yossef turn points of their respective lives. This sordid incident out to be opportunities that gave these two sons of Yehduah's involvement with Tamar and his of Yaakov the ability to achieve great public embarrassment over it may seem like a low- accomplishments and to acquire immortal point. However, it was this very admission which greatness. gave Yehudah his claim to fame. Yaakov later said "Yehudah, you your brothers will acknowledge" [Bereshis 49:8] as part of the blessing that he gave to Yehudah. Jews are called by his name (Yehudim), not by the name of any other Tribe. Why are we "Yehudim"? It is because Yehudah did something that took a tremendous amount of self-discipline and honesty. He admitted: "You are right. I was wrong."
THE SHELTER OF YOUR WINGS

This story, which began as a tremendous down-fall for Yehudah - he was dethroned, he was abused this could have been his Waterloo, was in fact the nadir of his life. Things looked bleak, but he rose to the occasion. He became Yehudah and he demonstrated the power of confession (Hodaah same root as Yehudah) to all of us. Yosef also suffered tragedy after tragedy. He was sold as a slave to Egypt and then he was thrown from there into prison. But this descent too, this terrible period in his life, gave him the title by which he is known for all time: Yosef haTzadik [Joseph the Righteous]. Yosef was tempted by the wife of Potiphar and withstood the temptation. There are very few people in Jewish history that are given the title "Tzadik". The lesson of both these narratives is that

by Mark Gersten HOW DEAR TO US YOUR KINDNESS, OUR FATHER, KING OF KINGS SONS AND DAUGHTERS SEEKING REFUGE IN THE SHELTER OF YOUR WINGS YOU NURTURE US WITH MILK AND HONEY FROM YOUR LANDS DELIGHTS YOUR TORAH IS SOURCE OF LIFE BRINGS US ETERNAL LIGHT

BLESS THOSE WHO ENTER SHUL TO PRAY AND NOT TO TALK THE TIME AWAY WITH AWE THEY COME TO YOU, HASHEM COMPASSIONATELY, ANSWER THEM KEPT FAR AWAY PAIN AND DISTRESS SHIELD THEM FROM ALL OF LIFES DURESS LET THEM BE HONORED, GIVE THEM WEALTH RAISE WORTHY CHILDREN IN GOOD HEALTH ABOVE ALL TO THEM BE SO KIND CONTENTMENT FILLS THEIR SOUL AND MIND

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 Avraham Bronstein, Program Director Joseph Hecht, President Harold Domnitch, Chairman of the Board

ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHALLAH BAKING EVENT All ladies are invited on Thursday evening, December 15th at Great Neck Synagogue, to a Challah Baking Event to discover the beauty and spirituality inherent in the mitzvah of challah baking. Each women will make their own challah to bake at home and all supplies will be provided free of charge. You must RSVP in order to reserve a spot for this event. Space is limited to the first 100 women who reply. Please contact Farla Frumkin at wfrumkin@optonline.net to make a reservation or if you are interested in sponsoring this wonderful event! Thank you to the non-for-profit group Challah Event Planners for arranging this opportunity for us! SAVE THE DATE The Sisterhood and Men's Club invite you to meet author Lorraine Lotzof Abramson on Wednesday evening, January 11th at 7:30pm in the Braun Youth Center when she discusses her book "My Race: A Jewish Girl Growing Up Under Apartheid in South Africa." SAVE THE DATE Back by popular demand, the Sisterhood will be having a Shalom Bayit Dinner and Lecture with Rabbi Dale Polakoff on Wednesday evening, February 1st. Details to follow Thank you very much to Susan Sheena for organizing this event. SUNDAY BREAKFAST is sponsored by Rose & Peter Weiss and Sonia & Eddie Weiss in memory of Kalman Faig and Chaim Sender Yosef Weiss and by Florence and Irvin Spira in memory of his father Abraham Spira and by Adina & Mark Abraham in memory of his mother Sara Malka bat Yaacov Hacohen. MENS CLUB AND DOS YIDDISH VORT On Sunday, December 18, 2011, the Mens Club and Dos Yiddish Vort are having a bus trip to NYC for the annual Yiddish Theatre and supper outing, to see Shlemiel the First (a very enjoyable Yiddish play in English). The cost for the bus trip, theater tickets and supper is $65.00 per person. Please call Ros Wagner 487-9795 for tickets. Checks to GNS Mens Club.

Within Our Family

Mazal Tov to Laden & Elyahou Elyassoff on the marriage of his son Isaac to Shireen Azizian, daughter of Yafa & Azaria Azizian. Mazal Tov to Lynn Rabinowitz on the birth of a grandson born to her children Jessica & Noah Steinberg. Mazal Tov also, to grandmother Elizabeth Katzwer. Mazal Tov to Harriet & Seymour Cooper on the birth of a granddaughter born to their children Julie and Elliot Kalker and siblings Jordan and Zachary.
YOUTH LUNCHEON CHANUKAH BASH This Shabbat is the Chanukah Bash and Grand Raffle. Please have all your tickets signed before Shabbat for the Grand Raffle. No reservations are necessary. The Luncheon is open to all GNS Youth members. RABBI REISMAN Saturday nights at 7:30 pm in the Weinstein Center. WELCOME NEW MEMBERS The Great Neck Synagogue warmly welcomes Jerry & Heather Siegelman and Efi & Ronit Basal as new members to our shul. MIKVAH The Keylim Mikvah at Great Neck Synagogue is closed for draining and cleaning and will be closed for several weeks. If you have lost anything in the Mikvah, please call the synagogue office, 516 487 6100. GNS SHIDDUCH GROUP December 13th will be the next meeting of the Great Neck Shidduch Group. The purpose of the group is to help connect our members, single relatives and friends. Those interested in being part of the group should come to the meeting with a profile sheet filled out for each single person they wish to present to the group. The group will then review the candidates and try to make sensible matches between the singles presented. To ensure a balanced and successful meeting, if you are bringing names of female candidates you should also do your best to bring the same number of male candidates to present to the group. All discussions during the group meetings will be considered confidential. Please email shidduchgroupgn@gmail.com for a copy of the profile sheet, or Katie Lichter, katielichter@gmail.com or Malka Ismach at malkaismach@gmail.com. The meeting will take place December 13th at 8:30 at the Geller Residence, 15 Gould Street. Saturday, 21 Kislev Martin Brownstein for Samuel Brownstein Pearl Ginsburg for Isaiah Ginsburg David Greenwald Samuel Greenwald Norman Seif for Mayer Seif Sunday, 22 Kislev Mahin Aryeh for Morad Aryeh Lloyd Bayme for Rachel Bayme Hillel Milun for Reuben Milun Fred Pomerantz for David Pomerantz Irvin Spira for Abraham Spira Monday, 23 Kislev Marcelle Fischler for Charles Sussman Al Leiderman for Leo Leiderman Edward Weiss for Joseph Weiss Peter Weiss for Joseph Weiss Karen Wydra foe Evelyn Stein Tuesday, 24 Kislev Henry Dicker for Blanche Dicker Susan Goldman for Malia Ring Michal Malen for Emanuel Hoschander Wednesday, 25 Kislev Ebrahim Gabbaizadeh for Yehudit Chaya bat Shlomo Thursday, 26 Kislev Mahin Aryeh for Marilyn Schwadron Eliezer Noy for Yosef Zargaryan Friday, 27 Kislev Stuart Kaufman for Morris Kaufman

THANK YOU VERY MUCH The Dinner Raffle Chairs would like to thank everyone who generously donated raffle prizes and bought raffle tickets which made the 60th anniversary dinner one of the most successful raffle fundraisers ever. Special thanks to the following for all their help on this project: Donnie Aharon, Robyn Blumner, Debbie Chadow, Farla Frumkin, Nikolas Kron, Samantha Kron, Robert Hollander, Lauren Hyman, Grant Reichlin, Alexander Rein, Jessica Smooha, Alan Steinberg, and Heidi Zuckerman. We are also very grateful to Cori Franco for setting up the raffle display beautifully that evening. THANK YOU VERY MUCH The Sisterhood of Great Neck Synagogue would like to thank Lisa Kagan for organizing a very successful Chanukah Boutique. Everyone enjoyed shopping with our wonderful vendors, tasting delicious wine courtesy of Lakeville Wine & Spirits, and eating yummy munchkins donated by Dunkin Donuts. We are delighted that Pia Shlomo sold out all the books she brought to the boutique too. If you would like to buy a signed first edition copy of her childrens book titled, Thank You For Everything: A Book About Thanking Hashem, please contact her at pspilk@aol.com. We are grateful to Buy-Bye Bling for being there and donating a portion of their sales to us. If you were not able to attend, please contact Susan Sheena at Susan @Buy-ByeBling.com for private appointment to sell your gold and she will donate a percentage to Sisterhood. Thank you very much to everyone who helped make the evening a success: Dani Bronstein, Meryl Friedman, Farla Frumkin, Vivian Kron, Judy Lillien, Ellen Polakoff, Anne Sandler, Mark Twersky and Dario. DECEMBER CHESED In preparation for Chanukah, we will be collecting Menorahs, Candles, Games and Toys, for Chai Lifeline and for needy famlies. Please drop your items off at the Lichter Residence, 76 Berkshire Rd, on Monday, December 12th or Thursday, December 15th. There will be boxes inside the garage located on Marlot Ave If you have any questions, please contact Katie Lichter at 516-829-0048.

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