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Parshat Vayikra

TORAH Artscroll 544 Hertz 409 HAFTORAH Artscroll 1165 Hertz 424 The laws of sacrifices that dominate the early chapters of the book of Vayikra/Leviticus, are among the hardest in the Torah to relate to for it has been almost 2000 years since the Temple was destroyed and the sacrificial system came to an end. But Jewish thinkers, especially the more mystical among them, strove to understand the inner significance of the sacrifices, the statement they made about the relationship between humanity and G-d. They were thus able to rescue their spirit even if their physical enactment was no longer possible. Among the simplest yet most profound was the comment made by R. Shneor Zalman of Liadi, the first Rebbe of Lubavitch. He noticed a grammatical oddity about the second line of this weeks sedra: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: when one of you offers a sacrifice to the Lord, the sacrifice must be taken from the cattle,

March 16, 2013 5 Nissan, 5773

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on Parshat Vayikra


sheep or goats. (Lev. 1:2) Or so the verse would read if it were constructed according to the normal rules of grammar. However, in Hebrew the word order of the sentence is strange and unexpected. We would expect to read: adam mikem ki yakriv, when one of you offers a sacrifice. Instead what it says is adam ki yakriv mikem, when one offers a sacrifice of you. The essence of sacrifice, said R. Shneor Zalman, is that we offer ourselves. We bring to G-d our faculties, our energies, our thoughts and emotions. The physical form of sacrifice an animal offered on the altar is only an external manifestation of an inner act. The real sacrifice is mikem, of you. We give G-d something of ourselves. Let us stay with this idea and pursue it further. In sacrifice, what do we give G-d? The Jewish mystics, among them R. Shneor Zalman, spoke about two souls each of us has the animal soul (nefesh ha-behamit) and the G-dly soul. On the one hand we are physical beings. We are part of nature. We have physical needs: food, drink, shelter. We are born, we live, we die. As Kohelet / Ecclesiastes puts it: Mans fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. Both have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is a mere fleeting breath. (Ecclesiastes 3: 19) Yet we are not simply animals. We have within us immortal longings. We can think, speak, communicate. We can by the acts of speaking and listening reach out to others. We are the one life form known to us in the vast universe that can ask the question Why? We can formulate ideas and be moved by high ideals. We are not governed by biological drives alone. Psalm 8 is a hymn of wonder on this theme: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? Yet You made him a little lower than the angels and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him
Bima Flowers are sponsored by Sima & Isaac Kohannim in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Ariella and by Lisa & Jeff Benjamin in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Danielle.

Times

Candle Lighting Friday Mincha Hashkama Parsha Shiur Youth Minyan Main Minyan Beit Midrash Gemorah shiur Mincha Shabbat Ends Sunday, Mar. 17 Mon., Thurs. Tues., Wed., Fri. Mincha

6:44 pm 6:45 pm 8:00 am 8:30 am 8:30 am 9:00 am 9:15 am 5:40 pm 6:40 pm 7:52 pm 7:30/8:30 am 6:35/7:45 am 6:45/7:45 am 6:50 pm

Latest Times for Shema/ Shmoneh Esrei March 16 March 23


10:05/11:05 am 9:58/10:59 am

Next Shabbat Tzav Candle Lighting Mincha 6:51 pm 6:50 pm

Kiddush Is Sponsored By Great Neck Synagogue

Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Malka Gad in memory of her mother Dina Tvuz Hakimi zl Carol & Jeff Kaufman in memory of his brother David Lawson Kaufman, zl, Mark Gersten in memory of his father, Richard Gersten, zl, Michele & Howard Wolf in memory of her mother Ruth Berman and his father Julius Wolf, zl and by Lisa & Jeff Benjamin in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Danielle.

26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 (516) 487-6100

Shabbat Announcements Parshat Vayikra 5773

ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet . . .Physically, we are almost nothing; spiritually, we are brushed by the wings of eternity. We have a G-dly soul. The nature of sacrifice, understood psychologically, is now clear. What we offer G-d is (not just an animal but) the nefesh ha-behamit, the animal soul within us.

of the age, to refuse to capitulate to the intellectual fashions of the moment. That ultimately is the meaning of holiness in Judaism. Kadosh, the holy, is something set apart, different, separate, distinctive. Jews were the only people in history consistently to refuse to assimilate to the dominant culture or convert to the dominant faith. The noun korban, sacrifice, and the verb le-hakriv, to offer something as a sacrifice actually mean that which The verse uses three words for the animals to be is brought close and the act of bringing close. The key sacrificed: behemah (animal), bakar (cattle) and tzon element is not so much giving something up (the usual (flock). Each represents an animal-like feature of the meaning of sacrifice) but rather bringing something close human personality. Behemah is animal instinct itself. to G-d. Le-hakriv is to bring the animal element to be The word refers to domesticated animals. It does not transformed through the Divine fire that once burned on imply the savage instincts of the predator. What it the altar, and still burns at the heart of prayer if we truly means is something more tame. Animals spend their seek closeness to G-d. time searching for food. Their lives are bounded by the struggle to survive. To sacrifice the animal within By one of the great ironies of history, this ancient idea us is to be moved by something more than mere has become suddenly contemporary. Darwinism, the survival. decoding of the human genome, and scientific materialism Wittgenstein, when asked what was the task of philosophy, answered To show the fly the way out of the fly-bottle. The fly, trapped in the bottle, bangs its head against the glass, trying to find a way out. The one thing it fails to do is to look up. The G-dly soul within us is the force that makes us look up, beyond the physical world, beyond mere survival, in search of meaning, purpose, goal. The word bakar, cattle, in Hebrew reminds us of the word boker, dawn, literally to break through, as the first rays of sunlight break through the darkness of night. Cattle, stampeding, break through barriers. Unless constrained by fences, cattle are no respecters of boundaries. To sacrifice the bakar is to learn to recognize and respect boundaries between holy and profane, pure and impure, permitted and forbidden. Barriers of the mind can sometimes be stronger than walls. Finally tzon, flocks, represents the herd instinct the powerful drive to move in a given direction because others are doing likewise. The great figures of Judaism Abraham, Moses, the prophets were distinguished precisely by their ability to stand apart from the herd; to be different, to challenge the idols (the idea that the material is all there is) have led to the widespread conclusion that we are animals, nothing more, nothing less. We share 98 per cent of our genes with the primates. We are, as Desmond Morris used to put it, the naked ape. Homo sapiens exist by mere accident. We are the result of a random series of genetic mutations who just happened to be more adapted to survival than other species. The nefesh ha-behamit, the animal soul, is all there is. The refutation of this idea and it is one of the most absurdly reductive ever held by intelligent minds lies in the very act of sacrifice itself as the mystics understood it. We can redirect our animal instincts. We can rise above mere survival. We are capable of honoring boundaries. We can step outside our environment. We can transcend the behemah, the bakar and the tzon. No animal is capable of self-transformation; but we are. Poetry, music, love, wonder the things that have no survival value but which speak to our deepest sense of being all tell us that we are not mere animals, assemblages of selfish genes. By bringing that which is animal within us close to G-d, we allow the material to be suffused with the spiritual and we become something else: no longer slaves of nature but servants of the living G-d. PASSOVERiscoming!! GreatNeckSynagogueHungerInitiativewillbereachingoutonce againtoprovidePassoverstaplesandSederfoodforindividualsand familiesinneed. OurinitiativeisscheduledtotakeplaceonTuesday,March19,2013 inthecoatroomlobbyattheShul. DRIVERSareneededtoassistusindeliveries (aswellasnondrivercompanionsforeachcar), aswellaspackersonMarch19thfrom125pm. Monetarycontributionswouldbegreatlyappreciated. PleasedelivercheckstoShul, markthemHungerInitiativePesach,andmakethecheckpayableto GreatNeckSynagogue.Mayweallbeblessedwiththeprivilegeto enjoythePassoverfestivalinfreedom. PleasecontactCindyHodkinatkoshercookinggn@gmail.comto volunteer,orcallher@4827771from9amto9pm.

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

COMMUNITY SHABBAT LUNCHEON Saturday, March 16 Featuring AIPAC President MICHAEL KASSEN And ELIAV BENJAMIN Counselor for Political Affairs, Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. Reservations Required ~ Limited Seating $30/adult | $20/teen | $10/child | $100 family max. RSVP: 516.487.6100 or mtwersky@gns.org Reservations Deadline: Wednesday, March 13

SUPPORT OUR SHABBAT LUNCHEON SERIES UPGRADE TO A SPONSORSHIP Israel Advocate Sponsors ~ $1,000 includes family luncheon reservations, including two seats at the Speakers Table, and a place on the GNS delegation to the 2014 AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. (a $600 value)
For more sponsorship options, please contact the synagogue office. All sponsors will receive a copy of Power, Faith & Fantasy: America in the Middle East by Michael Oren, Ambassador of Israel to the United States.
SPONSORSHIP OPTIONS $1800 Diamond Sponsor (Limit 6) Family reservations for all Shabbat Dinners & Luncheons for 12 months, including 2 seats at the speakers table. The opportunity to host guest speakers for Shabbat or for Shabbat meals. VIP reserved seating for all guest speakers, and autographed books or memorabilia. $1000 Platinum Sponsor Family reservations for all Shabbat Dinners & Luncheons for 12 months. VIP reserved seating for all guest speakers, and an autographed books or memorabilia. $540 Gold Sponsor Family reservations for all Shabbat Dinners & Luncheons for 6 months. Autographed books or memorabilia. $360 Silver Sponsor Family reservations for 2 Shabbat Dinners or Luncheons, and autographed books or memorabilia.. $180 Bronze Sponsor Family reservation for Shabbat Dinner or Luncheon, plus autographed book or memorabilia. Please consider the level of sponsorship that is right for you, and contact Mark Twersky with your commitment at the synagogue office: (516) 587-6100 or mtwersky@gns.org

GreatNeckSynagogue 26OldMillRoad Sunday,March17 JoinusasRabbiDalePolakoff, RabbisMeirandTaraFeldmanand RabbiHowardSteckerengageinanenjoyable, stimulatingandprovocativedebateonJewish issuesandcurrenttopicsofinterest. Cosponsoredby: GreatNeckSynagogueMensClub TempleBethElBrotherhood TempleIsraelMensClub COMPLIMENTARYBREAKFAST AT9:15AM THEDIALOGUEBEGINSAT10:00AM AllInvitedDontmissit!
GNSPassoverFoodChesedCollection2013:
GotMatza?? PleasedropoffPassovercanned&boxedfooditems todonatetoTomcheiShabbos!! PleasedonatePassoverPackagedFood bydroppingitoffatthe

Askowitzhomeat6CoveLane
Sun.&Mon.:March17&18

attheKirschhomeat9HartleyRoad. Tues.&Wed.:March12,13&19.

andattheHirschfeldhomeat34WooleysLane. DropoffThurs.Fri.:March,14&15

Youcanalsodropmatzaoffattheshul. Pleaseleaveallfoodinshoppingorgarbagebags atthegaragedoor. PleaseDoNotbringitemsinGlasscontainers. ThankyouforbeingapartofthisspecialMitzvah! ChometzChesedCollection2013: DontthrowoutyourChometz! PleasedonateyourChometznow!!!

PleasedropoffyourChometzintheboxinthegarage

atRabbi/RebbetzinLichtershomeat76BershireRoad.
TheirgarageislocatedonMargoStreet. Youcandropoffeverydayalldayintheirgarage throughMarch19!

ANNOUNCEMENTS
GNS UPCOMING EVENTS
SUNDAY BREAKFAST Breakfast is sponsored by Yonni & Jennifer Mrejen and Drs. Karen & Eric Shakin in memory of Yaakov ben Messouda Mrejen, zl. YOUTH SNACKS David & Diane Rein are sponsoring the youth snacks in honor of their daughter, Sophia's 10th birthday. SHMURA MATZAH Orders for Shmura Matzah from Charedim Bakery in Brooklyn will be available this year for $25.50 per one pound box. Please send your orders with check enclosed to Great Neck Synagogue. There is a limited supply this year so please order early. Pickup will be on March 21, between 6:30pm and 8:30 pm. SISTERHOOD UPCOMING EVENTS Please Remember!! - We have a Sisterhood meeting this Wednesday evening, March 13 at 7 PM to discuss all upcoming events. The Sisterhood is happy to offer our third annual Pesach Wine Sale, courtesy of Lakeville Wines. There is a huge selection of wines, and Mark Glicksman (of Lakeville Wines) is available to offer any advice you may need concerning your selections (516-352-1100). Please be sure to tell him that you are a member of GNS. If you would like an order form, please contact Vivian Kron at vivian@vikron.com or pick-up a paper copy from the office. This sale is open to everyone so please consider the Sisterhood when you are making your purchases! SAVE THE DATE Join us April 10th at 8:00 PM for a * "SPRING AWAKENING:* * to a leaner, healthier, pain free, & allergy free you"* with Claudine Sarraf-Amirian Lac, Mstom. Licensed Acupuncturist, Herbalist. Reiki healer and health coach. This interactive workshop will include ancient secrets and modern solutions (including foods, qi gong, herbs, acupuncture and more) to attaining optimum health and healing for the season. MENS CLUB UPCOMING EVENTS: Sun. March 17, 9:00 am: The annual Rabbis Dialogue at GNS. Sun. April 7: Semi annual Blood Drive. Sun., 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 is a sought-after personality and appears regularly on TV and radio. All welcome. May 27: The Mens Club has arranged for tickets for the Yankees v Mets at Citi Field Monday Night (Memorial day). Tickets will be in the $50 - $60 price range. If you are interested please contact Jack Lipsky. jlipsky.lipsk01@insuremail.net Sun. June 30: Annual Fishing Trip. June Tba: The Defensive Driving course held over two evenings. GNS FEB. MEDICAL SUPPLIES CHESED COLLECTION THANK YOU We thank all of you who contributed to the GNS February Medical Supplies Chesed Collection. A Special Thank you to Nechama & Billy Liss-Levinson for all their hard work and perseverance to coordinate this monthly collection. A great deal of supplies were donated and will benefit the AFYA Foundation, a philanthropy which collects used medical goods and ships them to medical clinics and hospitals in developing countries in Africa and Central America. Save the Date and Join us for a Special Shabbat to celebrate Rabbi Dale Polakoff's 25th year at the GNS on Shabbat, April 19-20th 2013. All Minyanim will be davening together; there will be a Siyum Mishnayot, Kiddush, Luncheon/Program and a Festive Seudat Shlishit Program concluding with Havdalah. Please send your Tributes, Stories, Memories and Photos of Rabbi Polakoff from the past 25 years to Mark Twersky at mtwersky@gns.org To participate in the Siyum please go to: http://www.gns.org/ archives/7342 Sponsorships available to enhance this special 25th Anniversary Celebration: $100, $180, $360, $500, $1000, $1800. All Sponsors will be listed in the Program. To join the committee or to participate with a Tribute, Photo, Siyum, or Seudat Shlishit please call: Sharon Goldwyn 917-287-7334, Cindy Liebmann 516-680-6420.
RABBI POLAKOFFS 25th ANNIVERSARY SHABBAT CELEBRATION

WITHIN OUR FAMILY Mazal Tov to Lisa & Jeff Benjamin in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Danielle. Mazal Tov to grandparents Rivka & Carl Rosenberg. Mazal Tov to Sima & Isaac Kohannim on the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Ariella. Mazal Tov to Lauren & Seth Silberstein on the birth of a daughter. Mazal Tov also to siblings Ayla, Lili and grand-parents Florin & Howard Silberstein. Mazal Tov to Phyllis & Arthur Kirsch on the birth of their granddaughter Zehava Beila born to their children Alison & David Kirsch. Mazal Tov to Mindy & Charles Hercman on the birth of a grandson born to their children Rachel & Bradley Hercman.
DRIVERS NEEDED FOR TOMCHEI SHABBOS Drivers needed to deliver Passover packages on Sunday, Mar.17, 9-12am.The address 3323 Union St. Flushing ,NY 11354. Phone 718-6700-700. SAVE THE DATE - A North Shore Mikvah Association shiur for women given by Mrs. Elisheva Kaminetsky entitled, Rosh Chodesh: A Time of Renewal and Rejuvenation, will take place on April 9th at the home of Talia and Sol Goldwyn- 22 Vista Drive at 7:30 PM. Light refreshments will be served. Suggested donation - $36.00 Sponsorships $100.00 Partnerships $180.00. For more information, please email NSMikvah@gmail.com.

Elie Cohen and family would like to thank Rabbi Polakoff, Rabbi Lichter and Cantor Kron and the entire community for the outpouring of support following the loss of his brother Seth Cohen,zl.
Saturday, 5 Nissan Lorraine Domnitch for Sidney Spiesel Jaques Fouladi for Azam Fouladi Mark Gersten for Richard B. Gersten Mindy Hercman for Bernard M. Grosser Jeffrey Kaufman for Martin Kaufman Yonni Mrejen for Jacob Mrejen Roselin Wagner for Miriam Seider Howard Wolf for Julius Wolf Michele Wolf for Ruth Berman Sunday, 6 Nissan Alina Dynkin for Reuven Chernyavsky Pearl Ginsburg for David Ginsburg Donald Heisler for Rae Heisler Gedale Horowitz for Florence Horowitz Samuel Levitt for Benjamin Levitt Amir Mardkha for Nassrollah Mardkha Monday, 7 Nissan Joyce Swartz for Seymour Zeff Tuesday 8 Nissan Joan Braun for Rose Shwartz Ronald Braun for Renee Braun Mark J. Bunim for for Gladys Bunim Malka Gad for Tvuz Hakimi Amy Goldberg-Reiss for Joseph Goldberg Benjamin Greszes for Moises Greszes Nechama Liss-Levinson for Morris Liss Wednesday, 9 Nissan Elie Cohen for Michael Cohen Jack Cohen for Bessie Porestky Samuel Levitt for Sadie Lederman Sheila Bachman for Mildred Lewitt Iraj Kashani for Yousef Kashani Friday, 11 Nissan Paul Brody for Harvey Brody Laura Danoff for Ernest Herman Lev Dynkin for Meishe Ber Shifman Semyon Dynkin for Meishe Ber Shifman Sharon Goldwyn for Belle Goldwyn Phyllis Jadidian for Diana Shapiro Steven Zuckerman for Evelyn Zuckerman

Y A H R Z E I T

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