Parshat Ki Sisa

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March 10, 2012 16 Adar, 5772

Rabbi Frand on Parshat Ki Sisa

This week's parsha contains the mitzvah to donate the halfshekel coin: "This shall be given by everyone who passes through the counting, from twenty years old and up, a half shekel from the holy shekel coin, the shekel weighing twenty geirah, a half shekel as gift to Hashem." [Shmos 30:13-14] Rashi cites a Medrash that G-d showed Moshe the appearance of a coin made from fire weighing a half shekel and told him "This is what they shall give." Rashi actually abbreviates the Medrash. The Medrash itself mentions that Moshe had difficulty envisioning what exactly the halfshekel coin looked like and G-d therefore showed him a heavenly vision of exactly the way it appears. The commentators are bothered why was it so difficult for Moshe to envision the appearance of this half-shekel coin? The Gemara has a similar narration concerning the Menorah. The Menorah has very intricate detail and geometric configuration. We can understand how Moshe might not have been able to picture what the Menorah looked like until he was shown an example of a fiery Menorah in a vision. Likewise, the Talmud says that Hashem had to show Moshe examples of the reptiles and insects (sheratzim) mentioned in Parshas Shmini. That statement can also be understood. But what is so hard to envision about a coin? Why did G-d have to show Moshe a coin made out of fire? I will share one answer to this question based on Derush [homiletic

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Shabbat Announcements Parshat Ki Sisa 5772

interpretation] and another answer based on Pshat [simple interpretation]. This homiletic interpretation is offered by many. I saw it most recently in the Oznaim LaTorah. Moshe Rabbeinu had difficulty understanding how money could serve as an atonement (kaparah). Money is the root of most evil. However, Hashem speaks of the half-shekel donation being 'kesef hakipurim' [the money of atonement]. Moshe wanted to know how that can happen. How could something that is the cause of so much evil and trouble serve to bring man closer to His Maker?

depending upon how it is used.

An interpretation that is more straightforward and closer to the 'pshat' is offered by Rav Simcha Zissel, the Rosh Yeshiva from Chevron, zt"l: Moshe Rabbeinu understood that there are things in this world that are called "Cheftzah shel mitzvah" [items with which Mitzvos are performed]. Some things are natural products (e.g. -- lulav, esrog, haddasim, aravos). Other things are "manufactured" (e.g. -- cow-hide upon which is written certain words may be made into a Sefer Torah, Tefillin, or Mezuza). Although the latter are manmade products, the intent of the scribe Therefore, G-d showed him a coin made in creating them may make them holy out of fire. Is fire good or bad? Fire can be and allow them to become a "Cheftzah the most destructive thing in the world. It shel mitzvah". Moshe did not have can kill. It can decimate. On the other trouble understanding this. hand, where would we be without fire? We would freeze in the winter. We would not However, Moshe could not understand be able to prepare our food. The world how it is possible to do a mitzvah with a would not be able to exist without fire. coin that is minted for commercial purposes. How is this piece of metal, We see that there are things in this world which is minted by secular authorities that can bring tremendous good and at able to become a "Cheftzah shel the same time can bring tremendous evil. mitzvah"? Therefore, Hashem showed They can bring tremendous improvement him the coin of fire and thereby informed and tremendous destruction. The point of him that in fact even such an item could showing Moshe the coin made out of fire be sanctified and used for achieving was to equate money with fire. Money, atonement, as long as it is GIVEN for the too, can be destructive or constructive, sake of a mitzvah.
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 TEMPLEISRAEL OLDMILLROAD COMPLIMENTARYBREAKFAST AT9:15AM THEDIALOGUEBEGINSAT10:00AM

PURIMSCHEDULE TAANITESTHERWed.,March7,2012 Fastbeginsat4:56amandendsat6:33pm Shacharit6:20am/7:45am(withselichot) Minchaat5:30pm PURIMEVENING(Wednesday),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. Dropoffwillbeat GreatNeckSynagogue TuesdayandWednesday: March1314,2012 Between9amand8pm. Formoreinfopleasecontact thismonthschairpersons GladysMoslin4669772 orgmoslin@yahoo.com TriciaMoslinat4828539or wireitlive@gmail.com.

Please remember to set your clocks ahead on Saturday night March 10, 2012

ANNOUNCEMENTS
SUNDAY BREAKFAST Is sponsored by Lyda & Ben Hakimi in memory of his father Aaron Hakimi, zl. WOMENS TEFILAH Womens Tefilah will hold their Megilah reading on Thursday morning, March 8, at 9:00 am sharp in the Beit Midrash. The Seudah is sponsored by Carol Buckmann on the 5th anniversary yahrzeit of her husband Mayer Siegel, zl. RABBI WOLFS YAHRZEIT This coming Wednesday, Taanit Esther, is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Dr. Ephraim Wolf ztl. Please visit the GNS web site on Wednesday (www.gns.org) to learn more about his life and to pay tribute to his memory. THE GNS HUNGER INITIATIVE PURIM FOOD DRIVE Please bring boxes of pasta or beans for groggers on Purim Night. These can be dropped off on your way out to be donated to shelters by the GNS hunger initiative! We will also be collecting CANNED FOODS that people can bring on Purim evening. 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 Israel 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. SISTERHOOD MEETING & PESACH BAKING DEMONSTRATION Please join us on Wednesday evening, March 14th at 7:00pm for a Sisterhood meeting in the Braun Youth Center to plan and organize upcoming events. Immediately following the meeting at 7:45pm, we are pleased to have Cindy Hodkin teach us how to make Passover truffles. She is dedicating her baking demonstration in memory of her father Bernard Korman on the occasion of his 36th yahrzeit. RSVP is required to attend the baking demonstration - please email Cindy Hodkin at koshercookinggn@gmail.com THANK YOU VERY MUCH The Sisterhood would like to thank everyone who generously donated to the Florence Shaffer Memorial Fund over the last few weeks. We are grateful to our anonymous donor who matched all these donations and helped Sisterhood raise a significant amount of money to be used for need-based scholarships for college women. SISTERHOOD PASSOVER WINE SALE Sisterhood is offering Passover wine through Lakeville Wine & Spirits which 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. All orders will be delivered and can be faxed to 516.352.1103 or emailed to info@kosherwineco.com. Please mention Sisterhood of GNS. 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. CHESED COLLECTION THANK YOU Thank you to Addie Markowitz and Nechama Liss-Levinson for chairing the outstanding successful February Chesed Collection for Medical Supplies that benefited YAD SARAH and AFYA. We thank them for their time and energy which benefited many people.

Within Our Family

Mazal Tov to Lynda & Burt Mandelbaum on their children Alissa & Avi Ossip being honored at the YI of Plainview Annual Dinner. Mazal Tov to Jill Haft & Greg Haft on the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Hanna. Mazal Tov also to grandfather Manny Strulovic. 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 Liliane & David Benrimon on the engagement of their daughter Linda to Avichai Rosen of Manhattan.

RABBI REISMAN Saturday nights at 8:30 pm in the Weinstein Center. YIDDISH VORT MEETING Why does Dem Uncles Purim Gelt disappoint his nephews? Dos Yiddish Vort explains it all on Tuesday, March 6 at 1:30 pm. All welcome! For info, call Roz Wagner 487-9795. 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. 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.

Rahel Ben-Sorek extends her heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Rabbi Polakoff, Rabbi Lichter and the many members of the Great Neck Synagogue who came to comfort her during shiva for her brother, Yisrael Hershfinkel of Israel. A special thanks to the wonderful Sisterhood which provided delicious meals during this time of sorrow. May all the kindnesses be awarded.
Saturday, 16 Adar Frank Bachrach for Lotte Bachrach Peter Epstein for Ann Epstein Ivan Kaufman for Morris Enoch Kaufman Ellen Polakoff for Helene Pinsker Phyllis L. Ringel for Minnie Gitter Hadassah Wachstock for Frieda Kessler Sunday, 17 Adar Stanley Dacher for Lena Dacher Myra Honig for Abraham Mathews David Miller for Rubin Miller Monday, 18 Adar Murray Frank for Yetta Frank Edwin Frederick for Bertha Frederick Ben Shavolian for Hoori Shavolian Mervin Verbit for Yetta Verbit Tuesday, 19 Adar Brenda Parver for Sol Altman Wednesday, 20 Adar Carol Adamsky for Anna Adamsky Meryl Friedman for Hyman Karten Stuart Kaufman for Dora Schwartz Mali Meisel for Samuel Maultasch David Wagner for Rose Wagner Thursday, 21 Adar Gilbert Aronowitz for Isidore Luchansky Rita Miller for Pearl Kurtz Tricia Moslin for Estelle Solomon Judy Weinstein for Edward Eichenhon Friday, 22 Adar Perry Schneider for Phillip Schneider

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