Kashrus Alert
December 30, 2010
Tel Aviv Grill is no longer under the Vaad of Queens.
Within Our Family: January 1, 2011
December 30, 2010
Mazal Tov to Avigail & Danny Arbusman on the marriage of their daughter Shelli to Michael Borkow.
Mazal Tov to Ronni & Louis Davidowitz on the birth of their first grandchild, a baby boy born to their children Michelle & Jed Schwartz.
Mazal Tov to Harriet & David Schimel on the birth of a grandson born to their children Alison & Elliot Schimel.
Mazal Tov to Zelda & Sol Berger on the marriage of their grandson Baruch Abittan to Michal Jacob.
Mazal Tov to Aliza & Dov Sassoon on the birth of a baby boy.Mazal Tov also to grandparents Rori & Charles Sassoon and Brenda & Isidore Rosmarin.
Mazal Tov to Susan & Jim Frisch on the birth of a granddaughter, born to their children Lara & Gregory Rhine in Israel.
Sponsors: January1, 2011
December 30, 2010
KIDDUSH IS SPONSORED BY
GREAT NECK SYNAGOGUE
Parshas VaEira 5771 Stephen Rabinowitz, MD
December 30, 2010
B”H
In this week’s parsha we read (Exodus/Shmos 6:30-7:2) (translation adapted from Rabbi Chaim Miller based on Rashi):
Rashi (1040-1105): Each time Moshe was to deliver a message to Paroh, he was to say the message only once, exactly as he heard it from HaShem (in Hebrew, which Paroh did not understand), and then Aharon would interpret and explain the message to Paroh in the Egyptian language.
Ramban (1194-1270): Moshe had already complained to HaShem about his speech difficulty at the burning bush. HaShem told him then that Aharon would be his spokesman. Why is Moshe complaining again? Apparently Moshe thought that he would only perform the signs and miracles, and Aharon would do all the talking to Paroh, but now HaShem is telling Moshe that he must first speak HaShem’s words and then Aharon would take over. In response to this complaint, and as a mark of distinction to Moshe, HaShem gave him permission to speak only to Aharon, who would then speak to Paroh.
Midrash Tanchuma (edited in the fifth century, before the completion of the Talmud Bavli): The Holy One, Blessed is He, said to Moshe, “The wicked Paroh has made himself out to be a god, so I will inform him that he is nothing, for I have made you a master over him.” How do we know that Paroh considered himself a god? It is stated in Yechezkel 29:3, “…my river (the Nile) is my own and I have made myself.” Therefore, when he sees you causing miracles that are the total opposite of nature, he will consider you to be a greater god than himself. See similarly, Shmos Rabbah 8:1. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888) says: It was necessary that, to a man like Paroh, Moshe should appear as an incarnation of a god. In the heathen view, the first attribute of divinity is fearsome power inimical to man. We would not have been surprised if, after all the miracles Moshe performed, Paroh had prostrated himself before him and worshipped him as a god.
Alshich(1508-1600): Shmos Rabbah 8 states that Moshe was elohim only as far as Paroh was concerned; presumably this is to point out the difference from 4:16 when Moshe was to be elohim to Aharon, the latter only his mouthpiece. By saying to Moshe, “See,” HaShem wanted Moshe to realize that he had been demoted because of his complaint. Henceforth he should not refuse any requests from HaShem.
Shney Luchot haBrit (the SheLaH haKadosh, Rabbi Isaiah haLevi Horowitz)(1565-1630): The Midrash Sefer-haYashar states that Moshe was not born with a speech defect. He contracted it when Paroh’s astrologers suspected that Moshe might be the savior of the Jews. Moshe had aroused their suspicion by playfully grabbing the crown of his step-father Paroh and placing it on his own head. Paroh therefore tested little Moshe by placing glittering jewels and burning embers in front of the baby. Moshe started to reach for the jewels. An angel intervened to save him by forcing him to take the embers. He put them to his mouth, burned himself, and was left with a speech defect. When Moshe came nearly 80 years later to deliver his message, Paroh noticed the reason that Moshe used Aharon as his interpreter, recalled the long ago incident, and realized that Moshe was destined all along to deprive him of his crown. No event occurs accidentally. When little Moshe took Paroh’s crown, HaShem declared him Paroh’s master and took away Paroh’s ability to harm him. This is the meaning of HaShem saying, “See, I have appointed you a master over Paroh.” HaShem had already made Moshe a master over Paroh many years ago, and just as he was unable to harm him then, he will be unable to harm him now.
Chasam Sofer (1762-1839) (interpreted by Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky): How did the fact that HaShem had made Moshe a master over Paroh and had appointed Aharon his spokesman refute Moshe’s argument that his speech difficulty made him an unsuitable messenger? Every nation has its own language. Usually, when heads of nations meet, each speaks his native tongue with an interpreter between them. An exception to this rule is a meeting between the head of a small country and the head of a major power. Then it is customary to speak the language of the larger country. When HaShem told Moshe to deliver a message to Paroh, he assumed that he was to speak in the Egyptian language. He therefore told HaShem that since he had left Egypt at a young age, he lacked fluency in the Egyptian language and would have to stutter to find the proper words (see Rashbam (1085-1174) on Shmos 4:10). HaShem told him, “I have appointed you a master over Paroh. He is thus your inferior, and you are the head of a major empire. Consequently, in accordance with proper protocol, you will address him in Loshon Kodesh - Hebrew. Do not be concerned about his inability to understand Hebrew because Aharon will be your interpreter.
Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin (1881-1966): Lest Moshe speak only briefly to Paroh, out of fear of him (the worse for thinking himself to be “heavy of speech”), HaShem specifically added, “everything that I speak to you.” Don’t leave anything out. Sefer Ma’aseh HaShem says that HaShem commanded Moshe even to tell Paroh that HaShem was going to harden his heart so as to make more signs and wonders in Egypt. Moshe was commanded three times to speak to Paroh. The first time was on the Mountain of G-d, when he was told to ask Paroh to go for a journey of three days into the desert. Moshe agreed to such a small request, and only feared that the people might not believe him, because he would not have the oratorical ability to convince them. HaShem then promised that Aharon would speak to the people. The second time was in Midian, when Moshe was told to tell Paroh that G-d was going to kill his firstborn son. Moshe agreed to this too. This is the third time. ”Tell Paroh everything that I speak to you” meant speaking to Paroh before and after almost every plague. Now Moshe argued, “See, I am a man of sealed lips,” and Aharon was promptly commanded to interpret to Paroh.
Rabbi Elie Munk: Moshe’s extreme modesty caused him to try to avoid his mission, which was a sin. He was embarrassed and afraid that Paroh and his servants would look down at him. Verse 11:13 tells us that Moshe was subsequently rewarded measure for measure for his modesty, “Moreover the man Moshe was very great in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of the servants of Paroh and in the eyes of the people.”
Shiva Notice
December 28, 2010
We regret to inform you of the passing of Deborah Ron, beloved daughter of our member Samuel Levitt,
The funeral will take place, Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at 1:00 PM at Westchester Jewish Center, Rockland and Palmer Avenues, Mamaroneck, NY.
Sam will be sitting shiva beginning on Tuesday after the funeral, through Wednesday evening, at the home of his daughter, 1012 Constable Drive, Mamaroneck, NY 10543. He will be returning to Great Neck for shiva from Thursday morning through Shabbat at his home 110 Baker Hill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023.
Shacharit Thursday and Friday morning at 6:45 AM Mincha/Maariv Thursday at 4:20 PM.
May the family be comforted amongst those who mourn for Zion and Jerusalem.
Shiva Notice
December 24, 2010
We note with sorrow the passing of Casper Pinsker, z”l beloved father of our Rebbitzen Ellen Polakoff.
The period of shiva ending, Wednesday morning, December 29, will be held at the Polakoff home, 25 Wooleys Lane.
To assisit with meals for the shiva please contact Cindy Hodkin or Sharon Goldwyn.
Shabbat Announcements December 25, 2010
December 21, 2010
December 25 Shabbat Announcements
Within Our Family: December 25, 2010
December 21, 2010
Mazal Tov to Lauren & Joseph Hyman on their daughter Rebecca Hyman Katz passing her CPA exam.
Mazal Tov to Michal & Ronnie Malen on the birth of a granddaughter, born to their children Susannah & Noah Leibowitz.
Mazal Tov to Carol & David Goddard on the engagement of their daughter Debra to Ari, son of Amy & Ronny London.
Mazal Tov to Susan & Morris Altintas (Rabbi’s secretary) on the birth of a grandson Isaac, born to their children Stella & Joe Altintas.
Mazal Tov to Ruth & Norman Seif on the birth of a great granddaughter.
Mazal Tov to Avigail & Danny Arbusman on the marriage of their daughter Shelli to Michael Borkow.
Mazal Tov to Ronni and Louis Davidowitz on the birth of their first grandchild, a baby boy born to their children Michelle and Jed Schwartz.
Mazal Tov to Harriet and David Schimel on the birth of a grandson born to their children Alison and Elliot Schimel.
Sponsorships: December 25, 2010
December 21, 2010
KIDDUSH IS SPONSORED BY GNS
SEUDAH SHLISHIT IS SPONSORED BY CHERYL & ROBERT SPERBER ON THE 30TH YAHRZEIT OF HER FATHER ISAAC FORST Z”L (YITZCHAK BEN ZVI HERSH)
The Tuesday morning Kollel Breakfast was sponsored by Daniella & Jonathan Muller for a Refuah Shlaima for her father Phillip Machnikoff.
Parshas VaYechi 5771 Efrayim & Menasheh: Stephen Rabinowitz, MD
December 16, 2010
B”H
In this week’s parsha, Jacob teaches us the following formula (Bereishis 48:20) (translation adapted from Rabbi Chaim Miller based on Rashi):
Rabbis Drazin and Wagner, in their Onkelos on the Torah, quote the Midrash Pesikta Rabbasi saying that Yaakov foresaw that the idolator-king Yerovom ben Navos would descend from Efrayim (see 1 Kings 11:26). Actually, Achav ben Omri would also emerge from Efrayim (1 Kings 16:29), and King Yeihu and his descendants Yehoachaz, Yehoash, Yerovom, and Zechariah, all idolator-kings, from Menasheh (2 Kings 9:4, 13:1, 13:10, 14:23, 15:8) (Peirush HaRokeach quoted in the notes to the Baal haTurim Chumash). Yaakov’s sadness at that prospect caused the Shechina to leave him, and he therefore could not bless the boys. Yosef pleaded with his father and assured him that the boys were righteous. This approach failed, so Yosef showed Yaakov his kesuvah, brought the boys’ mother, Asenas, and asked that Yaakov bless the boys for the sake of this righteous woman. Rembrandt painted this scene, although the Torah does not mention that Asenas was present.
Midrash Tanchuma adds that Yaakov also foresaw that Gid’on would descend from Menasheh, but that a greater man, Yehoshua, would descend from Efrayim.
Rashi, Rashbam, and Radak all take this verse to mean that whoever will want to bless his sons in the future will use this blessing, as in fact is the custom before the Friday night meal. The Targum Yehonason understands the words “on that day” to specify that this blessing will be used on the day of a boy’s circumcision. Daughters are blessed with, “May G-d make you as Sorah, Rivka, Rochel, and Laya. Many commentaries wonder why sons are not correspondingly blessed “…as Avrohom, Yitzchok, and Yaakov.” A frequently quoted answer is that Efrayim and Menasheh exemplify the Jew who lives in golus/exile, yet remains loyal to Yiddishkeit.
Ramban adds that the apparently superfluous words “on that day” mean that Ya’akov blessed the two boys with his hands remaining as they were, with his right hand on the head of the younger son, Efrayim, despite Yosef’s protest that Menasheh was the firstborn of the two.
Or haChaim says that Yaakov gave the boys such a full measure of blessings, that everybody said the simplest way to bestow blessings would be to say that one should be blessed as Efrayim and Menasheh.
Kedushas Levi, by Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev, says that Yaakov’s giving preference to one grandchild over another was not a repetition of his giving preference to Yosef over his brothers. Rather, he was recognizing the significance of the boys’ names. Menasheh was so named because Yosef expressed his pain, in effect, “G-d has made me pay my dues, with the trials I endured before becoming a ruler; he has now caused me to forget my hardships and my father’s house” (Bereishis 41:51). Efrayim’s name signified that HaShem made Yosef fruitful. Yaakov and Yosef were aware at this point in time that the trials and tribulations were preparations for success. The Lubavitcher Rebbe said that a Jew has two different reactions to being in exile/golus. He wants to leave exile and return to his father’s house. But since he finds himself, by Divine Providence, in exile, he realizes that he has a mission to carry out and he toils to succeed. Menasheh was the firstborn because a Jew must first feel out of place in exile, to avoid assimilation. But the primary purpose of exile is to succeed there in Divine service, which is why Yaakov gave Efrayim the first blessing.
The Chasam Sofer explains that Yosef integrated the qualities of both of his sons, Efrayim, the Torah scholar, and Menasheh, the diplomat and administrator. Yosef was the outstanding Torah student of his father Yaakov, as well as Paroh’s viceroy. For this reason Yaakov said, “by you (bicho)” in the singular rather than the plural, will Yisroel bless their sons. Through your, Yosef’s, personality the Jewish people will bless their sons with the combined virtues of Efrayim and Menasheh. Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin adds that a man is seen by the Torah education he gives his children. We can penetrate to the depths of his character by seeing how he educates them. Egypt was steeped in impurity, lust, witchcraft, and paganism. Nonetheless, Yosef succeeded in raising children faithful to G-d and Torah. Efrayim was placed before his older brother because he gave more of himself to Torah study.
Ma’ayanah shel Torah quotes B’nai Yissaschar saying that Yaakov wanted all of his offspring to bless their sons with the example of Efrayim and Menasheh because giving precedence to Efrayim did not make Efrayim arrogant, and did not spark jealously in Menasheh. Yaakov hoped that all of his descendants would follow this model of the Torah’s fundamental law.
HaEimek Dovor, quoted by Ner Uziel, explains that the positioning of Yaakov’s feet was just as important as that of his hands. Yaakov’s hands represent man’s relationship to G-d, while his feet represent man’s relationship to corporeal reality. Yaakov deliberately kept Menasheh next to his right foot because he wished to offset his diminished spiritual blessing with a greater measure of wealth and prosperity. Efrayim received the spiritual mantle of leadership, but, of the two, Menasheh received more worldly riches. Both blessings were fulfilled: Yehoshua descended from Efrayim to lead klal Yisroel, and Menasheh’s population was the greater of the two.
Shem miShmuel says that Yaakov was initially concerned that the wicked descendants emerging from Menasheh and Efrayim might reflect wickedness that lurked within them and that would contaminate their entire tribes. Yosef showed documents to prove that he and his sons were of undefiled lineage. Asenas herself was the daughter of Yaakov’s daughter Dinah. Yosef begged and prayed that the wicked acts of the descendants be treated as isolated aberrancies, and not as tribal characteristics. The result was that ruach hakodesh returned to Yaakov despite his vision of the descendants’ evil behavior.
In Kol haTorah, Rabbi Elie Munk states that placing Efrayim before Menasheh shows that Yaakov placed personal merit ahead of the privilege of birth.
Yalkut haDrush, quoted by Rabbi Bogomilsky, says that Yosef tried to move Yaakov’s right hand from Efrayim to Menasheh, which prompted Yaakov to say, “Don’t think you can move my hand. I am so strong that I successfully wrestled with an angel.” The underlying meaning is that Efrayim was principally concerned with Torah study, while Menasheh was principally concerned with the mitzvoh of honoring his father/kibud av by helping him with his work. The kibud av aspect suggested to Yosef that Menasheh should take precedence, but Yaakov reminded him that Eisov also excelled in kibud av, yet Yaakov, the Torah scholar, defeated Eisov’s guardian angel. The son totally immersed in Torah study deserved the right-handed blessing.
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