Parshat Shemos

TORAH Artscroll, 292 Hertz, 205 HAFTORAH Artscroll, 1147 Hertz, 225 Although Pharaoh decreed that all male children were to be drowned in the Nile immediately after their birth, the two Hebrew midwives -"Shifra" and "Puah" did not follow through with the evil decree. They allowed the boys to live. Twice, the Torah says that the midwives feared Hashem. First the pasuk says: "The midwives feared the G-d and they did not comply" [Shmos 1:17]. Shortly later the Torah again writes: "And it was because the midwives feared G-d that He made them houses" [Shmos 1:21]

December 21, 2013 18 Tevet, 5774

Rabbi Frand on Parshat Shemos

that was most responsible for prompting the midwives to refuse to follow Pharaoh's orders, we would most likely have attributed it to the trait of compassion. We would say that women have a natural compassion for little infants. This reflects their midas haChessed (kind-heartedness), and that is what motivated them to save the lives of these babies. pressured into taking. In the final analysis, it is only the fact that we are bound by a Higher Moral Authority not to kill anybody stopping us from murder when we might otherwise be tempted to do just that.

Times

Candle Lighting Friday Mincha Hashkama Parsha Shiur Youth Minyan Main Minyan Beit Midrash Gemorah Shiur Mincha Shabbat Ends Sunday Dec. 22 Mon., Thur.

4:13 pm 4:15 pm 8:00 am 8:30 am 8:30 am 9:00 am 9:15 am 3:30 pm 4:05 pm 5:21 pm

7:30/8:30 am I saw a similar 6:35/7:45 am

thought from both Rav Gifter and Rav Tues., Wed., Fri. 6:45/7:45 am Elya Meir Bloch on this narration. If we Mincha 4:20 pm would have been asked to identify the Latest Times for human character trait
Shema/Shmoneh Esrei Dec. 21 Dec. 28
9:35/10:21 am 9:38/10:24 am

Every other motivating factor one can rationalize and weasel out of. The only thing that allowed the midwives to stand up and say "no" was the Yet the Torah does not fact that they feared a attribute their actions to Greater Authority than kindness or goodPharaoh. Otherwise it heartedness. Their action would have been very is attributed purely to easy to rationalize. their Yiraas Shamayim They could have [Fear of Heaven]. In constructed very logical 'crunch time', when a person's life is on the line, arguments for the main motivating force themselves: Let us at least comply with his in a person's life is his decree and kill the Yiraas Shamayim. unhealthy children and Ultimately, it is the the premature babies. realization that what a person is doing is wrong -- This way perhaps we can save some of the in this case, murder -that inhibits a person from healthier babies. If we save everyone Pharaoh taking actions that he will fire us and replace would otherwise be

Next Shabbat Vaeira Candle Lighting Mincha 4:18 pm 4:20 pm

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Shaabbat Announcements Parshat Shemot 5774

us with Egyptian midwives who would not even save the healthy children! They could have made the argument that they were not engaged in murder. On the contrary, they might have argued -- "we are SAVING lives by killing only some of the babies!" Had their motivation been kindness or compassion or even logic, they could have devised all kinds of justifications. In the final analysis, the only thing that stopped them from committing murder was the fact that G-d said it was forbidden. No "ifs", "ands", or "buts". In a very poignant comment Rav Elya Meir Bloch says: We saw this with our own eyes. What do we say about the great doctors who were trained by the best of what western civilization had to offer? They performed sadistic and cruel experiments on Jewish men, women, and children - knowing that these human "guinea pigs" would die as a result of these experiments. They argued: "medical knowledge will be gained" from these cruel experiments. What happened to all their training? The first rule of medicine is "do no harm!" How does a doctor do this? We are not talking about "witch doctors" or doctors from barbaric countries. We are speaking of doctors from the most cultured country in Europe. The argument was "this is for the good of humanity." "We are not killing lives -we are saving lives! These Jews were going to be put to death anyway by Hitler. I am just following orders!" They were not stopped by their conscience. They were not stopped by the Hippocratic Oath. Nothing stopped them from murder -- not compassion, not professional credibility, nothing. One thing was lacking: Fear of G-d. Therefore, the Torah testifies concerning our holy matriarchs (Yocheved and Miriam who our Sages
Great Neck Synagogue Shabbat Activities Program 26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck , NY 11023 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 & Dr. Michael Atlas, Youth Directors Mark Twersky, Executive Director Rabbi Avraham Bronstein, Program Director Dr. Scott Danoff, President Harold Domnitch, Chairman of the Board Dena Block, Yoetzet Halacha 516-320-9818

identify as Shifra and Puah): The midwives feared the L-rd. All their moral fortitude came to them as a result of their Yiras HaElokim. This dovetails with the remark of Shlomo Hamelech at the end of Koheles: "The sum of the matter when all has been considered: Fear G-d and keep His commandments, for that is man's whole duty." [Koheles 12:13]

GreatNeckSynagogue presentsaseriesofconversationswith GNSYoetzetHalachaDenaBlock "EverythingYouWantedtoKnowAbout TaharatHamishpacha,ButWereAfraidtoAsk..." FirstConversation FromBridetoBaby&Beyond: FrequentlyAskedQuestionsforAllAges&Stages Haveaquestion?Womenareinvitedtopresubmit questionsorconcernsbyemailing GNSYoetzet@gmail.com orcallDenaBlockat5163209818.Emailsandcallsare alwaysconfidential. Tuesday,December17,2013 8p.m. atthehomeof DavidaYehaskel 9WillowLane,GreatNeck Pleasemarkyourcalendarforfutureconversations: Tuesday,January7and Tuesday,February25,2014at8p.m.

SOLICITING NOMINEES

GreatNeck Synagogueis currently solicitingnominees tobeconsideredfor theDavidandEllie WerberChesed Award. Thisisanaward presentedtoa child/teenagerfrom ourcommunitywho performschesedin anotableway. Pleaseemail MarkTwersky (mtwersky@gns.org) withthenameof yournominee (canbeachild/ teenagerthatyou knowfromour community,oreven yourownchild/ teenager), andabrief descriptionofwhy youthinkheorshe isdeservingofthis award. Allnomineeswillbe consideredbythe committee,andall submissionsare confidential.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
We would like to thank the many people and businesses who generously donated beautiful raffle and auction prizes for the Great Neck Synagogue Dinner. The raffle was a huge success ! Thank you very much to everyone who bought raffle tickets and bid on the auction items. Thank you so much to our volunteers who helped on the raffle committee: Nikolas and Vivian Kron, Alexander Rein, Oliver Rein, Sophia Rein, Alan Steinberg, Jessica Smooha, and Mark Twersky. Special thank you to Cori Franco for setting up the beautiful raffle display. Congratulations to all our raffle winners! David and Diane Rein Raffle Co-Chairs
THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Within Our Family

Mazal Tov to Linda & Robert Glaser on the engagement of their daughter Judith to Jonathan Soniker son of Mahla & Hilton Soniker of New Rochelle. Mazal Tov to Sandra & Mark Gold on the engagement of their daughter Brittany to Yonatan Kamel.

SNOW BIRDS Please let us know when you are going south.

YOETZET HALACHA Great Neck Synagogue presents a series of conversations with GNS Yoetzet Halacha Dena Block "Everything You Wanted to Know About Taharat Hamishpacha,But Were Afraid to Ask..." First Conversation: From Bride to Baby & Beyond: Frequently Asked Questions for All Ages & Stages Have a question? Women are invited to pre-submit questions or concerns by emailing GNSYoetzet@gmail.com or call Dena Block at 516 320-9818. Emails and calls are always confidential. Tuesday, December 17, 2013 8 p.m. at the home of Davida Yehaskel 9 Willow Lane, Great Neck. DECEMBER CHESED COLLECTION WINTER CLOTHING Please drop off all gently used winter clothing from Sunday to Friday until Sunday Dec. 22nd at Debbie & Hal Chadows house, 50 Dickenson Place Great Neck- please leave all bags at their garage door. LUNCH & LEARN Come for Lunch and Learn for Women only- Jan 15th 12 sharp! at the home of Dr. Laura Danoff, 4 Vista Drive Great Neck Estates. How does the Parsha of the week influence your every day life....RSVP: openwyd613@aol.com. Sponsored in memory of the yahrzeit of her mother. MEN'S CLUB UPCOMING EVENTS TUES., Jan 21, 8pm: The next event in our Medical Forum series features a PLASTIC SURGEON, Dr Arnold Breitbart. He will educate and inform you on many aspects of Plastic Surgery, from Tummy-tucks and Breast reconstructions to Facelifts and Rhinoplasty. Details to follow MASTER CHEF COMPETITION Our 1st ever Adult Master Chef Competition will be Saturday night, Feb. 1st. We are looking for interested parties to captain teams of six each. Our deadline for people to sign up as captains is Thursday, Dec. 19th. Please contact Rabbi Lichter at ilichter@gns.org. FIND US ON FACEBOOK Log onto www.facebook.com/greatnecksynagogue for pictures from events and programs, up-to-the-second news and updates, and more. Photos from our 60th Anniversary Dinner are now online! Great Neck Synagogue Talmud Torah is now taking registration for the second half of the school year. This program is open to members of Great Neck Synagogue. Please contact Rabbi Lichter for membership details.

As the Shloshim for her beloved father Yosef (ben Yehuda) Aharoni, z'l of Bat Yam approaches, Drora Brody and family would like to express their appreciation to the members of the Great Neck Synagogue, the Great Neck community and beyond, for their emotional support and contributions in memory of her father Yosef Ben Yehuda Aharoni z'l, during this time of sorrow. Thank you, as well, to Rabbi Polakoff for his Halachik guidance, as Shiva was observed with her family in Israel. May we all celebrate Smachot in the future.

Y A H R Z E I T

Saturday, 18 Tevet Mahin Aryeh for Malka Aryeh Michelle Berman for Naomi Kahn Trudy Jettelson for Lena Sirota Leslie Kahn for Naomi Kahn Sunday, 19 Tevet Harvey Ishofsky for Morris Ishofsky Gladys Moslin for Solomon Moslin Monday, 20 Tevet Anna Hakakian for Albert Khabazza Vivian Kron for Salim Mahlab Al Leiderman for Ralph Leiderman Grace Oster for Freda Horowitz Fred Pomerantz for Mina Pomerantz Ephraim Slonim for Sara Slonim Tuesday, 21 Tevet Lev Dynkin for Rashe Dynkin Semyon Dynkin for Rashe Dynkin Sarita Greszes for Rifca Rosenberg Keltai Helaine Helmreich for Dorothy Gewirtz Arnold Swartz for Irma Swartz Wednesday, 22 Tevet Anita Beretz for Seigfried Reischenberg Arnie Flatow for Miriam Flatow Thursday 23 Tevet Klara Brand for David Sabov Linda Bunim for Isadore Shapiro Mansour Farhadian for Yedegar Yedegar Mel Fox for Leah Solomon Susan Mayer for Hans Abramson Judith Weinstein for Ruth Kloogman Friday, 24 Tevet Albert Benak for Esther Benak Laura Danoff for Sonia Herman Jerrald Weinstein for Sara Weinstein