Parshat Vayeshev

TORAH Artscroll, 170 Hertz, 122 HAFTORAH Artscroll, 1141 Hertz, 137

November 23, 2013 20 Kislev, 5774

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on Parshat Vayeishev

The deception has taken place. Joseph has been sold into slavery. His brothers have dipped his coat in blood. They bring it back to their father, saying: "Look what we have found. Do you recognize it? Is this your son's robe or not?" Jacob recognized it and replied, "It is my son's robe. A wild beast has devoured him. Joseph has been torn to pieces." We then read: "Jacob rent his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned his son for a long time. His sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, 'I will go down to the grave mourning for my son.'" (37:34-35) Why did Jacob refuse to be comforted? There are laws in Judaism about the limits of grief-shiva, sheloshim, a year. There is no such thing as a bereavement for which grief is endless. The Gemara (Moed Katan 27b) says that G-d says to one who weeps beyond the appointed time, "You are not more compassionate than I." A midrash gives a remarkable answer. "One can be comforted for one who is dead, but not for one who is still living." Jacob refused to be comforted because he had not yet given up hope that Joseph was still alive. That, tragically, is the fate of those who have lost members of their family (the parents of soldiers missing in action, for example), but have as yet no proof that they are dead. They cannot go through the normal stages of mourning because they cannot abandon the possibility that the missing person is still capable of being rescued. Their continuing anguish is a form of loyalty; to give up, to mourn, to be reconciled to loss is a kind of betrayal. In such cases, grief lacks closure. To refuse to be comforted is to refuse to give up hope. On what basis did Jacob continue to hope? Surely he had recognized Joseph's bloodstained coat and said, explicitly, "A wild beast had devoured him. Joseph has been torn to pieces"? Do these words not mean that he had accepted that Joseph was dead? The late David Daube made a suggestion that I find convincing. The words the sons say to Jacob-haker na, "do you recognize this?"-have a quasilegal connotation. Daube relates this passage to another, with which it has close linguistic parallels: "If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to his neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person's property... If it [the animal] was torn to pieces by a wild animal, he shall bring the remains as evidence and he will not be required to pay for the torn animal." (Shemot 22:10-13) The issue at stake is the extent of responsibility borne by a guardian (shomer). If the animal is lost through negligence, the guardian is at fault and must make good the loss. If there is no negligence, merely force majeure, an unavoidable, unforeseeable accident, the guardian is exempt from blame. One such case is where the loss has been caused by a wild animal. The wording in the law-tarof yitaref, "torn to pieces"exactly parallels Jacob's judgment in the case of Joseph: tarof toraf Yosef, Seudah Shlishit Is sponsored by Amy & Jon Reiss in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Maytal

Times

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

4:15pm 4:15pm 8:00 am 8:30 am 8:30 am 9:00 am 9:15 am 3:30 pm 4:05 pm 5:22 pm 7:30/8:30 am 6:35/7:45 am 6:45/7:45 am 6:30/7:45 am 4:15 pm

Latest Times for Shema/Shmoneh Esrei Nov. 23 Nov. 30

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Next Shabbat Miketz Candle Lighting Mincha 4:11 pm 4:15 pm

Kiddush Is Bima Flowers sponsored by are sponsored by Great Neck Olga & Matt Synagogue Gartenhaus With a herring in honor of the birth of table sponsored by their Amy & Jon Reiss granddaughter In honor of the Bat Leah Tzipporah Mitzvah of their Bernstein daughter Maytal

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Shaabbat Announcements Parshat Vayeshev 5774

"Joseph has been torn to pieces." We know that some such law existed prior to the giving of the Torah. Jacob himself says to Laban, whose flocks and herds have been placed in his charge, "I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself" (Bereishit 31:39). This implies that guardians even then were exempt from responsibility for the damage caused by wild animals. We also know that an elder brother carried a similar responsibility for the fate of a younger brother placed in his charge (i.e. when the two were alone together). That is the significance of Cain's denial when confronted by G-d as to the fate of Abel: "Am I my brother's guardian [shomer]?" We now understand a series of nuances in the encounter between Jacob and his sons, when they return without Joseph. Normally they would be held responsible for their younger brother's disappearance. To avoid this, as in the case of later biblical law, they "bring the remains as evidence." If those remains show signs of an attack by a wild animal, they must-by virtue of the law then operative-be held innocent. Their request to Jacob, haker na, must be construed as a legal request, meaning, "Examine the evidence." Jacob has no alternative but to do so, and in virtue of what he has seen, acquit them. A judge, however, may be forced to acquit someone accused of the crime because the evidence is insufficient to justify a conviction, yet he may hold lingering private doubts. So Jacob was forced to find his sons innocent, without necessarily believing what they said. Jacob did not believe it, and his refusal to be comforted shows that he was unconvinced. He continued to hope that Joseph was still alive. That hope was eventually justified. Joseph was still alive, and eventually father and son were reunited. The refusal to be comforted sounded more than once in Jewish history. The prophet Jeremiah heard it in a later age: "This is what the Lord says: / 'A voice is heard in Ramah, / Mourning and great weeping, / Rachel weeping for her children / And refusing to be comforted, / Because her children are no more.' / This is what the Lord says: / 'Restrain your voice from weeping, / And your eyes from tears, / For your work will be rewarded,' says the Lord. / 'They will return from the land of the enemy. / So there is hope for your future,' declares the Lord, / 'Your children will return to their own land.'" (Jeremiah 31:1517) Why was Jeremiah sure that Jews would return? Because they refused to be comforted-meaning, they refused to give up hope. So it was during the Babylonian exile, in one of the great expressions of all time of the refusal to be comforted: "By the
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

rivers of Babylon we sat and wept, / As we remembered Zion... / How can we sing the songs of the Lord in a strange land? / If I forget you, O Jerusalem, / May my right hand forget [its skill], / May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth / If I do not remember you, / If I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy." (Psalm 137:1-6) It is said that Napoleon, passing a synagogue on Tisha B'Av, heard the sounds of lamentation. "What are the Jews crying for?" he asked one of his officers. "For Jerusalem," he replied. "How long ago did they lose it?" "More than 1,700 hundred years ago." "A people who can mourn for Jerusalem so long, will one day have it restored to them," he is reputed to have replied. Jews are the people who refused to be comforted because they never gave up hope. Jacob did eventually see Joseph again. Rachel's children did return to the land. Jerusalem is once again the Jewish home. All the evidence may suggest otherwise: it may seem to signify irretrievable loss, a decree of history that cannot be overturned, a fate that must be accepted. Jews never believed the evidence because they had something else to set against it- a faith, a trust, an unbreakable hope that proved stronger than historical inevitability. It is not too much to say that Jewish survival was sustained in that hope. Where did it come from? From a simple or perhaps not so simple phrase in the life of Jacob. He refused to be comforted. And so while we live in a world still scarred by violence, poverty and injustice-must we.

ThisyearforThanksgiving Youcanreallygivethanksandbegiving! BuyaThanksgivingDinnerfora residentatArrandaleSeniorHousing andmakeyourparentsproudofyou. $18cansponsoradinner inhonorof/inmemoryofyourparents Name: _________________________________________ Phone#_________________________________________ Email:_________________________________________ Mealspurchasedinmemory/inhonorof:______________ Amountenclosed:______ ___________________________ Wearealsolookingforalimitednumberofvolunteers(ALL AGES)tohelpservethedinner,cleanup,playmusic,sing& talktotheresidents IwouldliketovolunteeronThursday,Nov28th11:302 pm FoodServer:_______________ OtherTalent:____________________ VolunteerNames&KidsAges: _________________________________ CoSponsoredby: GNSHungerInitiative,Sisterhood&WomensTefila Formoreinfo:callNechamaat5167733572oremail lisslev@verizon.net

CHANUKAHFAMILYCELEBRATION EITANKATZINCONCERT
FEATURING 8:00pm ChildrensandFamily MusicalCelebration 8:30pm GeneralConcert YELADUDESTHEATER CHANUKAHSHOW forchildren3108:30pm

YOUTHNEWS

YouthChanukahBashShabbatNovember23 Prizes,Friends,&Fun!! Signyourticketsandbringthemwithyouon Shabbat!

Ticketsincludefulladmission&dairydinner $36/person|RSVP:516.487.6100 SponsorshipOpportunities:$200|$350|$500| allsponsorshipsinclude4VIPtickets CalltheSynagogueofficefortickets4876100 SATURDAYNIGHT,NOVEMBER30 ShabbatDinner&GuestSpeakerseries Presents NathanLewin,Esq. FridayeveningDecember6,2013 $36peradult $24perteen $10perchildunder12 Familymax$125 Reservationsrequired Sponsorshipsavailable SeeRabbiAvrahamBronsteinfordetails. Name________________________________ Email_______________________________ Phone_______________________________ Numberadults_____________________ Numberteens_______________________ Numberchildrenunder12________________ AmountEnclosed________________________ SeatingRequests__________________________

ComeandlearnaboutfiresafetywiththeFireDepartment andenjoymakingChanukahartsncraftstoo! Sunday,November24th10:0011:30Preschoolthrough2nd grade.DropOffprogramSnackwillbeprovided LoavesofLove Comeandlearnaboutthemitzvahofchallahbakingwith MorahZehava!FridayNovember29th 3rd5thgraders10:0011:30 PleaseRSVPtoMorahZehavabyNovember26th atzehmach@aol.com Everyonewilltake2challothome1forthemselvesand1to passalongtosomeoneelse!

Duetotheextraordinarydemandforpies, weareEXTENDINGthedeadlinetoorder PIESFORPREVENTION. YOUCANORDERTILLTHURSDAYNOVEMBER21st. Pleaseorderdelicioushomebakedpiesfor Thanksgiving: AllproceedsgotohelpyoungJewishwomenfacingovar iancancer(www.sharsheret.org) www.sharsheret.org/piesforprevention/greatneck Sponsoredby:GNSSisterhood&WomensTefila Formoreinfo,contactTovahMarmer@516.314.7135
To Help Victims in the Philippines You can donate to: American Jewish World Service , www.ajws.org (Information and opportunity to donate online) or:checks can be sent to: AJWS,TYPHOON RELIEF, 45 West 36th Street, NY, NY 10018 Joint Distribution Committee (www.jdc.org (Information and opportunity to donate online or:checks can be sent to: JDC, TYPHOON RELIEF, POB 4124 , NY, NY 10163 AFYA FOUNDATION (opportunity to VOLUNTEER to sort food and medical supplies to be sent out immediately!!) www.afyafoundation.org (Bring canned and boxed ready to eat FOOD and DRINKS, DIAPERS), donate online or: checks can be sent to: AFYA Foundation 140 Saw Mill River Road, Yonkers, NY 10701 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO SORT SUPPLIES THIS WEEK IN YONKERS WAREHOUSE (140 Saw Mill River Rd) : Monday Thursday 9:30- 4:30 pm Sunday, NOV 24th 10:00 am 1:00 pm Great Neck Synagogue Hunger Initiative has already donated canned food to AFYA for Hunger Relief

ANNOUNCEMENTS
GNS ANNUAL DINNER Our 62nd Annual Dinner will take place on Saturday evening, Dec.14, 2013. Our Guests of Honor will be: Dina & Natan Hamerman Judith & Jerrald Weinstein and Boneh Habayit: Zachary Mittleman Raffle tickets are on sale on our website www.gns.org. Pre buy your tickets now and have more time to eat, drink and socialize at the dinner.
FIRM DEADLINE FOR ADS Monday, December 2, 2013 GNS ANNUAL DINNER RAFFLES FOR SALE

Within Our Family

Mazal Tov to Amy & Jon Reiss on the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Maytal. Mazal Tov to Brenda & Ed Parver on the birth of a grandson born to their children Alissa & Asher Teigman. Mazal Tov to Rose & Peter Weiss on the birth of a grandson born to their children Evelyn & Michael Weiss. Mazal Tov to Rebbetzin Elaine Wolf on the Bat Mitzvah of great-granddaughter Rivka Alyeshmerni of Baltimore, MD. Mazal Tov also to grandparents Shimon & Hennie Wolf. Mazal Tov to Stephanie & Ruvane Vilinsky on the Bar Mitzvah of their son Joshua which took place in Israel. Mazal Tov to Dassie & Ed Barth on the upcoming marriage in Israel of their son Yoav to Miriam Mangold. Mazal Tov to Rita Gordonson on the Bat Mitzvah of her granddaughter Sylvie Dvora Culang daughter of Sara & Jay Culang.
EMAIL ANNOUNCEMENTS At the beginning of each week the information contained in the weekly Shabbat Announcements is emailed to our membership. Attached to that email is the pdf copy of the Shabbat Announcements, as well as any relevant flyers for that week. Additionally, each day a Daily Email Digest is sent out from our shul highlighting important events and announcements. We do not want to bombard you with emails from GNS, so we only send out one per day unless there are extraordinary circumstances. If you want to know whats going on at GNS and in our community, these daily emails are a good source of information. If you have not been getting these emails, it could be because we dont have a correct email address for you, so please email Mark at mtwersky@gns.org and he will make sure that you are added to the list. Thanks.

SUNDAY BREAKFAST Breakfast is sponsored by Florence & Irvin Spira in memory of his father Avraham Eliezer ben Yisroel Zvi. NOVEMBER CHESED LAST CHANCE GNS November Chesed Collection will be collecting Toys for Chai Lifeline and Coats for Oneg Shabbos. Toys - Please drop off new and unwrapped toys and games at the Lichter residence, 76 Berkshire Rd, any time from Sunday, November 3rd to Wednesday November 20th. (There will be boxes inside the garage located on Marlot Ave) Coats - Please drop off coats in good condition to the home of Donna and Joey Hecht, 15 Hickory Drive, any time from Sunday, November 3rd to Wednesday, November 20th. WOMENS TEFILA Womens Tefila will meet this Shabbat afternoon to celebrate the Bat Mitzvah of Maytal Reiss. Her parents Amy and Jon Reiss will sponsor the Kiddush following the service. MENS CLUB UPCOMING EVENTS SUN., NOV., 24, 3PM : MEN'S COOKING CLASS. Our "Master Chef", Cindy Hodkin, is once again teaching the Men how to cook. Please contact Cindy 516-482-7771 koshercookinggn@gn.com for the menu and further information. The cost will be $75 per person, and checks can be made payable to GNS Mens Club. CHANUKAH FAMILY CELEBRATION EITAN KATZ IN CONCERT FEATURING 8:00pm Childrens and Family Musical Celebration 8:30pm General Concert YELADUDES THEATER CHANUKAH SHOW for children 3-10 - 8:30pm Tickets include full admission & dairy dinner $36/person | RSVP: 516.487.6100 Sponsorship Opportunities: $200 | $350 | $500 | all sponsorships include 4 VIP tickets Call the Synagogue office for tickets 487-6100 SATURDAY NIGHT, NOVEMBER 30 NATHAN LEWIN, ESQ. FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER Shabbat Dinner & Guest Speaker series Presents Nathan Lewin, Esq., Friday evening, December 6, 2013 $36 per adult, $24 per teen, $10 per child under 12 Family max $125. Reservations required. Sponsorships available. For more info see Rabbi Avraham Bronstein. Call the office for reservations.

In The Community
SNOW BIRDS Please let us know when you are going south. TOMCHEI SHABBOS Volunteer needed to deliver food every Friday morning. Please contact Brenda Parver: bparver@gmail.com

Y A H R Z E I T

Saturday, 20 Kislev Debbie Furst for Dora Kaminer Raymond Sandler for Abraham Sandler Rose Weiss for Kalman Fajg Sunday, 21 Kislev Martin Brownstein for Samuel Brownstein Pearl Ginsburg for Isaiah Ginsburg David Greenwald for Samuel Greenwald Norman Seif for Mayer Seif Monday, 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 Tuesday, 23 Kislev Marcelle Fischler for Charles Sussman Edward Weiss for Joseph Weiss Peter Weiss for Joseph Weiss Karen Wydra for Evelyn Stein Wednesday, 24 Kislev Susan Goldman for Malia Ring Michal Malen for Emanuel Hoschander Vahid Sedaghatpour for Habibolah Sedaghatpour Thursday 25 Kislev Mark Abraham for Sara Malka bat Sara Ebrahim Gabbaizadeh for Yehudit Chaya bat Rav Shlomo Friday, 26 Kislev Mahin Aryeh for Marilyn Schwadron Eliezer Noy for Yosef Zargaryan