Dedicated in memory of Alice Setton Parshat Vayakhel-/HaChodesh/ Mevarchim March 13, 2021 29 Adar, 5781 ARTSCROLL 516 Sacks on Parshat Vayakhel-Pekudei HERTZ 373 WRITTEN LAST YEAR Somehow there will be an answer If you have a look at the This is an extraordinary to our question now in the word of beginning of the parsha of MAFTIR moment for the world, when God then. But how on earth can Vayakhel, you will see that ARTSCROLL 348 a virus is sweeping across that be true this year, this , Moshe Rabbeinu assembled the HERTZ 253 humanity, bringing it to its as the Coronavirus sweeps the people to instruct them to build HAFTORAH knees in a way that the world, bringing humanity to its the Mishkan, the Sanctuary, ARTSCROLL 1216 world hasn’t known to quite current position? We read the the . But before he HERTZ 1001 this extent for 100 years. double parsha of Vayakhel and goes on to the details of how And who knows whether Pekudei, which is about building to do that, he tells us Shabbat Mevarchim this new technology of the Mishkan, the first house of something else. He gives them Rosh Chodesh Nissan allowing us to be close God, the precursor of the Temple a command to keep Shabbat. Sunday, Mar. 14 mentally, yet physically and the synagogue. Yet through Now, why would Moshe distant, was not created for Britain and many other parts of Rabbeinu need to tell the Molad: just such a moment as this? the world on this Shabbat, to keep Shabbat at Today at 7:03:5 pm The Jewish way when facing synagogues will be closed. This is this point? He had already difficulty [Chosh b’roso something unprecedented. Even explained Shabbat to them at Times ya’aso Torah]. “If you have during the height of the Second Mara, when the miraculous a headache, study Torah.” World War, synagogues remained first came and he gave Weekly Times The world today has a open. Our world has always them laws not to collect manna headache, so let’s study included our communal on Shabbat, but instead to Shacharit: Sun 8:30 am Torah together. Let me gatherings, in our synagogues collect a double portion in Mon. - Fri. 7:45 am begin this way: It is said across the world. advance. They learned about Scholars’ Kollel 9:00 am that the Alter Rebbe, (the Shabbat a second time as it is first Rebbe of Lubavitch, The word vayakhel itself comes the 4th of the 10 from the same root as kehillah, Mincha 5:40 pm Rebbe Shneur Zalman of commandments, given by God Liadi) once said to his meaning community. And yet, just Himself to the people at Mount when we most want and need disciples, “One must live Sinai. Then they were told a community, we are being deprived with the times.” The third time in last week’s parsha Shabbat disciples were puzzled as to of it by social distancing, by self- of Ki-Tissa, which contained isolation, by quarantine. And it Times precisely what he meant, the command of Shabbat. feels not so much like the Candle Lighting 5:40 pm because surely that’s They’ve learned this three exactly what isn’t parshiyot of Vayakhel-Pekudei as times. They know about the parshiyot of -, Friday Night 5:40 pm supposed to be. Judaism is Shabbat. So why is Moshe Mincha timeless. It doesn’t change where we read, badad yeisheiv Rabbeinu telling them this mi’chutz lamachaneh moshavo, Hashkama Minyan 8:00 am from generation to week, in Parshat Vayakhel, generation or from year to “He shall dwell alone in self- before talking about building Parsha Shiur 8:30 am year. So what on earth did imposed isolation outside the the Mishkan, why now does he camp.” ( 13:46) In New Main 9:00 am the Rebbe mean when he repeat the commandment of said one must live with the York, in London, in cities where keeping Shabbat? Beit 9:15 am times? Well, eventually they we are normally a thriving community, today we feel almost Well, the conventional turned to the Rebbe’s Youth Minyan 9:45 am explanation, and it is of course brother, Rabbi Yehudah Leib like the beginning of Megillat Eichah, which we read on erev authoritative. , for Shiur 5:05 pm who explained, “You know instance, brings it, is that this what the Rebbe meant Tisha B’Av. Eichah yashva vadad passage shows us that Mincha 5:35 pm when he said one must live ha’ir rabai am “The city that was once so thronged with people, Shabbat takes priority over the Shabbat Ends 6:49 pm with the times? He meant building of the Mishkan. And one must live with parshat today seems alone.” (Eichah 1:1) this is fundamentally true. All Latest Times for hashavua, with the weekly So what on earth is the relevant message in our parsha, when the creative activities which were Shema/Shemoneh Esrei parsha.” Somehow or other, needed to build and maintain that must be the time zone parsha is about shul and Mar. 13 9:07/10:06 am community, on an extraordinary the Mishkan were forbidden on in which you live. In other Shabbat. But this year, Mar. 20 10:00/11:01 am words, we have to live in week when shuls are closed and specifically this year, we can the intersection between the communities have been Next Shabbat disbanded? The answer I think is see that the passage has timely and the time-less, Vayikra another meaning all together. between what is happening extraordinary. It is as if this And this is what the meaning Candle Lighting 6:48 pm now and what God said to parsha were written specifically for us here, now. Let me explain. is: Through Moshe, these two Mincha 6:50 pm us over 3,000 years ago. 26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 (516) 487-6100 Shabbat Announcements Vayakhel-Pekudei 5781 instructions from Hashem had a clear message for us. Hashem Rabbi Yochanan said, in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: was saying, “I am going to give the Jewish people two What did Hamelech mean when he said in Psalm 19, Ve’ani sanctuaries, not one. The first is the Mishkan, a sanctuary in tefillati lecha Hashem et ratzon “Let my prayer to you God be at space, in place, and the second is Shabbat, a sanctuary in time.” a time of favor”? Said Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. What exactly is Why do we need both? Because we have a principle in Judaism. ‘a time of favor’? Answered Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. B’sha’a Before God ever brings a sickness to the world, He brings the shehatzibbur mitpallelim, “The time when the community are cure. davening.” In other words, even if you’re at home, even if you are not able, like Rabbi Nachman was unable, to get to shul, God knew that the day would come when might suffer exile please try to daven at the same time as the community because and dispersion. They would be scattered to the winds, to the ends there is a concept of community in time, as well as a community of the earth. They would no longer be able to come together. In a in place. And Rav Soloveitchik z’l explains the Gemara, saying Mishkan or a Mikdash, in a Temple in , they would no that there is virtue in an individual making the effort to pray longer have Jerusalem, that would no longer have a land, that when the community is praying. Ve’afilu im mitpalel b’beito, Even would no longer have a home. And says, God, “Even so, however if he’s davening at home, because if he davens at the time that dispersed you are, you will still have a sanctuary. But it’ll be a the community is davening, his prayer is joined to that of the different sanctuary. It will exist not in space, but in time. The community, and it is counted as if he were praying in a sanctuary is called Shabbat. “It will happen not because you are community. I won’t go now into the detail of his nuance there, together physically in one place, but spiritually you’ll be together but he quotes that Gemara and the view of Rabbi Shimon bar at the same time.” And so it happened, uniquely Jews. No other Yochai, that the time of favor is the time when the community people has ever experienced anything like this, were dispersed prays. around the world and yet they saw themselves and were seen by others as one people. They’re the world’s first global people, 2000 David Hamelech only says, et ratzon, ‘a time of favor’. He doesn’t years before the word ‘globalization’ had even been coined. How talk at all about a community praying. But it seems to me that did it happen? After all they had none of the attributes of the Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is basing his interpretation on the people. They weren’t living in the same place. They weren’t living principle set out at the beginning of Vayakhel that there can be a under the same conditions. They weren’t living within the same community in time as well as in place. And therefore, if for some culture. What connected Rashi in Christian France with the terrible reason we are not able to go to Shul this Shabbat, then Rambam in the Muslim city of Fosta just outside ? Well, by praying at the time that the community prays, our prayer is connected the Jews of Spain with the Jews of Russia. I mean joined to theirs and we become k’ish echad b’lev echad, all of us these are different cultures, languages, circumstances, fate. What together, like one person with one heart. Now, heaven knows brought them together? What forged them as one people? The that this is not ideal. This is bedieved, not lehatchilah, this is answer is they said the same prayers, at the same time, all facing something you only do if you have no alternative. But let me towards the same spot, Jerusalem. They observed the same repeat. Hikdim Hakadosh Baruch Hu lerefua lemakah, God gives festivals, kept the same laws, honored the same days. They were us the cure before the disease. He gives us the consolation a community in time, not in space. And that was why God gave before the crisis. And it is davkah here in the parsha of Vayakhel them Shabbat, the sanctuary in time, even before He gave them that Hashem already provides the answer before we even had the Mishkan, the sanctuary in space. the question. The question that we have this year specifically: how do we pray as a community when because of disease, Now this is a broad and abstract idea, but does it have halachic because of contagion, because of risk of life, we can’t actually implications? The answer is, it does. And specifically for this pray as a community? And the answer is that Vayakhel teaches Shabbat for all of you who are not able to go to shul this Shabbat. us that there is such a thing as a community in time, even if we Here is the sugiya in Brachot, (daf 7b-8a) It goes like this. Rabbi can’t gather it together in a place. And the way to do it is to Yitzchak said to Rabbi Nachman, “Why don’t you come to shul to daven when others are praying, and our voices will combine as daven?” Rabbi Nachman explained, “It’s hard, I’m unwell, I can’t they wing their way to heaven. do it…” Rabbi Yitzchak says to him, Do me a favour. If you can’t come to shul, speak to the chazzan, shaliach tzibbur, let him I hope we will come through this whole experience realizing that come and tell you exactly what time the community is going to be there are bigger things than the things that have divided us so davening. He was davening that if Rebbe Nachman needed to badly in recent years, whether individually or collectively. The daven alone at home, he should still be davening at the same Rambam is telling us collective grief, collective danger, banishes time as the community. Rebbe Nachman said to Rabbi Yitzchak, some of the negative individual emotions that we are prone to at “What are you talking about? Why should it make a difference easier and safer times. what time I daven?” Rabbi Yitzchak gave him the quote that All of this is tied up in four words that define our experience on Pesach at the Seder table. The Mishna asks itself, asks us, a very Great Neck Synagogue simple question. How do you tell the story of the going out of 26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck , NY 11023 ? And it answers in four words: “Matchil beganut umesayim 516-487-6100 beshevach”. You begin with the bad news, but you end with the good news. And that is for me the clear definition of what it is to Rabbi Dale Polakoff, Rabbi tell a story the Jewish way. We don’t deny the bad news, we Rabbi Ian Lichter, Assistant Rabbi don’t ignore it, but we say that’s only the beginning and the end Rabbi Yehoshua Lefkowitz, Intern Rabbi is going to be an ending of hope. Yes, we begin with the bread of Dr. Ephraim Wolf, z”l, Rabbi Emeritus affliction and bitter herbs of slavery. But as we go on, we drink Yitzy Spinner, Cantor the four cups of wine each, a further stage on the road to Eleazer Schulman, z”l, Cantor Emeritus redemption, and we end with a glorious song, Chad Gadya whose Rabbi Sholom Jensen, Youth Director last first verse is one of the most moving I know. All the more Zehava & Dr. Michael Atlas, Youth Directors moving because it is a young children’s song. Ve-ata Ha-Kadosh Mark Twersky, Executive Director Baruch Hu ve-shachat le-mal’ach ha-mavet “God will come and Dr. James Frisch, Assistant Director end the Angel of Death.” May that be true for us. Bimheira Jordan Wolf, President b’yameinu. Dov Sassoon, Chairman of the Board SISTERHOOD EVENTS

MEN’S CLUB EVENT

MEN’S CLUB BLOOD DRIVE

PESACH WEBINAR & GNS VIRTUAL GALA THANK YOU

We hope you enjoyed the GNS Virtual Gala in honor of Rabbi Jensen and Aksana and our Medical Heroes and First Responders. We thank all of our participants for supporting our Shul at this time.

Special thanks to all the GNS Gala Chairs who made this possible!

Virtual Gala Chairs: Bart Baum and Sharon Goldwyn

Website and Invitation Chair: Rachel Spinner

Video Chair: Scott Hercman

Journal Chairs: Jamie & Michael Katz

Youth and Alumni Chairs: Zehava & Mike Atlas and Dov Weinstein

Mishloach Manot Chairs: Katie Lichter and Ross Zuckerman

We thank our video participants: Rabbi Jensen and Aksana, Rabbi Polakoff, Rabbi Lichter & Katie, Chazzan Yitzy & Rachel Spinner, Dr. Mike and Zehava Atlas, Rabbi Moskowitz, Dov Sassoon, Jordan Wolf, Erran Kagan, Bart Baum, Charles Hercman, Sara Feldschreiber, Abe Sedgh and Sammy Kroll.

To Mark Twersky, Jim Frisch, Dario and Jim O’Grady of Digital Arts, Inc. -We couldn’t have done it without you! MEOROT, GNS YOUTH PROGRAMS & SHMURAH MATZAH

ANNOUNCEMENTS Rabbi Polakoff’s shabbos drasha through 5781 MAZAL TOVS & COMMUNITY NEWS is dedicated in memory of DOVID BEN NISSAN v’LEAH For other such opportunities please contact Mazal Tov to Ellen & Rabbi Polakoff on the birth of a Howard Wolf 516-643-3344 baby boy to Aliza and Lior Tor in Israel. IF YOU KNOW OF SOMEONE WHO IS MOVING INTO THE Mazal Tov to Orly & Alan Steinberg on the engagement GREAT NECK AREA PLEASE LET THE OFFICE KNOW. of their daughter Tara to Shimmy Feintuch. Mazal Tov to SISTERHOOD EVENT & WHATSAPP grandmothers Pearl Ginsburg and Chava Shalmon as well Please join the Sisterhood on March 9th at 7:00 pm for a as to siblings, Phil, Donny, Ira, Gabriella & Eliana. Pre-Pesach Cooking Demo with Aussie Gourmet chef, Nao- mi Nachman. You can pre order her book “Perfect for Pe- Mazal Tov to Abbey & Eric Wolf on the Bat of sach” with the Sisterhood. their daughter Lily. To join the Sisterhood WhatsApp, call Judy Lillien at Mazal Tov to Israel & Hava Freeman on the Bar Mitzvah 516.659.2848 of their grandson Daniel, son of Yael Freeman & Avi Reshtick. MEN’S CLUB Mazal Tov to Roz Wagner on the birth of a great grandson Thursday, March 11th at 7:30 pm: Pre-Pesach Virtual Wine born to her grandchildren Rabbi & Devorah Levinson, Tasting with Dr. Arnold Breitbart son of Marcia & Barry Levinson. THANK YOU VERY MUCH Mazal Tov to Roslyn & Zachary Dicker on the birth of a Thank you very much to Rabbi Polakoff for hosting a great grandson, born to their grandchildren, Tova & Daniel wonderful Zoom Purim Lunch and Learn. We are grateful Mosesson of Baltimore, son of Rachel Dicker & Carl for our generous sponsors of this event: Mosesson. Milt and Ruth Mitzner in memory of Milt’s three siblings: Chana Rochel bat Alexander Zusha – Anne Shapiro Monday, 24 Adar Moshe Dovid ben Alexander Zusha – Morris Mitzner Cindy Ludwig for Alvin Gelber Pinya bat Alexander Zusha – Pearl Ducker Myles Mittleman for Sophie Mittleman David and Diane Rein in memory of her mother Helene Edwin Rosman for Pearl Pfefferman Rabbi Esor Ben-Sorek for Shimon Winer M. Fink z”l on the occasion of her 16th yahrzeit. Tuesday, 25 Adar GNS CONNECTIONS Hal Chadow for Diane Chadow GNS Connections is a new initiative to reach out to Hal Chadow for Minnie Chadow members of our synagogue – many who usually attend Paul Brody for Rose Goldsmith services but are not able to during this COVID pandemic Isaac Kohannim for Avraham HaKohen for health and safety reasons. If you are interested in Erran Kagan for Shlomo Kagan Jack Lipsky for Corinne Lipsky volunteering to make phone calls 1-2x month to keep in Irene Dicker for Dora Mermelstein touch with these members, please email the Chair of GNS Y Raphael Shaya for Victoria Shaya Connections, Rachel Brecher at [email protected]. A Mark Twersky for David Twersky PASS IT FORWARD Wednesday, 26 Adar Pass it forward is preparing for its Pesach program and is H Charles Berger for William Berger facing the largest communal need it has seen in its 14 Elena Berkowitz for Florita Fridman Annie Mendelson for Robert Meisel years. In light of the Pandemic, we are unable to accept Thursday, 27 Adar food donations, which makes it more important for you to R Alan Adler for Bella Adler donate money this year. We have been helping families on Z Alan Adler for Murray Adler a weekly basis, and the communal need is growing. Many Leslie Kahn for Sam Krawchuk young families are living week to week. It is absolutely Paul Brody for Dorothy Rostoker heartbreaking. E Seligson for Hyman Seligson We did not do our annual Rosh Hashana drive this year, Cheryl Sneag for Esther Sneag Friday, 28 Adar despite the fact that we delivered Rosh Hashana I Joan Katz for Frank Sadinoff packages. Please consider making a donation to support T Michael Aryeh for Morris Schultz Pass it Forward. The work we do is critical to our Saturday, 29 Adar Community. Please make your donation through the Shul Charles Berger for Joan Berger and Note that it is for Pass it Forward. S Fred Shaw for Selma Shaw Cindy, Nechama, Michelle and Marla Mansour Farhadian for Nazanin Sohayegh Sunday, 1 Nissan CHESED OPPORTUNITY Steven Blumner for Chaya bat Chaim This March, Ruben Prawer will be running in the Jerusalem Henry Katz for Ema Katz marathon for Yachad. The work Yachad does for children Edwin Rosman for Flora Rosman with special needs is unparalleled and every dollar that is Myles Mittleman for Annie Tischler donated will be well spent by this amazing cause. Please Rabbi Shimon Wolf for Arnold Wolf help donate to this amazing cause. Link to join: Monday, 2 Nissan https://jerusalem.teamyachad.com/runner/Rprawer3/ Payman Rabiei for Junjan bat Mashala