The Park Page #360

7th ANNIVERSARY EDITION SHABBAT PARASHAT LEKH-LEKHA 5774 OCTOBER 11-12, 2013

The Weekly Bulletin of Young Israel of New Hyde Park

October 11-18, 2013 Parashat Lekh-Lekha 7-14 Marcheshvan 5774 Issue #360

Parasha Page Numbers

Parasha Artscroll 54, Soncino 45 The Park Page #360 - 7th Anniversary Edition Haftara Artscroll1133, Soncino 60 is generously sponsored by Schedule of Services and Classes Friday, October 11 / 7 Marcheshvan Larry and Ellen Barth Shacharit 6:15 am Joseph and Cynthia Bettelheim Candle-lighting, no later than 6:02 pm Arthur and Arlene Feldman Mincha/Maariv 6:05 pm Sid and Judy Fine Saturday, October 12 / 8 Marcheshvan Jerry and Rena Gombo Shiur: Haftara of the Week 8:15 am Jeff and Myra Grunfeld Shacharit 8:45 am Leonard Halpern Latest time for Shema MA 9:16, GRA 9:52 am Drasha 10:30 am Marc and Ilene Horowitz Shiur: From the Responsa of Rav Ovadya Yosef zt"l 5:10 pm Hannah Hurewitz Mincha, followed by Seuda Shelishit and Maariv 5:50 pm Bill and Susan Isler Shabbat ends 7:04 pm Jeff and Karen Klein Sunday, October 13 / 9 Marcheshvan Dr. Jerome and Rochelle Kutliroff Shacharit 8:10 am Selig and Rita Lenefsky Gemara Shiur – Megilla 21b (R. Teitelman) 8:50 am Moshe and Eta Mordkovich Mincha/Maariv 5:55 pm David and Rashel Rouhani Monday, October 14 / 10 Marcheshvan Joyce Teitelman Shacharit 6:10 am Rabbi Lawrence and Nehama Teitelman Mincha/Maariv 5:55 pm Chuck and Debbie Waxman Tuesday, October 15 / 11 Marcheshvan Shacharit 6:15 am Craig and Adrienne Wolf Mincha/Maariv 5:55 pm (Any additional sponsorships will be listed Wednesday, October 16 / 12 Marcheshvan in future issues of The Park Page.) Shacharit 6:15 am

Mincha/Maariv 5:55 pm

Thursday, October 17 / 13 Marcheshvan Shacharit 6:10 am Mincha/Maariv 5:55 pm As we celebrate this milestone issue, Friday, October 18 / 14 Marcheshvan we also pay tribute to our sister publication Shacharit 6:15 am Candle-lighting, before 5:52 pm Mincha/Maariv 5:55 pm

▪ Daf Yomi, currently studying Pesachim, meets Monday through Friday

at 5:30 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. th ▪The last time for Kiddush Levana for the month of Marcheshvan is on its forthcoming 300 issue, Saturday, October 19th at 5:52 p.m. + 3 Chalakim. and express our appreciation to its publishers Eric and Paige Finkelstein for their dedicated effort and exceptional patience with those who take their time submitting their articles. 

Y O U N G I S R A E L O F N E W H Y D E P A R K th National Council of 264-15 77 Avenue, New Hyde Park, NY 11040 ∙ Tel: 718-343-0496 ∙ Fax: 718-343-6509 ∙ www.yinhp.org ∙ [email protected] Young Israel

are due to President Arthur Feldman, the original printer- Derash veDaSh: A Shabbat Message and Greeting distributor of The Park Page, for several weeks of plugging and “Full Circle: Upon Reaching the 360th” promoting this publication generally and this 360th issue in particular. During these seven years since the inaugural issue, our Once upon returning home to Albany during my college years, children - Sara, Yael, Atara, Yedida, Temima and Binyamin - have someone in my shul inquired as to what I was studying at Yeshiva developed from choosing the color of paper on which to print, University. I answered, "Primarily Talmud and Mathematics." "Oh assembly of stapled issues, and transportation of copies to the good," he replied, "You will be able to compute Gematrias" shul next door, to actual involvement in the content itself, in (Hebew numerology). Despite the expected predisposition - and particular for respectively preparing the six “panels” that together with apologies to a frequent Shabbat guest who published a book constitute the cover. To Mom in Albany, and Ma and Da in on the topic - truth be told that I don't frequently resort to Gematria Memphis, thank you for your interest in The Park Page, even if I in my writing and teaching. neglect to make sure it arrives in your mailbox. To Nehama, thank you for all the encouragement when you finally get the chance to Yet with this being the 360th issue, the number obviously selected read it, and for allowing me much release time on those busy Erev because it is a multiple of Chai (18) - perhaps the most famous of Shabbats, as you slave away in the kitchen and around the Gematrias - I thought that this time I could indulge. house, to hibernate in my boiler-room office and get it done. Finally, I thank the Ribono Shel Olam for the Siyata Dishmaya – In the spirit that the first honor go to an outstanding Talmid Heavenly assistance – to allow me to finish before Shabbat on Chakham (Gittin 59b), I note that 360 is the Gematria of these 360+ consecutive weeks, whether in Albany, Chicago, Memphis, Silver Spring, Israel, the LIJ labor and delivery ward, or home sweet home. Somehow the miracles still occur in our days as in the days of yore. (8+20+40+70+6+2+4+10+5+10+6+60+80+7+30+2 = 360), Chakham Ovadia Yosef zlb (zlb = zikhrono liberakha, may his Shabbat Shalom, memory be a blessing), the great giant of Torah and leader of Rabbi Lawrence Teitelman Sefardic Jewry who passed away on Tuesday. (See the ads in this issue for two memorial services for Rav Yosef taking place on The Making (Taming?) of The Park Page Sunday evening.)

Looking now to the Parashat Hashavua - Lekh Lekha - one need only proceed to the second verse to discover the word (300+40+20 = 360) meaning "your name", and to use the opportunity to reconsider the meaning of the name of this publication. Though at least one congregant refers to it simply as "The Page", clearly the more distinctive word is "Park", chosen for its reference to our community “New Hyde Park” and synagogue “Young Israel of New Hyde Park”. As visualized in last week's edition for Parashat Noach, “Park” also contains "Ark" – the type of Noah's vehicle - and an allusion to the "Holy Ark" (Aron Kodesh) which is what gives significance to our sanctuary. That the Ark must contain the Torah is not simply for its pragmatic purpose of facilitating Torah-reading on Shabbat, Festivals and

Fasts, Mondays and Thursday, but because if our lives must revolve around Torah, than so must our Tefillah. [See The Park Page #199, “Putting the ‘Ark’ in ‘The Park Page’.”]

The most natural Gematria – i.e. the one with the fewest Hebrew characters – however is simply - Shas, an acronym for Shisha Sedarim, the six “orders” of the Mishna and Talmud. And with this, I would like to formally unleash – what has now been brewing in my mind for several months – a program called “MASS MISHNA”, whereby I complete collaboratively with as many of you as possible all the Mishnayot in Shas, in anticipation of our Siyum on Erev Pesach, ha-baah alenu le-tova. It will only require a few minutes of each participant’s time, but in this fashion we are active partners in what is otherwise paradoxically the most common of Siyumim and yet with an undervalued investment.

Before signing off, I would like to acknowledge all of my weekly readers from near and far - and especially those who provide Top: Preparing The Park Page #101, October 2008. Bottom: Preparing feedback in the form or comments, corrections, and suggestions; The Park Page #360, October 2013. Consider these photos proof that during the past four years, entropy has been increasing in the and our subgroup of Park Page Puzzle solvers about whom it can Teitelman household. Analysts disagree as to whether to attribute this be said u-mitalmiday yoter mi-kulam - often I learn fascinating to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, or the mobility of the twins things from the submitted answers (last week's puzzle about Noah (and particularly the male one) born in April 2008. (Credit for the being an excellent example). Yasher koach to all our sponsors - entropic photo: mother of the twins, during a rare interlude Motzaei both of the various commemorative editions (50, 101, 300, and Shabbat around 1:00 a.m.) now 360) as well as all the hundreds of issues in between. Thanks To view The Park Page on-line, visit www.yinhp.org. To sponsor an issue or to submit news, contact R’ Teitelman at 718-347-5819 or [email protected] To electronically receive The Park Page and other YINHP news and updates, please send an e-mail to [email protected].

Announcements The Inbox – [email protected] Seuda Shelishit is sponsored this week by Chuck and Debbie Waxman on the occasion of the birthdays of Chuck (Oct. 5), Brian (Oct. 12), and Chuck’s father Samuel Waxman z”l (Oct. 5).

Yasher koach to Yosef Garber for his laining this Shabbat.

Mazal tov to Esti and Ben Kessler on the naming of their daughter Sophia Yakira.

For Bikur Cholim, contact Adrienne Wolf at 516-328-8451.

To donate new or gently used dress-clothes/coats on hangers (no bags please), ladies’ hats and pocketbooks to benefit needy young families, or to volunteer to organize the clothing, please contact Clothing Gemach Coordinator Mark Krieger at 917-703-4694.

Food Certificates for A&A Gourmet, Fairway, Mazurs, Pathmark, Stop & Shop, and Waldbaum’s, and Chesed Dollars for many Jewish businesses, can be purchased from Art Feldman 516-227-0707, Paige Finkelstein 718-343-4821, Rena Gombo 718-343-3855, and

Ilene Horowitz 718-470-9474. Proceeds from Food Certificates finance capital improvement projects at the shul. From Dr. Richard Schanler of Great Neck,

Office Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10:00-2:00. Director of Neonatology at Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center

Nichumei Avelim

Condolences to David and Rashel Rouhani, Liora, Ilana, Aaron, Shira and Shoshana, on the passing of David's father Nejatollah

Rouhani - Yosef ben Reuven z"l. Shiva will continue at the home of David's mother - Mrs. Soraya Rouhani - 26 Warwick Road (off From Naomi and Zvi Selevan of Kew Gardens, Wooleys Lane) in Great Neck, Saturday night and Sunday. On parents of Michael Baruch recently born at LIJ Sunday evening, October 13, there will be a memorial service (Leil Shiva) at Beit Hadassah Synagogue, 160 Steamboat Road in Great Neck. The gathering begins at 5:30 p.m., with Mincha at 6:00 p.m., followed by Divrei Hesped - words of eulogy and tribute.

May the almighty comfort the family among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Those wishing to contribute toward the shiva meals for the Rouhani family should please contact Arlene Feldman.

The Park Page Puzzle

This week’s Puzzle: (a) Which of the three divisions of the Bible - Torah, Neviim or Ketuvim - has approximately 360 chapters? (b) Which of the twenty-four books of the Bible has approximately 360 verses? (c) Which Biblical verses mention the number 360?

Solution to last week’s Puzzle: According to the Midrash, Noah's other name was Menachem. [Other sources - not necessarily Jewish ones - alternatively identify him as Malkizedek, Gabriel, Niham, Ziusudra, Utnapishtim, Poseidon (Neptune), Khasisatra, Zi-a-Sudra, Kai Vishtasp (Kashyshaya), Xisutbros/Xisuthros, Dionysus, Bacchus, or DaNaus, Deucalion, Janus, Ziugidda. The range of appellations attests to the prominence of the Noah-flood story in various historical traditions.] Yasher koach to Sid Fine, Susan Isler, and Kal Talansky for their solutions.

Mikveh Yisrael of New Hyde Park Women who wish to use the Mikveh may contact Nehama Teitelman at

518-222-3874 to make an appointment. (At least 24 hours Acknowledgement from the Hebrew Free Burial Association advance notice is preferred.) which provides funeral and interment services to indigent Jews

To view The Park Page on-line, visit www.yinhp.org. To sponsor an issue or to submit news, contact R’ Teitelman at 718-347-5819 or [email protected] To electronically receive The Park Page and other YINHP news and updates, please send an e-mail to [email protected].

Memorial Services for HaRav Ovadya Yosef zt"l Upcoming Events at Worldwide Leader of Torah Jewry, Young Israel of New Hyde Park Former Sefardic Chief Rabbi of Israel and Father of Current Sefardic Chief Rabbi of Israel Daf Yomi Siyum on Masekhet Pesachim Shabbat Parashat Vayera - October 19

Tri-Community Blood Drive Sunday, November 3

Global Day of Jewish Learning Sunday, November 17

Rayim-Yachad Shabbaton Shabbat Parashat Vayeshev, November 22-23 (Contact Allison Horowitz at [email protected] to offer housing and/or sponsorships)

#11 – Why is The Night Different* #73 – Four Lessons from Four (Groups of) Sons #129 – Many Happy Returns #12 – Illumination from the Incandescent Light Bulb #74 – Bearing the Torch #130 – Boundary Conditions #13 – Veshinantam Mibanekha – Learning from our #75 – Full Count #131 – Covering Our Bases Children* #76 – All the ‘News’ that’s fit to Print but not to #132 – A Round-Trip Down Memory Lane #14 – In the Red? The Asset of Red Wine* Bless? #133 – Food for Thought: On Doughnuts and #15 – A Coincidence Concerning Coins #77 – Post-Passover Ponderings Kichlach #16 – Hardware Heroes* #78 – Israel@60 #134 – Airborne Aspirations #17 – An Overview of Purim #79 – The Power of Return #135 – Pastoral Thoughts on Pass-Through Entities #18 – A Little about a Lot of Lots #80 – The Four Brothers #136 – Jumping to Conclusions #19 – For a Score, Seven #81 – The ShevuA, the SheVUa, and the ShaVUa #137 – From Will-Scour to Willis-Tower #20 – Confluences of Influences* #82 – A Green Thumbs Up To and From Shavuot #138 – Getting a Jump on Things #21 – By Non-Rabbis, About Rabbis, For the Rabbi’s #83 – On Jury Duty and Jewry Duty #139 – Reconstituted Moonshine Column? #84 – The Count of Four ‘n Three #140 – A Black Holiness #22 – Counting the Reasons for Counting #85 – When the Shark Bites, When the Bee Strings, #141 – Nachamu, Nachamu: [Southern] Comfort, #23 – More Talk about Silence and When We’re Feeling Sad [Southern] Comfort #24 – Metropolitan Musings on Art #86 – Ophidiophobia in the Opus #142 – Head over Heels #25 – To Plead The Fifth? #87 – The “Fall” (and Rise) of ‘87 #143 – The Meaning of “Current” Events #26 – Marching to the Beat of Their Own Drums #88 – Nuisances or New Stances? #144 – You be the Judge #27 – On Frugality and Fidelity #89 – To Tell the Truth, to Sign for it, and to Look #145 – Pompous Circumstances of a Pomiferous #28 – Pulsating with a Purpose: The Pathway to the Part Project Polymathy #90 – The Wonders of Wandering #146 – A Time to Bless, A Time to Curse? #29 – A Leaf About Trees* #91 – A Way with Words or Away with Words? #147 – From the Treasury, on a Silver Platter #30 – The DaSh and the Dash* #92 – The Mo[u]rning After: Some Departing #148 – Signs of the Times #31 – The Almond: Fruit of the Levant and the Thoughts in the Wake of Tisha be-Av #149 – The Layered Look: A Style for the New Year Levite* #93 – Becoming Fearless About Becoming Fearful #150 – Hut, Hut, Hike: The Sukkot Snap ‘n Go[al] #32 – Knit-Picking* #94 – Smooth Sailing #151 – The Rockets’ Wet Glare and a Moon- #33 – Of Broad Stripes and Bright Stars #95 – The Left, The Right, and The Wrong Spangled Banner: #34 – Gems of Gemination #96 – W’all for the Boss A Hymn for Hoshana Rabba #35 – The Long and the Short of It #97 – Looking Up from 42 Down #152 – A Charge for October 12th: Visa or Master- #36 – The COM of Amazon #98 – Face Off card? #37 – Playing with a Good Hand #99 – Ninety-Nine … ‘on the Wall’ #153 – It Ain’t Over Even After It’s Over #38 – The Junior and The Senior #100 – Sing a Song of Sixpence #154 – Wining and Dining #39 – Planting Seeds #100b – To ‘b’ or not to ‘b’ #155 – Sesame ‘Seeds’ #40 – The Medium and the Message #101 – The 101st Blessing #156 – Familiar Faces, Missing Links #41 – When the Wind Blows #102 – Antediluvian Antics #157 – Dealing with what we are Dealt #42 – Coming and Going #103 – The Long Haul #158 – Ovine Enumeration #43 – Over the River #104 – The Princesses and the Puppy #159 – Piety in Parsimony? #44 – Sing a Song of Six-Pieces, Pocket the Rye? #105 – Half ‘n Half – The Crème de la Crème #160 – The Milky Whey and the Miky Say #45 – A Shabbat-Shabbaton Message and Greeting #106 – Two Angles of the “Triangle-and-Two” #161 – Slicing and Splicing #46 – Preserving the Mom-and-Pop Op Defense #162 – Acknowledging Economic Acumen #47 – To Dominate with Diplomacy #107 – Closing Encounters #163 – Tribal Transpositions #48 – Radiance of the Glossed Arc #108 – The Differential and the Deferential: #164 – But Who’s Counting? #49 – A Torah Thought for the ‘Rest’ of Us Balancing the Meta-Physical Equation #165 – Ivory and Ebony #50 – Pleading the Fiftieth #109 – Clothes Encounters of the First Bind #166 – Black Boxes, Brown Bags, and Silver Codes #51 – Playing with Just Short of a Whole Deck #110 – On Celestial Conjunctions and Celebratory #167 – Developing a ‘Split’ Personality #52 – All Because of a Sheva Functions #168 – Flashback to The Flash Mob #53 – Upwardly Mobile #111 – Being Resolute about our Resolutions #169 – The Logic and Logistics of Logos #54 – Lessons of the Land-Scape Goats #112 – A War of Words #170 – A Gold for Torah #55 – Passing the ‘Buck’: The Two Goats of Genesis #113 – Exuding Exhilaration about the Exodus #171 – The “Cold” Call and the Calamitous Calling #56 – Food for Thought: Learning from the Latke #114 – “Fortification” around the Fortress #172 – Mad Cows, Made Cows, and Maiden Cows #57 – ‘Fast’ Track to the Right Time #115 – The Four Sons: Four of a Kind #173 – Running for “Cover” #58 – Hats Off In – but Now “Hats Off”’ to – Hanoi #116 – Basket-weaving Apologetics: At the Reed #174 – A Tale of Two Twins #59 – Namely Speaking Sea and at the Basketball Court #175 – Instant or from the “Ground Up” #60 – An Ode to an Orangutan #117 – Shattering [myths about] The Two Tablets #176 – “Over and Out” - From Chametz to Matza #62 – A Pair of Jokers #118 – Fission, Collision, and Supersession and Back Again #63 – Piscatorial Pearls #119 – From Floundering to Flourishing #177 – From the Keyboard, About the Key-Bread #64 – Suing the Victim #120 – In Like a Lion? #178 – Facial Expressions #65 – The Subprime and the Sublime #121 – Post-Purim Paraskavedekatriaphobia? #179 – The Great Cover-Up #66 – Now or Never #122 – Taking our Cues from the Q’s #180 – One Chai, Two Chai, Ten Chai, Bar Yo-Chai #67 – A Mom (and Pop) ‘Operation’ #123 – Lunar Antics and Solar Lunatics #181 – “Hole in One” or “Whole ‘n One”? #68 – A Leap of Faith #124 – Absent without Leaven? A Role Call for #182 – Kagan and Mikva, Partners in Purity #69 – The Science of Experience, The Art of Pesach #183 – Buffett and the Buffet Shabbat #125 – Stimulus “Bills” #184 – Gaffe-Gate: Controversy over Construal #70 – Against All Odds, All in a Week’s Time #126 – Bold like a Leopard, a Tiger made its “Mark” #185 – A Story of Supreme Values #71 – Post-Purim Depression #127 – Making the Cut? #186 – Dollars and Sentiments #72 – The Cow that Jumped Over the (New) Moon #128 – About Face #187 – An Angle on the Anguine #188 – Of Tents and Tabernacles #247 – The Proof is in the Patach #306 – Manifold Musings on the Morrow #189 – A Match Made ‘n Heathens #248 – A Margin of Error? #307 – Outlook from the ‘Jobs’ Market #190 – Cruises and Controls #249 – A Case of Unmistaken Identity #308 – Bereshit and Baseball: In the Big Inning #191 – An Oracle and an Offering #250 – Ordeal of Fortune #309 – To No Avail? #192 – In and Out of the Comfort Zone #251 – Reflections of the Son #310 – Big Brit, Big Bird, Big Birthday #193 – The Voice of G-d #252 – A Tale of Two Tales #311 – 311 #194 – An Insight On Sight #253 – A Time for Chronicles #312 – Putting on a [New] Face #195 – A Context-Sensitive Language #254 – A Flight to Teshuva #313 – The Ish Tzayid and the Ish Tam Yoshev #196 – Mobile Devices #255 – Where the Grass is Always Greener Ohalim #197 – Crossroads to Return #256 – The Anomaly of the Arava #314 – A Happy Anniversary, An Unhappy Return? #198 – Analogies from an Amphibian Anthology #257 – Occupy “All Street” #315 – The Gift of Chanuka #199 – Putting the “Ark” in “The Park Page” #258 – Watching a World Series #316 – On the Heels of Shoes #200 – A Match Made With Heaven #259 – Capturing an Escape Artist #317 – When Merriment Meets Murder #201 – A Bank of Still Waters #260 – Finding One’s Place #318 – The Day the Doughnuts Were Delivered #202 – Prenatal Predispositions #261 – Happy Returns #319 – The End Game #203 – Biblical Ark-aeology #262 – Black Friday, White Thursday #320 – Dropping the Ball? #204 – Anatomy of a Happy Meal #263 – Building the Hand that Feeds You #321 – To Be and ‘Observant’ Jew #205 – A Manhattan Python and the Meaning of Life #264 – A Penny Saved, A Lesson Learned #322 – To Flinch Over and Inch #206 – Signs of the Times #265 – The Pursuit of Happiness and the Happiness #323 – Crisis at the Crossroads #207 – Disintertwining the Twins of Pursuit #324 – Saved from Spam: The Ten Commandments #208 – Multiple Fronts on the Back End #266 – Unveiling the Truth? #325 – Re-Making a Mountain out of a Molehill #209 – Biblical Balance Sheets #267 – The Day a Light Bulb Went Off #326 – The Anatomy – and Etymology – of a #210 – Days of Thanksgiving #268 – The ‘Spring’ of The Winter of ’77 Kiddush #211 – Reflections on Reflection #269 – Scriptural Schizophrenia? #327 – Purim Economics: A Costume-Benefit #212 – Homophones, Homonyms, and Homogeneity #270 – A ‘Mosaic’ Code Analysis #213 – Viral Videos, Vivacious Vocals, Venerated #271 – Pesach in January? #328 – A Tale of Two [Tent] Cities Values #272 – A ‘Split’ Response #329 – A Grand Beginning, A Grand Finale #214 – Judging a Book by its Cover? #273 – He’ll Be Coming Down the Mountain When #330 – In the Nick of Time #215 – Winter Cold, Spring Fever He Comes #331 – A ‘Table’ of Contents #216 – His Honor, Your Honor, Our Honor #274 – A Life Sentence #331p– Die Vier Kachkes #217 – Braids of Distinction #275 – An Odyssey in Inner Space #332 – Lessons from the Lexicon #218 – Making a Mountain out of a Molehill #276 – Race and Erasure #333 – Tradition, Humility, and the Serpent of #219 – To Chime In on Time Out #277 – A Shabbatean Movement Symmetry #220 – Trajectory of a Work Force #278 – A Murphian Mandate? #334 – The Key to Success? #221 – Jewels, Jules, and Joules #279 – The Calling of a Call #335 – Sweet Sixteen #222 – Elementary, My Dear Watson #280 – Scaring the Daylight Out of Us #336 – A BBQ Sandwich #223 – By Crook or by Hook? #281 – Twinkle Twinkle Titanic Stars #337 – Aging Outages: A Case of Lost Heir #224 – Living in a Bubble #282 – At Last, but Not Least #338 – The Yichus of Propinquity #225 – Adam’s Apple #283 – Cohen, Levi, and Yisrael #339 – A Blessing on a Blessing? #226 – Now and Forever #284 – Some Off-the-Wall Reflections #340 – Biblical Bookends #227 – Mommy and Me: A Meeting of the Cow and #285 – Senior Moment, Senior Momentum #341 – Clandestine Colors the Calf #286 – A Tale of Two Generations #342 – An Argument for the Sake of Heaven? #228 – An Ode to Opening Day #287 – Tefillin in a Black Laptop Case #343 – Chip On the Old Block #229 – Korea, Kerea, Kedusha #288 – On Jewish Genealogy and Jewish #344 – Ha-Ha #230 – A Tale of Two Evenings Geography #345 – From Pesachim to Pesachim #231 – Charting a Greener Course #289 – Hair Do’s and Don’ts: The Nazirite’s Knot #346 – Park and Page #232 – Gardening, Garnering, Garnishing #290 – Naso and Nasoa: To Travail and To Travel #347 – The Best Nine Days Ever? #233 – Emor and Omer #291 – Espionage or Especial? #348 – Gleaning Light from Gleaming Stars #234 – Oaths, Oats, and Barley #292 – Driving on Auto #349 – Scions of Zion #235 – Respect and Respite #293 – Water, Logged, and a Case for Immersion #350 – Setting Our Sights On #236 – Bedelian Boethusians and Bamidbar #294 – Foreign Accents #351 – On Striking out and Striking it Rich Betrothal Bonds #295 – Splitting Heirs #352 – A Conversation on Conservation #237 – The Arboreal and the Laborious #296 – ReLINquishing Relationships #353 – On Lights and End-of-Tunnels #238 – Beaming Us Up #297 – On Golden Punned #354 – The Month of ‘March’ #239 – A Common Thread #298 – A Long Shot, A Long Hurdle #355 – Standing on ‘Principal’, Maximizing Return #240 – To Bee and Not to Bee #299 – The Holy-Land of Opportunity #356 – From East(man) to Nest: A Homecoming #241 – Butterfly Effects and Human Cocoons #300 – Hyperbole, History, Homily, and Harmony #357 – Climate Therapy - A Serotinal Sermon #242 – A Proverbial Twist #301 – Taking the Torah for a Ride? #358 – The Ripple Effect – the Hydraulics of #243 – Terms of a Job Offer #302 – The Point of Return Hospitality #244 – Drawing the Lines, Opening up Circles #303 – Milkshake Momentum #359 – Discerning Dogs and Diluvians #245 – Park ‘n Ponder #304 – Setting the Tone #360 – Full Circle: Upon Reaching the 360th #246 – Storm ‘Windows’ #305 – Lunar Eclipses and Exhibitions

From the “Park-ives” (Park Page Archives) The Derash ve-DaSh Column for Parashat Lekh Lekha 2007-2012 ▪ 5769-5774

“A Torah Thought for the ‘Rest’ of Us” have predicted in 1968 that forty years later the United States Park Page #49 – Oct. 20, 2007 would have a “Negro (!) President.”

Over the course of my twelve years living and studying in the There is perhaps a no more-fitting week during which these “long Yeshiva University community, a regular guest was Rabbi Nosson hauls” should occur than the Shabbat of Parashat Lekh-Lekha, Kaminetsky, Rosh Yeshiva of ITRI (Israel Torah Research which describes our patriarch Abraham’s own physical and Institute), son of one of the great American Torah giants of the spiritual odysseys. From a home of rampant idolaters emerged 20th Century Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky zt"l, and son-in-law of the the father of Monotheism. From the land perhaps most directly Suvalker Rav and Senior YU/RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rav Dovid associated with Galut was born the first pioneer of Israel. It is this Lifshitz zt"l. journey that is on some level, what is meant by matchil bignut u- mesayem be-shevach – begin with the negative and end with the When present for Shabbat, the distinguished visitor was often positive – one of the primary and the preeminent themes of the honored with Maftir in the main Beit Midrash. Given that the Pesach Seder. Haftara was read not from a printed book but rather from a "klaf" - a parchment scroll similar to a Sefer Torah - there was a And then of course, on a personal level, this week marks for me designated reader for the Haftara like there was for the Parasha, exactly two years at the shul, a birthday (whose count is defined and it was not read by Rabbi Kaminetsky himself. Nonetheless, in by one book as the first uninteresting number which therefore an effort to ensure that it was accurately read, he would caution makes it interesting), and my tenth wedding anniversary. As far as the Baal Keriah as to various nuances and subtleties in the all these go, however, there was no long haul, for time flies when pronunciation of the text. One perennial favorite came from the you’re having fun. Haftara for Lekh Lekha, "koyei (rather than 'kovei', as printed in many editions) Hashem yachalifu koach - Those that long for G-d “Wining and Dining” will have their strength renewed.” Indeed, the Gemara at the end Park Page #154 – Oct. 31, 2009 of Tractate Kiddushin derives from this verse that, perhaps After a month of contiguous yamim tovim, our eighteen-month-old ironically, those that have toiled in Torah during their earlier Binyamin learned that when his father walks into the house, it’s youthful years will in fact be reinvigorated as they advance in age. time to make Kiddush. So now, upon my entry into the home – Beginning on November 1st, world Jewry will commence its next regardless of the day of the week or the hour of the day or from cycle of the “Nakh Yomi”, a program similar in concept to the Daf where I am arriving – Binyamin heads straight to the refrigerator. Yomi – the daily “Blatt Gemara” - but dedicating itself to the He yanks it open, takes out first the wine, then the grape juice, systematic study – one chapter a day of the Biblical Nevi’im and and most recently – along with sister Temima - anything in a Ketuvim (Prophets and Writings). The Orthodox Union has taken bottle. Apparently the twins not only know about Kiddush, but also an active role in promoting this program, and will air via OURadio that birkat ha-yayin poter kol minei mashkim – the ha-gafen a daily class in that day’s chapter available on their website blessing over wine exempts [from separate blessing] all types of www.ou.org. While many may feel that they lack the time and drinks consumed with it.** energy for such an undertaking, in reality, the discipline is duly Of course, our Binyamin is not the first to be obsessed with wine. rewarded with a regular sense of achievement as one completes In Parashat Bereshit, according to some traditions (see my recent one book and starts the next, ultimately – combined with the Dvar Torah for NCYI), the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden’s Torah that is read in shul each week - finishing the entire Bible Tree of Knowledge was the grape, and Chava-Eve actually made every two years. The study of the written word of G-d and that of and drank wine. In Parashat Noach, Scripture is explicit that upon his Prophets will no doubt offer immediate educational benefits, departure from the ark, Noach planted a vineyard, drank wine, but one can also look forward to even bigger returns as the years and got drunk. However, the first Biblically-recorded instance of accrue. We wishing you a restful Shabbat, energized by Torah serving wine may be in Parashat Lekh Lekha: U-Malkitzedek ish study. shalem hotzi lechem va-yayin, ve-hu kohen le-El Elyon. The

enigmatic Malkitzedek – a “whole” man (of Jerusalem!?) and a “The Long Haul” Kohen to G-d Most High – brought out bread and wine. I am still Park Page #103 – Nov. 8, 2008 seeking a source taking Malkitzedek to task for bringing out the With my 1997 Toyota Camry finally reaching, yesterday evening, bread before making Kiddush over wine, but the Rabbis do the 80,000-mile mark – to be sure, a milestone even if not condemn him for a potentially parallel offense in the very next pair extraordinary – I thought about some other “long hauls” that were of verses: “And he blessed [Avraham], and said: 'Blessed be also achieved this week. Abram of G-d Most High, Maker of heaven and earth. And blessed be G-d the Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your On Sunday, we had of course the classic NYC Marathon, all 26 hand.’’” In the former Malkitzedek blesses Avraham; in the latter miles, which as I explained to my children, is like running round- he blesses G-d. This lineup-lapse –according priority to Avraham trip to shul while visiting Grandma Albany nine consecutive times before G-d - was sufficiently grievous that Malkitzedek was (or approximately one thousand roundtrips to shul in New Hyde defrocked, stripped of the Priesthood, a privilege eventually Park.) Rabbi Zev Wineberg, of the Chabad of Long Island City transferred to Aharon and his descendants. Curiously, the who distributed kosher energy drinks to marathon runners as they Midrashim see this bread and wine not as mundane foodstuff, but passed by his community, duly noted, “A marathon represents the rather as menachot (grain offerings) and nesachim (wine power of a people to challenge themselves, to accomplish what libations). Menachot are (mostly) eaten by humans, whereas the they never thought possible.” wine is poured completely down a small hole in the Mizbe’ach- Then on Tuesday, we had the conclusion of one of the most Altar. It is entirely for G-d. (See however, Mishna Meila 11a, intense campaigns in U.S. history – at more than five billion Gemara Sukka 49b, for the possibility that once the wine goes dollars, certainly, the most expensive – and culminating with the down the drain, it may once again be rendered permissible for victory of Barack Obama. Regardless of one’s political views, this human consumption.) Symbolically speaking, Malkitzedek was was – as one of our members told me outside the poll-booths – a placing the human perquisites before those of the Divine. historic event. How many others, besides Bobby Kennedy, would Ultimately it was Avraham, the human beneficiary of Malkitzedek’s from your country, from your birthplace, and from your father's blessing – however muddled the order – who best learned its house, unto the land that I will show you.” In many ways, to lesson. While the perpetual paradigm of human kindness (Chesed extricate oneself from one’s intimate surroundings, comfort zone, le-Avraham), Avraham also demonstrated time and again and successful business venue is a far more daunting and absolute fidelity to G-d. Kiddush – in the sense of Kiddush Ha- challenging task than to undo handcuffs or slip out of a jail cell. Shem, the sanctification of G-d’s name – was his modus operandi Abraham – together with his wife Sarah – were masters at – regardless of the day of the week or the hour of the day or from outreach, providing the inspiration for the modern Kiruv movment. where he may have been arriving. We hope that Binyamin and However, they were also classical Baalei Teshuva, returnees to a Temima, and all of us, in our quest for kiddush-wine will follow faith that they had to discover on their own, without the assistance suit. Shabbat Mekudeshet u-Mevorakhat, of outreach professionals. Together they emerged from a pagan

community, and reinvented their lives as Jews firmly committed to “Anatomy of a Happy Meal” the entirety of Torah. Tradition tells us that they anticipated and Park Page #204 – Oct. 16, 2010 practiced even the Rabbinic Law that would be developed over While readers of this column may be accustomed to expecting the the centuries that followed. Commentators wonder as to why the unexpected, they may still find it unappealing, if not appealing, to events leading to Abraham’s selection for this role – some find a discussion of a non-kosher dinner in a synagogue seventy-five formative years in the making – are kept hidden from publication, let alone being initiated by the spiritual leader. Yet, I us. While Midrashim attempt to fill in the chronological gaps, was intrigued by the long-term study of a McDonald’s Happy perhaps we can suggest that Abraham had done such a perfect Meal. During the course of six months, a NYC artist has act of escape – leaving no trace of his past history – that the photographed the burger and fries, tracking its evolution over Torah was essentially testifying to his absolute and complete time, only to discover “a shocking resistance to Mother Nature's transition. cycle of decomposition and biodegradability”. While it may be difficult, nay impossible, to capture an escape As food scientists debate the biological underpinnings, we call our artist like Houdini, it is certainly a worthwhile exercise to capture attention to another act of protracted self-preservation. The final the legacy of an escape artist like Abraham. Mishna in Tractate Kiddushin, while contrasting various professions, notes that the typical vocation suffers from natural “Big Brit, Big Bird, Big Birthday” attrition. As the person ages in years, he is often no longer able to Park Page #310 – Oct. 27, 2012 continue in the previous capacity. Complementing any physical th Three years ago in this column, we took note of the 40 birthday limitations, we see today a tendency toward buyout packages – of Sesame Street, the children’s television classic that, according where more senior employees become too expensive, and it is to a 1996 survey, had been watched by 95% of American more advantageous to replace them with younger and cheaper preschoolers by the time they were three years old. Recently, folks, who sometimes also bring to the table whatever skills are however, Sesame Street’s tallest protagonist Big Bird became a currently in vogue. The Mishnah teaches that Talmud Torah is cause célèbre not only among toddlers and their parents, but for different – as the individual advances in age, he will become an the general voting public. Republican presidential candidate Mitt even more robust personality. Kovei (koyei?) Hashem yachalifu Romney identified Big Bird as representative of discretionary koach – the verse from this week’s Haftara cited as a prooftext by spending that could be cut as part of a plan to balance the Federal that Mishna – those who yearn for G-d will see their strength budget. Current president Barack Obama responded by satirically renewed. describing Big Bird as "a menace to our economy" and depicting Curiously, the same Hebrew root KVY appears in another famous Romney as more concerned with cracking down on Big Bird than verse, perhaps familiar as the one that seems to go on forever in with criminals like Bernie Madoff. [Sesame Workshop, for its part, the Ata Hareta of Simchat Torah: Ve-amar bayom ha-hu, hineh asked that both parties leave Big Bird alone and omit from their Elokenu zeh ... zeh Hashem kivinu lo ...” The Talmud invokes campaign materials any references to Sesame Street characters.] these words as a description of the ultimate meal, wherein the What is the Torah’s position on this? Do we cut Big Bird or not? In tzaddikim – righteous ones – will eventually dine in the company this week’s Parashat Lekh Lekha, we are told: of the Creator himself, pointing toward Him in recognition. In a beautiful passage in his Laws of Repentance, Maimonides opines And [G-d] said unto [Avram]: 'Take Me a heifer of three years old, that this is in fact a metaphor for a profound knowledge of G-d and and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, his inner workings, in a world that is no longer centered about and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.' And [Avram] took for eating and drinking, but exclusively preoccupied with spiritual himself all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each half endeavors. Now how is that for a Happy Meal! over against the other; but the birds divided he not.

The distinction in dividing between the birds on the one hand and “Capturing an Escape Artist” the heifer, goat, and ram on the other naturally piques our Park Page #259 – Nov. 5, 2011 curiosity. Yet it becomes conspicuously noteworthy when one In this publication’s column “This Week in Jewish History” that ran considers that this seminal event in Abraham’s life that unleashed between 2009 and 2010, we often mentioned yahrzeits of the next several centuries of Jewish history is known as Brit Bein prominent rabbis and other communal leaders that occur during Ha-Betarim – “the covenant between the parts”. Apparently, the the given week. One individual who escaped our attention was the collection of offerings is less about the sacrifice as it is the cutting famous magician and escape artist Harry Houdini. Houdini’s real process. While Nahmanides attributes the avian exception to the name was Ehrich Weisz and was the son of a Hungarian rabbi fact that bird offerings were not dissected (cf. Lev. 1:17) because who brought his family to America when Ehrich was a baby. His their innards were most likely stolen sustenance, Rashi notes that 85th “yahrzeit” was on October 31st. the birds were symbolic of the Jewish people and as such need to remain intact. “Mi ke-amkha Yisrael goy echad ba-aretz – Who is Yet here we give our focus to a different escape artist, our like the people of Israel, a united nation in the Land!” patriarch Abraham. In some sense, Abraham was the progenitor of Houdini, not only as the first official Jew, but also - according to Paradoxically, “the bird that ought not be divided” has now Midrashic accounts - having escaped the fiery furnaces into which become emblematic of our divisive society. Let us hope that Al he was thrown for upholding his monotheistic religious beliefs. Kanfei Nesharim, on the wings of eagles – the symbols of national More significant however is the escape explicitly articulated at the patriotism, may unity be restored to the United States of America. beginning of our Parasha in which God orders Abraham, “Get out "The Year in Letters" A YINHP Word Scramble (aka "The TEITELMANAGRAM")

When unscrambled, each of the sequences of letters corresponds to some shul event, program, or publication that was sponsored at/by YINHP during the last year. Grey boxes indicate spaces between words or the unused positions after the words . The 0th row is done as an example. Hints below the puzzle indicate when during the year the item occurred.

0. PKTAGPREEAH T H E P A R K P A G E

1. HGRHASOHAOMARPMOY

2. ABREEMCBOKRONEOFM

3. SDOUINIDKDHRAUTAG

4. OLMCSHANOIATHM

5. AOMYIFD

6. BKHSHNCYAISAAUA

7. SUSVANHITUKE

8. ENLSIEAW

9. RNSESIEDHDOBGKRU

10. LSEAIRIHUSD

11. AIEHRY

12. IMSURDAPEU

13. LOXEHHTEAP

14. RMAISENMEHKIV

15. ZZCKEEMCAHU

16. DIOAAIVEBHVST

17. GNCGACLOEMHHTI

18. DLVOROBIED

19. UNAJNLRDERONI

20. CUVOEOHTNNHLUSA

Hints: 0-weekly, 1-April, 2-holidays, 3-June, 4-February, 5-daily, 6-April, 7-September 2012, 8-March, 9-September, 10-occasional, 11-quarterly, 12-February, 13-April, 14-March, 15-May, 16-July, 17-always, 18-March, 19-April, 20-May

The first person to successfully complete the puzzle will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card, purchased with YINHP Food Certificates. All who complete the puzzle will be acknowledged in a font not smaller than size-8 and are entitled to a complimentary sponsorship of The Park Page (value: $18) on the week of their choosing or of our next commemorative edition The Park Page #444 (value: $44).

Please join us as a sponsor of our next commemorative edition of The Park Page Saturday, May 16, 2015 Shabbat Erev Shavuot 5775

Payments received before December 31, 2013 are eligible for a 4.44% discount as well as a current year tax deduction. Please make checks payable to YINHP Torah Fund.