, JANUARY 11, 2020 - TEVET 14, 5780 PARSHAT VAYECHI (Pg. 268)

TORAH INSIGHTS FROM ELI BABICH

Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength and the first of my might. [You should have been] superior in rank and superior in power. [You have] the restlessness of water; [therefore,] you shall not have superiority, for you ascended upon your father's couch; then you profaned [Him Who] ascended upon my bed (Vayechi 29: 3-4).

On his death bed, chastised Reuben for an impetuous nature and stripped him of a future leadership role over the family. Rashi commented that Reuben was destined to serve the functions both of kehuna (priesthood) and of malchut (kingship). Reuben forfeited these opportunities due to misplaced zealotry when he disrespectfully meddled in his father’s personal affairs. Jacob said, “[Due to] the restlessness and the haste with which you hastened to display your anger, similar to water which hastens on its course, you shall no longer receive all these superior positions that were fit for you.” Although it may be understandable why Jacob took this course of action, what is curious, noted Rabbi Chaim Mintz, is that the priesthood later was given to an individual who seemingly displayed the very same impetuous and zealous behavior. Centuries later, Phinehas saw a display of pub- lic immorality, acted in a zealous and rash manner, and took the law into his own hands. Yet, he was rewarded with the priesthood, as G-d proclaimed, “Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me among them… Therefore, say, "I hereby give him My covenant of peace. It shall be for him and for his descendants after him [as] an eternal covenant of kahuna - priesthood” (Bamidbar 25).

Hence, the question may be rephrased - is it or is it not a positive endeavor to hastily take the law into your own hands? As a resolution, Rabbi Chaim Mintz suggested that middot (character traits) are neither inherently good nor bad, rather what matters is how and when the trait is manifested. As King Solomon declared, “Everything has an appointed season, and there is a time for every matter under the heaven… A time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot that which is planted…A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time of wailing and a time of dancing… A time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace” (Kohelet 3).

All character traits have their appropriate time and place. Personal actions and responses must be tempered through a calmness of spirit and a mind to know ‘when and how’ each trait should be actualized. A person with self-control is designated as a “ba’al midot,” or “a master of character.” This person is aware of the situation and has control of the appro- priate response, carefully deciding the extent to which the personal trait should be actual- ized. Jacob felt that Reuben lacked the emotional self-control to actualize his character traits in a positive manner.

ELI BABICH, RABBI JOSEPH MALOVANY, CANTOR 5 East 62nd Street ● Tel: 212.838.2122 ● www.5as.org FAS Welcomes MORTON A. KLEIN

NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA

PLEASE JOIN US FOR DINNER THIS FRIDAY NIGHT JANUARY 10, 2020 Evening Services: 4:35 PM Dinner promptly at 5:35 PM

Mr. Klein will be introduced by Mrs. Inge Rennert, and he will speak on the topic: “The Orwellian Lies Against Israel.”

Mr. Klein will also address us for a Q&A session during Seudah Shlishit on Shabbat afternoon, January 11.

Morton A. Klein is National President of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), the oldest pro-Israel group in the U.S., founded in 1897. Mr. Klein is widely regarded as one of the leading Jewish activists in the United States. He is a child of Holocaust survivors, born in a displaced persons camp in Gunz- berg, Germany. Klein is a published academic, having served as a lecturer at Temple University and as a biostatistician at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and the Linus Pauling Institute.

Guest Ba’al Tefilah: Charles Muhlbauer will lead all services this Shabbat.

Mazal Tov! Mazal Tov to Linda and Michael Jesselson on the birth of a grandson, born to Jessica and Roni Jesselson.

YAHRZEITS January 11 - 17, 2020; Tevet 14 - 20, 5780

JANUARY/TEVET 11 14 Mr. Heshy Willig, Mother 12 15 Mrs. Roberta Hadi, Grandmother 11 14 Mr. Edward Tanenbaum, Father 13 16 Mrs. Renate Zimet, Step-Father 11 14 Mrs. Lisa Zeskind, Grandmother 14 17 Mrs. Hannah Frankel, Husband 12 15 Ms. Sherry Bloom, Mother 14 17 Marilyn and Jack Belz, Daughter 12 15 Mr. Barry Fruchtman, Father 15 18 Mrs. Akrongold, Grandmother

FOR ERUV STATUS: Call 212-838-2122 x 5. For questions or comments about the Eruv please contact Rabbi Tauber at Mechon L’Hoyroa: (845) 659-8777.

JOIN US FOR BREAKFAST WITH RABBI SHMULEY BOTEACH “ANTI-SEMITISM: ITS CAUSES AND HOW TO CRUSH IT” THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 9:15 AM AT FAS. Bagels and Coffee will be provided.

RSVP: [email protected]

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, “America’s Rabbi,” whom and call “the most famous Rabbi in America,” is for many the face of Judaism in the modern world and one of the world’s most respected values and spiritual voices. He is one of the leading defenders of Israel and appears as a regular guest in international media outlets. Rabbi Shmuley is also one of the world’s most respected and oft-quoted relationship experts. An international best-selling author of 31 books, Rabbi Shmuley's works have been serialized in major international publications and translated into 20 languages.

NEW SERIES WITH ALAN RECHTSCHAFFEN

“Why We Do What We Do: Understanding the Origin of Our Mitzvot.”

Monday, January 13, at 6:30 PM at FAS.

Sushi and Wine will be provided. Please RSVP to [email protected].

WEEKLY TUESDAY NIGHT CLASS with RESIDENT SCHOLAR RABBI DR. MICHAEL ROSENSWEIG

There will be no Talmud class this coming Tuesday, January 14. Class with Rabbi Rosensweig will resume the following week, January 21. Rabbi Rosenweig is teaching Tractate Chulin.

NEW ADULT HEBREW CLASS with RABBI ELI BABICH

Would you like to brush up on your Hebrew reading skills, and/or have a deeper understanding of Jewish prayer? Whether you are a total beginner or just need a refresher, we have the class for you!

Rabbi Eli Babich will be teaching a warm and intimate Hebrew read- ing class for adults in January and February. This 6-part class will also include davening instruction and explanations of the various prayers. The class will meet at Fifth Avenue Synagogue on Wednesday evenings, beginning this Wednesday, January 15 at 6:00 pm. The cost for the course is $36, which will cover all textbooks and materials. Please register at www.5as.org or email [email protected].

Learning Hebrew and understanding the prayers is one of the best ways to enhance your connection to Judaism. Please join us for this special opportunity.

FAS YOUTH PROGRAM EVERY SHABBAT & HOLIDAY!

-Youth Groups Ages 5+ led by Yosef Itzkowitz; 4th Floor - 9:30 AM

- Junior Congregation Ages 1-4 led by Rivkah Halpert; 5th Floor - 10:30 AM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Elias Silber, 2 Sarah Akrongold, 5 Sami Kate August, 11

FAS SPEAKER SERIES: FIFTH AVENUE WELCOMES BENJAMIN ANTHONY

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020, 7:00 PM at FAS.

Mr. Anthony will speak on the following topic: “The Battle for The Jewish Future: Europe, America, Israel.”

Benjamin Anthony is the founder and director of Our Soldiers Speak (www.oursoldiersspeak.org). This U.S. based, 501(c) (3), non-for-profit organization is the sole vehicle globally through which the IDF, the Israel National Police and the Israeli Ministry of Justice dispatch senior ranked, active officials to select graduate schools throughout the English speaking world.

Benjamin is the lead lecturer for the organization which has reached diverse audiences at more than 450 campuses across several continents. He has lectured before students and academics at every Ivy League college and has been the keynote speaker for Israel Bonds, CAMERA, CUFI, and numerous Jewish Federations. Benjamin has also spoken at some of the most prestigious Synagogues around the world. In 2013 he spoke at the plenary session of the AIPAC Convention in Washington DC. Benja- min also arranges and oversees high level briefings by senior members of the Israel defense establishment for elected officials, including within the US Administration, the US Senate and the USCongress, on matters relating to the state of Israel and her strategic relationship and position in the international community.

Of particular note is his service to key members of the U.S. Administration as an advisor on the Israel-Palestinian conflict and potential avenues toward its resolution. A Sergeant in the I.D.F. combat reserves, Benjamin is a veteran of service in: ▪ The Second Lebanon War, 2006 ▪ Operation Pillar of Defense, 2012 ▪ Operation Protective Edge, 2014.

He has served in Judea and Samaria/The West Bank and along Israel’s northern border. Benjamin is a graduate of the University of Manchester, UK.

RSVP: www.5as.org or email [email protected].

You are cordially invited to the Fifth Avenue Synagogue New Members Shabbat Dinner Friday, January 31, 2020.

Join us as we welcome renowned speaker Rabbi YY Jacobson acclaimed for his humor and inspiration.

Shabbat service at 5:00 PM. Dinner promptly at 6:00 PM. Great Kids Program!

Fifth Avenue Synagogue 5 East 62nd Street, NY, NY 10065 Kindly RSVP by Friday, January 24, 2020. For more information please email [email protected], call 212-838-2122, or register at www.5as.org.

RABBI

One of America’s premier Jewish scholars in and Jewish mys- ticism, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak (YY) Jacobson is one of the most sought after speakers in the Jewish world today, lecturing to Jewish and non -Jewish audiences on six continents and in forty states, and serving as teacher and mentor to thousands across the globe. He is considered to be one of the most successful, passionate and mesmerizing com- municators of Judaism today, culling his ideas from the entire spec- trum of Jewish thought and making them relevant to contemporary audiences. Rabbi YY Jacobson was the first rabbi ever to be invited by the Pentagon to deliver the religious keynote to the US military Chief of Chaplains and to the National Security Agency. At the con- ference he was hailed “The Jewish Billy Graham.” Rabbi Jacobson founded and serves as dean of TheYeshiva.net, teaching, via the web, one of the largest Torah classes in the world today, with thousands of students globally. Former- ly, he served as editor-in-chief of the largest Yiddish English newspaper existing today, The Algemeiner Journal, and as spiritual leader of Congregation Bais Shmuel in New York. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SOLIDARITY MARCH AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 5.

WOMEN’S SEUDAH SHLISHIT

Please join us for a Shabbat afternoon program with good food and inspiring words. Our upcoming Women's Seudah Shlishit will be held on Shabbat, January 25 at 4:15 pm at FAS, 4th Floor.

The D’var Torah will be given by Lisa Babich.

Please join us and RSVP to [email protected]. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SOLIDARITY MARCH AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 5.

President Jacob Gold with Curtis Sliwa, Founder & CEO of the Guardian Angels.

Rabbi Eli and Lisa Babich with our own Guardian Angel, William Ames. THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS DONORS - 5780 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN

Our Sages teach us that charity serves as a source of blessing both for good health and prosperity. Please consider assisting the Synagogue by participating in this year’s 5780/2019-2020 Annual Campaign. Below is a list of those who have made contributions thus far to the Annual Campaign in an amount of $500 or more. Please contact President Jacob Gold, (212) 980-0140, [email protected], Vice President Kim Heyman, [email protected], Rachel Akrongold, [email protected], Sheila Montgomery, [email protected], or call the Synagogue office at (212) 838-2122 regarding your contribution for the new year. We thank all contributors for their support! Please make your donation today!

——————————— BENEFACTOR ($250,000 & ABOVE) ———————————

Larry Heyman, The Hirsch/Friedman Families, Inge & Ira Leon Rennert

———————————— DIAMOND ($100,000-$250,000) ———————————

———————————— EMERALD ($50,000-$100,000) ————————————

Lauren & J. Ezra Merkin, Ilyssa & Evan Schwartzberg

———————————— SAPPHIRE ($25,000-$50,000) ————————————

Marilyn & Lawrence Friedland, George Klein & Family, Ruth & Ted Mirvis, Drs. Brenda and Walter Molofsky

———————————— PLATINUM ($18,000-$25,000) ———————————

Nina & Mitch Davidson, Sandra & Jeffrey Justin, Inga & Keith Rubenstein, Tammy & Randy Winn

———————————— GOLD ($10,000-$18,000) ————————————

Anonymous, Tikva & Oscar Gluck, Lilly & Jacob Gold, Linda & Myron Schonfeld

———————————— SILVER ($5,000-$10,000) ————————————

Randy & Mark Belnick, Yael & Barak Dunayer, Liz & Dr. Shaun Honig, Basya & Andrew Lowinger, Dr. David A. Present

————————— BRONZE ($1,800-$5,000) ——————————

Janie & Robert Fisher, Carol & Dr. David Goddard, Michele & Laurence Gould, Sandra & Howard Hoffen, Louis Perlman, Miera & Alan Rechtschaffen, Marcia & Stanley Reiter, Susan & Martin Sanders, Yisroel Schulman, Joni & George White

—————————— SUPPORTER ($500-$1,800) ——————————

Lisa & Rabbi Eli Babich, Marilyn & Jack Belz, Sherry Bloom, Judy Geldzahler, Roberta & Robert Hadi, Dr. Claudia Oberwerger & Dr. Yitzchak Frank, Sandra & Michael Kamen, Steven Leiter, Audrey & Fredrik Schwartzberg, The Torossian Family, Eva & Miklos Weinberger UPCOMING DAF YOMI SIYUM ON SHABBAT, MARCH 14.

It’s a great opportunity to join our Daf Yomi group as we began the new Tractate Brachos last week with the rest of the world, beginning a brand new seven and a half year Daf Yomi cycle.

Class meets at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays, 7:15 a.m. on Sundays with Rabbi Fishelis, and 8:00 a.m. on Shabbos with Dr. Aryeh Pollack. The next Daf Yomi Siyum celebrating the completion of Tractate Brachos will take place on March 14.

AIPAC POLICY CONFERENCE

We are exploring the possibility of a Fifth Avenue Synagogue delegation to the AIPAC Policy Conference* in 2020 and/or 2021. The 2020 AIPAC conference will take place in Washington, D.C. from March 1 - March 3. The dates of the 2021 conference are March 7 - March 9. Please contact Rabbi Babich or Rachel Akrongold if you are interested in attending or learning more. Thank you!

*The American Israel Public Affairs Commitee (AIPAC) is a bipartisan organization of U.S. citizens committed solely to strengthening, protecting and promoting the U.S.-Israel relation- ship in ways that enhance the security of the United States and Israel. The AIPAC Policy Conference is the largest gathering of America’s pro-Israel community.

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

Friday, January 10

Candle Lighting…………………………….…………..4:29 PM Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat ……………………………...4:35 PM Dinner with Morton Klein…………………………..…..5:35 PM

Shabbat, January 11

Daf Yomi in the Library.…………………...…..……...8:00 AM Parsha Class with Rabbi Babich……………………….8:30 AM Shacharit……...... …………………….…….……….....9:00 AM K’riat HaTorah………………………….……………..9:50 AM Mussaf………………………………………………..10:35 AM Sermon/Announcements.…...... …………..…………11:05 AM Adon Olam….…………………...……………...……11:20 AM

Shabbat Afternoon Schedule

Daf Yomi in the Library………………………….……3:05 PM Mincha/Seudah Shlishit/Morton Klein Q&A……….....4:15 PM Shabbat Ends…………………………………………..5:34 PM

Sunday, January 12

Daf Yomi………………………….…………….……..7:15 AM Shacharit………..………………….…..……………....8:30 AM Mincha/Ma’ariv………...………….…………………..4:35 PM

Monday, January 13 - Thursday, January 16

Daf Yomi………………………….…………….……..6:30 AM Shacharit………..………………….…..……………....7:30 AM Mincha/Ma’ariv………...………….…………………..4:35 PM

Friday, January 17

Daf Yomi…………………………….………….…….6:30 AM Shacharit……...……………………….….….………..7:30 AM Candle Lighting…………………………….………….4:37 PM Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat……………………………...4:40 PM