Weekly Newsletter

Week of June 18th, 2021
8 Tammuz 5781
​​​​​​​Shabbat Chukat

Erev Shabbat June 18th: Rosh Chodesh Tammuz (8 Tammuz)
7:00p Kabbalat Shabbat IN SHUL
8:12p Candle Lighting

Shabbat Chukat, June 19th (9 Tammuz)
9:30a Shabbat Services IN SHUL
9:21p Shabbat Ends. Gut Vuch and Shavua Tov!
9:30p Havdalah FROM YOUR HOME TO OURS via ZOOM

Tuesday, June 22nd (12 Tammuz)
7p - 8:15p Rabbi Leead Staller's Parshat HaShavuah Shiur via ZOOM

Wednesday, June 23th (13 Tammuz)
7p - 8:15p Rabbi Leead Staller's Tefillah Shiur via ZOOM

Thank you to this week's DONORS
We are grateful to have such a committed community

Jessica Spector & Raffi Abelson Kiddush Sponsorship
Daniela Sirotti General Donation

Congratulations to Rabbi Leead Staller for winning Hadar Institute's Ateret Zvi Prize in Hiddushei Torah

for a drasha Rabbi Leead delivered on shabbat Vayeshev (December 12th, 2020) during Hanukkah at our shul!

Watch a Recording of the ZOOM Gala
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​(Speaker View & Gallery View)

Drasha 

Ironically, while Parshat Chukat might be named for, and best known as, a section full of unresolved questions, as it presents the mysterious ritual of the red heifer, the rest of the Parshah that follows is one full of resolutions. As the desert narrative begins to wrap up, the Torah reader is given closure to many of the figures we’ve been following throughout the story. The generation that leaves Egypt dies, giving way to a new generation that will enter the land of Israel. Similarly, the leadership is confronted with its own mortality, as Miriam dies at the beginning of our Parshah, Aharon passes at the end, and in the middle, Moshe is told he will meet his end before entering the land of Israel. 

Yet, while this offers us some amount of closure and resolution, it also raises an important question. Why exactly is Moshe, the greatest prophet and leader in Jewish history, denied entry to the land of Israel? Of course, our Parshah tells us that Moshe was punished for the episode at Mei Merivah, where God told Moshe to speak to a rock and, miraculously, water would spring forth, but instead, Moshe disobeys the divine command and hits the rock. While this seems to be a direct act of disobedience, at the end of the day Moshe provided the Jewish people with water as needed, and, seemingly, with some amount of divine approbation– as, if God really didn’t approve of what was happening, He wouldn’t have made water miraculously emerge when Moshe struck the rock. So why does Moshe receive such a harsh punishment? 

One approach to make sense of this confusing episode is to play up the sin Moshe committed. Perhaps the most extreme example of this, the Or HaChaim explains that Moshe’s act of disobedience was of major significance. According to the Or HaChaim, when Moshe hit the rock instead of speaking to it, Moshe was rendered a Navi Sheker, a false prophet, as he mistransmited the divine command that was given to him. As we see elsewhere in the Torah, the punishment for a false prophet is the death penalty, and thus, Moshe was punished with dying in the desert before ever seeing the land of Israel. Of course, this approach is extremely difficult to swallow. Are we really to believe that Moshe Rebbeinu, the transmitter of the Torah and the greatest prophet in Jewish history, could have been rendered a Navi Sheker– one of the greatest sins against God one can commit? Any attempt to play up Moshe’s sin will ultimately be faced with a similar difficulty. ... continued

Click HERE for an archive of Rabbi Staller's Drashot

Misheberach: We pray that all who are sick may have a full recovery. To add a name to our communal misheberach prayer list, email us. 

Happy Birthday to David Tuchman

Refuah shelama to Diana Halperin who is recovering from hip replacement surgery and recuperating at home. Best to David Wander, her able attendant.
And to David Chu who underwent hip replacement surgery. Best to David and Leslie.

Security Protocols for Entering Shul:
At all times as a security precaution, please close the gate behind you and use the code to enter the door on the right side of the building. If you do not know the code, knock and someone will let you in.

For our health and that of our city, country and world -- 
get vaccinated!
Walk-in vaccines are now available throughout the city. Or speak to your doctor. Or call the main vaccine hotline for NYC: 877-VAX-4NYC or 877-829-4692. Or visit https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/ or  https://www.turbovax.info/

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ONLINE ARCHIVES
Click HERE for an archive of shiurim by Rabbi Staller
Click HERE for an archive of drashot by Rabbi Staller
Click HERE to go to our YouTube Channel for an archive of our ZOOM classes