Dear Talmidot, Parents and Friends –

1)         This week at Midreshet Moriah

2)         Faculty Dvar Torah – Rav Zvi Ron

3)         Mazal Tov

4)         Mi SheBerach

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This Week at Midreshet

This week at Midreshet, we experienced our very own Henna! Wednesday evening, we invited a Yeminite woman, Yehudit, to teach us about the Yeminite customs surrounding a Jewish wedding. She taught the girls that the mood at the bridal shower is very sad, since the young girl (in Yemen, girls would marry starting at 9 years old!) would be leaving her parents and joining a new home. The songs that are sung, therefore, are actually sad. Instead so she taught us a song that the Yeminite Jews used to sing about their love for Israel and their desire to move there. Today,. there are no Jews left in Yemen, and in Israel the Yeminite Jews are more modern and marry at more conventional ages. She then described for us the wedding and taught the students traditional wedding dances. To create an authentic atmosphere, Yehudit brought a suitcase of clothing and distributed robes and headgear - both male and female "costumes". We chose a bride (Dina Rosen) and a groom (Dassi Goldman) and dressed them in bride and groom traditional clothing, and danced in front of them. Dina's bridal clothing and jewelry weighed over 10 pounds - the symbolism indicates that just if the bride can bear the weight of these bridal clothes, she will succeed in bearing the weight of life. We danced and ate some snacks to celebrate "the marriage". We really enjoyed ourselves   and learned so much about a Jewish custom, not familiar to many.

See pictures from the evening (coming soon) - the costumes, dances and all of the fun - on our website. 

In other news, three siyumim were celebrated this week in the Midreshet Beit Midrash: Mazal Tov to "shannah better" Danielle for finishing Neviim in her ongoing study of Tanach. Mazal Tov to Lauren and Sharon upon their completing Mishnayot Masechet Avot (i.e. the 6 chapters of Pirkei Avot) We are so proud of their accomplishments, and we are all inspired by their hard work and their dedication to seeing these learning projects through to the very end! 

Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov! Special pancake breakfast Sunday morning!

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Complicated Emotions

Rav Zvi Ron

When the Torah relates the story of the birth of Yaakov and Esav, an unusual word is used, "ve'heeney te'omim b'bitna" "then behold! There were twins in her womb" (25:24). The Rashbam comments that the word "heeney" implies some element of surprise, that something is taking place not in accordance with what was previously assumed. But who was surprised when the twins were born? Rivka was informed by Hashem that she was pregnant with twins, she knew what to expect. Sforno comments that the midwives also knew that this was a twin pregnancy. Could it be that Rivka never told Yitzchak that she was pregnant with twins? This may not seem so strange when we consider that Rivka did not share with Yitzchak the prophecy that was given her from Hashem, that "the elder shall serve the younger" (25:23). If Yitzchak had known this prophecy, it would have been unnecessary for Rivka to resort to subterfuge to make sure that Yaakov received the appropriate blessing.

Our Sages note that there were multiple instances where Rivka did not share information with Yitzchak. The Maharal, in his commentary Gur Aryeh, writes that Rivka did not tell Yitzchak of the hardships that she felt during her difficult pregnancy. Instead "she went to inquire of Hashem" (25:22). The Maharal explains that Rivka was embarrassed to tell her husband of her trouble. She did not want Yitzchak to think that this was happening to her as a punishment for her idolatrous past during her years growing up in the house of Betuel. The Netziv, in his commentary Ha'emek Davar, writes that from the moment Rivka first saw Yitzchak, a saintly figure praying in the field, she felt awe and fear. The Netziv explains that Rivka was filled with feelings of inadequacy, she did not feel worthy of marrying such a holy man. Out of shame she covered herself with a scarf, and out of fear she fell off her camel. The Netziv states that because of these feelings, Rivka was unable to communicate with Yitzchak and express to him who she felt really deserved his holy blessing, and instead had to resort to subterfuge.

In fact, the only time the Torah quotes a direct statement made by Rivka to Yitzchak is when she makes up a reason for Yaakov to run away to Padan Aram (27:46).

She claims that Yaakov should go away in order that he should not marry a local girl. The Rashbam explains that Rivka did not want to reveal to her husband the truth that Yaakov's life was in danger. Rav Sorotzkin, in his commentary Oznayim LaTorah, explains that this is hinted to in the small letter 'kuf' in the word "katzti" with which Rivka begins her statement to to Yitzchak. From all this we see the great difficulty that Rivka had in speaking to Yitzchak. This all stemmed from her feeling that she was not worthy to be the wife of a great tzaddik.

Yitzchak tried to do everything right, but the feelings Rivka had persisted. Though from an intellectual perspective, we can say that Rivka should not have felt this way emotions do not always follow the rules of logic. The story of Yitzchak and Rivka demonstrates to us the complicated thoughts and emotions that are present in relationships between people with different levels of observance. Sometimes there is not much we can do, and even when we try our best to be sensitive, people react in unexpected ways. Still, we have to do our best. We should always have in mind to think about the feelings of others and their particular concerns, so that everyone will feel that the world of Torah Judaism is open and welcoming.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Mazel Tov!               

Birth:
Alisa (Horwitz) (00-01) and Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg on the birth of a girl

Yhi ratzon shetizku lgadla lTorah lChupa ulMa'asim tovim.  

Please help us stay informed - http://midreshetmoriah.org/send-mazaltov.asp

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Mi SheBerach List

We have started a new list. Please email midmoriah@gmail.com if there is a name you would like to add.  

Haddasah Leah bat Shoshana (24/11)

Baruch Yehudah ben Leah (17/11)

Charna Leah bat Shaindel (17/11)

Mazal bat Pircha (3/11/11)

Malka bat Tova (10/10/11)

Shimon Dovid Yehoshua bat Rena (6/10/11)

Rifaela Chana Rivka bat Shayna Dena (6/10/11)- diagnosed with Non-Hodgken's Lymphoma

Rachel bat Mindel (6/10/11) - Lymphoma

Tzuriya Kochevet bat Sara - mother of 4 with inoperable stomach cancer (25/9/11)

Chaya bat Zecil (22/9/11)

Perel bat Malka (21/9/11)

Rachaylle bat Turan (21/9/11)

Miriam Leah bat Reizel Dena (21/9/11)

Zechariya Kalman Hakohen ben Yael Margolit (18/9/11)
Refael Matityahu Yaakov ben Gittel Rivka (18/9/11)

Tzipora Sara bat Esther Leah (18/9/11)

David ben Miriam (18/9/11)

David ben Rachel (18/9/11)

Rachel bat Kochava (18/9/11)
Hilda bat Yaffa (18/9/11)

Chana Gitel bat Sarah Chana (18/9/11)
Sarah Sipora bat Shifra (18/9/11)

Moshe Eliezer ben Esther Miriam (18/9/11)
Hilda bat Yaffa (18/9/11)
Moshe Yitzchak ben Shoshana (18/9/11)

Aviva Miriam bat Esther ( 11/9/11)

Osnat bat Clara (11/9/11)

Refael Matisyahu Yaacov ben Gittel Rivka (11/9/11)

Avraham Yehuda ben Davida Yehudit (11/9/11)

Tziporah Faiga Bat Sima Shaindel (11/9/11)

Chava Deena Etya Bat Chaya Tziporah Sheva (11/9/11)