Dear Talmidot, Parents and Friends –

1)         This week at Midreshet Moriah -  Abbie Denemark and Marissa Chadow

2)         Faculty Dvar Torah –  Mrs. Malka Hubscher

3)         Mazal Tov

4)         Mi SheBerach

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This Week at Midreshet

By Abbie Denemark and Georgia Levine

This week at Midreshet started with an inspiring Shabbat and Shavuot Babayit. Shabbat included Divrei Torah from students and faculty, lots of ruach, singing and time to connect with our friends. From Shabbat we transitioned musically into Shavuot with a Kumzitz led by Michal.

After dinner we began our all-night learning extravaganza with student volunteers giving shiurim which they had been working hard to prepare. Each girl was assigned a mentor to help them find sources and put together the shiur.  In total, 18 girls (!) gave inspiring shiurim which made their teachers and friends very proud. After the learning sessions, all of the girls and madrichot joined the crowds making their way to the Kotel for vatikin. Everyone was inspired by the experience, as if we were doing the mitzvah of Aliyah L'Regel (at least as well as we could) for the very first time.

Many girls stopped at Rena Coren's house for a kiddush on the way back to Midreshet. In the afternoon we enjoyed more singing and Divrei Torah and those keeping one day ended Yom Tov on a high note. For those girls who kept a second day the festivities continued on Monday at a more relaxed pace with davening at Gruss followed by a picnic in the park with Bracha and shiurim later in the day.

For all it was a very uplifting time together.

On Tuesday night the rakazot organized two speakers to give advice about life after Midreshet. Among the topics they discussed were career choices, dating and marriage. We found their advice helpful and thought provoking as we prepare to begin the next stages of our lives. As our year comes to an end, we are taking advantage of our time, trying to make the most of our last days in Israel and Midreshet.
 

See the latest photos on our website: http://midreshetmoriah.com/galleries/

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An Innovative Idea

Mrs. Malka Hubscher

The end of Parshat Naso brings us back to the inauguration of the Mishkan.  The Torah describes in great detail the gifts that the Nesi’im, the princes, brought to the Mishkan for this occasion. While each tribe’s Nasi brought the exact same gift, each one is enumerated and described individually in the pesukim. By way of introduction, the Torah describes in 7:2, how all the Nesi’im approached the Mishkan, bringing the animals for their korbanot on wagons. The gifts totaled 12 oxen brought as Korbanot, one per tribe, and 6 covered wagons.

The Midrash Rabba (12:17) explains that the enthusiastic desire of the Nesi’im to bring these inaugural gifts to the Mishkan came about in an attempt to make amends for a previous mistake. During the initial fundraising campaign to collect materials for the building of the Mishkan, the Nesi’im decided to wait and see what the people would bring and then they would fill in the rest. To their surprise, the nation gave so generously to the Mishkan that all that was left to donate was the precious jewels used on the Kohen Gadol’s clothing. This time, at the inauguration of the Mishkan, the Nesi’im, having learned their lesson, came immediately with their gifts and Korbanot. The Abarbenel explains that their immediate appearance at the inauguration did not stem from guilt, but rather a responsibility towards the tribes they represented. The Nesi’im came as leaders and representatives of their tribes in order to pray for the health and prosperity of each respective shevet.

It seems natural that the inauguration of the Mishkan would be performed through korbanot, but what exactly was the reason for the gift of the covered wagons?  The Ramban explains that the Nesi’im realized that it would have been impossible for the Levi’im to carry heavy beams of the Mishkan on their shoulders, so they donated the wagons to ease the burden the Levi’im during their travels in the desert.

The Torah tells us (7: 4-5) that after the appearance of the Nesi’im in front of the Mishkan with their gifts, Moshe received a special commandment to accept the gifts “kach me’etam, take from them”. The Midrash Rabba (12:18) asks why was this commandment necessary, wasn’t it obvious that that Moshe should accept these generous gifts?

The Midrash explains that when Moshe saw these wagons he was hesitant to accept them, for Hashem had never commanded him or the Levi’im to transport any parts of the Mishkan on wagons. It was an innovative idea of the Nesi’im which had not been commanded by G-d. The Midrash describes how at that very moment, Hashem appeared to Moshe, commanding him to accept these wagons and applaud the Nesi’im for their initiative.

Perhaps through this interaction we can better understand the role of the Nisi’im within the nation. Moshe is the prophet who must transmit to the people the direct and exact message from Hashem. He feels that there is no place for him to innovate or initiate new ways to carrying out the command of Hashem and therefore hesitates to accept the wagons if they were not directly commanded by Hashem. The Nesi’im have a different role in the nation. They are representatives of the people; it is their job to understand the needs and advocate on behalf of the people.  They not only come to the Mishkan to pray on behalf of their own respective tribes but they are able to recognize the needs of the people and respond to them. They immediately and without any uncertainty donate the wagons to aid the Levi’im in carrying the structure of the Mishkan. 

As a nation, we need leaders like Moshe, prophets who deliver the direct and pure message from Hashem. But we need Nesi’im as well, who recognize and respond to the needs of the people, who can innovate and initiate new ways to better serve Hashem.

Shabbat Shalom.

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Mazel Tov!               

Births

Laura (Tessler) ('97-'98) and Natan Applebaum on the birth of a baby boy and Mrs. Debra Applebaum (Librarian) on the birth of a grandson.  

Yhi ratzon shetizku lgadlo lTorah lChupa ulMa'asim tovim 

Gila (Feldman) ('07-'08) and Alby Chait on the birth of a daughter

Yhi ratzon shetizku lgadla  lTorah lChupa ulMa'asim tovim   

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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.  

Names added this week:

For complete 5772 list, please go to: http://midreshetmoriah.com/alumnae/?id=464