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Parashat Matot Masai, July 21, 2012, 2 Menachem Av, 5772

Dear Talmidot, Parents and Friends –

 

1)         Faculty Dvar Torah – Rav Zvi Ron

2)         Mazal Tov

3)         Mi SheBerach

           

           

 

 

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A Never Ending Journey

Rav Zvi Ron

 

This week we have the longest single aliya in the Torah, the fourth aliya which bridges the end of Matot and beginning of Masei. More than half of this aliya is a listing of all of the stops Bnei Yisrael made on their way to Israel.

 

Rashi explains that the reason it was important to list all these stops was to demonstrate the great chessed that Hashem did for Bnei Yisrael, that of the 40 years of wandering, for 38 of them Bnei Yisrael made only 20 stops. This shows us that the Jewish People were not constantly running around from place to place, that they would camp out for a long while at each stop. Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim writes that the stops are listed to demonstrate to later generations that these events really happened.

 

Ramban brings these approaches, but explains that the real reason all the stops are listed is a sod, a secret. It could be that the Ramban is referring to an idea found in Abravanel, that in the future geula, Bnei Yisrael will go through these same 42 stations. Similarly, the Kotzker Rebbe taught that right now Eliyahu the prophet is writing all of the journeys of the Jewish People throughout history, and when the Mashiach comes, everybody will read and study that book. Perhaps the 42 stations in the parsha are hinting to the stations the Jewish People will pass through until the final geula.

 

The Baal Shem Tov explains that the 42 stops represent the stages that each person goes through personally to get to their own individual geula. The idea is that a person is constantly moving from one situation, experience, level, state of mind, attitude, etc to another, in a long journey that only ends when a person's time on this world is completed.

 

Based on this idea Rav Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl explained the famous statement of Rabbi Yehuda in the Gemara: "LeOlam (forever, always) a person should learn Lo Lishma (not for its own sake) because from Lo Lishma you go to Lishma." Rabbi Yehuda uses the term LeOlam to demonstrate that a person in their life should be constantly moving from one level to the next, looking back and realizing that where you were before was a Lo Lishma level compared to where you are now.

 

Many people look at their year in Israel as a religious and spiritual high point in their lives, with the attitude that from now on it is all downhill, or at best maintaining the level you were at in Israel. Instead we should be focusing and growing even more. Does it really make sense to say that your spiritual growth peaked at age 19 and that is your final stop? We are on a journey of the spirit that does not end; it brings us constantly closer and closer to our personal geula.

 

Shabbat Shalom

 

 

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Mazel Tov!               

 

Engagements

Hannah Filer(Madricha '11-'12) and Greg Bank

Yhi ratzon shetivnu bayit ne'eman bYisrael

 

 

Weddings

Tovah Weinstein ('09-'10) and Mikey Kook  

Yhi ratzon shetivnu bayit ne'eman bYisrael

 

 

Births

Nomi (Spector) ('05-'06) and Michael Plaut on the birth of their son

Yhi ratzon shetizku lgadlo lTorah lChupa ulMa'asim tovim. Kshem shenichnas lBrit kein yikanes lTorah lChupah ulMa'asim tovim.



Aliyah

Mazal Tov to Dahlia Gold Goldstein ('04-'05) on her Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael! 

 

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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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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