Dear Talmidot, Parents and Friends –

1)         Faculty Dvar Torah – Rav Yitzchak Lerner

2)         Mazal Tov

3)         Mi SheBerach

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Going through the Gates

Rav Yitzchak Lerner

Shoftim v'shotrim, judges and officers, titen l'cha b'chol sha'arecha, you shall place for yourselves at your gates. The question is: Why does the torah use the word 'gates' as opposed to cities? On a simple level, pashut p'shat, Rashi tells us that in fact it does mean in your cities. But, in the end, the Torah still uses the word gates and not cities. This nuance gives us a license to enter the world of drash.

The Nesivos Shalom, the previous Slonimer Rebbi, suggests that there are many gates in our world of being Jews. In one month from now we will find ourselves in heat of the Yomim Noraim. He wants to suggest that the month of Elul is a gate to these days. And like the pasuk says, one has to put up guards and judges at our gates.

The main theme of Rosh HaShana is to be mamlich Hashem on ourselves – to coronate Hashem. The pasuk in Tehilim which we recite each Shabbos says 'Sur meirah voseh tov', turn from bad and then do good. In order to be able to do good, first you must turn from the bad. In order to really be prepared for the 'tov' that we will be doing during Rosh HaShana, we first must go through the gate of Elul.

The Shofar that we hear blowing each and every morning during the month of Elul can be used as the guards that we are placing at the gates of Elul. It is used to “wake us up”. Are we changing? Are we doing tshuva?

The Rambam in Hilchos Tshuva tells us that we must not only do Tshuva on transgressions like stealing but we must also to tshuva on our own character traits. This is one of our main tasks during the month of Elul; to turn away from our negative character traits in order to be able to do good on Rosh HaShana. First comes 'sur meirah', then, after we go through the gates of Elul, we can do 'oseh tov' of the Yamim Nora'im.

May we all be zocheh to an Elul where we can proudly proclaim 'Ani l'dodi v'dodi li'. 'I am to my beloved as my beloved is to me'.

Good Shabbos

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Mazel Tov!               

Bar Mitzvah 

Mazal Tov to Leora (Faculty) and Rav Assaf Bednarsh on the occasion of the Bar Mitzvah of their son Akiva.   

Births

Lauren (Faculty) and Kevin Goldshmidt on the birth of a girl, Rochel.

Yhi ratzon shetizku l'gadla l'Torah, l'Chuppah v'l'maasim tovim.  

Engagements 

Tali Wachspress ('09-'10) and Neal Wigod. Mazal to sistersSarah Wigod Feit ('97-'98) and Beth Wigod Geisler ('01-'02)Yhi ratzon she'tizku livnot bayit ne'eman bYisrael 

Leah Weisz ('01-'02) and Uriel Sturm

Yhi ratzon she'tizku livnot bayit ne'eman bYisrael.
 

Weddings 
Hilary Barak ('08-'09) and Aaron Khordokovsky. Mazal Tov to sister-in-law Rina (Rome) Barak ('06-'07).
Yhi ratzon she'tizku livnot bayit ne'eman bYisrael

Rebecca Rubin ('08-'09) and Shimshon Seligson.  
Yhi ratzon she'tizku livnot bayit ne'eman bYisrael

Ariella Freeden('05-'06) and Adam Scwartz. Mazal Tov to sister-in-law Aviva (Jacob) Freiden ('02-'03).
Yhi ratzon she'tizku livnot bayit ne'eman bYisrael

Dana Horowitz ('06-'07) and Josh Jerushalmi. Mazal Tov to sister Lauren Horowitz ('08-'09).
Yhi ratzon she'tizku livnot bayit ne'eman bYisrael

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

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