Newsletter
Parashat Nitzavim, September 15, 2012, 28 Elul, 5772
Dear Talmidot, Parents and Friends –
1) Midreshet News- Naomi Levine and Tali Insel, Shana Bet
2) Alumnae News
2) Faculty Dvar Torah – Mrs. Rina Zinkin
3) Mazal Tov
4) Mi SheBerach
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Midreshet News
Naomi Levine, Shana Bet, Brooklyn, NY
Tali Insel, Shana Bet, Baltimore, Maryland
Wow! What an amazing week we've had! We began on Sunday with Pre- Rosh Hashana Shiurim given by different teachers each day during lunch to get us in the Teshuva mode. Many girls enjoyed these shiurim and really gained a short insight about Rosh Hashana which got them in the spirit.
On Monday we had our annual Manny's Sefarim sale which took place in our very own Beit Midrash. The girls were able to buy all the sefarim which were needed for their classes. This was definitely a tremendous help to all. Later that night, we had an intense "fitness- n- fun" workout with our madrichot which ended with delicious HEALTHY snacks. What could the madrichot be planning next?!?!
On Tuesday, while the shana alefers began shiurim using their brand new sefarim, shana bet was off to Nitzan to hear from former Gush Katif citizens about their experiences. Anita Tucker, born in Brooklyn, N.Y., made aliyah, where she eventually settled in Gush Katif. After living there for 30 years with her family, the devastating evacuation caused her and her family much heartache, however she remains with a tremendous amount of Emunat Hashem which was an amazing lesson that we all learned. It was a long and tiring day but fun was had by all!
The next day we had a wonderful picnic with our favorite lunch- - -SALAD BAR! We all enjoyed the bonding time by the gorgeous view, which was followed by Mincha at Kever Rachel. This was followed by a wonderful Wednesday night Beit Midrash about the Kashrut in Israel. Split into two groups, half with Rav Eitan and half with Rav Lerner, we really gained the much needed information on how to shop/where to eat in Israel.
This has been one crazy, fun-filled week which will only be getting better - Thursday night Mishmar with Rena Coren! This will definitely improve our Tefillot on Rosh Hashana and we cannot thank her enough for her constant inspiration.
Ketiva Vechatima Tova and Shabbat Shalom!
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Alumnae News
To our Talmidot!
About 2 weeks ago, Midreshet welcomed in their new Shana Aleph students, as well as our 15(!) Shana Bet students. Baruch Hashem everyone seems to be settling in nicely and the walls of the Beit Midrash are once again ringing with the sounds of Torah learning. Since you arent able to join us in the Beit Midrash this time of year, we are bringing some of those sounds to you. We hope you enjoy the Torah of Rabbi Lerner, Rav Jason, and Bracha Krohn.
The Netivot Shalom brings down that the sound of the Shofar can be compared to a King who is far away from his son. Whenever they try to communicate with each other, the messages and words were intercepted by the enemy. The communication was frustrating because it wasn't often clear. So the King and his son invented their own language, one that no enemy could interfere with, because none understood it but the two of them. So too the sound of the Shofar. Our Yetzer Hara, that little voice that distracts us from Tefillah...that thing that enables our minds to wander away from Tefillah and think other random thoughts that are not at all connected to what the mindset should be on Rosh Hashana....that Yetzer Hara knows when to strike. We're familiar with the tunes of Rosh HaShana, and many of the words and concepts. That's an easy time for the distraction, because we can 'get lost' in thought and allow our minds to drift off. And yet- it's the sound of the Shofar which is the unspoken word. There none can interfere, because it's just your thoughts, your kavanot, your prayers, your feelings that are going directly to G-d. It's a private conversation. Therefore, the Netivot Shalom suggests that we also allow ourselves to pray davka the unspoken word, those words and thoughts which are not written down, which we don't sing every year, which none next to us is singing.
Yehi Ratzon that we are able to connect both to the spoken words of Tefillah, and the unspoken individual words that we say during those Shofar blasts, and together that will enable us to establish and maintain a relationship of closeness and intimacy with the Ribbono Shel Olam.
The Midreshet Moriah faculty and administration wish you and your families a wonderful, happy and healthy new year. We wish you success and satisfaction in all of your endeavors and hope that you are always continuing to set new goals for yourselves and we look forward to hearing about your achievements.
We miss you very much, and look forward to keeping in touch with you.
Rav Jason- What Should we be Thinking?
Bracha Krohn- Understanding Perek 47 in Tehillim
Rav Lerner- The Unique Aspect of Rosh Hashanah
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Don't Mention It
Mrs. Rina Zinkin
(The thoughts in this Dvar Torah were taken from a shiur given by Rav Mayer Twerski)
In many machzorim there is a note alongside the Avinu Malkeinu’s that according to the Arizal when one says Avinu Malkeinu on Rosh HaShana one is supposed to omit the first Avinu Malkeinu of “chatanu L’fanecha.” The reason the Arizal gives for skipping this first Avinu Malkeinu is that on Rosh HaShana one is not supposed to mention 'cheit' (sin).
At first glance, this is mystifying. How can it be that on Rosh HaShana, yom ha din, the first day of Aaseret Yimei Teshuva, you can’t talk about cheit- when one’s response to din has to be Teshuva? The rest of the Rosh HaShana machzor seems to corroborate with what the Arizal says- that we really don’t focus on cheit. How else does one conduct one’s self on a Yom Hadin? How else is one supposed to respond to the opportunity of “Dirshu Hashem B’Himatz-o” of Aseret Yimei Teshuva?
Rav Soloveichik, zt”l, used to mention that in Chabad, Rosh HaShana was referred to as a Yom Tov of “coronation,” when we coronate Hashem as our King. So, to rephrase our original question, how can that same day be the day of “haktara”- coronation, and simultaneously be the Yom Hadin?
The Arizal is teaching us a chidush in Hilchot Teshuva. We can describe two types of teshuva; a person is not careful in a specific area, and sins. That person recognizes his/her sin and feels remorse over being involved in that sin. This person’s response is that they must be more careful in the area in which they sinned. There is another response of teshuva which involves recognizing that whatever the cheit may be, if one sinned, it means that one’s kaballat ol malchut shamayim is lacking. If one wasn’t careful enough, it goes much deeper than that specific area that one sinned in; obviously, this person’s kabalat ol malchut shamayim was not as deep or genuine as it should have been to generate caution.
The Arizal is teaching us that the Teshuva of Rosh Hashana is through Malchiyot. It’s not that the Yom Tov of Haktara coincides with the Yom Tov of din, but rather, the path to teshuva on Rosh HaShana is through Malchiyot. If a person says Malchiyot on Rosh Hashana, and really renounces any allusion of independence, and sincerely resolves that their kabalat ol malchut shamayim is genuine and comprehensive, then that is their teshuva. In saying that we don’t mention 'cheit' because it detracts from haktara, that does not restrict us from teshuva. It is saying that the teshuva on Rosh Hashana is through malchiyot, and one recognizes that any sin committed reflects a failure to fully be mamlich Hashem.
May we be zocheh to truly be mamlich Hashem this Rosh Hashana, and in that zechus, may we be blessed with a Ketiva V’chatima Tova.
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Mazel Tov!
Engagement
Danielle Brinn ('08-'09) and Joe Cohen
Yhi ratzon shetivnu bayit ne'eman bYisrael
Births
Jessica (Morris) ('04-'05, '05-'06) and Eitan Hoffman on the birth of a boy.
Yhi ratzon shetizku lgadlo llChupa ulMa'asim tovim. K'shem shenichnas lBrit kein yikanes lTorah lChupah 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:
Tzvi Zelig ben Chasia Rochel
For complete 5772 list, please go to: http://midreshetmoriah.com/alumnae/?id=464