Dear Talmidot, Parents and Friends –

1)         Midreshet News – Nicole Bokor, Sharon Cohen, Shana Bet

2)         Faculty Dvar Torah – Mrs. Bracha Krohn

3)         Mazal Tov

4)         Mi SheBerach

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Midreshet News

Nicole Bokor, N. Miami Beach, Fl, Shana Bet

Sharon Cohen, Jamaica Estates, NY, Shana Bet

The time had finally arrived! On Sunday night, at around 11:30pm, the elevators filled up as tons of Midreshet girls piled in, with their entire luggage bursting at the seams. Slowly the buses filled up and at about midnight, we left Jerusalem and headed for Eilat. Only a few hours later, at 4:30am, we were woken up to begin the Masa Yisraeli opening ceremony.

In addition to the 75 Midreshet girls, the junior and senior class of Be'er Sheva high school gathered around the candles illuminating the still dark sky, all anxious to begin the imminent eight hour hike. After Talia Herring and Elizabeth Bitterman spoke about making the most of the upcoming week, we davened, had breakfast and at 8am we were divided into  three groups and  were officially ready to begin. Most hikes begin with the intent to try to finish as quickly as possible-not this one; we were periodically stopped to play all different kinds of games led by our Masa guides. The theme of day one was "Me and myself", so each activity we did was centered around that. We even stopped for an hour during the hike to go by ourselves to a quiet area for self introspection. Then, with our groups, we discussed the importance of being alone and discovering who we truly are, without any of the distractions that constantly surround us. After a long day of hiking, we finally arrived to the area where we would spend the night in tents.   We all worked together and prepared a delicious dinner of hamburgers, pasta, and all sorts of yummy salads and then shared our last bonding experience for the night roasting marshmallows with chocolate over a bonfire. Many of us brought our sleeping bags outside and fell asleep gazing at the stars. 

After an ever-exhausting first day, we awoke bright and early at 5 am to get ready for a full day of "fun in the sun" activities. After davening and reciting hallel together, we packed our lunches for the day and had another group meeting, "circle time." Starting off with water sports in Eilat, we went banana boating, kayaking, canoeing and parasailing. Everyone had an amazing time! We had some free time afterwards, so we had time to walk on the beautiful tayelet (boardwalk) and grab an ice cream before heading out to our next destination, Mitzpeh Ramon. There we rejoined our groups to do some ODT (outdoor training). Although it was physically exhausting, we had a blast and realized that using our strengths to work together as a group would accomplish much more than what we could do alone. It was 'circle time' again and today's theme was: "Me and my group". We then arrived at our last stop for the night, Kibbutz Revivim. Finally, we got to shower (yay!) and after dinner we had a mini karaoke concert, dancing and singing together with the Israeli group.

Wake up: 5 AM once again! This time we awoke to the roosters' cock-a-doodle-doo outside. The twist of this day was that each of the three Midreshet groups were paired with an Israeli group to go visit the blind, handicapped, and elderly people of Dimona. There we learned about the theme of the day, "Me and my community" and about the importance of giving back in big and small ways. Afterwards, each group split up for scavenger hunts to learn about Dimona and had a great time.

To be continued...In the meantime enjoy the photos in the newsletter - there will be lot's more coming next week!

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Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Mrs. Bracha Krohn

What do Shabbat, Tefillin, Brit Milah and the rainbow all have in common?

This is not the opening line to a joke – all four of the above are referred to as otot, signs, by Hashem in the Torah. Why is that? How are they similar?

Regarding Shabbat, Rav S.R. Hirsch writes (Shemot 31:13) that a sign is a “means of making something known”. For Shabbat, Rav Hirsch explains, the idea that Hashem made known through this symbol/sign was that Hashem separated us from the other nations to celebrate creation and G-d’s mastery over the world. Tefillin, the psukim makes clear, are for us to remember G-d constantly and be fluent with the words of Torah. The Brit Milah reminds us of our eternal covenant with Hashem.

What about the rainbow? In what way is a rainbow an "ot"? What does the ot/symbol of the rainbow teach us and remind us? Perek 9 pasuk 11 tells us that never again will G-d kill all (or almost all) of mankind with a flood, and never again will a flood destroy the earth. But how does this symbol work? What’s the significance of a rainbow that IT was chosen to teach that? (And according to some mefarshim, it was actually created right then and there for the first time!)

The most well-known idea is that whenever there’s a rainbow it’s as if Hashem is reminding us that the rains that just ended moments ago could have gone on and on for 40 days again… But Hashem is holding back, and this will not be like the flood that happened in Noach’s generation.

Ramban explains to us that the rainbow looks like an upside down bow (turned away) without its arrows, and thus non-threatening. The symbol here is of G-d’s peaceful ways with the world.

Rav Hirsch describes the significance of this symbol in terms of its many colors:

“…In spite of all differences in the degree of human development, G-d would never again decree the downfall of the whole human race, but that its future education to its Godly purpose was to be founded just on these differences and variety of humanity…” The world consists of many different types of creatures, and even among the humans, there are so many levels when it comes to relating to G-d.  Together we all make up “the ray of light”, and thus, as a world, all is good, at peace and united.

If all of this is true – that the rainbow holds such an important message for us – why does the Gemara (Chagiga 16a) say that people should not look at a rainbow and if they do, their eyesight will be diminished?

When cited as halacha in the Shulchan Aruch, R. Yosef Karo writes that actually although one should not stare, one can glance at it and then must make the bracha written by our chachamim for the occasion:

“Blessed are You… who remembers the covenant and is faithful to His covenant and keeps His word”

Again, even if it’s just prohibited to stare, what is so wrong with taking five minutes to look and contemplate all of the significance that commentators attribute to the rainbow?

The Gemara answers that the navi Yechezkel, in perek alef, describes the rainbow and its light as similar to the image of G-d. We know that if one looks at G-d, one cannot live (as Hashem tells Moshe). So we cannot really take a long and hard look at the rainbow.

The Mishnah Brurah explains that if one makes a big deal about the rainbow to the point where you’re getting everyone around you to look up and point and think about what it means, it’s like talking and thinking lashon hara about the community/area, because what we’re all saying now is that “everyone deserved to die and be wiped out here, but Hashem is holding back.”

As the rainy season approaches here for Midreshet Moriah students and for all of Eretz Yisrael, let’s hope and pray that this be a winter with rains of blessing…and maybe a pretty rainbow too!

Shabbat Shalom.

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Mazel Tov!               

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:

Aryeh Leib ben Sima Henya
Dorit Batya bat Chana Golda
Binyomin Chaim ben Faigie Sarah 

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