Torah-ton Reflections

Yasher koach to all of you who participated  in what was an amazing Shabbos.  The student component was probably the best part.

• Tamar Novetsky's shiur (to around 70 people!!!) was a mixture of real, old-fashioned Lomdus (resolving a סתירה in the Rambam by answering that the מעשה required to violate לא תחמד is not needed as the מעשה עבירה, but is the שיעור to measure your emotional jealousy - like eating a כזית on יום כיפור), and modern educational technique (the case studies about the iPad).
• Danielle & Kayla made a great and hilarious game ("she's really, really old!") that eventually even drew out even the magical Juniors (now you see them, now you don't) who really added a lot to the program when they were with us.
• The Divrei Torah by all the students (Tobey, Molly, Chani, Yael - who am I forgetting?) were rich, substantive, engaging and inspiring.  
• The zemirot were beautiful, though for next time, you might want to make sure that Rabbi Prince & I don't set the key.
• A huge thank you to Ms. Steinreich, without whom the weekend could never have happened.  She really does everything to make sure that the program goes off without a hitch.  
• I am still thinking about the ideas and message that RZP shared with us at seudah shlishit.  How many times will you an explanation of what seems like a dry and technical passage about kodshim and the structure of Sefer Vayikra, that turns into an inspiring message about the self-worth and value of every human being.
• A real highlight were the shiurim.  Professor Nechama Price accomplished the difficult task of taking a story that we all know well (Megillat Rut) and allowing us to see it in a whole new way.  I was particularly struck by the contention that the story took place during the time of Eglon and Ehud, making the flight of Elimelech to Moav an act of treason, not just abandonment.
• Rebbetzin Neuberger gave a fascinating shiur about a fascinating historical figue - the author of the אם הבנים שמחה.  We spoke about him a while back at a Mishmar following Hurricane Katrina about religious figures giving reasons for tragedies, as he attributed at least some of the horrors of the Holocaust that he lived through, to the Orthodox establishment's misguided stance against the early Zionist movement.  The analysis of Yaakov's neder challenged us to do a close reading of a crucial passage for Jewish History, and I had never heard the heart-wrenching story that inspired the title of the sefer.
• Finally, Mrs. Kahan's shiur to the entire community took an obscure, enigmatic passage in Parshat Bereishit, and made some sense of it.  It was a nice challenge to follow and enjoy a complex shiur aimed at the sophisticated adult crowd.

As Rabbi Prince said, while it may not have been the most convenient week for everyone, I'm thrilled that we were able to get this in before the year came to a close.  Can't wait to see you all later at the Goldsteins.