Why-aanot

Are You Going?

2012-02-17T12:43:00.003-05:00

Something Fishy (or Wormy)

2012-02-17T06:02:00.001-05:00

Back to the NYT for a true example Toraha U'mada:

Just so you know: Canned sardines are kosher.
This judgment would appear to be definitive, based on DNA evidence. Genetic testing by a parasitologist at the American Museum of Natural History has confirmed that the recent discovery of small worms in canned sardines does not render them treyf, or unkosher. It may render them unappetizing, but that judgment is up to the consumer (more on that later).
The museum got involved last March when rabbis from the Orthodox Union, which certifies as kosher hundreds of thousands of products across the world, sought scientific help in resolving a question that arose when they began finding the worms, or nematodes, in cans of sardines.

The Lonely Man of Lin

2012-02-17T05:53:00.001-05:00

There have been many interesting articles on the phenomenon that is Jeremy Lin. There are so ma y remarkable things about what he is doing - making the Knicks interesting is as impressive as any. Here is a fascinating perspective from the generally though-provoking David Brooks in the New York Times. I'll quote some of the highlights below:

Ascent in the sports universe is a straight shot. You set your goal, and you climb toward greatness. But ascent in the religious universe often proceeds by a series of inversions: You have to be willing to lose yourself in order to find yourself; to gain everything you have to be willing to give up everything; the last shall be first; it’s not about you.
For many religious teachers, humility is the primary virtue. You achieve loftiness of spirit by performing the most menial services. (That’s why shepherds are perpetually becoming kings in the Bible.) You achieve your identity through self-effacement. You achieve strength by acknowledging your weaknesses. You lead most boldly when you consider yourself an instrument of a larger cause.

But then check out his big finish!

The odds are that Lin will never figure it out because the two moral universes are not reconcilable. Our best teacher on these matters is Joseph Soloveitchik, the great Jewish theologian. In his essays “The Lonely Man of Faith” and “Majesty and Humility” he argues that people have two natures. First, there is “Adam the First,” the part of us that creates, discovers, competes and is involved in building the world. Then, there is “Adam the Second,” the spiritual individual who is awed and humbled by the universe as a spectator and a worshipper
Soloveitchik plays off the text that humans are products of God’s breath and the dust of the earth, and these two natures have different moral qualities, which he calls the morality of majesty and the morality of humility. They exist in creative tension with each other and the religious person shuttles between them, feeling lonely and slightly out of place in both experiences.
Jeremy Lin is now living this creative contradiction. Much of the anger that arises when religion mixes with sport or with politics comes from people who want to deny that this contradiction exists and who want to live in a world in which there is only one morality, one set of qualities and where everything is easy, untragic and clean. Life and religion are more complicated than that.

Why is Mishpatim HERE?

2012-02-16T22:12:00.003-05:00

"Yeish mukdam u'm'uchar ba'Torah oh ein mukdam u'm'uchar ba'Torah?" This is a debate that begins in the Gemara, but really finds its footing in parshanut. The fundamental question is whether or not the Torah is arranged in strict chronological order. Ramban consistently adheres to the former (the Torah follows along chronologically) and Rashi agrees with the latter (the Torah does not necessarily follow chronology). Regardless of where one falls in this debate, the beginning of this week's parasha indicates that it is, in some fundamental way, connected to last week's.

"V'eileh ha'mishpatim"-- And these are the laws. The "vav" that begins that parasha is not a "vav ha'hipuch" because "eileh" is not a verb to be transformed from one tense to the other. Rather, it is a "vav ha'chibur"--a connecting vav. So the first question that must be asked is: What is the connection of this wek's parasha to last week's parasha? Is it that this is the next set of laws that Moshe received from Hashem? If so, was he still on Har Sinai when these were spoken? These questions begin a whole line of questions as to what was said on Har Sinai, what wasn't, what was said at this moment, what was said later, and what Moshe was taught by Hashem during which stint on Har Sinai.

Which brings up another s'michut question: What is the connection between the dibrot, how the mizbei'ach is to be built (with a ramp, not stairs so that the privates of the kohein are not revealed as he walks up) and the laws of Eved Ivri? If the point that the Torah is trying to make is to show that all halacha is, in effect, "bein adam l'makom", then why pick these two to follow the Dibrot? If the mizbeach is parallel to the first five dibrot, then why end the parsha there?

Regardless of where one stands on the yeish/ein mukdam argument, an interesting question arises. In beginning this parasha, the first set of laws discussed are the laws of Hebrew slaves. Bnai Yisrael had just left slavery; the first dibrah forever reminds us that Hashem is the Power that took us out of Egypt "from the house of slavery." Why would slavery even be permitted in Judaism? And why would it be (almost) the first law mentioned after the Aseret HaDibrot?

Finally, if we are all "avadim" only to Hashem, then why does a parasha that is primarily about civil law begin with permission for us not only to own other humans, but other Jews?

Shabbat Shalom!

Mrs. Herzog

Kabed et avicha v'et imecha

2012-02-08T22:54:00.002-05:00

Victor Frankl (1905-1997), author of Man's Search for Meaning and founder of logotherapy, a field of psychotherapy based on finding meaning in life, writes about his encounter with this mitzvah just before World War II.

Having just gotten word that his visa to leave war-stricken Europe had arrived, Frankl found himself torn between taking the opportunity and staying to care for his older parents. Very much stressed by the decision, he decided to put it on hold and wait some sort of sign from Above for guidance.

When he got home that day he saw his father sitting at the table and noticed a big block of stone resting on the table. "What's that?", he asked. His father told him he found it at the site of a nearby shul that had been destroyed by the Nazis. "It has on it", his father told him, "a reference to one of the 10 commandments". Victor asked his father which one. "The 5th one, to honor one's parents".

He had found his sign.

His book is difficult to read, as all Holocaust books are, and is really insightful.

It's Groundhog Day

2012-02-02T13:36:00.001-05:00

Yahoo reports that "This morning, "Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Philemerged from his lair to "see" his shadow on Thursday, in the process predicting six more weeks of winter."

This "holiday" (HEC, where are you) is a harmless if silly American tradition, but it is the back drop for one of the more thought-provoking and religiously / philosophically interesting movies that I've ever seen (by the same name).

Below is the beginning (not too much in terms of spoilers) of the Wikipedia plot summary. If you're ever looking for something to watch, this comes highly recommended.

Self-centered and sour TV meteorologist Phil Connors (Bill Murray), news producer Rita (Andie MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott) from fictional Pittsburgh television station WPBH-TV9 travel to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Dayfestivities with Punxsutawney Phil. Having grown tired of this assignment, Phil grudgingly gives his report and attempts to return to Pittsburgh when a blizzard shuts down the roads. Phil and his team are forced to return to Punxsutawney and stay in town overnight.
Phil wakes up to find that he is reliving February 2. The day plays out exactly as it did before, with no one else aware of the time loop, and only Phil aware of past events. At first he is confused, but, when the phenomenon continues on subsequent days, he decides to take advantage of the situation with no fear of long-term consequences: he learns secrets from the town's residents, seduces women, steals money, drives recklessly, and gets thrown in jail. However, his attempts to get closer to Rita repeatedly fail.
Eventually, Phil becomes despondent and tries more and more drastically to end the time loop; he gives ridiculous and offensive reports on the festival, abuses residents, eventually kidnaps Punxsutawney Phil and, after a police chase, drives into a quarry, evidently killing both himself and the groundhog. However, Phil wakes up and finds that nothing has changed; further attempts at suicide are just as fruitless as he continues to find himself awaking at six o'clock on the morning of February 2 with the clock radio on his nightstand playing "I Got You, Babe" by Sonny & Cher, as on each previous day.

Racism Towards Muslims in Israel? Exposed with Hidden Cameras

2012-02-01T08:49:00.000-05:00

This is the headline I saw on the video forwarded to me by my sister. I had the same feeling I've had occasionally, when someone Jewish does something that embarrasses the rest of us. The power of a chillul Hashem is enormous, and all of us feel it. More so when it is done ostensibly in the name of religion (I feel the shame of Beit Shemesh & Baruch Goldstein far more than Bernie Madoff - a criminal who happens to be Jewish). Then I watched the video - check it out for yourself.

Thoughts on the Parsha

2012-01-20T10:50:00.000-05:00

Even though we're on vacation, a couple of thoughts. First an old one from the first month on the blog three years ago:

Reviewing the Parsha with my head already on vacation, I was struck by a certain passage. When defending themselves to Paro, the heroic midwives defend themselves with a statement that would serve us well to remember as we head to our various exotic & less exotic destinations: כִּי לא כַנָּשִׁים הַמִּצְרִיּת הָעִבְרִיּת - The Jewish women are not like the Egyptian women. As integrated as we are into our American culture, with all of the benefits - of all types - that we get from it, it's important to keep in mind that we are different, and that should be evident for all to see.

Since that was last week's Parsha, I'll give over a nice dvar Torah I received from my neighbor, Rabbi Dan Lifshitz:

"This was the Aaron and Moshe to whom G-d said take the Children of Israel out of Egypt.... This was Moshe and Aaron." (Exodus 6:26-27)
Rashi explains that the transposition of the names between the first verse and second verse indicates that the two brothers were equal in status. The Shelah asks a fairly obvious question on this explanation. The Torah later tells us "there never again arose a prophet in Israel like Moshe (Deut 34:10)." If so, how does Rashi tell us that Aaron was his equal? The Shelah answers that Moshe developed over time. When he first went with Aaron to speak with Pharaoh, the two of them were on par, but by the time Moshe went up on Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, he had become the greatest of the prophets.

The Ktav Sofer suggests a reason for Moshe's "promotion." Moshe was known for his humility. When he was a simple shepherd tending Yitro's sheep in the desert, it was easy for him to be humble. When he first approached Pharaoh's palace together with his brother, it was still relatively easy. But after Moshe brought plagues upon the Egyptians, after he stood up to Pharaoh, after he became "very great in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of Pharaoh's servants and the people (Exo. 11:3)," most people would have become prideful to some extent. To Moshe's credit, his head never got bigger, even as his accomplishments grew more and more impressive. By maintaining his humility in the face of his rise to greatness, Moshe earned the position of the "master of the prophets." Humility is not the most celebrated trait in today's world, but in G-d's eyes, it is cherished indeed. Shabbat Shalom

MLK Day

2012-01-16T10:46:00.001-05:00

Here is a post from a previous year on Martin Luther King Day:

This morning on my way in to school, I heard Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I have a dream" speech, almost in its entirety. Aside from how great and powerful a speaker he was, what struck me was that virtually all of his dreams for the future; all of the aspirations for America that he demanded have pretty much been fulfilled, and then some. All of his fantasies, that at the time must have seemed as absurd as the cell phone or the internet, every last one of them is now so much a part of the American culture, that dissent is (appropriately) not tolerated in polite company. While bigotry of all kinds (he references Jews and gentiles joining hands at the end) is not dead in America, I think it is relegated to the fringes of society in a way that would have been virtually unimaginable just a generation ago.

On Rosh Chodesh Iyar, we spoke the idea that I heard from a Rebbe in Israel that אייר stands for אברהם, יצחק, יעקב, רחל, and that while the אבות each have the מידה that they represent, רחל represents the כח החלום. Today is a day that to continue to learn this lesson of the power of dreams, of seeing slightly beyond what seems realistic. There is a lesson here for us all when it comes to our own personal growth. We have spoken before about how we should always try to have personal goals that we strive for. We can think about these similar to college applications. First, you want to make sure that you have your "safety school" - so take something that you are currently proud of, and commit yourself to maintaining that level of achievement (I'm davening well, I've been very sensitive to the needs of my friends or family, I have been making strong, mature decisions lately, I learn some Torah lishma, I volunteer my free time to help others etc.). Next, you have your target schools that you aspire to, here you are looking slightly beyond where you are now, but these are very doable, realistic goals. This category is the bread and butter of growth, as almost all progress is gradual, and there is nothing to be gained by setting yourself up for failure. The message that I see in Martin Luther King Day, is to also also have your "reach" school - to set a longer term goal right now seem to be way out of range, but approach it with a blend of anxious patience. Both as individuals and societies, people have a tendency to prove predictions wrong, and to be capable of growing far faster than anyone, or almost anyone dreamed we would.

Mrs. Kahan's Reading List

2012-01-15T19:57:00.002-05:00

In addition to the books, articles, and movies that have already appeared on other teachers' reading lists, here are a few more favorites:
1. By Faith Alone: The Story of Rabbi Yehuda Amital by Elyashiv Reichner. This book, which I found very inspiring, describes Rav Amital's thought and his approach to avodat Hashem.
2. "The Source of Faith is Faith Itself" by Rav Lichtenstein. This is a short article, which highlights the importance of relationships and experience in developing faith in Hashem.
3. Rabbi Shalom Carmy's articles in Tradition, and particularly "The House I Lived In: A Taste of Gooseflesh" in the Summer 2011 volume.
4. "The Commonsense Rebellion Against Torah Authority" by Rav Soloveitchik. This article, which you may read in eleventh grade Chumash, gives a (to me) compelling explanation of the value of halakhic ritual and of submitting to halakhic authority.
5. Fear No Evil, Natan Sharansky's autobiography.
6. Two movies, both produced by Menachem Daum. The first is "Hiding and Seeking" (this also appears on Ms. Wolf's list), which is a documentary that explores faith and tolerance after the Holocaust. The second is "A Life Apart," a documentary about Chasidic life that I find moving, partly because it is reminiscent of my own experience when I lived in a Chasidic community.

Amazing Story about Timmy Tebow

2012-01-15T09:17:00.002-05:00

Check out this story.

I've come to believe in Tim Tebow, but not for what he does on a football field, which is still three parts Dr. Jekyll and two parts Mr. Hyde.

No, I've come to believe in Tim Tebow for what he does off a football field, which is represent the best parts of us, the parts I want to be and so rarely am.

Who among us is this selfless?

Every week, Tebow picks out someone who is suffering, or who is dying, or who is injured. He flies these people and their families to the Broncos game, rents them a car, puts them up in a nice hotel, buys them dinner (usually at a Dave & Buster's), gets them and their families pregame passes, visits with them just before kickoff (!), gets them 30-yard-line tickets down low, visits with them after the game (sometimes for an hour), has them walk him to his car, and sends them off with a basket of gifts.

Home or road, win or lose, hero or goat.

Remember last week, when the world was pulling its hair out in the hour after Tebow had stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers with an 80-yard OT touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas in the playoffs? And Twitter was exploding with 9,420 tweets about Tebow per second? When an ESPN poll was naming him the most popular athlete in America?

Tebow was spending that hour talking to 16-year-old Bailey Knaub about her 73 surgeries so far and what TV shows she likes.

MORE FROM TIM TEBOW

For Tim Tebow's take on being named America's most popular athlete, click here.

"Here he'd just played the game of his life," recalls Bailey's mother, Kathy, of Loveland, Colo., "and the first thing he does after his press conference is come find Bailey and ask, 'Did you get anything to eat?' He acted like what he'd just done wasn't anything, like it was all about Bailey."

More than that, Tebow kept corralling people into the room for Bailey to meet. Hey, Demaryius, come in here a minute. Hey, Mr. Elway. Hey, Coach Fox.

Even though sometimes-fatal Wegener's granulomatosis has left Bailey with only one lung, the attention took her breath away.

"It was the best day of my life," she emailed. "It was a bright star among very gloomy and difficult days. Tim Tebow gave me the greatest gift I could ever imagine. He gave me the strength for the future. I know now that I can face any obstacle placed in front of me. Tim taught me to never give up because at the end of the day, today might seem bleak but it can't rain forever and tomorrow is a new day, with new promises."

I read that email to Tebow, and he was honestly floored.

"Why me? Why should I inspire her?" he said. "I just don't feel, I don't know, adequate. Really, hearing her story inspires me."

It's not just NFL defenses that get Tebowed. It's high school girls who don't know whether they'll ever go to a prom. It's adults who can hardly stand. It's kids who will die soon.

For the game at Buffalo, it was Charlottesville, Va., blue-chip high school QB Jacob Rainey, who lost his leg after a freak tackle in a scrimmage. Tebow threw three interceptions in that Buffalo game and the Broncos were crushed 40-14.

"He walked in and took a big sigh and said, 'Well, that didn't go as planned,'" Rainey remembers. "Where I'm from, people wonder how sincere and genuine he is. But I think he's the most genuine person I've ever met."

There's not an ounce of artifice or phoniness or Hollywood in this kid Tebow, and I've looked everywhere for it.

Take 9-year-old Zac Taylor, a child who lives in constant pain. Immediately after Tebow shocked the Chicago Bears with a 13-10 comeback win, Tebow spent an hour with Zac and his family. At one point, Zac, who has 10 doctors, asked Tebow whether he has a secret prayer for hospital visits. Tebow whispered it in his ear. And because Tebow still needed to be checked out by the Broncos' team doctor, he took Zac in with him, but only after they had whispered it together.

And it's not always kids. Tom Driscoll, a 55-year-old who is dying of brain cancer at a hospice in Denver, was Tebow's guest for the Cincinnati game. "The doctors took some of my brain," Driscoll says, "so my short-term memory is kind of shot. But that day I'll never forget. Tim is such a good man."

This whole thing makes no football sense, of course. Most NFL players hardly talk to teammates before a game, much less visit with the sick and dying.

Isn't that a huge distraction?

Not everything Tim Tebow does on one knee is controversial. Ask Zac Taylor.
"Just the opposite," Tebow says. "It's by far the best thing I do to get myself ready. Here you are, about to play a game that the world says is the most important thing in the world. Win and they praise you. Lose and they crush you. And here I have a chance to talk to the coolest, most courageous people. It puts it all into perspective. The game doesn't really matter. I mean, I'll give 100 percent of my heart to win it, but in the end, the thing I most want to do is not win championships or make a lot of money, it's to invest in people's lives, to make a difference."

So that's it. I've given up giving up on him. I'm a 100 percent believer. Not in his arm. Not in his skills. I believe in his heart, his there-will-definitely-be-a-pony-under-the-tree optimism, the way his love pours into people, right up to their eyeballs, until they believe they can master the hopeless comeback, too.

Remember the QB who lost his leg, Jacob Rainey? He got his prosthetic leg a few weeks ago, and he wants to play high school football next season. Yes, tackle football. He'd be the first to do that on an above-the-knee amputation.

Hmmm. Wonder where he got that crazy idea?

"Tim told me to keep fighting, no matter what," Rainey says. "I am."

A Personal Favorite

2012-01-14T22:15:00.006-05:00

Has anyone read Life of Pi, by Yann Martel?

It's not a math book, it's about faith, man and G-d. (Pi is the protagonist's name). I found it to be very compelling. The book is almost all a mashal which is fun to read, telling the story of a boy and a tiger and their unexpected friendship. After reading it I debated the take-home message at the end of the book with friends and would love to hear what other people's thoughts are!

I also second The Chosen appearance on a couple of people's lists. It's a real classic, so very rich with themes for thinking Jews.

Two More Suggested Reading Lists

2012-01-13T11:33:00.002-05:00

This is it from the old ones, but let's see if anyone wants to give a new one or update their old one.

Mrs. Appel's Reading & Movie List

Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go
For an interesting dialog about contemporary (or at least, 1990s) Orthodoxy: Haym Soloveitchik, "Rupture and Recontstruction: The Transformation of Contemporary Orthodoxy", in Tradition 28:4 (1994) -- along with Dr. Isaac Chavel's response and Dr. Soloveitchik's response to Dr. Chavel, the latter two published in Torah U-Madda, January 1, 1997
Heschel, The Sabbath
The poetry of Leah Goldberg
Chaim Potok, The Chosen
Thornton Wilder, Our Town
Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
David Ben-Gurion's speech declaring Israel's idependence, recording:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJObtrw_E6g&feature=related

Movies:

Schindler's List
Life is Beautiful

Mrs. Kraft's Reading List

For thinking about Judaism on a deeper level and to be inspired at the same time:
1. Living Inspired by Rabbi Akiva Tatz
2. World Mask by Rabbi Akiva Tatz
3. The Thinking Jewish Teenager's Guide to Life by Rabbi Akiva Tatz

For the very intellectually sophisticated reader dealing with issues of faith in G-d:
1. Forgive Us, Father-in-Law, for We Know Not What to Think: Letter to a Philosophical Dropout from Orthodoxy by Rabbi Shalom Carmy
2. Faith and Doubt by Rabbi Norman Lamm

On why bad things happen to good people:
Kol Dodi Dofek (Hebrew) or Fate and Destiny (English translation) by Rav Solovetichik

Just good and enjoyable (and secular) reading on having the correct perspective and being productive, etc.:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey

For Inspiration:
Just One Word. Amen by Esther Stern

To increase your kavanah in tefila:
Pathway to Prayer by Rabbi Mayer Birnbaum
The Art of Jewish Prayer by Rabbi Yitzchok Kirzner
Rav Schwab on Prayer by Rabbi Shimon Schwab

Shabbat Reading

2012-01-13T11:28:00.000-05:00

I'm also in the middle of reading the parsha essay by Rabbi Eitan Mayer (Menahel Chinuchi at Midreshet Moriah and guest speaker at Mishmover).

In general, if you are looking for some good reading material on the parsha, his essays are a good stop. On theme he keeps reverting to in this weeks piece are the unavoidable connections between the beginnings of שיעבוד מצרים and the Holocaust, which had already caught my attention just reviewing the Parsha while reading Rabbi Lau's book, but Rabbi Mayer's analysis and application are well worth the read.

Even More Reading Suggestions

2012-01-13T07:26:00.002-05:00

Rabbi Prince's Reading List

All books by Rabbi David Aaron
All Books by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
All Books by Nechama Lebowitz
Discover by Rabbi Dov Moshe Lipman
By His Light – Essays of Rav Aharon Lichtenstein
Ner Uziel - By Rabbi Uziel Milevsky
Off the Derech – by Faranack Margolese
תורה לדעת – Rabbi Matis Blum
הררי קדם - "Harerei Kedem I & II" by Michal Zalman Shurkin
On Repentance: The Thought and Oral Discourses of Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik
A Student's Obligation: Advice from the Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto
The Promise – Chaim Potok

Mrs. Sinensky's Reading, Movie, Game & Activity List

The Matrix (movie)
Redemption, Prayer, Torah Study in Tradition 17:2, R' Soloveitchik (my favorite Rav Solovetchik article)
Wit, Margaret Edson (play that's fun to analyze)
Halachos of Brachos, R' Forst (super-practical, well organized, clear, comprehensive book about Brachot. Great to learn with a friend!)
Set (the game-great for sharpening your Gemara skills. Someone once told me that it should be renamed the "tzad hashaveh" game!)
Watch your favorite T.V. show and write down all the "hidden" messages that you can pick up on
Abraham's Journey, R' Soloveitchik (Essays about the life and character of Avraham Avinue. I read it on Pesach and couldn't put it down!)
The Sabbath, Heschel (A book that will change your perspective on and appreciation of Shabbat and Chagim)

Ms. Gordon's List

As a Driven Leaf - Milton Steinberg
Jewish Matters - Articles by different authors on different topics (God, Faith, Tzniut, Prayer etc.)
Exodus or Mila 18 - Leon Uris
O Jerusalem - Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre
Anything by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (Chief Rabbi of England)
Anything by Rav Aharon Lichtenstein (Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion and Posek of Maayanot)
Lonely Man of Faith - Rav Yosef Dov Soloveichik
The Modest Way - Rav Ellensohn's book on Tzniut. Has all opinions and sources with English translations.
Jewish Literacy - Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Movie: Hiding & Seeking

Rabbi Besser's List

I think I'm going to enter my list piecemeal, to allow me to give it some more thought, and talk a bit about why I'm recommending the books that I do, without having a post so long that no one reads it. I'll start with four.

As a Driven Leaf (Milton Steinberg) - I add my vote to the others but attach a warning: What makes the book so wonderful (in addition to the issues of faith & doubt highlighted by Mrs. Goldberg) is what scares me a bit too. It is the fictionalized story of a real historic figure -Elisha ben Avuyah (Acher) - a Tana who became a heretic. For the first half of the book, the primary characters are Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Meir, Bruriah, Ben Azzai etc. Many of the Talmudic figures we study every day, and getting to know them in a real-life way is thrilling. And much of the story is based on legitimate sources. The disclaimer is, that it's not real-life. The gaps filled in by the author dwarf the actual historic content, making the finished product truly fictional. That said, the glimpse into their lives, the very readable style, the big issues raised in an intriguing but not ponderous way, and just the wonderful drama make this a book you will love.
A Return to Modesty (Wendy Shalit) - This is unlike any other "Tzniut" book you'll ever read. Ms. Shalit's story makes the book so unique. She grew up non-observant, and what drew her to Orthodoxy was the appeal of the rules of tzniut. Therefore, with no pre-existing agenda, she lived the secular system, straight through the typicalUniversity campus and found it wanting, and found what was missing in classic Judaism's halachik and philosophical view of women. Using all sorts of data (very much including womens' magazines), she makes the case that modern sensibilities about gender relationships are doing major damage to women, and that the formula to repair that damage lies in the roots of our tradition. You can disagree with her at the end, but her perspective is eye-opening. (Disclaimer: I'm not endorsing the cover, which was not chosen by the author, and was removed from my copy).
Turbulent Souls (Stephen Dubner) - The memoir of a successful journalist, raised as a fervent Christian, who lapsed into a secular adulthood tracing his Jewish roots.
The Geography of Bliss (Eric Weiner) - I read it on Ms. Socken's advice, and though it took me a bit to get in to, I ended up enjoying it a lot. A reporter for NPR travels to the happiest and least happy countries on Earth to see what lessons about happiness he can learn. The chapters that spoke most to me (though I doubt many of you will choose the same ones) were Iceland (which contains what I consider to be the single most important line of the book - I won't give it away) & Thailand.

I'll give some more a different time, but I have midterms to grade. Please let us know what you think of the blog so far, submit questions you would like to see addressed or helpful suggestions at questions@maayanot.org.

2012 me talking for a second: For now I'll make one addition to my list - the book I'm in the middle of right now. Out of the Depths: The Story of a Child of Buchenwald Who Returned Home at Last By Chief Rabbi Israel Meir Lau. Read the article, but his story is truly remarkable, and the book is very uplifting, even though it's very much a Holocaust book.

Ms. Bieler's Reading List

Articles from the Tradition journal
Articles from the Journal of Halakha & Contemporary Society
The Phantom Tollbooth, Juster & Feiffer

Ms. Wolf's Reading & Movie List

Hiding and Seeking (movie)
The Lonely Man of Faith, R' Soloveitchik
As A Driven Leaf, Milton Steinberg (historical fiction based on the Gemara)
Exodus, Leon Uris (historical fiction about Israel)
Mila 18, Leon Uris

Happy Birthday to Us!!!

2012-01-12T13:59:00.000-05:00

Three years ago today were the first real posts on this blog and the day that we truly opened for business. Continued thanks to Mrs. Sinensky who was a real driving force towards getting it off the ground and building it into something substantial - it didn't start counting visitors until that summer, six months later, and we are already close to 600 posts and over 22,500 page views. In celebration, I will re-post some of the early material, including our kick-off - suggested reading lists from your faculty / administration as we head into vacation.

Let's start with Ms. F -

The Source, James Michener (historical fiction about the Crusades)
Sabbath Shiurim, Rabbi M. Miller
Shiurei HaRav, Epstein (lectures of Rav Soloveitchik)
http://www.tanach.org/ (awesome Parsha material from R' Menachem Leibtag)
http://www.vbm-torah.org/ (more awesome Parsha material from Yershiva Har Etzion a.k.a "Gush")
A Return to Modesty, Wendy Shalit (discussion of Tzniut from a secular perspective)
The Magic Touch, Gila Manolson (about negiah)

Parsha Questions - Shemot

2012-01-12T13:12:00.000-05:00

I think there are still questions coming from someone else, but just to get it going, here's something that caught my eye this year and maybe some of you who are learning / teaching Shemot, or did it in years past can help me out.

When Moshe first encounters the סנה (burning bush) it says וַיֵּרָא מַלְאַךְ יְקֹוָק אֵלָיו בְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה סְּנֶה בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ וְהַסְּנֶה אֵינֶנּוּ אֻכָּל: The Malach appears to him, he then responds, and then Hashem Himself repies back. Who or what is this malach? Was there an angel there, and if so, what did it do? I can't remember if I saw this anywhere, but I'm inclined to believe that malach over here doesn't mean angel but agent of Hashem, in this case referring to the סנה itself.

In general, it's interesting to keep your eye on who is doing the talking in all instances of prophecy - Hashem or a malach, and why. Maybe I'll follow up on this one day.

Keep 'Em Separated

2012-01-11T10:34:00.001-05:00

Rachel Klar & Mairav Linzer asked (on our Facebook page): Is a person allowed to buy an already planted orchard of hybrid fruit?"

I think (I had to double check with my chavruta) that it depends what kind of כלאים is the concern. For regular hybrid crops, כלאי זרעים, the prohibition is just to plant them so that would be OK. If one of the crops is a vine of grapes, כלאי הכרם, then there is an איסור הנאה that would also likely prohibit maintaining the hybrid.

Thanks for asking this question - not typical for our blog at all!

Kol Hamevaser - Maayanot Nachat

2012-01-10T06:12:00.001-05:00

Two of my favorite things are talking Jewish education and seeing Maayanot alumni doing great things, so it was an unusual pleasure to see this, the latest issue of Kol Hamevaser (when I was in college it was just "Hamevaser" - inflation?), Yeshiva University's journal on Jewish thought. This issue is dedicated almost entirely to topics in Jewish education.

First, the introduction to the magazine is written by the Associate Editor and Maayanot alum, (inaugural bekiut champion and blog contributor) Gabrielle Hiller. Additionally, Rachel Weber (blog contributor and current Tefilla Workshop leader) has a great article relevant to us all called "Single-Sex Education: Still Le-ka-tehillah." I remember the day she came to interview Mrs. Kahan for the piece (she is quoted extensively). It's a great read and a compelling case. I was reminded of this other great moment of Maayanot history in Jewish journals.

Finally, a relevant article written by Hannah Dreyfus (don't know where she went to school) about tefila in schools (Teaching Prayer: Obstacles, Goals, and Strategies) was very interesting. I'm on the outside during Shacharit, but does this ring true?

Titters and giggles are clearly audible from the back row. The teacher prowls alertly up and down the aisles of the small synagogue, rushing over angrily to squash the small rebellions that sporadically break out as the minutes of obligatory silence creep by. Creases in the siddur expertly shield cell phones from view. Some students settle for a more passive approach, staring sleepily into space, siddurim opened laxly to any arbitrary page. Some mutter the words, eyes focused absently, uncomprehendingly. The lone, pious few close their eyes tightly, swaying back and forth, trying to concentrate, battling an overwhelming tide of disregard, apathy, and open resentment. The all-too-familiar picture of a tefillah classroom.

I hope not, but you would know better than I would. She has some interesting thoughts, but in the end she acknowledges many of the challenges that we are all familiar with. Again, a good read. Check it out, there's a lot of other good stuff too.

What a True Chareidi Leader Says

2012-01-01T18:46:00.004-05:00

Much has been written about the harassment of young girls on their way to school in Ramat Beit Shemesh. See this letter by one of the rabbinic leaders of the Passaic community, which tells the story of a Chareidi leader of yesteryear and how he responded to the sight of children walking in the street in a way the leader did not approve of.

In case you didn't get to the end of the story, R. Yosef Chaim Zonnenfeld, one of the leading anti-Zionist rabbis of his time, showered blessings on the heads of the Zionist children who walked in front of him. May all leaders find the strength of character to do the same.

After 1500 years, an index for the Talmud

2011-12-27T13:54:00.002-05:00

Check out this great article about a lawyer who just wrote his own index to the Talmud: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/28/nyregion/an-index-for-the-talmud-after-1500-years.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Are Any Made out of Clay?

2011-12-22T09:45:00.001-05:00

Check this out - as extensive a dreidel collection as I can imagine.

Bye-Bye Birdie

2011-12-19T15:44:00.000-05:00

In honor of the Ma'ayanot musical production of Bye-Bye Birdie, here is a review of the laws of שילוח הקן. Hope everyone enjoyed the show.

Jealousy & Hatred - or the Other Way Around

2011-12-18T10:25:00.002-05:00

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One more question on Vayeshev before we move forward: I found it surprising that as Yosef was getting the כתונת פסים and relaying his dreams to his brothers the Torah tells us repeatedly that they hated him and hated him more and more. Only at the end of the story, after he is rebuked by Yaakov does it say that the brothers were jealous of him. Wouldn't you think that the emotions would go in the reverse, that jealousy would lead to the hatred? Any thoughts? Guidance team?

My Brothers do I Seek

2011-12-15T01:12:00.006-05:00

One of the enduring questions which arises when learning about Yosef’s sale to Mitzrayim, and his rise to power within the Egyptian government, is his lack of communication with his father. Why didn’t he use his position and considerable influence to contact his father at all during the 22 years they were separated? Would it have been too much to let him know that he was alive and well? How hard would it have been for Yosef to send a messenger with the good news to his father, after all, weren’t there caravans and merchants travelling back and forth between Mitzrayim and Cana’an all the time?

Rav Yoel Bin-Nun offers a well-known, and somewhat controversial, response to this problem, http://www.vbm-torah.org/parsha.61/11vayiga.htm. He suggests that the reason Yosef did not reach out to his father was because he genuinely thought that his father was in on it with his brothers and that Yaakov gave the go ahead to have him exiled. Yosef had no idea that his brothers dipped his coat in blood and lied to their father about it; after all, how could he have known? As a result, he reached the only conclusion that made any sense to him- my father hates me too! All those years that Yaakov presumed Yosef was dead, suggests Rav Bin-Nun, Yosef was wondering why his father had not contacted him. (Readers might be interested in reading Rav Ya’akov Medan’s critique of Rav Bin-Nun’s thesis here, http://www.vbm-torah.org/parsha.61/12vayechi.htm).

If Yosef’s brothers were able to convince their father to exile Yosef, it wouldn’t have been the first time a member of his family had done such a thing, and Yosef knew that. After all, didn’t Sarah convince Avraham to get rid of Yishmael? Didn’t Rivka force Yitzchak’s hand into choosing Yaakov over Eisav? They all acted l’sheim shomayim thought Yosef- What if Leah and my brothers convinced my father that getting rid of me was also the right thing to do?

Perhaps the strongest argument for this hypothesis, argues Rav Bin-Nun, is the fact that Yaakov sent Yosef to check up (spy) on his brothers in Shechem. Why would Yaakov do such a thing? Didn’t he know that the brothers would not take kindly to Yosef checking up on them? Whatever one’s feeling is about Rav Bin-Nun’s supposition, if you look at the beginning of this week’s parsha you have to admit that Yaakov’s behavior is difficult to explain: Yaakov sends Yosef to Shechem on the pretext that his brothers needed to be watched over, (37:12-14 and Rashi on 37:12). We are told that Yosef ‘s brothers hated him (37:4,8), that they were jealous of him (37:11), and that he had a habit of reporting on their indiscretions to their father (37:2). What good could Yaakov possibly have thought would come from sending Yosef? Did Yaakov send Yosef because he wanted there to be a confrontation between Yosef and his brothers?

It is interesting to note, that in possuk 37:2, we are told that Yosef would bring evil reports back to his father about his brothers and then immediately following this, in 37:3, it say “ ‘v’Yisrael,’ And Yisrael loved Yosef more than all his sons since he was his ben-zekunim…” The word “v’Yisrael” implies that there might be a connection between Yaakov’s love for Yosef and the evil reports he brought back to his father. But why would this be? Was it perhaps for the same reason he sent him to look after them in the pasture on that fateful day?

Raw Vayeshev Thoughts

2011-12-14T23:12:00.001-05:00

Today at Parsha Club we discussed a couple of semi-isolated points that I'm hoping will one day become the building blocks of an actual idea, but I'll share them here & see if any of you can help put together the puzzle.

Note that Yosef's dreams are actually the two ends of his father Yaakov's dream - or that Yaakov's ladder is the bridge between Yosef's two dreams - one about the land and the other about the sky. In a bizarre twist, about 12 hours after I shared this with my chavruta trying to pick his brain on the subject, he e-mailed me this article by Rabbi Schachter which quoted Rav Aharon Soloveitchik pointing this out and defending his brother, the Rav. Baruch shkivanti, at least a bit.
The two dreams also seem to almost parallel the metaphors that Hashem used to promise Avraham that he would grow to be a great nation - as numerous as the sand and the stars. Again we see the ground and the constellation, but sand is not grain and Yosef's dream expanded to include the sun and moon too.
Chani Dubin had an interesting and promising thought. The original vision of the sand and stars were an egalitarian model - almost Korach-esque - of כל העדה כולם קדושים. Yosef's dreams, in the first generation where this actually became relevant with multiple members of the covenant, illustrates that among the people there needs to be leadership. This is a chiddush to the brothers, and a potentially offensive one. Until now they may have thought that they would live as a nation of equals. If so the dreams set off the chain of events where the brothers vying for the leadership they now know is out there make mistakes that end up doing great damage to themselves and others.

This wouldn't explain the shift from sand to wheat, except for the logistical problem of having stalks of grain bow.

My preliminary thought is a lot less ambitious. Maybe Yosef's dreams took the general symbols of the previous ברכות and transformed them from empty symbolic objects like sand and stars into items of great practical utility like food (wheat), heat and light (the sun). This ability to draw productivity from what had been mere theory or art is what has everyone else bowing to him.

I know that there isn't much here yet, but that's where you come in. Thoughts?

A Real Kiddush Hashem

2011-12-13T05:46:00.000-05:00

Check this out in the NYT.

Mishmover Schedule

2011-12-08T05:09:00.000-05:00

5:30-6:15: Choice of Vayishlach Shiur:

-A Chasidic Perspective with Rabbi Prince (BK)

-“Everything is Dust in the Wind”

-A Modern Approach with Rabbi Besser (MPR)

-“What’s Wrong with Reuven? What’s the Deal with Dina?”

6:15-6:45: Dinner (MPR)

6:45-8:00: Challah Making & a Shiur on Hafrashat Challah with Mrs. Schiowitz (MPR)

7:15-7:45: Chesed Project (MPR-While the dough rises)

8:00-9:00: Shiur with Rabbi Eitan Mayer (Menahel Chinuchi, Midreshet Moriah) (BK) - “Is the Oral Torah Really From Sinai?”

OR:

8:00-9:00: Material Girls: An Interactive Demonstration on Sha’atnez

-with Josh Rossman (MPR)

9:00-10:00: Panel Q&A Discussion with Rabbi Blanchard, Rabbi Cohen, Mrs. Kahan, Rabbi Marder,Rabbi Schiowitz & Rabbi Wolff (BK)

10:00-10:45: Semi-Formal Schmoozes:

-Being and Becoming a Yoetzet Halacha

-With Mrs. Samuels (MPR-couches)

-If Israel is so Important, What are we Doing Here?

–With Ms. Gordon & Mrs. Cohen (107)

-The Gilad Shalit Deal

-With Rabbi Prince & Rabbi Goldstein (BK)

-Being Modern Orthodox: Not as Easy as it Looks

-With Rabbi Besser (Beit Midrash)

10:45-11:00: Ice Cream Party – (MPR)

11:00-12:00: Senior Chaburot – Titles to come

12:00-1:00: Ms. F’s Famous Midnight Shiur (127)

1:00: Getting Ready for Bed

-Allison Alt’s Skype Shiur: Live From the Holy Land (127)

-Hockey

2:00: Layla Tov - Curfew

Making Us Proud

2011-12-07T12:55:00.000-05:00

A member of the Maayanot family is featured in the Yeshiva University alumni newsletter. It's a nice write-up, yasher koach.

Parsha Questions - Vayishlach

2011-12-05T06:09:00.001-05:00

This Parsha is so packed it's hard to know where to start.

Take a look at the dialogue between Yaakov and Esav. What word they seem to be negotiating over? How does Rashi translate that word? Is that how you would have translated it? What happens to that word in the end of the story? Is that possible?
The story of Yaakov and Esav's encounter is famously used as a model for dealing with the non-Jewish world in any formal capacity. Jewish leaders who would go deal with the government or other powerful individuals would review this passage. In fact, there is a custom to read it every מוצאי שבת to help us deal with the cold reality of חול. Is this entire line of tradition still relevant in modern day America? Is there an עשו in our lives?
The גמרא says that anyone who claims that ראובן sinned is a טועה - mistaken. This implies that he did not do what the פסוק says he did (וישכב ראובן את בלהה פלגש אביו). If so, why does the Torah say that he did?

Just Kidding!

2011-12-01T23:06:00.000-05:00

So remember when we said that Mishmover was being postponed for reasons of Awesomeness Maximization? Well, it's not. We determined that the way to truly maximize its awesomeness is to keep it where it was, December 8 - one week from tonight! So start get excited now, and bring in the money for the PJ flannels.

Parsha Questions - Vayetze

2011-11-30T06:08:00.001-05:00

Sorry so late:

The well scene with Yaakov and Rachel is telling.

First, it is a prime example of the general rule that in the Torah, our heroes are strong and our heroines are beautiful. Why is that? Aren't we supposed to focus on the internal?
Also, note the reversal from Rivka's scene, where she diligently serves not only Eliezer but his camels. Over here, Yaakov not only serves Rachel and her sheep, but provides a service to the rest of the shepards as well.
This is a great example of the necessity of תורה שבעל פה. In a sefer Torah, which has no nekudot, the fascinating if difficult to understand kiss between Yaakov and Rachel could be nothing more than him serving her water (וישק).

The מלאכים that appear for the first time in Yaakov's dream, are a turn to the supernatural which is somewhat unusual, though not totally unheard of, for ספר בראשית. Note that they seem to resurface a few more times - at the end of the parsha (32:2) and into the beginning of וישלח, and are referenced famously in Yaakov's ברכה to מנשה and אפרים. Why did Yaakov need / merit this miraculous protection more than Avraham or Yitzchak? When does Hashem protect us directly and when does he use an angelic intermediary?

29th of November

2011-11-29T19:26:00.003-05:00

Here's a great video about the significance of the 29th of November. Enjoy!

Another fun fact - in Israel, this day is considered so important in Zionist history that there are streets named after it - like this one in Katamon:

Thanksgiving and Torah Values

2011-11-23T15:30:00.005-05:00

In the NY Times Health section yesterday, there was an interesting article about how gratitude actually makes people healthier, how exactly to define gratitude, and strategies for cultivating "an attitude of gratitude" (including religion). A lot of what the article says is in line with classical Torah values as expressed in ma'amarei Chazal. Check out the article. What do you think?

Means and Ends

2011-11-22T19:00:00.004-05:00

To me, one of the most inspiring things about our Torah is that it does not hide the flaws of its heroes. Quite the contrary: it seems to emphasize them. What is so inspiring is that these flawed humans are our heroes, our role models and our tzadikkim not only in spite of their flaws, but perhaps even because of them. We cannot use the excuse, "I'm only human! What does Hashem expect of me?" We are only human, we make mistakes. But that doesn't exempt us from aspiring to being like our Avot and Imahot. They too were human. If they could be tzadikim, then what is our excuse?

In Parashat Toldot, we find two episodes that are very troubling on many levels: Ya'akov's obtaining of his b'chorah from Eisav and his obtaining the brachah of the b'chor from Yitzchak. The former seems to involve some level of inappropriate pressure, while the latter seems to involve deception.

In the case of the b'chorah sale, I have always wondered more about Eisav and the omniscient narrator (Hashem as author) than about Ya'akov. Eisav comes in from the field and says to Ya'akov:"Hal'iteini na min ha'adom ha'adom hazeh ki ayeif anochi," and then the Torah states, "al kein kara shmo Edom."

Here are some questions for thought and discussion:

1. The word "na" seems out of character for Eisav. Eisav is an "ish sadeh"; this means not only literally an "outdoors" kind of person, but someone who is very rough, without the polish and manners of someone who is like Ya'akov "ish tam". He is more likely to demand than to say, more likely to declare "Gimme! Now!" than "Please ladle out for me." It is this character inconsistency that leads some to understand the word "na" as "raw" (another translation) and to say that Eisav was so uncouth that he would rather eat raw soup than wait until it's ready. But what if Eisav really did say "Please"? How does this affect our perspective of him?

2. Why does Eisav repeat the word "ha'adom"? Eisav is saying "Give me (please?) that soup that soup." What is it about "ha'adom" that requires emphasis by the text? Is it just that he's very very hungry, or is there something more significant about the repetition?

3. When Eisav is born it states: "Va'yeitzei harishon admoni, kulo k'aderet sei'ar"--he is identified as red from the moment of his birth. Why is he called "Edom" because of his request for soup rather than because of his coloring? In addition, why is Eisav so connected with the color red?

4. Finally, I will refer to a shiur that I once heard fom Dr. Aviva Zornberg, a very noted Tanach scholar. She asserted that what we learn from Ya'akov (and Yoseif) is that sometimes it IS okay to lie. (You have to be at the level of Ya'akov to know WHEN.) What do you think--do the ends (fulfilling a nevu'ah, fulfilling the legacy of Avraham) ever justify the means (deception)?

Happy thinking and discussing!

Shabbat Shalom!

Mrs. Leah Herzog

Is Turkey Kosher?

2011-11-22T13:36:00.001-05:00

Here, Rabbi Ari Z. Zivotofsky (who many of you remember from the article of his that we read about Women and zimun in halacha class) explains the surprising story of the kashrut of turkey.

Is Thanksgiving Kosher?

2011-11-22T13:09:00.003-05:00

My Gemara class today raised the question of Jews celebrating Thanksgiving. It is in fact a real halachik issue with varying opinions. See here for a comprehensive article on the subject by Rabbi Michael Broyde on the subject. His summary of the approaches (kudos to Rachel Olshin who told the class about the Rav's practice of ending shiur early).

In sum, three premier authorities of the previous generation have taken three conflicting views.
Rabbi Hutner perceived Thanksgiving as a Gentile holiday, and thus prohibited any involvement in the holiday. Rabbi Soloveitchik permitted the celebration of Thanksgiving and permitted eating turkey on that day. He ruled that Thanksgiving was not a religious holiday, and saw no problem with its celebration. Rabbi Feinstein adopted a middle ground. He maintained that Thanksgiving was not a religious holiday; but nonetheless thought that there were problems associated with "celebrating" any secular holiday. Thus, while he appears to have permitted eating turkey on that day, he would discourage any annual "celebration" ⁽⁵⁰⁾ that would be festival-like.

In the end, Rabbi Broyde himself concludes that:

This article has so far avoided any discussion of normative halacha. Such cannot, however, be avoided, at least in a conclusion. It is my opinion that this article clearly establishes that: (1) Thanksgiving is a secular holiday with secular origins; (2) while some people celebrate Thanksgiving with religious rituals, the vast majority of Americans do not; (3) halacha permits one to celebrate secular holidays, so long as one avoids doing so with people who celebrate them through religious worship and (4) so long as one avoids giving the celebration of Thanksgiving the appearance of a religious rite (either by occasionally missing a year or in some other manner making it clear that this is not a religious duty) the technical problems raised by Rabbi Feinstein and others are inapplicable. Thus, halacha law permits one to have a private Thanksgiving celebration with one's Jewish or secular friends and family. For reasons related to citizenship and the gratitude we feel towards the United States government, I would even suggest that such conduct is wise and proper. It has been recounted that some marking of Thanksgiving day was the practice of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, thus adding force to our custom of noting the day in some manner. Elsewhere in this article it is recounted that Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik would reschedule shiur on Thanksgiving day, so that shiur started earlier, and ended earlier, allowing the celebration of Thanksgiving. It is important to note the Torah study was not canceled, or even curtailed. Rather, the day was rearranged to allow for a full compliment of Torah, hand in hand with the requisite "civil celebrations." That too is an important lesson in how we should mark Thanksgiving.
Torah learning must be an integral part of what we do, and how we function. Sometimes, because of the needs of the times or our duties as citizens, we undertake tasks that appear to conflict with our need to study and learn Torah. But yet we must continue to learn and study. Thus, Rabbi Soloveitchik did not cancel shiur on Thanksgiving. We, too, should not forget that lesson. Torah study must go on.

With that lesson in mind, I encourage you all to join us for Black Friday Shiur, this Friday. אנו משכימים והם משכימים...

Parsha Questions - Chaye Sara

2011-11-15T14:09:00.001-05:00

At Mishmar last week, Mrs. Kahan discussed the Rashi in this week's Parsha quoting the Midrash that the reason the death of Sara is adjacent to the akeida (even though it really isn't) is because after the Satan told her the news of Avraham offering Yitzchak as a korban, her soul "flew away" and she died. We saw many versions of the story in different Midrashim with fascinating differences. At the end of the evening, we started debating how Sara would have reacted had she been the one to be commanded to sacrifice Yitzchak. I thought that she would have done it, but we were pretty evenly split. What do you think?
See here for a post on my favorite biblical character who's not actually biblical. I think she's fascinating and ripe for historical fiction (and I still think the name is cool).
Chazal note the extended retelling of Eliezer's story in such great detail and comment that "יפה שיחתן של עבדי אבות מתורתן של בנים" - that the idle chatter of the servants of our forefathers is more precious than the teachings of their children. What on Earth does that mean?
We see that Rivka is given the choice whether to go with Eliezer and marry Yitzchak or not, and she chooses to go, despite never having met Yitzchak. What do you think went into her decision making process (let's assume just for the sake of discussion that she wasn't a toddler).
Finally, when she does get to meet Yitzchak he is waiting out in the field when she and Eliezer return because Yitzchak had gone "לשוח בשדה" - to converse in the field. Chazal take this phrase to refer to Tefila, and assert that this is when he founded תפילת מנחה. Can you think of any connections between מנחה and יצחק?

Lots to think about and react to this week - let's try to include some non-verbal feedback this week.

Sneak Preview - From the Stream

2011-11-11T05:48:00.002-05:00

This week's Dvar Torah:

Let us start off with a number of questions.

· אברהם found out that he and שרה were going to have יצחק at the end of לך לך. Yet, three days later, the מלאכים came to tell him the exact same news with שרה overhearing? Why was it necessary for Hashem to tell either of them, let alone twice, of יצחק's pending arrival? Why couldn't they find out the way that everyone else does?

· If שרה's נבואה was greater than אברהם's, why was he told directly by Hashem & she through a מלאך (who wasn't even talking to her!)?

· Why did Hashem reprimand שרה for her laughter, when אברהם also laughed when he was told they would have יצחק? Rashi (based on תרגום אונקלוס) explain that the laughter of אברהם expressed joy, while שרה’s was cynical and doubtful, but why would that be? And even if it were true, אברהם heard the נבואה from Hashem. שרה heard the rantings of three Arabic nomads. Why would she be expected to take it seriously?

· שרה’s reaction is completely irrational. רש"י (יח:ח) tells us that the bread that she prepared was never served because “פירסה נדה” at the age of 89. With theנס process already in motion, why would her reaction be so skeptical? Once her body was miraculously rejuvenated, is ואדני זקן that much more of an obstacle?

It is well known that each of the אבות and אמהות embodying a certain מידה, which means not merely a good quality that they had, but a theological approach as to the proper way to serve Hashem. When we say that אברהם was an איש חסד, it means that he was active, externally focused in his עבודת ד'. Perhaps it also refers to a degree of spiritual optimism. We know that שרה personified גבורה (like her son יצחק). Maybe that implies the reverse. Based on the story in the Midrash, an early if not initial exposure to G-d (or at least His supernatural miracles) for both אברהם and שרה was the story of the כבשן האש. אברהם stood up for Hashem and was miraculously saved, שרה watched her father הרן do the same, and be burnt alive. Maybe this helped foster within each of them differing approaches to נס. To אברהם, anything was possible. When faced with a seeming contradiction – G-d’s promise that he would be the father of a great nation and his childlessness into old age, or even the same promise against the commandment to sacrifice יצחק – he knew that his is not to reason why, and that Hashem can make it right in the end. שרה on the other hand dealt with the practical, and was emotionally reluctant to rely on נסים. Therefore, when her child-bearing years passed with no children, she assumed that the ברכה would be fulfilled through ישמעאל, but never dreamt that she would still be destined to be the mother of this nation.

This is not a value judgment. שרה’s approach was not necessarily worse than אברהם’s, in fact sometimes her spiritual pessimism was proper. When ישמעאל was not turning out as planned, אברהם could only see his potential. It was שרה and her pragmatism that correctly recognized him באשר הוא שם – as he was – and Hashem explicitly told אברהם to concede to her superior judgment.

A נסיון (test) is designed to test the subject in his potential area of weakness. Of course had שרה received the news of יצחק’s impending birth in the same way as אברהם she would have reacted as he did. Perhaps שרה’s נסיון was to recognize the possibility of נס. True, she heard the news from less than reliable sources, and had no obligation to believe it. But what Hashem did expect was that she not dismiss it out of hand. “היפלא מד' דבר” ? Hashem’s words of rebuke explain שרה’s misstep. By cynically ruling out a miraculous conclusion to her story, שרה falls short of G-d’s expectation. This is not to say that שרה was a spiritual failure or any less than the אם ישראל we know her to be. Yet, the תורה is clear that Hashem is upset with her, so our job is to figure out why. The above may be a step in that pursuit.

In Memory of Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, ob”m

2011-11-08T23:11:00.009-05:00

I was saddened to learn of the passing of Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, ob”m when I waked into shul today for Mincha. Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel was the Rosh Yeshiva of the Mirrer Yeshiva in Yerushalaim, the largest yeshiva in Israel, and one of the largest yeshivot ever, with over six-thousand students. The Mirrer Yeshiva, amongst so many other yeshivot, was one of the great yeshivot in pre-holocaust Europe, unlike most of them however, the Mirrer Yeshiva still exists today, not only in Yerushalaim, but also in Brooklyn, NY and in branches throughout Eretz Yisroel.

Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel was an American born Rosh Yeshiva, a scion of an illustrious family of Torah giants. He is named for Rav Nosson (Nota) Tzvi Finkel (1849-1927), who was known as the Alter of Slabodba, or “Elder of Slabodka”, the founder the Slabodka Yeshiva, one of the great mussar yeshivot. Though Rav Finkel grew up to become the head of Mirrer Yeshiva, his formative years were spent in Chicago, far away from the yeshiva, which he would one-day lead for over twenty years. As matter of fact, one could say that his childhood years were spent about as far away as one could imagine from one of the most prestigious institutions in the yeshiva word today.

Although I never had the privilege of personally meeting Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, I did hear him speak on more than one occasion. Twice I heard him address the NCSY Summer Kollel- once when I was a camper and once as a madrich. On a third occasion, I had the opportunity to hear a parsha shiur from him on erev shabbat in his home.

Since Rav Finkel had Parkinson’s disease and it was difficult for him to travel, our entire camp loaded onto busses and made the trip to a banquet hall in Yerushalaim, where he addressed us. On one occasion, Rav Finkel began by asking the boys who amongst them was from Chicago; immediately, a whole bunch of hands shot up into the air. Next, he asked them who attended Ida Crown Jewish Academy, again, a handful of boys raised their hands, though fewer than the time before. He then asked them who went Ida Crown and played forward for the Aces, Ida Crown’s basketball team; this time only one hand went up- his own.

The Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel I saw when I was a teenager, was far from the boy I imagined growing up in Chicago. He was tall though, tall enough to be a forward, and I could see him towering over his opponents, but the man I saw in front of me was frail, his body was ravaged by a debilitating disease, which made it difficult for him to speak or even sit comfortably in a chair. I remember him clutching his hands and thrusting them between his knees, which was all he could do to keep them from flailing uncontrollably by his sides. I have been told that although his symptoms were quite severe, Rav Finkel’s condition could have been alleviated greatly, by medicines which were readily available. Apparently there were stronger medications, which would help lessen his pain and discomfort, but he refused to take them because he was concerned that taking them would prevent him from thinking clearly, and would negatively impact his learning and his ability to continue giving shiurim in the yeshiva.

As he was trying to give us an appreciation for who Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel was, one of our camp rabbeim pointed out that many of the great Jewish leaders, both past and present, had distinguished themselves in different areas. Some roshei yeshiva were gedolim in Torah, some were gedolim in chessed, some were tzaddikim and gedolim in ahavat yisroel or middot tovot, but Rav Finkel was a godol b’yessurim- great because of the challenges and difficulties he lived with. He was an effective leader and maggid shiur, rebbe and rosh yeshiva, despite the obvious pain he had to put up with to simply hold a pen in his hand. He was great.

Though I must honestly admit that I do not remember most of what he spoke about when I was a camper, I do remember one thing- he spoke about faith in Hashem, and as he was concluding his speech he asked all of us to recite Shema together in unison, we did, but one voice towered over all the rest- his own.

Parashat Vayera - Morality and Sacrifices

2011-11-06T19:31:00.007-05:00

This parashah is so rich and action-packed that I'm not even scratching the surface of doing it justice in this post. Try to get to shul this Shabbat to re-learn this parashah, or spend some time reading it this week. Vayera is probably familiar from elementary school, but you will approach it now with a more mature outlook, and maybe these or other questions will come to mind.

Morality

The parashah opens with angels visiting Avraham, and we see him setting the example for hachnasat orchim - hospitality - that has influenced his descendants for generations. The angel informs Avraham that Sarah will give birth within one year, and then Hashem informs Avraham that He plans to destroy the corrupt city of Sodom and its suburbs. As Avraham starts famously bargaining with Hashem (if there be 50 tzaddikim, 45, 40, down to 10), he challenges Him:

Will You sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous within the city; will You sweep away and not forgive the place for the fifty righteous that are in it? It is profane of You (chalilah lecha) to do this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be equated with the wicked; it is profane of you (chalilah lecha) -- shall not the Judge of all the earth do justly?! (18:23-26)

Avraham is basically saying to God: "You are not living up to Your own standards of morality. How can You do something which is unjust, when You are the Source of justice?" Putting aside Avraham's brazenness (why wasn't he afraid to speak to God that way?) his question seems paradoxical. If God wants to do something, isn't that action by definition good and just? How can one challenge God on the basis of justice while at the same time acknowledging (as Avraham does) that He is the basis of justice?

Sacrifice

At the end of the parashah, Hashem tells Avraham to offer Yitzchak, the son He had promised Avraham, as a sacrifice. Avraham's willingness sets an example of sacrifice for his descendants for all generations. But when are we called upon to sacrifice in the same way?

Last week my family lived for four days without heat or electricity (we did have hot water though, B"H). Some of my kids missed school, they did homework by candlelight, and we all shivered at night. We were very uncomfortable, but I don't think that was sacrifice, because it wasn't for any greater cause. At the exact same time, a friend told me, schools in Be'er Sheva were cancelled for at least 3 days because of missiles coming from Aza. I think that was sacrifice, of comfort and daily routines, and it was for a greater cause - a life in Eretz Yisrael.

On the other hand, Avraham didn't actually have to give up his son. Other Jews throughout history have had to make that ultimate sacrifice. Avraham is praised because he was willing, but he didn't have to actually sacrifice. What of those who are not willing, or have no choice, but who actually do sacrifice?

Free Parsha Tip

2011-10-31T16:37:00.002-04:00

For those of you who read the questions below, the first & last ones highlight a secret to learning the Parsha. Don't just start at the beginning. If you do, you often join in mid-story. Be sure to check the end of the previous Parsha before trying to figure out what's going on in the one your learning.

Parsha Questions - Lech-Lecha

2011-10-31T16:33:00.001-04:00

A bit of a late start this week, but a thought provoking Parsha. I'll get it started.

While Avram is told by Hashem to leave בית אביך, many meforshim note that in fact, Terach had already begun the Aliya to Canaan at the end of last week's Parsha. If so, what is the legacy of Terach? We all think of him as the idolatrous foil in the Midrashic story of young Avram's scheme to highlight the folly of עבודה זרה, where he claims that the head idol "killed" the other ones. Did he discover Hashem before his death? I once saw (I wish I could quote it, but I don't remember where) the suggestion that sefer bereishit is the story of the children of Terach, which explains the detail of genealogy for the families of Nachor and Lavan, beyond the daughters who married into Avraham's family. Is he the hidden Patriarch of the Torah?
A few questions that stretch into next week as well:

What to make of Lot? What an enigmatic character. Is he a good guy? A bad guy? just kind of there?
In this Parsha we find Avram and Sara traveling to Mitzrayim, and Paro takes Sara captive until he is inflicted by Makot. Next week we find an almost identical story with Avimelech and Plishtim. Why the need for the rerun?

A short note on that same story, from a Maase avot Siman L'banim, I always thought that Avram and Sara both represented Bnei Yisrael and their eventual captivity in Egypt. This morning I noticed that it seems more like Avram is playing the role of Hashem, with Sara as Bnei Yisrael - Avram is never taken. We are often compared to Hashem's wife, but apparently for some reason in between the foreshadowing here in Lech-Lecha, and the real slavery, the metaphor shifted to "בני בכורי ישראל". Not sure why, but open to ideas.

Finally, at the end of the Parsha (we're skipping some interesting, important stuff), Hashem tells Avraham about the coming birth of Yitzchak. Avraham responds with laughter. You remember that at the beginning of next week's Parsha, the Malachim tell Sarah about Yitzchak, and when she laughs, Hashem gets upset.

Why does Hashem get angry at Sarah for laughing but not Avraham?
Why doesn't Avraham tell Sarah what Hashem had told him?
Why does Hashem have to tell them altogether? Why couldn't they just figure it out the way everyone else does?

OK, there they are. Looking for some real feedback from you guys this week. And this time, don't just approach me in the hallway - write it up & send it in.

Parsha at Your Fingertips in the NYT

2011-10-31T10:07:00.000-04:00

Check this out. It's an article about Rabbi Yael Buechler, a teacher at the Solomon Schechter of Westchester who started a Midrash & Manicures club where she paints pictures from the Parsha on her students' nails. Here's a quote:

“Re-envisioning education is what this is all about,” said Rabbi Buechler, 25, who was ordained in May by the Conservative movement’s Jewish Theological Seminary and is the middle school student life coordinator at Schechter. “If I said come to a Midrash course, I’d have five or six students. But Midrash Manicures? Twenty plus.”…
The real beauty, she added, is this: “You can’t possibly come up with a meaningful design for your nails until you have read and analyzed the text.”

Better Late Than...

2011-10-27T13:53:00.000-04:00

A slightly outdated (or really, really early) question from Liat Clark:

Although Yom Kippur has just passed and the selichot-saying days are over, I was wondering: why is it that selichot are said specifically late at night or very early in the morning, rather than together with maariv or after shacharit?

Thanks and great question. In fact, so good a question that Gabrielle Hiller asked it last year and we re-ran it earlier this year (don't worry, you just got here & have a good excuse to having seen it). Does that fully answer your question?

A Rabbi and a Senator Walk Into an Auditorium...

2011-10-27T13:26:00.001-04:00

Here is a video of a public conversation between Senator (and once Vice -Presidential candidate) Joseph Leiberman (I, Conn.) and Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik partially about the Senator's new book about שבת, but also covering many aspects of Mr. Leiberman's unique and fascinating career as the most prominent observant Jewish American politician ever.

I was at the event and it was terrific; really interesting stuff about balancing his duties as a public servant and as a private eved Hashem. Of note to us in light of our recent "Turn it Off Tuesday", he said that the the most difficult moment he has each week is turning off his Blackberry before Shabbat (appently RIGHT before Shabbat), and being forced to acknowledge that for all of his prominence and the important role that he plays in the world, that world can survive without him for 25 hours. He also said that the next moment was his best of the week, as he would feel all of the stresses and difficulties of the week melt away with this one action of turning off his phone. Rabbi Soloveichik was a little more aggressive with his questioning than I would have guessed, and it made for a truly enlightening and entertaining hour. You should watch the whole thing.

It was particularly enjoyable to see so many Maayanot alumni who made the trip up from Stern to participate in the program.

I also got to participate in a reception before the program - here's a picture.

This was the first in a series of conversations Rabbi Soloveichik will be doing. The second one is taking place tomorrow morning (10:00am, I have a conflict) at YU where he will be interviewing Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of England. Promises to be great and I'll post it BN if it gets to YouTube so stay tuned.

Redecorating, Take 2

2011-10-27T13:01:00.000-04:00

After pretty unanimous negative feedback for the Riddler-style background, we went back to the virtual drawing board. Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Another Question on Parshat Noach

2011-10-27T10:04:00.004-04:00

Cut Him Some Slack!

When Noach and his family finally enter the teiva, we are told they do so “מִפְּנֵי, מֵי הַמַּבּוּל,” because of the rising flood waters, (7:7). Rashi points out that these words imply that Noach was lacking complete emmuna, and that he only went into the teiva after the waters of the impeding flood compelled him to do so.

It is not necessarily Noach’s apparent lack of emmuna that should bother us, (although in reality it should), after all, that is one of the enduring questions in all of Tanach- how is it that those with such a direct connection to Hashem, especially those who witness His open miracles, can fail to believe in Him, or even worse, betray him for other gods! What should bother us though, is that this is being said about a man who spent 120 years of his life building teiva but for the his belief in Hashem, despite the constant taunting and ridicule of those around him! This much we do know, Noach did have emmuna, and this is clear from his behavior in the years preceding the flood.

If this is so, how might we help explain Rashi’s "harsh" words about Noach?

Question #1 on Parshat Noach

2011-10-24T13:25:00.001-04:00

The following question on Parshat Noach is from the commentary of the Abravanel on the Torah, (R’ Don Yitzchak Abravanel, 1437-1508):

Already at the end of Parshat Breishit we are told that Noach was 500 years old when Shem, Cham and Yafeth were born to him, ( 5:32),

וַיְהִי-נֹחַ, בֶּן-חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד נֹחַ, אֶת-שֵׁם אֶת-חָם וְאֶת-יָפֶת

Why then are we told this for a second time at the beginning of Parshat Noach, ( 6:9-10):

אֵלֶּה, תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ--נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה, בְּדֹרֹתָיו: אֶת-הָאֱלֹהִים, הִתְהַלֶּךְ-נֹחַ. וַיּוֹלֶד נֹחַ, שְׁלֹשָׁהבָנִים--אֶת-שֵׁם, אֶת- חָם וְאֶת-יָפֶת

The Ramban explains that the lineage of Noach is repeated, as an indication that these were his only sons. Unlike Noach’s ancestors, who bore sons and daughters other than those mentioned explicitly in the Torah, Noach bore only these sons and no other children. The Abravanel, however, is not satisfied by this explanation; He points out that the Torah explicitly states over there ",וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים, וּבָנוֹת " indicating that they had other children as well. Since no such phrase is found by Noach, argues the Abravanel, there must be another reason why his three sons are mentioned a second time.

Can you think of a reason why???

Why Joshua?

2011-10-23T10:20:00.002-04:00

At lunch on Simchat Torah, my wife and I were asking our kids questions about the day, and the haftara came up - the very beginning of ספר יהשוע. She asked why we choose this haftara, and we discovered that we both had always assumed different reasons for it. I thought that it was because after completing the Torah and reading at the end of V'zot Habracha about the death of Moshe Rabbeinu and the subsequent leadership of Yehoshua, we continue the story at the beginning of Nevi'im. My wife thought that it was to parallel the reading of the beginning of the Torah with Bereishit.

After שבת last night, she found this article by Rabbi Meir Soloveichik discussing the question. Great minds...

Pidyon Shvuyim in the NYT

2011-10-23T09:58:00.001-04:00

Check out this interesting article for a perspective on the halachik issues behind the deal for Gilad Shalit. A friend told me that a local Rabbi who never talks politics or current events gave his drasha on Shmini Atzeret about this topic. He defended the deal, despite the gemara's instructions not to redeem captives for excessive prices by noting that the gemara allows paying any price for an extremely important person. Considering what Gilad has come to represent to the Jewish world, he certainly qualifies.

Redecorating

2011-10-23T09:41:00.000-04:00

As you can probably tell, we did some redesign, please let us know what you think in the comments.

Learning About the Details of Mitzvot

2011-10-16T15:56:00.003-04:00

Doreet Wiesel asks:
Why do we learn all of the details of what we do in Judaism? I realize that we need to fully understand in order to fully appreciate what the mitzvot are, but the more one adds on to their common knowledge, the greater the chance of them not understanding is. If we want our mitzvot to be done to the fullest extent, then why do we make it harder to comprehend what we know and love to do?

This is a very interesting question and one about which different people might have very different perspectives. The way I understand your question is that you are suggesting that sometimes our focus on learning the details of halakhot might undermine our intuitive, natural appreciation for the meaning of the mitzvot. In other words, perhaps a strong emphasis on the letter of the law might detract from our appreciation and fulfillment of the spirit of the law. (If I’m misunderstanding your question, please let me know!)

I agree that there is a risk of losing sight of the meaning of mitzvot by becoming excessively detail-oriented in our approach to learning about them. However, I think there is a far greater risk in the other direction. If we don’t continuously learn more about mitzvot, then not only do we risk not being able to fulfill the mitzvot correctly, but we also run the risk of relating to the Torah on a simplistic level. For example, a person may have an inherent love for the mitzvah of sukkah, because it’s such an enjoyable mitzvah and one that often brings back many happy memories and associations. However, if a person’s appreciation and understanding of the mitzvah of sukkah remain at that level, then her experience of the mitzvah remains static throughout her life. By contrast, if she continues to learn more about the halakhot and symbolism of sukkah, then her knowledge and love of the mitzvah have the potential to grow throughout her life. I think that it’s important for a person’s Torah knowledge to grow with the person—as the individual grows in thoughtfulness and depth, her Torah knowledge should expand in the same way. If this doesn’t happen, there is a risk that the Torah might gradually feel less compelling and relevant to her.

I hope that this answer is meaningful to you. Please stop by if you’d like to talk about it more!

Why is Rosh Hashana before Yom Kippur?

2011-10-16T15:46:00.003-04:00

Ariana Brody asks: If Yom Kippur is all about getting rid of your sins, then why doesn't Yom Kippur come before Rosh Hashanah? Wouldn't you want to start your new year with a fresh start and no sins on your shoulders?

Good question. I think that the reason that Rosh Hashana comes before Yom Kippur, even though one might think that it would make more sense to achieve atonement first and enter Rosh Hashana with a clean slate, is that the teshuva of Yom Kippur is dependent upon the relationship that is established on Rosh Hashana. Before asking for Hashem’s forgiveness on Yom Kippur, we first need to establish a relationship to Hashem that is based on awe and reverence. Asking forgiveness before building that relationship would be premature; the gift of divine forgiveness is dependent on our recognition of Hashem’s malkhut and presence in our lives. In other words, if we tried to do teshuva before establishing an appropriate reverence for Hashem, it wouldn’t work—it would be like trying to make our sins go away without solving the problem that led us to sin in the first place.

Rav Shlomo Wolbe (a 20^th-century rav who lived in Eretz Yisrael and wrote works of mussar including his best-known sefer Alei Shur), develops an idea about personal growth that I think is relevant to this topic. Rav Wolbe wrote a sefer about childrearing called Zeriah U-Vinyan BeHinuch. The thesis of his sefer is that national and personal growth is based on the dual dynamic of zeriah (planting) and binyan (building). On the one hand, a person builds himself into a better individual through concerted action—through focusing on the performance of mitzvot and maasim tovim. On the other hand, a person grows in more subtle, organic, gradual ways as well. For example, a parent teaches a child about Judaism in practical ways, by teaching her Humash and halakhot and other areas of Torah. Equally importantly, however, a parent educates a child in Judaism by surrounding her with Jewish concepts and beliefs and experiences. In Rav Wolbe’s terminology, the active, practical type of education and personal growth is called binyan, and the subtle, organic type is called zeriah.

Rav Wolbe associates Rosh Hashana with zeriah, and Yom Kippur with binyan. On Rosh Hashana, we internalize the nature of our relationship with God by accepting His sovereignty, and on Yom Kippur we work actively toward admitting our sins and changing the way we behave. While Rav Wolbe does not explicitly address the question of why Rosh Hashana comes before Yom Kippur, I think that his idea about zeriah and binyan sheds light on the answer. I think it makes intuitive sense that teshuva would begin with zeriah and proceed to binyan, so that our resolutions for the future are built on the solid foundation of a meaningful, personal relationship with Hashem.

More on the Release of Gilad Shalit

2011-10-11T23:20:00.001-04:00

From Temima Kanarfogel:

These past fews years as Gilad Shalit has been held captive by Chamas, many Jewish communities have organized rallies, recited perukim of Tehillim, and raised awareness of the importance of his release. To be honest, I had a hard time even agreeing with the idea that he should be released. Many questions swarmed in my mind: How can Israel trade a relatively large amount of Chamas terrorists for only one of our own soldiers? Is it really worth it to expose put so many more lives in danger to save one? And won’t this prompt Hamas to capture even more soldiers when they see we are willing to pay any price for our captives? Luckily, there are several Halachic sources that answer these questions:

The importance of redeeming a captive is emphasized both by the Rambam and the Shulchan Aruch. The Rambam writes about this in Hilchot Matnot Aniym, “Indeed, there is no religious duty more meritorious than the ransoming of captives, for not only is the captive included in the generality of the hungry, the thirsty, and the naked, his very life is in jeopardy.” The situation that a captive is in is considered worst than most, because he is experiencing multiple sufferings. Therefore we need to treat this matter more seriously. Additionally in the Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 252:3 this idea is further emphasized, “Every moment that one delays in freeing captives, where it is possible, is considered tantamount to murder.”

The Talmud Bavli, Gittin 45a that teach us a captive cannot be redeemed for more than what he is “worth”. These were originally made in order to prevent Jewish societies from experiencing more emprisonments. If a captive is redeemed with an excessive amount of money, other nations or societies may take advantage of this and capture more people. The situation we are dealing with, however, is an exception that enables us to trade even an exorbitant amount of terrorists for Gilad Shalit. A well known Talmudic principle states, “Bari V’Shema, Bari Adif: A certainty and doubtful, the certain takes precedence.” His mortal danger is one of which we are certain. Even though it is not far-fetched to assume that if the terrorists are released, they may threaten lives in the future, it is not for sure. Their release presents a potential risk to many lives, but it is not as definite as the danger that Shalit faces.

Ultimately, Gilad Shalit is part of Klal Yisrael. It is our obligation to return him to his family, and restore his life. Even though the price appears impossible to pay, we must do it. We do not have control over what harm these terrorists may do, but we can save somoene who is in their captivity. The only left to do is daven to HaShem that no significant damage will result from this trade, and bring Gilad Shalit home.

Gilad Shalit

2011-10-11T19:34:00.004-04:00

With all the news surrounding (iy"H) Gilad Shalit's release, I found this blog post by a rabbi from Montreal especially moving and worth reading, no matter what your thoughts may be on the prisoner exchange (on which there is definitely much to discuss). Chag Sameach and hopefully we will be welcoming Gilad home soon!

Divrei Chizuk from Tali Spier

2011-10-07T12:15:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, Thursday October 6^th, I had an extremely unique experience while davening Mincha. I chose to stand near the wall in my classroom to daven shmonah esreh and as I began to daven, I noticed something that transformed my shmonah esreh and led to me to really think about the next few days coming ahead of us. I was standing right next to the clock on the wall, and if you stand close enough, the ticking on those Staples clocks are extremely loud. When I say loud, I mean that every single time a second passes, you are starkly reminded of the fact that another second has passed.

Davening shmonah esreh next to this clock was eye opening. Here I was, on erev erev yom kippur, starting to say shmonah esreh like I would every other day. I had the intent of trying to add a little more kavanah because it’s the aseret yemei teshuva and trying to look out for the 5 things that I needed to add, but overall it would be the same.

And then I noticed the clock, after all it was beating harshly in my head; there was no way I could ignore it.

Tic toc. Tic toc. Tic toc. Tic toc.

TIC Hashiveinu avinu letoratecha TOC.

TIC Bring us back, our Father, to Your Torah TOC.

TIC Slach lanu avinu ki chatanu TOC.

TIC Forgive us, our Father, for we have sinned TOC.

TIC Re’ah nah beanyeinu TOC.

TIC Behold our affliction, take up our grievance TOC.

TIC vegoaleinu mehira lemaan shemecha TOC.

TIC Redeem us speedily for your name’s sake TOC.

TIC Refaeinu Hashem veneirafe TOC.

TIC Heal us, Hashem- then we will be healed TOC.

TIC Barech aleinu Hashem Elokeinu TOC.

TIC Bless on our behalf- O Hashem, our G-d TOC.

TIC Teka beshofar gadol lecheiruteinu TOC.

TIC Sound the great shofar for our freedom TOC.

TIC Viliyerushalayim ircha berachamim tashuv TOC.

TIC To Jerusalem, Your city, may You return in compassion TOC.

TIC Shema Koleinu Hashem Elokeinu TOC.

TIC Hear our voice, Hashem our G-d TOC.

Tic toc. Tic toc. Tic toc. Tic toc. YOM KIPPUR IS COMING- how are we spending these precious moments leading up to the Yom Hadin?

Time is passing, are we preparing?

Time is running out and its time for us to take action.

It is time for us to beg out to Hashem.

Time is passing.

Hashem, bring us back, allow us to do teshuva.

Hashem, forgive us because we know that we have sinned.

Hashem, please bring mashiach; we need redemption.

Hashem, bring us back to Yerushalayim.

Hashem, heal all those who are sick.

Hashem, bless us with a good and sweet new year.

Hashem, please hear our begging.

We are reliant on You and we need YOUR help.

Let's all use our TIME wisely so that Mashiach can really come this year!

May this Yom Kippur be meaningful for all of us and may Hashem fully forgive us all.

May all of our tefilos be answered l’tova.

Gmar Chasima Tova,

Tali Spier

A Great Speech

2011-10-07T11:21:00.000-04:00

Especially in light of our recent "Turn it Off Tuesday", here is a wonderful drasha that Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner, a rabbi in Toronto (who writes at the blog "the Rebbetzin's Husband") gave on Rosh Hashana. You should read the whole thing, but I'll quote some of my favorite passages:

"When I stand in Shemoneh Esreih, I count birds," said one.
"I count the bricks in the wall!" said another
"I'm grateful for my head, because when I arrive at Modim it bows on its own", even if I'm not thinking about the words! said a third.
No, these weren't answers to a shul poll – all of these lines came from amoraim, sages of the gemara, in a Yerushalmi.
Some chachamim have offered alternative, less indicting ways to read this gemara, but as Tosafos said, the bottom line is that even our greatest sages had trouble concentrating.
Do you know that voice someone gets when he's talking to you but he's also scrolling through his email? The longer-than-expected pauses, the repeating of the last words you said while his conscious mind catches up with his subconscious? It's not just when we're checking email, either; we hold too many goals in our minds.
And here's an experiment which may sound a little odd, but it has worked for me: During davening on a weekday, or during telephone calls, or while learning with a chavrusa, keep a piece of paper and pencil nearby. As extraneous topics come to mind, jot them down - not during Shemoneh Esreih, of course. This will tell us what is occupying our minds.
A message we write to ourselves in our siddur, "Are you still focussed?" or "This part is important." I write all over my siddur.

גמר חתימה טובה.

In Tribute to Steve Jobs - A Reflection for the New Year and Yom Kippur

2011-10-06T13:17:00.001-04:00

Here are some inspiring words from Michal & Adina's Dad - I think you will enjoy them.
Building a Better Apple
I know you might not think of your iPhone or iPad as holy, but perhaps we can become better people by reflecting on their creation.

Steve Jobs, Apple’s former CEO failed better than anyone else in
Silicon Valley and perhaps in corporate America. Like most great entrepreneurs, he learned from his failures.

We think of Jobs as the genius who created iTunes, iPhone and Mac books, but think about what else he did. First, though, he designed Apple I and Apple II, which originally only sold in the hundreds. He introduced Lisa, a computer in the early 1980′s, which was deemed an epic failure.

Job’s future success was built on his ability to transcend one failure after another. Steve Jobs reminds us that failure is a good and necessary part of growth.

What were our “failures” from last year? Are we afraid to take risks for fear of failure?

Take a few minutes today to record three challenging experiences from this past year. Reflect on their meaning for your future. How can we build from them?

At the beginning of the Jewish New Year, we dipped apples into honey. Perhaps Steve Jobs gives new meaning to this custom. The tradition reminds us that sometimes the greatest glories are born of catastrophe and, like Jobs, we can turn our Apples into sweetness for the coming year.

May G-d grant the Jobs family comfort and may Steve Jobs memory be a source of blessing and inspiration in the new year.

Rabbi Daniel Cohen

From the Archives - Yom Kippur

2011-10-04T12:22:00.001-04:00

Here's some old material from previous Teshuva seasons:

From me in 2009 - I hope you all saw the inaugural edition of this year's Maayanei Torah, under the new leadership of Mrs. Shapiro and Talia Friedman. It was a great issue, highlighted by two consecutive essays about the connection between Purim and Yom Kippur (Yom kiPurim). Some other answers that I like are the following: Generally, Jewish holidays are split between Torah and prayer on one hand, and festive celebration, expressed by eating and drinking on the other. Purim and Yom Kippur split the two days, where we have Taanit Esther preceding Purim, and a mitzva to eat on erevYom Kippur. My favorite approach is that just as on Purim we where masks & costumes to symbolize that our bodies are also fake coverings that mask our true selves, our souls. That is why we (not you!) drink, because the wine reveals the true individual (נכנס יין יצא סוד). So too on YomKippur, we dress and act like angels, but our message to Hashem is that today is not the day of charades - this is the true us. Really, at our core, we are pure (אלקי נשמה שנתת בי טהורה היא). It is the rest of the year that we masquerade as sinners due to the difficulties that we encounter revealing this true self, but our essence is the Yom Kippur version.
This is from 2010, though the question just came up again in one of my 11th grade Gemara classes -

Selichot Timing
A timely question from alumna Gabrielle Hiller:

I have a question about the technicalities of Selichot: I see shuls have all different Selichot times, whether 10 PM, 12:45 AM, or before Shacharit. What's the support behind all these opinions and is there a preferred time?

Hi Gabrielle, it was so great to see you and so many of your classmates at the Yom Iyun - your grade continues to leave your mark on the school.
The best time is at the very end of the night, right before dawn. Also good is late at night, after חצות (close to 1 am - this is customary for the first night of selichot). The problem with these, is that they are very hard; it means either going to sleep very late or waking up very early, which leaves you really tired the next day. Therefore, many people are lenient and say it before their regular minyan in the morning, whenever that is. Kabbalistically, the absolute worst time to say selichot is at night before chatzot. Night is a time of harsh דין, and an inopportune time to plead our case for mercy. Rav Moshe Feinstein allowed this if needed, but the 10:00 pm Selichot is certainly not ideal.

And note that this just happened again this year:

Today was the end of a trivia question. Last year at Chazara Bowl during Color War, one of the questions was, "when do you read the Torah for 5 consecutive days wthout ever saying Hallel?". The answer, as two of our students knew (Daniella and Avital, right?) was when Rosh Hashana falls out on Thursday and Friday, Tzom Gedalia is observed a day late on Sunday, and we lain on שבת and Monday as usual. Today was the first day since erev Rosh Hashana that we did not read the Torah.

We want Mashiach...now?

2011-10-03T15:20:00.002-04:00

A student wrote:
When I was in Israel this past summer, I spent a lot of time thinking about kibbutz galuyot and the days of Mashiach. However, I cannot help but wonder: how can we truly want and yearn for Mashiach when we have so many other things that we are busy with and things we look forward to? For instance, do we really want Mashiach to come when a sibling is getting married in a month? Or, on a lighter note, when the baseball playoff races are just heating up? Can we want Mashiach to come, but only at a convenient time when we don't have anything planned? My main question is: while we are all learning Torah and the ideal is to do this in Israel in the times of Mashiach, what will happen to all of what we have prepared and look forward to in this world?

This is a question which used to bother me a great deal. Is Mashiach going to come right after I graduate college, just at the right time for me to join all of klal yisrael on the eagle's wings on the date that I had planned to fly with Nefesh b'Nefesh? And, on the flipside, what if it doesn't? If it comes earlier, will I ever go to college? And if it comes later...?

The question has a basic assumption which is important to point out and break down: what is actually going to happen when Mashiach comes? What's that time period going to be like? How do we know?

The navi talks about the time that the wolf and the sheep will get along and play with each other, and that has become the most brilliant example of the peace which yemot hamashiach will bring about. But...what does that mean? Does it mean all nations will be at peace with each other? I hope so. Does it also mean the food chain stop and we'll all be vegetarians? Maybe. Does it mean every day will have perfect weather and we'll never need raincoats and umbrellas and somehow at the same time crops will grow beautiful produce? I don't see how that could be...

The Rambam doesn't like the idea of everything natural being suspended. He interprets the psukim in the navi which seem to indicate that as being allegorical. World peace between nations, yes. Peace between the wolves and the sheep? No.

What do you think about the Rambam's understanding, anonymous asker?
Do you agree with the Rambam's understanding?
In your view, will there be a playoff season?

Great Minds...

2011-10-03T12:35:00.000-04:00

After Rabbi Schacter's talk last week, Ayala Carl and I had a conversation in which she advanced the theory that Avraham had failed the nisayon of the akeida, in that he should have refused to slaughter Yitzchak. I responded that while I don't find it convincing (difficult from both a peshat and hashkafa perspective), I recalled that a prominent Rabbi had made the argument and that she was in good company.

In responding to Mrs. Herzog's question I (re)discovered that Rabbi Shlomo Riskin was the one who argued that Avraham failed, and Rabbi Mayer was also unconvinced (see below).

So what do you think? Did Avraham pass the ultimate (or penultimate) test? Do you agree with me & Rabbi Mayer or Rabbi Riskin and Ayala?

A Time to Fight, A Time to Slaughter Your Son

2011-09-27T13:59:00.000-04:00

I don't want to short circuit the conversation that Mrs.Herzog began, but I have to share with you all an answer to her last question that I found very satisfying. It comes from Rabbi Eytan Mayer (Midreshet Moriah) and can be found here. I'll quote the last paragraphs below, but you should read the whole essay. In fact, skim through the archives - it's outstanding.

"Avraham didn’t have a good answer to what had happened to the promise that Yitzhak would succeed him. He pit his knowledge of Hashem’s promises about Yitzhak against the command to kill him—and decided it was none of his business what would happen with the promises. Once it was clear to him that Hashem did not want him to protest, that He did not want a debate as He did in the case of Sedom, he accepted the command without further explanation.

But how did Avraham know Hashem didn’t want him to protest? Maybe Avraham really failed the test—perhaps the real test was whether he would blindly commit an immoral act, failing the test by sacrificing his son, or stand his moral ground and pass the test by refusing to murder Yitzhak! (Rabbi Shlomo Riskin has suggested this a number of times.)

In order to understand how Avraham knew not to debate with Hashem about killing his son, we must take a step back to Sedom. How did Avraham know that in that case, he was indeed expected to protest, bargaining for the salvation of the damned cities? Avraham took his cue from the relevance—or lack thereof—of Hashem’s revelation. Hashem appears to Avraham one day and says, “Guess what, Avraham, I’ve decided to do away with Sedom.” Avraham says to himself, “Why is He telling me this?” and immediately realizes that since there is no particular reason for Hashem to have told him of Sedom’s fate Hashem is hinting to him that He wants Avraham to engage Him in debate. He wants Avraham to challenge Him.

In the same way, later on in the Torah, we find that Moshe often challenges Hashem: Hashem, infuriated by some Israelite act of disobedience or outright rebellion, turns to Moshe on several occasions and says, “Stand aside and let Me blast them to smithereens!” This is Moshe’s cue to stand directly in the way at all costs and prevent Hashem from destroying the people. Moshe asks himself the same question Avraham asks himself: “Why does He need to tell *me* this?” He concludes that Hashem does not really need him to stand aside in order to pulverize the people; he understands that what Hashem is hinting is that He wants him to intercede, to beg for mercy, to resist the decree.

When Hashem commands Avraham to kill his son, however, Avraham has no choice but to take Hashem’s words at face value, since he cannot ask himself, “Why is Hashem telling me this”—for the answer is obvious: Hashem is telling him to offer his son because He wants Avraham to do it. [This is a very subtle point, so if you’d like to discuss it drop me a line!] If Hashem seems to be telling you something for no reason, or asking you to do something for Him which is transparently unnecessary (like moving out of the way so He can punish Bnei Yisrael, when it’s clear He can punish them without your moving at all), you know He’s hinting something else. But when He delivers a simple command to be obeyed, like a request for a particular sacrifice, the command must be understood and obeyed as voiced.

The lessons of the Akeida are difficult lessons to learn. Some Jews have a very strong to Hashem, sometimes to the detriment of a strong commitment to other people; they learned the lessons of the Akeida perhaps a bit too well. But others still need to learn the lessons of the Akeida, lessons of absolute commitment to Hashem. A Jew is not only a moral interpersonal agent, he or she is a being dedicated first to the service of Hashem."

Questions for Thought and Study for Rosh Hashana

2011-09-27T12:06:00.000-04:00

IThe kriah of the second day of Rosh Hashana is the well-known story of Akeidat Yitzchak. The section begins with the words "Vayehi achar hadevarim ha-eileh, v'ha'Elokim nissah et Avraham."
It is interesting that Elokim is the middah (attribute) that does this. This is the name that is connected to Din, judgement. Does that mean that Avraham "deserved" this in some way? Was this a consequence of something? Elokim is also the name that is associated with nature and natural consequences. So does this mean that it was a natural event to be asked to sacrifice your child? What could be more UNnatural?
And what is the real meaning of "nissah"? A "neis" is a miracle or a banner. Was Hashem asking Avraham to do something beyond nature? And if so, how could Hashem ask that of Avraham? And why was Avraham being "tested" at all? Hadn't he already proven, time after time after time, that He was Hashem's loyal servant?
The question that always bother ME the most in the whole Akeidah account is: Why does Avraham just acquiesce? Why does he argue--for quite a while, until there is nothing left to say--for S'dom and Amorah, cities filled with evil, corruption and immorality, but he doesn't say one work to argue for the life of Yitzchak? How can he believe this n'vuah and not say one word? This command goes against everything that Avraham knows about HKBH at this point in his life.
Wishing everyone a K'tivah va'Chatimah Tovah. May Hashem bless us all with a year filled with health, joy, and peace.

Mrs. Leah Herzog

The Psychology of Teshuva

2011-09-26T13:28:00.000-04:00

Last Tuesday many of us gathered during lunch for a special edition of the Parsha Club to hear Dr.s Yaish & Cohen discuss this fascinating topic with Mrs. Sinensky moderating the conversation. I thought it was amazing, and from the feedback I've gotten from the students, I wasn't the only one. A number of students who had conflicts during lunch expressed disappointment that they missed it, so Torah Committee cabinet member Chavie Cohen agreed to take notes, which I will post below, along with her article for the Stream.

As I said this morning after tefilla, the message that I got most clearly from the session, is that effective teshuva can't just be showing up, saying I'm sorry and I'll never do it again. It's a process and it requires a plan, a strategy to make sure you don't end up in the exact same place 12 months later.

The Stream:
Parsha Club drew a capacity crowd of nearly fifty students during lunch
on Tuesday, September 20. This week's Parsha Club was unique because
Mrs. Tova Sinensky, Talmud Chair, moderated a "Q and A session" and
discussion between Drs. Oshra Cohen and Rayzel Yaish, both of our
Guidance Department, about "The Psychology of Teshuva." Some of the
thought-provoking questions which were raised included, "Can people
really change?" and "How can we view the concept of teshuva between
man and God through the lens of psychology?" and "Can cognitive behavior
therapy be applied to teshuva?"
Dr. Cohen said that, when doing teshuva, people need to set small, measurable
goals. According to a recent study, she added, it takes an average
of ten times until a person finally succeeds in breaking a bad habit. Dr.
Yaish quoted Rabbi Tzvi Blanchard, father of Elana Blanchard '11, who
said that the reason teshuva seems vague is because it is not "one size
fits all," but rather it is a very individual process. The program was organized
by Mrs. Sinensky and Rabbi Donny Besser.

Chavie's Shorthand Notes (I wish we would have recorded it)

· Is Teshuva limited?

o Dr. Yaish- There are some qualities that are difficult to change but you must try.

o Dr. Cohen- Sometimes it’s hard to fully do Teshuva but you have to give it your all. Even trying is success.

· What are some methods for doing teshuva?

o Dr. Yaish- Rabbi Blanchard (Elana & Tamar’s Dad) says that teshuva feels fluffy or unclear because teshuva is not a “one size fits all,” it’s very individualized, so you can’t give hard guidelines exactly how to do it.

· How can you tell someone you forgive them when you really don’t?

o Dr. Yaish- The Torah sometimes commands us to feel a certain way. If Hashem is commanding us to feel a certain way then there has to be a way to reach those feelings and forgive. If you don’t fully forgive someone then go talk to them and say why you are upset with them. But, we have the power to get over what happened in the past.

o Dr. Cohen- It is hard to forget but you should try to forgive and move on.

· What’s a step for us to take in order to forgive?

o Dr. Yaish- Teshuva is a process and it starts by forgiving yourself.

o Dr. Cohen- It’s very hard to say “I did wrong” and it’s very easy to criticize others and point out of their problems. The way to start is by saying “I did something wrong to you and I’m sorry, but you also did wrong to me.”

A Rabbinic Giant

2011-09-22T05:32:00.000-04:00

Speaking of influencing people's behavior with love, there's a great article in Mishpacha magazine about Rabbi Yudin that I found really inspiring (the reporter is a second cousin). I know a bunch of you daven in his shul, and I think this really captures some of his incredible strength as a leader, though my understanding is that he does a lot behind the scenes that the article doesn't even scratch the surface of.

There's No I in Jew, (But There's More Than One in Bnai Yisrael)

2011-09-22T05:26:00.000-04:00

I think that the tension that Mrs. Schapiro describes is very real, especially in the world of Modern Orthodoxy. Mussar does not come naturally to most of us, and yet there is a mitzvat aseh of הוכיח תוכיח את עמיתיך - we're obligated to tell the people that we see doing wrong that they are doing wrong. We have joined the rest of the world living by the mantra "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" - that unless we're perfect it's hypocritical to rebuke someone else. But we've forgotten that that expression comes from the New Testament.

It's true that Chazal teach "אל תדין את חברך עד שתגיע למקומו" and that there is an exception to the obligation to give mussar, if we think that it won't work. We use these sources to justify our silence, assuming that others would be put off and offended if we said anything, but isn't that because of the culture that we helped create where rebuking is taboo? Ask most unaffiliated Jews which type of Orthodox Jew is their favorite, and they will often say Chabad. There is a way to give תוכחה, out of love and caring, that isn't condescending or offensive. We just have to work to find it.

Parsha Questions - Nitzavim-Vayelech

2011-09-18T17:14:00.002-04:00

Parashat Nitzavim is the source of the concept kol Yisrael arevim zeh ba-zeh, all Jews are responsible for one another. Devarim 29:28, after the restatement and renewal of the brit between Hashem and Bnei Yisrael, declares: “The secret things belong to Hashem our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” If a person sins in secret, the community cannot be expected to react, but if a person sins in public, the community is held liable. American culture, on the other hand, emphasizes the idea of “rugged individualism” – going one’s own way and carving one’s own destiny. We have no doubt absorbed some of American individualism, and I wonder: is individualism compatible with Torah ideals? Is there room for individualism within a community that has, as a whole, made a brit with Hashem? How comfortable are we with being responsible for the observance of our fellow Jews? How do we manifest that responsibility?

Parashat Nitzavim is always read around the time of Rosh HaShanah because of perek 30, which contains the promise/commandment “you shall return to Hashem, your God” (pasuk 2). The next pesukim continue “God will return your captivity…God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your children to love God…” I find the imagery of God returning us, and drawing closer to Him, and helping us do teshuvah, beautiful and moving. It implies that when we reach out to Hashem, He will help us return, and He is always waiting for us with open arms. Pesukim 11-14 reassure us that teshuvah (or Torah as a whole) is “not in heaven, not beyond the sea”; rather it is “very close to us.” Hashem makes it seem so easy to do teshuvah, but in my experience it is quite difficult. Why do you think the pesukim make teshuvah sound so easy?

Frum Week

2011-09-15T13:07:00.000-04:00

Check out this article by a Yale student who is a Reform Jew, who decided to experiment with observance by trying to keep every mitzva she could for a week. It's an incredible perspective on our daily lives. It makes me wonder if I should try a Frum week of my own, where I do all the things I normally do but try to see them through her eyes. No matter where she goes from here, yasher koach Emily Langowitz.

An Alarming Elul Story

2011-09-15T08:39:00.000-04:00

Maayanot Alum Michelle Zivari submits the following inspiring story:

Hello Why-aanot blogosphere!

My cousin told a story at his shevah brachot that is relevant for Chodesh Elul and I thought I should share.

In his Yeshiva ,for some reason that I am unaware of, it is very common for the fire alarm to go off. One Friday night, when everybody was in bed, the fire alarm went off. Some bochrim went down to the lobby to wait until they were cleared to re-enter the building and some bochrim were tired and just stayed in bed. My cousin was in the latter group, he was tired so he decided to sit in bed and wait for the alarm to be turned off. The firefighters arrived at the building and started going room to room to see if there was a fire. When a firefightered entered my cousin's room he saw my cousin and was shocked. He looked him in the eye and said," Are you kidding me? There could have been a fire!".
My cousin was very shaken up by that experience and didn't know what to make of it. In the spirit of growing from life experiences he thought about what he could learn from teh exchange . Finally he came to the realization that this encounter could teach him something about valuable about chodesh Elul.

Chodesh Elul is like a fire alarm. Every year it comes around warning you to save yourself, to do teshuvah. We have the tendency to treat it like a fire alarm, we know there is a possibility of danger but we don't believe there is a fire. We have to try reprogram ourselves to realize the urgency of chodesh Elul and not wait for it to pass us by.

God and Tragedy

2011-09-14T09:21:00.002-04:00

Following this thread of discussion reminds me of how inspired I was after reading the Rav's exploration of responses to personal tragedy (using Iyov as an example) in Kol Dodi Dofek. The message I got from his writing is that there is an important line between attributing tragedy to one's sins and using tragedy as a personal, "teachable moment" of inspiration to look for ways to improve one's self. For all the reasons others have mentioned in this thread, and most importantly because I consider it hubris to draw conclusions (in a post-nevu'a world) about where and how God casts blame and retribution, I recoil from the idea of looking for individual or societal transgressions as motivations for God's allowing tragedies to occur. But I have found great personal comfort and benefit in looking for ways to improve myself as a way to work through (or around) the awful feelings surrounding personal trauma, and I think it could be equally beneficial in the case of collective tragedy.

Dare to Disconnect!

2011-09-14T04:57:00.003-04:00

The rabbi of my shul, Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger, spoke this past Shabbos about the constant distraction that phones, texting and internet create in our lives, and how they interfere with the attention we give to relationships we have with family and friends.

After Shabbos he sent out an email with a link to this great video clip. Watch it, and dare to disconnect!

Another Response

2011-09-13T09:43:00.007-04:00

I wanted to respond to a few points made in Rabbi Besser's post. While I agree with Rabbi Besser's message that it is an important value to reflect on world catastrophes that happen and not leave those experiences unchanged as a person, I do however disagree with a couple of points. Firstly, I think it's important to note that the specific Jewish and non Jewish theologians who make comments attributing tragedies to sins are usually only a few extremists who are not taken seriously at all by the mainstream. I am reminded of a great quote by Rav Lichtenstein who states, "I don't have G-d's phone number, the way some others seem to have" (see an interesting article on that topic here). Most respected religious leaders would never make such comments and therefore I don't think the comments of a few extremists warrant an argument deserving of consideration. Secondly, I don't know if a secular country passing a law which grants rights to minorities can even be part of discussion of Divine punishment.

I think the message to take from the tochecha is that even though we no longer live in a world of nevua where we can make direct correlations from world tragedies to our own actions, we should always strive to be reflective about experiences that we go through, asking ourselves what message we can take from them in order to become better people, instead of directing blame outwardly onto others. For example, the lesson I took from all the worry over what the hurricane would do to NYC, was that we shouldn't take our homes and safety for granted, something that we often do living in the luxury of the United States, and that we should appreciate what we have, knowing that it can be taken away from us at any moment.

Response to Parsha Questions

2011-09-13T00:02:00.001-04:00

Just a few thoughts in response to Rabbi Besser's post.

First, I think there is a difference between attributing disasters to particular causes, and taking meaning from disasters. In other words, I can’t presume to know why Irene happened, or why so many people have to suffer, but I can internalize from that that ultimately my life is in God’s hands. I can’t presume to understand the Holocaust, but I can learn humility in the face of God’s master plan.

Furthermore, I think it is dangerous to try to attribute disasters to a particular cause. Without direct communication with neviim, we can’t ever really know what God agrees or disagrees with, and we certainly can’t judge when something is bad enough to cause suffering on a grand scale Trying to make those calls undermines the humility we should be striving for.

Also, I think questioning God is part of the religious growth process, which we can learn from Iyov, who was a faultless person who lost everything he had, including his family. Iyov is not faulted for raging against God; on the contrary, those in the book who claim that his losses must be due to sins are silenced. All Iyov is asked to do is understand that he can’t really understand why God does what He does. I think that’s all that’s asked of us.

An Anonymous Student Responds

2011-09-11T17:44:00.002-04:00

In response to what Rabbi Besser said about natural and man made disasters being punishments for our bad behavior, while I somewhat agree that sometimes, the reason bad things happen is to tell us that we're doing something wrong, is that really fair to everyone, both Jews and Non Jews, to punish us so harshly? Coincidentally, today is the 10th anniversary of 9/11. If people try to give a reason for 9/11, or Chas V'Shalom, JUSTIFY it, by saying, "Well, Hashem must be trying to tell us something. Let's learn from this punishment and move on and try to be better Jews as a result of it.", did all of those people, whether Jewish or not, really deserve to die, and have their family and friends go through such trauma, just so Hashem could show us that we aren't living up to our potential? The same goes for the Holocaust. Did 6 million Jews really have to die for this point to be made? If these man made disasters really are punishments and we're supposed to learn from them, doesn't the fact that they are so harsh and traumatic make people want to further themselves from being the best Jew they can be? I know that many people didn't want to be religious after the Holocaust because they believed that "Hashem should've helped us". I know that this is an extremely hard question to answer, and of course, we have no control, and we should obviously have as much emunah in Hashem as possible, but sometimes, I can't help but be bothered by this notion that people should lose their lives so that we can possibly take a lesson from it.

Parsha Questions - Ki Tavo

2011-09-11T16:47:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned, we're going to start each week off with a couple of questions on the Parsha, hopefully leading to some conversation. Here goes:

The dominant feature of פרשת כי תבוא is the תוכחה, the extended and detailed curses about all of the horrific punishments that בני ישראל will receive if we don't follow Hashem. A big part of that message seems to be, that if awful things happen to us, we shouldn't just assume that "that's life" or give a scientific explanation for it, but assume that it is a message from Hashem. Is that truly how we should live? The Nevi'im sure sound that way. Yet, after every disaster - natural (like Katrina or Japan or Irene) or man-made (like the Holocaust or 9/11), theologians Jewish and non-Jewish will often attribute the tragedy to any of various sins. Did Irene come because New York passed a same sex marriage bill? Was Katrina a punishment for Mardi Gras? Was the Holocaust a punishment? Send in your thoughts (comments or e-mail), and I think we'll discuss it at either PC or mishmar.
The Parsha starts with the mitzva of ביכורים - It teaches, that when bringing the fruits to the Kohen at the בית המקדש, you must recite a passage that states that you have fulfilled all of your obligations regarding this produce. This recitation is called וידוי מעשרות. Isn't that odd, that a statement that you did everything right is called viduy - confession? Why do you think that is?

פרשת כי תצא

2011-09-09T12:56:00.000-04:00

A new thing that we're going to try this year is early in every week, someone will post some thought provoking questions about the parsha, and hopefully stimulate some interesting conversation either in the comments or by e-mail (questions@maayanot.org).

It's a little late in the week for that, but here's a thought that I'm working on now, so I'm not sure what to do with it and would love some feedback.

The first 3 topics of the parsha are eishet yefat toar - the rules of a soldier who is overcome by lust for a woman (the beautiful woman) from the enemy nation and takes her as a captive. The Torah recognizes that humans are imperfect (דברה תורה כנגד יצר הרע) and provides regulations that he must go through before marrying her.

Second is the rule that if a man has two sons from two wives, but he loves one and hates the other. If the older son is from the hated wife, he may not bypass him in favor of his beloved younger half-brother.

Finally the Torah teaches the rule of a Ben Sorer u'Moreh, a good for nothing soon who is killed for his misdeeds before he can grow into an adult dangerous criminal. The Gemara explains that this is because he is נידון על שם סופו - judged on his end. The בן סורר ומורה is executed not for the relatively trivial crimes that he commits as a child, but for the serious crimes that he would go on to commit in the future that will now never occur.

Understandably, many meforshim (even the midrash) see echoes of Yaakov, Rachel and Leah in this story - Rachel is called a יפת תואר, Leah and אשה שנואה, and Yaakov bypassed her בכור, and gave the double portion to מנשה & אפרים, the sons of Yosef, the בן אהובה.

Upon closer inspection, it looks more like Avraham, Sarah, Hagar, Yitzchak and Yishmael, only the Torah is commanding us to the opposite of what Avraham and Sarah did. Sarah is the first "yefei", who actually was taken captive for the purpose of marriage. Avraham, on Sarah's advice and Hashem's command chooses the younger ben ahuva over the bechor ben hasnua. And finally, a ben sorer umoreh (Yishmael) is not killed al shem sofo, but saved b'asher hu sham.
I'm not sure what to do with it, but if this is true, it's also probably not a coincidence that we read it during Elul as we ask Hashem to be judged "b'ahser hu sham".

9/11- Some Jewish reading material

2011-09-08T22:40:00.001-04:00

Yasher koach to all of you who participated in tonight's kickoff kumzitz Mishmar, and in particular to Yaffa Cohen who shared some of her reflections of what it was like to life in the face of terror last year in Israel. While we discussed 9/11 bit at mishmar, will be having a short program tomorrow, and might learn about a different aspect next week at Parsha Club, for those of you looking to find some meaning in it or just read up some, here are some interesting articles:

For some reflections and hashkafa, see this translation of a lecture by Rav Lichtenstein and this essay by Rabbi Basil Herring.

Here is an interview with Rabbi Michael Broyde, who spearheaded the efforts of the RCA Beth Din of America (full disclosure - I do some work for them, but didn't at the time) to avoid aguna problems for the many women whose husbands were presumed to have died in the Towers, but left no physical evidence or witnesses to confirm it. He and others who worked on it (Rabbi Yona Reiss, Rabbi Shlomo Weissman) have spoken and written in greater detail about it, but this interview gives you a taste of the incredible work they did and the novel methods used (within the established rules of halacha) to try to free as many of these women as they could.

Finally, here's an incredible article in the NYT from November 6, 2001 about Stern College students doing Shemira (watching over a dead body, reciting Tehillim) in 4 hour shifts over Shabbos for the bodily remains found at Ground Zero - read it.

And We're Back!

2011-09-07T12:15:00.003-04:00

And better than ever!
Let's start simple...
Maayanot in the News (That's Mrs. Block - Mrs. Kahan is quoted in the article. Check it out.

Back to school - The Jewish Standard

jstandard.com

As the 2011-2012 school year dawns, financially strapped Jewish day schools are faced with myriad challenges. The statistical likelihood of many new teachers leaving the profession within their first three years on the job, coupled with recent economic constraints, highlights one of those challenges...

An Important Note From Layla and Rachel

2011-06-22T14:18:00.002-04:00

June 25, 2011 marks the fifth anniversary of Gilad Shalit’s captivity. Last Night, we went to a showing of a documentary called “Family in Captivity,” which showed how the Shalit family has been coping with Gilad’s capture throughout the years, but instead of the political/media perspective that we are used to seeing, this film had more of a personal agenda and focused on the emotional aspects of the Shalits’ day-to-day lives.

After the film, the filmmakers Tal Goren and Tamar Pross were available for a Q&A session. One question asked that stood out to us was “What can we do to help?” Tamar Pross mentioned that donations for the Shalit family are always welcome, since they left their jobs to devote all of their time to promoting and protesting for Gilad, and are basically living off of donations now, but more than making donations, we have to raise awareness about Gilad. Many Americans, even Jews, haven’t heard of Gilad Shalit and they are unaware of his captivity (which violates the red cross’ international guidelines for prisoners of war). We left with the question of what can we do to help? How much of an impact can we make, and how many people can we influence to help make a change?

While we are pondering these questions ourselves, we wanted to pose them to the Ma’ayanot community as well—what can each and every one of you do to help Gilad Shalit and make a difference?

--Rachel Ullman and Layla Blenden

This film is being showed for a limited time in a limited amount of places, however, if you are able to see it, we strongly recommend!

Find showing times at http://www.israelfilmcenter.org/israeli-film-database/films/family-in-captivity

To see updates, photos and videos of Gilad Shalit’s cause, and to donate, go to http://www.gilad.org/eng

Alumnae Yom Yerushalayim Video!!

2011-06-01T13:41:00.004-04:00

Thank you to Rena Levin '10 and her fellow Ma'ayanot alumnae at Midreshet HaRova and Midreshet Amit who put together a fantastic video (both meaningful and hilarious) about what it's like to be in Israel for Yom HaZikaron, Yom Ha'atzmaut and Yom Yerushalayaim, which was shown at today's Student Appreciation Breakfast. It gives me a great sense of pride to see our alumnae's strong Zionist beliefs and how connected they are to Medinat Israel! Check it out below!

What Would You Do If You Knew?

2011-05-23T11:53:00.003-04:00

A recent medical finding hit the news last week: there is now a blood test available that can "predict" how long you will live. This test is based on the relative length of the telomeres, the tips of the chromosomes. These tips get shorter over a lifespan; by measuring your telomeres, your lifespan can be predicted.

In the news report that I saw, a reporter went around telling people about the availability of this new blood test and asking them: Would you take it? Would you want to know how much longer you have to live? What would you do (differently) if you knew when you were going to die? There were some interesting answers to the last questions, but what was even more interesting was this: no of those questioned wanted to take the test and to know how much longer they would live.

I have asked myself these questions many times. There is a famous midrash about the way in which the dor hamidbar died: Every year, on Erev Tisha B'Av, all the men would dig graves for themselves and lie down in them. In the morning, those who were supposed to die that year had died. Everyone else got up and knew that they would live for at least another year. Since the onesh was on those between the ages of 20 and 60, you knew that as you approached 60, you were going to die soon.

So I have pondered, is that kind of definite foreknowledge a good thing or a horrible thing? On the "good" side, if I know exactly how long I have to live, then I can make sure to both compose my "bucket list" of what I want to do before I die and take the time to do what I have set out for myself. I won't have to worry about dying on any random day because I know when I will die. On the other hand, all fantasies of immortality (and don't we all have them?) will be robbed from me, and I will have no escape from the relentlessly ticking time-clock that is my life. What would be the point of living if I know exactly when I am going to die? It is a terrifying thought.

So what would you do? Would you choose to know when you are going to die? And if you did know, what would you do with the time that you had left?

Lag B'Omer

2011-05-22T15:25:00.000-04:00

Is everyone ready for Lag BO'mer at the Goldsteins? You do NOT want to miss it.

Nachat-Fest 2011

2011-05-22T14:47:00.000-04:00

We didn't need the media to take pride in the enormous Kiddush Hashem performed by our students who did the relief work in Minnesota, but it's nice to see them spreading the news here, here, here, and here. Yasher koach to them all, Ms. Steinreich who both supervised the mission and coordinated the media blitz, and Rabbi Prince, their spiritual leader.
This year's Derech Hateva, Stern College's journal of Torah and Science has come out. One of it's editors is Maayanot alum Elisa Karp who also has an article on the chemistry of Techeilet, and the opening article is by Pamela Apfel about Man's Place in BRCA (not sure what that means).

Torah-ton Reflections

2011-05-22T14:15:00.001-04:00

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.

Touching Story

2011-05-10T11:09:00.001-04:00

There is a story told of Rav Shlomo Zalman Aeurbach, that appears in
the frontispiece of Rav Rimon's הלכה ממקורה: צבא. Once a student from
Yeshivat Kol Torah approached Rav Shlomo Zalman Aeurbach zt"l and
asked him, 'may I interrupt my studies (of Torah) to travel to prayer
at the graves of the righteous/tzadikim?' Rav Shlomo Zalman answered
him, 'it is preferable to remain in the yeshiva and learn (Torah).'
The student asked, 'is there no place for going at times to the graves
of the righteous to pray? Does the rav not go at times to pray at the
graves of the tzadikim?' Rav Shlomo Zalman answered him, 'in order to
pray at the graves of tzadikim there is no need to travel to the
Gallilee. When I feel a need to pray at the graves of the righteous,
I go to Mount Herzl(Israel's national military cemetery in Jerusalem),
to the graves of the soldiers who died for the sake of God.'

Toldot Israel Video

2011-05-09T18:21:00.004-04:00

Sorry about flooding the blog with Zionist posts - but here is a great Yom Ha'atzmaut movie! Enjoy!

Yom HaZikaron 2011

2011-05-08T22:39:00.013-04:00

Yom HaZikaron starts tonight- when we remember the 22 837 soldiers and terror victims who gave their lives for the State of Israel.

I used to find it strange that Yom Ha'atzmaut comes right after Yom HaZikaron - how are we supposed to switch from extreme sadness to extreme joy within a 48 hour period? But maybe this is the most appropriate way to celebrate, as to truly appreciate Medinat Israel, we first have to take time to realize the tremendous sacrifices that it took (and continues to take) for us to have our own independent state in the land of Israel.

In Israel everyone will spend the day visiting military cemeteries, watching and listening to the stories of fallen soldiers on TV and on the radio and stopping everything they are doing (even driving on the highway) to stand at attention for 2 minutes during a memorial siren in the morning. Anyone who has been to Israel on Yom HaZikaron can tell you that it feels as if the entire country is mourning together.

In America, it's much harder for us to feel this way. We may take breaks from our regular day of school on Yom HaZikaron to have a ceremony, hear a speaker and watch a video in Ma'ayanot, but it's much harder for us to connect to the day. We live busy lives and for many of us, Yom HaZikaron may even take 2nd place to our studying for and taking of AP exams. As well, as much as we are thankful for everything that Israeli soldiers do for us, sometimes it may be hard for us to see them as more then the guys in uniform that we run to take pictures with on MachHach and Yad b'Yad... For high school students in Israel, these soldiers are their neighbors, older brothers, cousins... plus most importantly, these soldiers are who they will be becoming in a few short years when they turn 18 and it becomes their turn to put on a uniform.

Even though it is much harder for us to connect to Yom HaZikaron in America, perhaps we can take an important lesson from this and see it as a reminder of the different religious and emotional quality of life one can have when living in Israel (yes, even different then Teanck, land of kosher restaurants!); where you can experience the special sense of unity in the country around Yom HaZikaron/Yom Ha'atzmaut and where you don't have to feel as if your religious life is running on a different calendar then the country that you are living in, as businesses are closed on chagim and bagrut (government) exams would never be scheduled on Yom HaZikaron or Yom Ha'atzmaut!

I encourage you to take some time and read some stories of fallen soldiers to help you connect to the Yom HaZikaron on a more personal level. You can check out a post on this blog from last year for some links to powerful stories. I would also recommend a great story by Daniel Gordis (one of my favorite Israeli-American writers) and a story by David Hartman who lost his son-in-law in the Lebanon war in 1982.

Have a meaningful Yom HaZikaron and an amazing Yom Ha'atzmaut!

How Should Jews Respond to Bin Laden's Death?

2011-05-02T17:03:00.006-04:00

A friend of mine forwarded me this link which provides an interesting approach on what the Jewish reaction should be to Bin Laden's death. How should we respond to the deaths of our enemies? Is it ever correct to rejoice at the death of another person? We know that on Pesach, even when commemorating our victory over those who enslaved us for hundreds of years, we still spill out drops of wine from our cup while listing the Makkot and omit parts of Hallel on the last days of Pesach (when the Egyptian army drowned in the sea) out of respect for the Egyptians' suffering. So how should we react to yesterday's news of Bin Laden's death? Check out the link and think about it!

Chol Hamoed - Not just Chol

2011-04-22T07:41:00.000-04:00

Just a quick reminder that chol hamoed days are not just days that, to quote my 3 year old son "are still Pesach, but you can do muktza." Let's even set aside his use of the colloquial, erroneous use of "muktza" for "melacha", the bigger point is that there are real איסורי מלאכה on chol hamoed. Here is a blog post (I'm not otherwise familiar with the blog, but it seems like a good summary of a Shiur by Rabbi Simon) outlining some of the details. Some of the more relevant issues that should be avoided unless explored are any hard labor and writing (not typing - hope you weren't expecting those tests back too soon - it's 2 weeks of class time, right?). Shaving (see here for a good article on the subject by Rabbi Jachter) is controversial. Laundry, hair and nail cutting are generally prohibited. Great Adventure trips are OK.

Chag Sameach

2011-04-22T07:19:00.000-04:00

Here's some of the Pesach material you might find interesting:

Yeshiva University's Pesach To Go is always a favorite. This time it is highlighted by a great article by our own Mrs. Kahan (I think all of the copies I left in the atrium were taken) on the importance of the Hatan Damim episode as a prelude to yetziat Mitzrayim. I once read a different explanation that I found compelling as well, in Amittah Shel Torah by Rabbi Yitzchak Twersky (one of our alumna was just telling me how much she enjoys his shiurim in Israel). Still Mrs. Kahan's analysis opened my eyes about the precise connection between the two בריתות Hashem forges with Avraham and their parallel roles in the geula.
Also in the Pesach To Go, I'm thrilled that they went back to their old custom of leading off with an old Rabbi Lamm Derasha. This one is from 1965, and discusses the difference between contrasting types of seacrching for something new. Here's my favorite paragraph:

Perhaps it is best to distinguish between these two elements of newness by using two different terms: “novelty” and “renewal.” Novelty is the misuse of the inclination for newness for things, for gadgets, for “kicks.” Renewal comes about when we apply the desire for newness to man himself, to achieve new insights which result in the transformation of his soul and his spirit. Novelty is extrinsic; it is a question of packaging. Renewal is intrinsic; it is a matter of content. Novelty is the seeking of thrills; renewal is the thrill of seeking. The desire for novelty is what leads a young man from a Jewish home to date non-Jews and ultimately to intermarry. The search for renewal leads a young person from a background of little or no Jewish education to seek out Torah and mitzvot. If we are concerned only with novelty, then we change Judaism in order to make it palatable for most Jews. But if we seek renewal, then we try to change Jews to make them more worthy of Judaism.

Wow, he is good. Read the whole thing.

On that subject, this year I used the new Rabbi Lamm Hagadah "The Royal Table," but not surprisingly couldn't get through much of it - just too much going on at the seder. My new business idea: a Hagadah with divrei Torah of six lines or less to actually use at the seder. All of these other ones are good for Yom Tov afternoon or the Talit bag, but don't help much at the seder.
Finally, I read another strong issue of Maayanei Torah (the student portion, at least). The last article, an excellent and original one by Talia Moss & Ilana Teicher interestingly enough also touches on the chattan damim story, and even takes a stand on it that I don't think is generally assumed - that Hashem was about to kill Moshe's son, and not Moshe himself. Question to the authors: Even assuming that to be the case, in what way did Moshe help Tzippora save him?