The New 'Week Under the Sun' at Kohelet 9/9/16

Parshat Shoftim teaches that a Jewish king is required to write a Sefer Torah. The Torah formulates this requirement in unusual language: "Mishneh HaTorah, a recapitulation of the Torah." Why does the Torah choose this unusual phraseology?

The Gemara Sanhedrin (21b) derives from our verse that a king is obligated to compose not just one but two Torot, one for one's inner chamber (beit genazav ) and another one (presu mably travel-size) to accompany him in the public domain.

Why is one required to write multiple Sifrei Torah? R. Shalom Noach Berezovsky, author of the Chasidic classic Netivot Shalom, makes two points by way of offering an approach. First, he proposes that we may view the king metaphorically as representing those who study Torah. As the Gemara suggests, "Who are the kings? The scholars."

Second, he proposes that the "outer" and "inner" realms represent more than just physical spaces. The outer domain represents that which is universal, unchanging. This Sefer Torah is intended to symbolize the our commitment to the absolutes of Torah, such as halakhic observance, which do not depend on personal proclivities or personality. On the other hand, the inner Torah epitomizes the areas of Torah that are unique to each individual. Because every soul is different, every one of us is drawn to different parts of Torah. Each person interprets Torah ideas through the lens of his or her own life experience.

As we complete our first full week of Torah study at school, I am struck by our students' commitment to compose both of these Torot for themselves. They have been learning the same sections of Torah as their peers and classmates, and have studied and observed so many of the same halakhot . At the same time, it has been nothing short of inspiring to see different students drawn to different areas in the learning. Some learn halakha after davening; others study Mishnah each Thursday morning with Rabbi Friedman; and yet others have begun learning Tractates of Gemara with the intention of making a siyyum later on in the year. And this doesn't begin to scratch the surface of the passion our students have demonstrated in the classroom.

Let us all be inspired by our students commitment to write for themselves both Sifrei Torah - and let us all recommit to doing the same in our own lives.

Shabbat Shalom

ברוכים הבאים

Dr. Rachel Bright

Kohelet Yeshiva welcomes Dr. Rachel Bright , who has joined the Kohelet faculty part-time, as the Physical Education and Health Foundations instructor.

Dr. Bright is looking forward to providing Kohelet students with the opportunity to practice and develop individualized fitness and health skills necessary to maintain active, healthy lifestyles for life.

STUDENT RELIGIOUS GUIDANCE

This week we unrolled our Religious Guidance program to 10th - 12th grade students.

The goal of the Religious Guidance program is to help each student grow religiously and spiritually based on his or her own individual strengths and needs. Every student will be paired with a Religious Guidance Counselor and will meet with him or her on an ongoing basis throughout the year. These meetings will be used to set specific religious goals, to learn topics of interest to help the student accomplish these goals, and to pursue an individual path to growth.

This year we expanded the number of religious guidance counselors from 5 to 12 so that each student can choose someone with who m he or she truly connects. The program will be unrolled to the Freshmen after the chagim once they have more fully acclimated to Kohelet and promises to impact their religious and spiritual development as much as it has impacted the other Kohelet students.

COLLEGE GUIDANCE

Over the next few weeks, different colleges will be visiting Kohelet, speaking to the students and conducting one-on-one meetings with individual students. This week Yeshiva University and Stern College visited Kohelet. Next week Tel Aviv University will be here and the week of September 20 we will be hosting Drexel, Brandeis, Chicago and Emory Universities.

Representative from Yeshiva University

STUDENT BONDING

At Kohelet Yeshiva High School, we strongly believe that extra-curricular activities are an essential part of the day. This week, our students gathered to take part in a 45-minute student bonding activity. This activity divided

the whole school into smaller multi grade groups and faced 8 different challenges. The challenges included brain games, physical challenges and group problem solving. This allowed all of our students to get to know one another better. The sunshine was bright and a good time was had by all including the faculty who served as the judges. The activity ended with a pizza lunch for everyone!

A WINDOW INTO THE CLASSROOMS

MATMIDIM PROGRAM

Kohelet Yeshiva High School Zuckerman Matmidim program

is designed to foster and enhance a culture of serious student Torah learning

beyond the classroom. Kohelet students chose to learn either 10 daf of Masechet Megilla or significant sections of Shmuel Bet over this past summer and recently took a test demonstrating their mastery over their learning. Kol Hakavod to them all!

Click here for more information on the Matmidim program

פרנס היום

Learning for the month of Elul has been generously sponsored by dedicated Kohelet parents, supporters, and friends

Alisha and Jack Abboudi

as a zechut for the continuing good health of Bubby Miriam Margolis and in memory of their zaide Yitzchak Isaac ben Reuven z"l whose 16th yahrzeit will fall on the 12th of Elul.

Thank you to the Abboudi family, and may our learning and tefillot over the course of this month pave the way for a happy, healthy, and meaningful new year.

שנה טובה

Become a Parnas Hayom (Daily Sponsor)

and Support Learning in our Beit Midrash

For more information and to sign up, click here here or e-mail
Tammie Neuman at [email protected]

ימים נוראים

ראש השנה ויום כיפור

Schedule & Childcare

Monday & Tuesday, October 3 & 4

10:15-11:00 am

NEW CHILDREN'S PROGRAM

תפילה & תוֹרָה with

Mrs. Becky Troodler

Children ages 4 - 7

Children ages 8 - 10 are welcome to join as madrichim & madrichot

Click here to RSVP for ימים נוראים davening and childcare at Kohelet Yeshiva.

Please feel free to email [email protected] with any questions.

IF YOU WILL IT, IT IS NO DREAM

JOIN US FOR A CONVERSATION

NEXT WEDNESDAY WITH

RABBI YAIR SILVERMAN

Co-founder of Moed

Zichron Yaakov, Israel

"If You Will It, It Is No Dream"

Dreaming Big for Israel's Jewish Future

At the home of Stacey & Amir Goldman

325 Sycamore Ave, Lower Merion

Rab bi Yair Silverman is the co-founder of Moed based in Zichron Yaakov, Israel. Moed's mission is to seize the historic opportunity of the ingathering of the exiles to magnify the capacity of the Jewish and Democratic State. Moed's enterprising activity generates interaction with different segments of the population to engage text, culture, and conversations in shaping a shared vibrant contemporary Jewish life. Rav Yair is a founding member of Beit Hillel, the IRF, a rabbinic mentor in Rabbanei Tzohar, received his Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshiva University. Before making aliya in 2006, he served as the Rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel in Berkeley, CA. In addition Rav Yair served with distinction in a combat unit of the IDF.

http://moed.org.il

שבת של רוח

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

FOR THE FIRST SHABBAT SHEL RUACH

FOR THIS YEAR