Sunday, November 18, 2012

Devorah - The right Influence


At this weeks Shabbat Assembly we talked about the influence our parents, teachers, siblings, and friends have on on us. In last week's Parsha we had the meeting of Eliezer and Rivka at the well. Rivka did all the things that Eliezer was looking to find. She gave water to Eliezer and the animals she showed great chesed. Rav Soloveitchik asked a simple but powerful question. Where did Rivka learn these great Middot. She lived in Bethuel's house with Lavan. These people are not the best example of Chesed. The Rav answered that it was her nurse, Devorah, that influenced her the most. Later in Sefer Bereshit we see the description, "Devorah, the nurse of Rivka died".

We see that people learn from everyone they encounter.  You learn from you parents and siblings and they learn from you. In school the younger students teach and influence the younger students. As a school we influence each other.  In the Lunchroom when someone comes to the table and there are no more seats available what we do influences our school community. We should offer to find a seat with this person at another table. The same could be true of situations at recess. What do we do when someone want to play baseletball or football but the teams are full?  We should figure out a way to include everyone.

These decisions set a tone and a culture for the school community. They influence others in how to act in our school and in the world. The influences from child to child might be more powerful than from parent or a teacher.  So it is up to you, the students, the set the tone and have a good influence on each other. 

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Post Hurricane Sandy

The week after Hurricane Sandy swept through the tri state area, I shared with the children a Torah insight at the Shabbat Assembly.  I thought of this idea while sitting in shul on the upper east side of Manhattan, enjoying the warmth and power of the Hachnasot Orchim of my friends and of the entire community. 

At the end of Parshat Lech Lecha, God tells Avraham that Sarah will have a baby boy and that they should call him Yitzchak. The Parsha then ends and the next Parsha, Vayeira, starts with the three visitors to Avraham's tent. The visitors were sent by God to deliver a message to Sarah about the child she will give birth to in a year’s time. This is a very important message, one that Avraham and Sarah have been waiting to receive for a very long time. I would think that the new Parsha would open with a Pasuk telling this message to Avraham and Sarah. The Torah instead spends eight pasukim talking about the visitors and the provisions that were given to them. Avraham greets the visitors and welcomes them into his home. He washes their dirty feet. Sarah makes them food to eat and gives them water to drink.  Why do we need to wait so many Pasukim to hear the line " Sarah your wife will have a son"?

Looking at the eight pasukim, I realized that there might be a very important message hidden in them.  This message is a significant one for all generations to learn.  I think that what God is telling us is that sometimes there are presents, gifts, or good messages that are waiting and ready for us. God is holding them for us in his pocket, so to speak. However, we need to do something in order to receive these gifts or messages. The eight pasukim about how Avraham and Sarah engaged in Hachnasot Orchim show us that we need to do the right thing, to perform Mitzvot, and to act properly.  Then God will give us what we deserve. 

Over the last 2 weeks, people both inside and outside of the Jewish community have very generously participated in the Mitzvah of Hachnasot Orchim. I hope that all our prayers are accepted and that God’s gifts are bestowed upon all of us.