Judaism, Zionism and Tikkun Olam ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש

A compilation of Torat Eretz Yisrael by

Torah MiTzion

Torah MiTzion was established with the goal of strengthening Jewish communities around the globe and infusing them with the love for Torah, the Jewish People and

the State of Israel

Dear Friends,

Since its inception 23 years ago, Torah MiTzion has been a leading force of Religious Zionism in the Diaspora. Only last year our Batei Midrash hosted 14,000 Chavruta hours and 46,000 participants in various events and activities.

The founding Rosh Yeshiva of the Hesder Yeshiva in Ma'aleh Adumin, Rabbi Haim Sabbato, defines the shlichim's mission as "Every day that we bring someone closer to Torah, to Yir'at Shamayim, to Judaism – has no substitute. We will not be able to do tomorrow what we did not accomplish today".

Thousands of Jews from communities that do not have the opportunity to host

shlichim participate in an online, international Beit Midrash – Lilmod.org. Offering over 400 shiurim a year in German, Russian and French, the program brings together learners from 20 countries!

The fulfillment of the verse from the prophet Isiah "for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" expresses perfectly the vision of Torah Mitzion – a worldwide movement.

In the following pages we are happy to share a taste of our shlichim's impact in communities worldwide.

Looking forward to seeing you in Israel!

בס״ד

Torah MiTzion Staff, Israel

Opening Message from Zeev SchwartzFounding Executive Director

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Shabbat & Am Yisrael as Centers of KedushaRabbi Yedidya Noiman

Rosh Kollel Montrealם נסהו’ פט וש ם לו חק ומש ם ש ’...ש

)שמות טו כה(

"...There He gave them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them".

In the Gemara Sanhedrin (56b) we are told that in the pasuk above lays a

hidden historical secret. When Moshe addressed the people's need for water after the miracle of Kriat Yam Suf he didn’t only give them water. Chazal say that on that very occasion Moshe Rabeinu introduced the nation to the Laws of Shabbat. We can say that this is the first time we as a nation were exposed to the idea of having holy day. Zooming out we can say that this is the first time our nation was exposed to the idea of something being defined as holy at all.

When thinking about the concept of Kedusha, our initial assumption is that we are referring to something distant and detached from our day-to-day lives. When thinking about a holy man, nation, time or place we typically picture a mysterious setting, which is

fundamentally foreign to us. Although this understanding does have valid reasons to exist, it seems that the entire picture is more complex. Rav Kook in his book Orot Yisrael (Ch.6, a) suggests a different approach to the concept of Kedusha. According to Rav Kook we should view holiness, not as a stranger, but rather as the special representative of its surroundings.

For example, he says, when thinking about the holiness of Shabbat we shouldn’t look at it as if Shabbat is holy while all the other days of the week have no spirituality in them. We should consider Shabbat as being the spiritual core of the week, bringing Kedusha into the dimension of time. Thus all the other days of the week are recipients of its special light. Thinking about it, we can say that this idea is exactly what we do when in Hebrew we name the days

by numbers, from Shabbat and until Shabbat. We understand that everything comes from Shabbat and goes towards Shabbat, on a constant basis. We can say that Hashem revealed the concept of Kedusha even before giving us the Torah in order to teach us the right approach to our own role as a chosen nation.

Even though we see ourselves as a holy nation, this perception should not create walls between the world and us. We should look at ourselves as responsible to influence and inspire our fellow nations to connect and relate to Hashem. Being the holy nation entails much more responsibility than privileges, and we should constantly seek to find ways how to share our light with the world. We should be a center of spirituality and morality, creating a vibrant and creative nation that shows the way to connect matter and spirit. We as a nation should be an Or L’Goyim and we should always see ourselves as Hashem’s ambassadors in the world, spreading Kedusha to all the nations.

The Torah MiTzion Kollel in Montreal was founded in 1998 and is housed in The Hebrew Academy of Montreal.

In the morning, the Shlichim have internal morning seder followed by a shiur led by the Rosh Kollel. Over the course of the day, the Shlichim go into classes to teach and learn with students. During the breaks, the Shlichim have one-on-one chavrutot.

After school, the Shlichim run programming for students of all ages, including an after school Bekiut club, Bat Mitzvah program, and Torah classes for college students.

Each evening, the Shlichim have chavrutot with members of the community and offer classes and lectures for men, women, and students of all ages and from all Jewish backgrounds. The Shlichim also run special programming for events and holidays in the Kollel and in the different Shuls in the community.

The KTM Women’s Beit Midrash offers weekly classes for women of all ages, special lecture series, and chavrutot.

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The Beit Midrash for students in Berlin was founded in September 2016 and welcomes Jewish students and young professionals from all backgrounds.

It was established as a joint venture by Torah MiTzion from Jerusalem and Lauder – Morasha from Germany.

The Beit Midrash has developed an educational and social platform on which young Jewish adults can build their Jewish future in a comfortable and non-judgmental atmosphere.

The Beit Midrash offers regular Torah classes, Chavrutot, Shabbat meals, special events towards the holidays and more.

The Yeshiva of Cape Town – the first Torah MiTzion Kollel – was initiated and directed by Rabbi Jonathan Glass in the fall of 1994.

Each year, Torah MiTzion sends about five bachurim who are each responsible for one school in the United Herzlia Schools network – Constantia Primary, Highlands Primary, Weizmann Primary, the middle school, or the high school. Each bachur is in charge of informal Jewish education and activities in his respective school.

In the afternoons, all the bachurim merge at the Beit Midrash of the Marais Road Shul (The Green and Sea Point Orthodox Hebrew Congregation), also known as the Yeshiva of Cape Town, where they have internal afternoon seder. Following seder, the bachurim have one-on-one chavrutot with community members at the Marais Road Shul. Two nights a week, the Shlichim travel to other neighborhoods

– Camps Bay and Claremont – to learn with members of those communities. The Shlichim also offer learning opportunities for university students. We also continue to be active in the Morasha Community – for chavrutot, Shabbatot and Chagim.

In the summer, the bachurim serve as madrichim in South Africa's Bnei Akiva summer camp. In 2014, Torah MiTzion organized a reunion in Israel in honor of 20 years of Yeshiva of Cape Town for former Shlichim and Olim from Cape Town.

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The Yeshiva University Torah MiTzion Kollel of Chicago, first founded in 1996 by Torah MiTzion, later merged with Yeshiva University in 2008. The Kollel, led by Rabbi Reuven Brand, is comprised of eight families of Avreichim from across Israel and America.

The core of the Kollel is the Beit Midrash, which is located in Ida Crown Jewish Academy. The Avreichim engage in intensive study of Talmud, Halacha and Jewish thought in the mornings and afternoons. Their studies include Gemara B'Iyun morning seder and Halacha B'Iyun afternoon seder each day.

The Kollel fellows spread Torah throughout the community with weekly Shiurim on a wide range of topics, one-on-one chavrutot, and special community programming for all ages. In the evenings, the fellows learn with community members of all levels.

NILI – Chicago Institute of Women’s Learning, is a unique initiative of the Kollel that provides learning opportunities to women of all ages and backgrounds in the greater Chicago area. The highlights include its Annual Women’s Health Forum and the two day Women’s Learning Conference in the summer.

Many Jews do not have access to the Shlichim, and often look online for added Jewish content. While there are nearly limitless Jewish resources online, nearly all of them are in English or Hebrew, and very few allow live interactions with teachers or other learners.

Having analyzed the need, in 2012 we launched a new project: 'Lilmod.org'. Lilmod is an online, interactive Beit Midrash that allows students from all around the world to listen to, and participate in high-level shiurim in German, Russian and French.

Our unique model allows us to recruit the best lecturers from around the world, who give semester-long courses on a wide range of subjects – Hebrew, Tanach, Israeli Hasbara, Jewish history, Jewish thought, Zionism and more.

With hundreds of active weekly participants, our portal hosts a shiur nearly every day of the week! Since its inception, our online Beit-Midrash offered thousands of shiurim. Just during the academic year of 2017-18, we had 7,216 cumulative hours of learning, with over 350 regular participants from 20 countries. Our YouTube channel hosts some 2,500 shiurim, with over 145,000 views.

Torah MiTzion established the Kollel in Melbourne in 1998 together with The Mizrachi of Melbourne.

The four members of the Kollel, known colloquially in the community as “Hesder Boys”, together with the shlichot, who play a leading role in the community’s Midrasha, are led and guided by a Rosh Kollel and Rosh Midrasha.

During the day, the Shlichim are based in Leibler Yavneh College, where they develop and run informal programing both inside and outside the classroom. As well as contributing a strong Israeli presence to the school, they serve as Torani role-

models to the school body, many of whom are drawn to learn with them in regular chavruta sessions.

In the late afternoon and evenings, the Shlichim are located at Mizrachi’s Naftali Herc Beit Midrash. At the Mizrachi Beit Midrash, the Shlichim are available to learn in chavrutot with community members of all ages, creating a strong core of

learning around which the Beit Midrash atmosphere thrives.

Torah MiTzion Melbourne also works closely with Bnei Akiva and the bachurim serve as madrichim in the local Bnei Akiva branch. In addition to the regular schedule of chavrutot, The Shlichim run special programming each week and around the Chagim.

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Tikun Olam y Tikun UmaRabbi Guy Tal

Rosh Kollel Mexico City

Entre todos los seres humanos fue elegido ABRAM. Un hombre grande y justo. Un

hombre con mucha influencia sobre todos los que le rodeaban. Como afirma el versículo: “y las almas que habían hecho en JARAN” (BERESHIT 12, 5).

RASHI explica: “que los introdujeron bajo el resguardo de la Presencia Divina. ABRAHAM convertía a los hombres y SARA a las mujeres, y la Escritura los consideró como si los hubieran hecho”.

MAIMONIDES también escribe: “ABRAHAM tenía 40 años cuando descubrió al Creador. Empezó a debatir con sus conciudadanos mostrando que (la idolatría) no es el camino de la verdad… iba predicando ante todo el mundo la existencia de un solo Dio-s al que hay que servir y adorar, caminando de una ciudad a otra… así se le unieron miles y decenas de miles de personas y ellos son la gente de la casa de Abraham”… (HILJOT AVODA ZARA 1, 3).

Esta gran obra es la esencia del término “TIKUN OLAM”. Se trata de educar a toda la humanidad, enseñar y mostrar el camino correcto, no importando edad, sexo o raza. Todos somos los hijos de HASHEM y todos tenemos que hacer el bien y conocer y enseñar la verdad.

Considerando la importancia de esta gran labor es lógico preguntar porque HASHEM ordena a Abraham abandonar todo y trasladarse a otro lugar: “El Eterno dijo a Abraham: Vete de tu tierra y de tu lugar de nacimiento y de la casa de su padre” (BERESHIT 12, 1).

Emigrar a un nuevo lugar significa tener menos influencia, ser un extranjero en una tierra ajena.

Además, con el propósito de: “te convertiré en una gran nación” (BERESHIT 12, 1).

Esta orden refleja un aislamiento.

¿Cuál es la necesidad de establecer una nación separada y no buscar el mejoramiento de toda la humanidad?

Cuando continuamos la lectura del texto, las promesas del Eterno a Abraham encontramos: “y te bendeciré; y engrandeceré tu nombre y serás bendición. Y bendeciré a los que te bendigan, y a los que te maldigan maldeciré; y se bendecirán por ti todas las familias de la tierra” (BERESHIT 12, 2 – 3).

En la cúspide de todas las bendiciones personales, se concluye con una de carácter universal: “se bendecirán por ti todas las familias de la tierra”… toda la humanidad.

Despues de la AKEDA (el sacrificio de Itzjak) el Eterno vuelve a bendecir a Abraham: “Ciertamente te bendeciré y multiplicaré tu descendencia… En tu descendencia se bendecirán todos los pueblos de la tierra” (Bereshit 22, 17-18).

Aquí también las bendiciones empiezan con el aspecto personal o familiar de Abraham, pero terminan con una bendición universal para todas las naciones.

Es interesante resaltar que más adelante en la TORA esta mencionado “la BERAJA de Abraham”.

En la segunda bendición de YITZHAK a

YAAKOB su hijo, antes de que se fuera a JARAN le dice: “y que el Eterno SHADAY te bendiga, te haga fructificar y te incremente, y te convertirás en congregación de naciones. Y te otorgue la bendición de Abraham…” (Bereshit 28, 3 -4).

¿De todas las bendiciones ofrecidas a Abraham, a cual hace referencia con sus palabras el patriarca ITZHAK y la denomina como “la bendición de Abraham”?

Rashi explica: “Que (Dio-s) prometió a Abraham: “Te convertiré en una gran nación” y “en tu descendencia se bendecirán…” – que esas mismas bendiciones sean dichas para ti”

Vemos que según Rashi las dos bendiciones principales y más importantes de Abraham son la nacional y la universal. Crear una gran nación y ser bendición para toda la humanidad. Entendemos que estas dos cosas están conectadas.

Para poder dar bendiciones y hacer TIKUN OLAM es necesario primero ser "una gran nación” hay que empezar por el mejoramiento personal TIKUN UMA. Cuando logremos perfeccionarnos como judíos podremos entonces desarrollar nuestro objetivo último, el TIKUN OLAM y seremos una bendición real para toda la humanidad.

El Rav Kuk escribe en su libro Orot: El mundo y su contenido espera por la luz de Israel,

por la luz suprema de la claridad de la alabanza del Nombre de D-ios, de este pueblo que el Eterno creó para Él, para contar su alabanza, el conocimiento heredero de la bendición de Abraham, el bendito para el D-ios Supremo que posee el cielo y la tierra, por el pueblo que habita solitario y que no es contado entre las naciones, por el pueblo que D-ios solo guiará y junto con él no hay dios extranjero, el pueblo que purifica al mundo entero de su impureza y de toda su oscuridad… (Orot, Israel Utjiyato 5)?

After a brief stint of two years in 2001-2003, Torah MiTzion returned to Mexico City in 2014.

The Kollel serves the Yavne community in the Interlomos suburb and is located in the Yavne School and community, a K-12 school in Mexico City. The Shlichim work primarily with Yavne's high school students and community members and arrange small group study sessions with the students.

The community Rabbi also serves as the Rosh Kollel. The Shlichim start their day with their

own internal morning seder, and spend the rest of the morning having one-on-one and small group chavrutot with students during breaks and assisting in Hebrew classes. During the afternoons they learn with community members, participate in local Bnei Akiva peulot and initiate programs for teens. They also organize special events, holiday activities, and Shabbatonim.

One day a week the bachurim learn at the nearby Beit Yitzchak Synagogue, where theygive shiurim.

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What Is A ממלכת כהנים?Rabbi Ari PosnerRosh Kollel Perth

It is a common belief that the Jews

are the “Chosen People”. It is natural

for anyone believing they are special to

develop an elitist attitude, to think they

are ‘better’ than the rest. What does

being a Chosen People mean for Am

Yisrael?

One of the first expressions of this

idea chosen-ness is found right after

we leave Egypt. In Parashat Yitro, we

are preparing to receive the Torah and

Hashem promises us, “if you listen to

Me and keep My covenant…you will

be a Mamlechet Cohanim (a kingdom

of Cohanim) to Me and a holy nation.”

(Shemot 19:5-6) What is a Mamlechet

Cohanim? Why is it special?

We are familiar with the Cohanim –

the descendants of Aharon HaCohen

responsible for carrying out the service

in the Beit Hamikdash. However, the

descendants of Aharon were designated

as Cohanim only later on in the Torah. It

is curious that as Hashem gives Moshe

the guidelines for preparing to receive

the Torah in Parashat Yitro, He tells

him, “Also the Cohanim who approach

Hashem, shall be sanctified…” (Shemot

19:22) Who are these Cohanim?

Rashi and other commentators

identify these Cohanim as the firstborn

of Bnei Yisrael. The Torah tells us that

the firstborn became sanctified to

Hashem at the time that the Tenth

plague was carried out in Egypt – Death

of the Firstborn (Bamidbar 8:17). Rav

Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik ztz”l

explains that Hashem was intent on

overturning the Egyptian philosophy

of ‘the firstborn’, while simultaneously

shining a spotlight on the Jewish

idea of ‘the firstborn’. In Egypt, as in

most ancient patriarchal societies, the

firstborn represented the strongest

of the family, the one with the most

physical power and hence the authority.

Egypt was a society where ‘might was

right’ and the strong would overpower

and subjugate the weak. In contrast,

the Torah’s view of the firstborn is not

that of power and authority, rather of

responsibility and holiness. The firstborn

sons of Yisrael were sanctified, at the

very time the firstborn of Egypt fell, as

the ones to uphold the ideas of holiness

and service of Hashem.

Similarly, if we live a life of Torah and

mitzvot then we as a nation uphold the

values of Torah and serve as examples

for the world. Then we are a Mamlechet

Cohanim – a kingdom of role models and

teachers among all of Hashem’s people.

The Torah MiTzion Kollel in Perth was founded in 2007. The Kollel staff (“Tzevet Perth”) is comprised of Torah MiTzion bachurim and Bnei Akiva Shlichot under the direction of the Rosh Kollel who also serves as the community Rabbi.

The Tzevet operates in the mornings at the Carmel School. After their own internal morning seder, the Shlichim teach classes, run extra-curricular learning programs, and learn with students.

In the afternoons and evenings, the Shlichim learn in the Torah MiTzion Beit Midrash at the Dianella Shule, run programming for the community, and have chavrutot with community members of all ages and backgrounds. Torah MiTzion Perth also works closely with Bnei Akiva, where they serve as madrichim.

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אין, אין על עם ישראל!Rabbi Eitan Bar Or

Kollel Nashville

שפט זה, הנאמר במקרים רבים של עזרה מ

מבטא גדולה, ערבות גילוי של או הדדית

את התחושה של רבים מאזרחי מדינת ישראל;

בסוף אנו, שונים כמה משנה שלא הידיעה

משבר. בעיתות שנחשף מיוחד משהו בנו יש

לעומת זאת כאשר מגיעים לחו"ל מגלים אנשים

שאינם מאלו ועזרה אדיבות ותחושת נפלאים

התנהגות לפעמים היהודי. העם בני על נמנים

השאלה עולה שלנו. זו על עולה אפילו הגויים

האם באמת עם ישראל הוא משהו מיוחד? ואם

כן - במה?

רבים מנסים למצוא בחכמה היהודית הוכחה

לייחודיות האומה, בין אם מתוך היותו 'עם הספר'

כל הגדול היהודים הנובל פרס זוכי מספר ובין

כך. הוכחות אלו, למרות שהן נכונות, אינן חזקות

שונה משהו יש כי הטענה את לחזק כדי דיין

בעם ישראל.

שונה. מעט תמונה מגלים לתנ"ך כשחוזרים

הקב"ה בוחר באברהם ובזרעו אחריו ומבטיח לו

"והיה עולם. בורא עם ייחודי וקשר משלו ארץ

ניתן האדמה". משפחות כל בך "ונברכו ברכה"

להבין מילים אלו בשני אופנים.

הבטחה – העם שלך יהיה ברכה לכל העמים

לכל ברכה להיות שלך העם על – ציווי

העמים.

גישות שתי מבטאים הכיוונים ששני נראה

שונות ביחס של עם ישראל לגויים. לפי הגישה

הראשונה עם ישראל צריך לחיות את חייו ויעודו

זאת, לעומת מאליה. תתממש הברכה כאשר

לעשות ישראל עם על השנייה הגישה לפי

ובצורה אקטיבית על מנת להוות דברים בפועל

ברכה עבור כל העמים.

בכל מקרה, בשתי הגישות לא נטען כי העם

עצמו שונה, אלא בעיקר שיש לו משימה ייחודית.

כך גם ניתן להבין את המושג בספר שמות פרק

כי ספק אין קדוש". וגוי כהנים "ממלכת י"ט,

הגדרה זו קשורה בהתנהגות שונה מאשר שאר

העמים. קדושה תמיד קשורה לנבדלות מהאחר,

דווקא אולי אולם אחרים. אנשים הזה במקרה

כשלעצמה הנבדלות כי לזכור חשוב זה בגלל

השלב רק אלא הבלעדית המטרה איננה

הראשון בדרך להענקת הברכה לעולם.

רבים כיום בעולם תוקפים את רעיון הלאומיות

היהודית וקובעים כי העולם עובר לעולם גלובלי

ואוניברסאלי. כיום יותר ויותר יהודים מתחתנים

עם גויים בטענה שכולם בני אדם והאהבה היא

הולכות וגויים יהודים בין החומות לכל. מעל

אין אמריקה(. צפון במדינות )ודאי ויורדות.

העצומה הסכנה לגבי במילים להכביר צורך

להמשכיות בחובם טומנים אלה שתהליכים

העם היהודי, אולם, ניתן גם לראות את הזדמנות

למרות כיום, לפתחנו. מביאה שהמציאות

של מסוימים בחלקים שפושה האנטישמיות

של וגדלות הולכות קבוצות גם ישנם העולם,

גויים אשר תומכים בעם היהודי ובמדינת ישראל.

ליהודים שיש הייחודית בתרומה מכירים הם

לתת לעולם ורואים בנו שותפים בתיקון העולם.

לעם בה תקופה של בתחילה שאנו נראה

ישראל יש אפשרות לממש את תפקידו כמעניק

ברכה לעולם. עם ששם על דגלו חיבור בין רוח

לאחריות אמונה ובין לשלום אמת בין לחומר,

אישית. לא רק אנשים מורמים מעם אלא ציבור

קדושה של עקרונות פי על ומחנך שחי שלם

ומעורבות חברתית.

המנוע להיות ויכולה צריכה ישראל מדינת

העולם ברחבי רבות וקהילות זה תהליך של

הענווה מידת בתהליך. שותפות להיות צריכות

היא קריטית במקרה זה - אין אנו באים לתקן את

כי אם להדליק רצון לעורר אמונה המקולקלים

ולעודד את הטוב הקיים בכל אחד.

עם ישראל מיוחד במשימה המיוחדת שלו לא

פחות מאשר בהיסטוריה שלו או במורשת שלו.

לא עוד פחד הסתגרות כי עם עוצמה, גבורה

כזו של אברהם, שלא הסכים לקחת ומנהיגות.

דבר מאנשי סדום או זו של משה שהכיר טובה

אפילו ליאור.

רק חברה יהודית שבה יש חשבון נפש מוסרי

פנימי מתמיד ובד בבד פתיחת שער וחיבור לעמי

'ממלכת של החזון את לממש תוכל העולם,

כהנים וגוי קדוש' המעניקה ברכה לעולם.

מה - הוא השאלה ועכשיו נפלו החומות

העולם יראה?

The center in Nashville was founded in 2018 in cooperation with Congregation Sherith Israel, led by Rabbi Saul Strosberg.

The Community Beit Midrash includes one family. Both husband and wife teach Hebrew and Judaism in the Akiva community elementary school. They also teach in the Sunday Schools in town and in the Chabad kindergarten.

They offer Shiurim and chavrutot to men and women, on various subjects, in both the Orthodox and Conservative communities.The Nashville community is warm and accepting, and has a uniquely good relationship with the other Jewish communities in the area.

8

Kollel Torah MiTzion in Montevideo, Uruguay, founded in 1997, is one of our veteran kollelim. It is a part of the Yavne Institute in Montevideo, an educational institution that includes formal education from Kindergarten through High School, a synagogue, a university student group and an adult education center (CEJ).

In addition to their own internal learning, the Shlichim in Montevideo work daily with high school students, college students, and community members. Each Friday, the Shlichim put on a parsha play for the Kindergarten students. They run a Bar Mitzvah program and organize special community programming and activities year round. Every Friday night the shlichim host students from the community for an amazing Shabbat experience. For some, that is the first taste of an uplifting, Kosher Shabbat.

The Kollel works together with Bnei Akiva, and the Shlichim serve as madrichim in the Bnei Akiva summer camp.

The Buenos Aires Kollel was reestablished in 2018. Led by David and Sarah Saied, it strives to develop the newly renewed religious Zionist community in the city after it has been in a significant retreat for several years.

The shlichim operate in the Belgrano neighborhood in northern Buenos Aires, the home of a large Jewish community of 40,000.

The project is the result of a process that began about four years ago, when the younger generation of local Jews, mostly from non-religious families, began to search for a suitable community framework. In light

of the fact that only Haredi and Conservative communities were active, the young people decided to renew the religious Zionist community, which was more suited to their religious character. With hundreds of active members, the community realized the potential of bringing in shlichim from Israel.

The delegation was made possible by the exceptional cooperation between World Bnei Akiva, the World Mizrachi movement, Torah MiTzion, the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency. The name chosen for the joint project is 'La Cassa', which means "home".

Torah MiTzion Sydney was founded in 2010 by Rabbi Davey Blackman, and the community knows the shlichim colloquially as “The Hesder Boys”.

During the day, the Shlichim are based in Moriah College as a part of the informal education department, under the direction of Rabbi Ilan Lavan – Coordinator of Experiential Jewish Education. The Shlichim run Tefillah workshops and go into Judaic Studies and Hebrew language classes. We also are proud of the vibrant Women’s Beit Midrash, which is steadily growing.

In the afternoon the shlichim have their daily learning, followed by chavrutot with community members in the Beit Midrash of the JLC.

Torah MiTzion Sydney also works closely the Mizrachi Synagogue and with Bnei Akiva, where the Bachurim serve as madrichim.

9

Three Steps to Father’s HouseRabbi Mordechai Torczyner

Rosh Beit Midrash, YU Torah MiTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov of TorontoPrior the Exodus our ancestors were told

to prepare in three ways:• Designation and sacrifice of the

korban pesach; • Placement of blood from the korban

pesach on their doorposts; • Circumcision of all males.We could view these three activities as

elements of the korban pesach. However, we might also see in them a broader theme, crucial for the Exodus.

Agnon’s ExodusIn the late 1920’s, S. Y. Agnon wrote a

short story called L’Veit Abba, “To Father’s House”. The protagonist begins the story working at home, but he is frustrated by labour which “has neither beginning nor end, which you start without benefit and from which one can never walk away.” He also suffers from an uncomfortable sense that he does not belong there. Abruptly, he decides to go to his father, whom he has not seen for many years, for Pesach. He departs in haste, but he then encounters delays, which may be a product of his own ambivalence about visiting his father. Once in his father’s town, he encounters a heretical individual who wants to discuss the end of the book of Yehoshua. A little further along he finds himself in a tavern with “a set table” holding bottles of liquor, even as Pesach is about to begin. Finally, he arrives at his father’s home – but he remains outside, unable to enter, as the story ends.

To Father’s House works on several levels, one of which is a parable for our departure from Egypt; our labour in Egypt was perpetual and unrewarding, and we shared the protagonist’s sense of not belonging. Suffering made us long for the house of our Father, and we left in haste. We displayed great ambivalence en route to our land. The end of the book of Yehoshua is part of the Haggadah, and the tavern’s “set table” parallels the Shulchan Orech phase of the Seder – but the heretic and the liquor, presumably grain-based, don’t fit at a reunion with our Father on Pesach. These events represent our own troubled journey to Israel. In the end, like the Jews who left Egypt, the hero does not actually enter the land.

Leaving Egypt or Going Home?With this story, Agnon puts the Exodus

itself in perspective as part of a greater arc. The arc starts with the lives of Avraham and Sarah and continues with our descent to and subjugation in Egypt. Then we leave Egypt; receive the Torah and journey Home. As Agnon hints with his title, the Exodus is not merely Yetziat Mitzrayim, a group of slaves departing from Egypt. It is L’veit Abba,

a journey back to the home which we left, and to which we had always been meant to return.

Seen in this light, the Exodus requires that we identify as the rightful heirs of Avraham, to merit that return home. This is the role of the three preparatory activities outlined above:

• Circumcision was Avraham’s mitzvah, and it became the mark of the Jew.

• Korbanot were a hallmark of Avraham and Sarah, who built altars each time they settled a new part of Canaan.

• Placement of blood from the korban Pesach marks the structure as a home dedicated to G-d, like the landmark tent of Avraham and Sarah.

Having performed these deeds, we were ready to return home.

ArrivalThe conclusion of this arc comes in

Yehoshua, when G-d “removes the shame of Egypt” from our nation. The males are circumcised, they bring a korban Pesach, and they camp in Gilgal, their first step in building a home in The Land. One odyssey met its completion long ago, but our wanderings continue to describe a still longer arc. While we work toward the final Exodus, let us remember the need to identify ourselves as part of that original family. Whether through circumcision, korban and the Jewish home, or through other actions, we must merit the long-awaited return to Father’s House.

Yeshiva University Torah MiTzion Beit Midrash

Zichron Dov of Toronto was founded in 2009,

and is headed by founding Rosh Beit Midrash

Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner. The Kollel staff is

comprised of families of Avrechim from Israel,

America, and Canada.

The heart of the Kollel is the Beit Midrash,

where the Avreichim engage in intensive

study of Talmud, Halacha and Jewish thought

in the mornings and afternoons.

The Kollel fellows spread Torah throughout

the community with weekly Shiurim, one-on-

one chavrutot, Shabbatonim, and community

programming for all ages. The Kollel also

provides weekly classes in non-Orthodox

venues, for the broader community. The Kollel

partners with many community organizations,

and especially Bnei Akiva.

Recently the Kollel opened a new Women’s

Beit Midrash. Other women's learning

opportunities include “Midreshet Yom Rishon”

programs for women around the city and

weekly classes just for women.

10

Свет из темнотыRabbi Zeev Sultanovich

Lilmod ProgramПредисловие к книге рав Авраама Ицхака Кука Рав Зеев Султанович

Тьмой является изгнание (галут). При исходе из него сразу же возникает

необходимость определения, что есть Земля Израиля и осознания ее сущности. И это несмотря на то, что это вопрос всегда обсуждался во всех еврейских кругах. В то время земля Израиля была незаселенной, пустынной территорией, запущенной окраиной Оттоманской империи. Переезд в нее был труден и связан со многими проблемами. Тот, кто решался на него, должен был отказаться от своего сановного имущества, положения в обществе, обычного порядка жизни, к которому он привык, гражданство и другие права. Но переезд в святую землю перестал быть просто идеей, и его реальность стала столь четко обозначенной, что он требовал определенного отношения к себе. И те позиции, которые заняли различные слои общества, движения и его представили были совершенно не похожи друг на друга: были такие, кто поддерживал и идею возвращения, и ее конкретное осуществление, были такие, которые поддерживали

саму идею, но отрицали возможность ее практического осуществления на данном этапе, были и такие, кто отрицал саму идею, но помогал в ее практическом осуществлении, а были и такие, которые отрицали все, что связано с возможностью переезда на корню. Каждое из этих направлений имело свои круги и своих представителей в еврейских общинах, в которых проходили напряженные дискуссии на эту тему, в попытке найти легитимный ответ на вызов времени.

перевод с иврита – Зеев Мешков

Нет сомнения, что в изгнании перед еврейским народом стояла лишь задача выживания и сохранения традиции. Ни о каком непосредственном влиянии на народы не могло идти и речи, хотя опосредованное всегда была очень сильным. Однако, новое время и задачи нового времени совсем другие - рав Кук

назвал свою книгу «Орот» - увидеть все в новом (точнее – в истинном свете). Возвращение из изгнания ставит перед еврейским народом задачу переосмысления всей традиции.

Мы приглашаем Вас принять участие в программе «ИЗРАИЛЬ И ЧЕЛОВЕЧЕСТВО», рав Зеев Мешков, новый проект Университета «БРИТ ОЛАМ».

Программа ориентирована на тех, кто интересуется иудаизмом, евреев и неевреев, религиозных и нерелигиозных, любящих народ Израиля, Страну Израиля и Тору Израиля, желающих получить как фундаментальные, так и углубленные знания по иудаизму в свете еврейской классической традиции, а также современного подхода к толкованию Писания, выраженного в трудах рава А-И Кука и рава И.Л. Ашкенази (Маниту) а также рава Ури Шерки, и др.

курс включает 11 месяцев учебы.

The Torah MiTzion Kollel in Moscow has been led since its inception in 1998 by Rabbi David and Ayelet Yushuvayev. The Chief Rabbi of Moscow, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmit was a key player in launching the Kollel.

The Moscow Kollel is housed in a learning center attached to the city's central synagogue. It is run by five permanent families of Shlichim, an Israeli administrative staff, and scholars-in-residence who come for 1-2 weeks each month to give shiurim to the community.

The Shlichim run extensive learning programs for all ages – from young children in Cheder to seniors in old-age homes, and every age in between.

Torah MiTzion Moscow is one of the only Zionist centers in Moscow, and Moscow's only religious Zionist presence. Moscow's official Yom Ha'Atzmaut ceremony, with participation by the Israeli Ambassador is organized by Torah MiTzion.

11

The Jewish People’s First ExileRabbi Oriel Zaretsky

Rosh Kollel Warsaw

First I would like to explain the surprising beginning of this exile.

Then we will learn how the midrash suggests to maintain our Jewish identity, and finally we will be able to see who successfully followed all the instructions of the midrash.

It is surprising that the terrible exile in Egypt began with Yaakov and his family riding down to Egypt in royal carriages, as honored guests of Pharaoh. Knowing, as we do from Hashem's promise to Avraham that his descendants will be enslaved in Egypt, we would have expected the see Yaakov being brought to Egypt as a prisoner, similarly to how Bnei Yisrael were eventually exiled to Babylon – in chains.

The gemara teaches us that "Yaakov should have been taken down to Egypt in chains of iron, but his merit changed that" This is unexpected. Surely, had Yaakov been asked, he would have preferred his merit saving him the anguish of not seeing Yosef for 22 years, even if it meant not enjoying the honorable descent to Egypt later on.

The Torah seems to be teaching us that it was necessary that Yaakov and his family begin their exile as they did, as honorable and respected guests; otherwise, they would not have been able to maintain of Jewish identity throughout their long exile. It is thanks

to Yosef's status that his family was given their own separate land (Goshen) to live in (making it the first in and endless list of Jewish quarters in the Diaspora). It is thanks to Yosef's status that Yehuda can establish a Beit Midrash in preparation for their arrival, which will pass the Jewish tradition and learning from generation to generation.

The midrash continues to tell us that we merited our redemption because we maintained our identity, as was manifest in three ways:

1. We kept our Jewish names2. We continued to speak Hebrew3. We refrained from speaking

Lashon Hara (slander or gossip)

A name can be extremely significant. We see throughout Sefer Bereshit how names bear within them meaning, faith and hope. That is why when the Babylonians controlled Jerusalem, they changed the name of the Jewish king.

Hebrew is also unique in as much as it is a holy language, the language G-d used to create the world, and which we continue to use to bring Hashem's

presence into this world.And when we avoid speaking Lashon

Harah, when we only see the good in our brothers, we can stand united as a nation, and thus worthy of being redeemed.

The Kli Yakar notes that Yosef is the exemplar of the Jew in exile who succeeds to maintain his identity. Disconnected from his roots for 22 years, deeply entrenched in the Egyptian culture, he still remained connected to his heritage. That is why the sages called him Yosef HaTzadik, The Righteous.

Yosef even tells his brothers as much when he cries out "I am Yosef!" – Despite my position in the Egyptian court, despite Pharaoh giving me an Egyptian name, I kept my name and remembered my family – I am Yosef!

He tells his brothers "כי פי המדבר אליכם" – My mouth is speaking to you – he spoke in Hebrew

Finally, Yosef was also careful not to speak Lashon Hara, and never revealed to his father that his brothers sold him into slavery.

Thus, the challenge facing us is how to be more like Yosef – How can we preserve and strengthen our Jewish identity? What little step can we make today that will bring us closer to our final redemption?

The Torah MiTzion Kollel in Warsaw was founded in 2007 by the initiative of the American-born chief Rabbi of Warsaw and Poland, Rabbi Michael Schudrich. The Kollel was established with the support of the L.A. Pincus Fund for Jewish Education in the Diaspora. The Kollel is housed in the Nozyk Synagogue, the only synagogue in Warsaw that survived the Holocaust and is still active. Every morning a group of young professionals, alumni of various Yeshivot, comes to study in the Kollel, and combine their Torah study with work or secular studies. In addition,

the Kollel offers learning opportunities for Jews, descendants of Jews ("Zera Yisrael") and others who are interested in conversion. Besides leading group learning and one-on-one chavrutot, the Rosh Kollel's wife offers shiurim in the community and in the JCC, women’s Rosh Chodesh events, Hebrew studies, Kallah classes, and conversion preparation.In addition to leading the Torah MiTzion Kollel, the Rosh Kollel functions as a Rabbi in the Jewish community and assists the chief Rabbi, Rav Shudrich.

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In 1996, four bachurim came to Memphis to begin the Torah MiTzion Kollel, with the goal of enhancing the ideals of Torah and Zionism at Margolin Hebrew Academy/Fe instone Yeshiva of the South (MHA/FYOS) and infusing the community at large with a love of Torah and Israel. The longstanding president

of the Kollel is David Cooper, whose years of dedication have allowed the Kollel to flourish

The Kollel is housed in the Cooper Yeshiva High School and also operates in three local synagogues – Anshei Sephard Beth El Emeth (ASBEE), the Young Israel of Memphis, and the Baron Hirsch Congregation.

In the morning and afternoon, the Kollel bachurim have intensive internal learning. Over the course of the day, the bachurim have chavrutot (one-on-one learning)

with MHA/FYOS students and run after school clubs. At nights, the Shlichim learn with members of the community of all ages and levels. The bachurim are dorm counselors at the Cooper Yeshiva High School for boys, creating a warm environment in the small dormitory. The Rosh Kollel and bachurim also plan special events to help community members prepare spiritually for holidays and Israeli national days. The Kollel collaborates with the local Bnot Sherut who serve in the community as well.

Founded in 1999, the Torah MiTzion Kollel of Greater Washington is one of the original Torah MiTzion Kollels. The Kollel operates in three neighborhoods in the Greater Washington area – Kemp Mill, Aspen Hill and Potomac.

The Kollel is based in the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy (K-12). The Shlichim have a daily morning seder with the boys from the 'Kollel Class' (the highest level class) and the girls from the 'Midrasha Class'. Later they have their internal seder, and in the afternoons they run Beit Midrash electives for middle school and high school students. Over the course of the day, the Shlichim have one-on-one chavrutot with boys and girls from the school.

The Kollel activity includes Parent-Child Learning on Motz’ei Shabbat, 'Israel nights' for high schoolers, chavrutot with community members, Onegs and more. They also teach Hebrew to college students and adults at the 'Sixth and I' non-denominational synagogue in downtown Washington DC. One evening a week, they work with public school kids.