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שבת שלום - פרשת לך-לך
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Video Shiur
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Click play to watch the video shiur by Rav Yosef Kaminetsky
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News and Notes
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This past Monday, the entire Yeshiva travelled to Jerusalem, where we met with HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlit"a. Rav Kaminetsky spoke to the yeshiva about Hakarat HaTov - acknowledging our debt to Hashem - and answered questions asked by the students and rabbeim. It was a unique opportunity for our students to meet one of the gedolei hador, and we thank Yeshivat Darche Noam for allowing us to meet with Rav Kaminetsky privately in their beit midrash. (See this week's photo gallery below.)
This Shabbat is an in-Shabbat, and will feature our rosh yeshiva, Rav Pesach Wolicki, as the scholar in residence. In addition to Yeshiva davening, shiurim, delicious meals, and a kiddush, there will be a special oneg Shabbat on Friday night in which Rav Wolicki will be speaking on "The Chassidic Story."
The students of Yesodei HaTorah will be travelling to the Golan this Sunday morning for the start of a three day tiyul. It will include numerous fun activities, from an archeological dig to a hike in Nachal Yehudiya to kayaking in the Kineret.
Finally, the entire Yeshiva wishes a big Mazal Tov to Rabbi Daniel and Tami Katz on the birth of a baby boy!
Shetizku l'gadlo l'Torah ul'chupah ul'maasim tovim, ul'hachniso bibrito shel Avraham Avinu b'ito ub'zmano!
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Parsha Insights
By Rabbi Scott Kahn
Towards the beginning of Parashat Lech L'cha, the Torah tells us, "Hashem appeared to Avraham and said, To your descendants I will give this land; so [Avraham] built an altar there for Hashem Who had appeared to him." (Bereshit 12:7) Rashi explains that Avraham built the altar to thank G-d for both the wonderful news that he would acquire the land, and the equally wonderful news that he would have children.
Rashi's comment, however, is puzzling. Although the above promises to Avraham were the reason that he built the altar, the information contained within was not entirely new; for while Avraham had not yet known that he would take possession of the Land of Israel, he had already been told by G-d that, "I will make you into a great nation" five verses earlier. If Avraham already knew that he would have children, why does he only build the altar now as a response to that news? What new idea was contained in the message that he would become a father?
Rav Soloveitchik, as quoted in MiPninei HaRav by Rav Hershel Schachter, explains that the earlier promise to make Avraham into a great nation did not necessarily imply that he would have children. Indeed, Avraham is called the father of all converts, and the fifth verse in the parashah refers to these converts as joining Avraham on his journey to the Land of Israel. (See Rashi's first comment on Bereshit 12:5.) Perhaps G-d's commitment to make Avraham into a great nation would be fulfilled through these converts.
Moreover, the Rav states, the nation of Avraham could also refer to the students of Avraham. Just as a father and mother give their child his physical form, a teacher gives his student the form of a ben Torah. Indeed, Rashi explains that the verse in the Shma, V'shinantam l'vanecha - "You must teach your children" - refers not to biological children, but to students. Accordingly, the earlier promise to make Avraham into a great nation could mean that his students would carry his national banner through the generations. Only when Hashem informed Avraham that he would have descendants did Avraham know with certainty that he would have biological children, as well.
The Rav's insight reminds us of the crucial relationship between a rebbe and his students. This connection is, in its own way, parallel to a parent-child relationship. The teacher's role is not merely to transmit information, but to help form the character and spiritual constitution of his charges. A teacher's students are called his children; the teacher must see himself as helping to create, as well as educate.
Despite the fact that the teacher is called a parent, we cannot ignore the reality that Avraham only built the altar upon learning that he would have children in addition to students. Apparently, he was not completely satisfied with educating students to follow in his path; he also wanted a child of his own who would continue his legacy. Presumably, because of the unique nature of the parent-child relationship, Avraham wanted his own child to be his primary disciple. Only a child who grew up under Avraham's own roof would fully understand and completely internalize the values that Avraham endeavored to impart.
Too often, parents tragically err by tacitly leaving the education of their children to teachers, while forgetting that they will always remain their children's primary educators. The everyday actions of a parent - the amount that they value learning, their approach to prayer, their love of mitzvot - leave an indelible impression upon their children, and directly affect each child's relationship to G-d more than almost any teacher could hope to accomplish on his own. While every teacher attempts to touch the hearts of his students, the active teaching of a parent will deeply impact a child's development in an intense, powerful, and emotionally significant way. Although many parents work hard to find the right school for their child, far fewer recognize the even greater educational opportunity that they have every time they interact with their children. A parent must always be aware that his every action - good or bad - becomes a part of the child's education. And a parent who learns together with his children directly impacts their lives in a manner which has no parallel elsewhere.
Avraham could have created a nation through his students, but he preferred to establish a nation through his greatest disciples - his own children. For a child whose parents see themselves as educators will most likely become the supreme embodiment of the parents' values. This gives every parent a tremendous opportunity, as well as an awesome responsibility. It is the parent who does the most to shape a child's spiritual development; it is the parent who serves - knowingly or otherwise - as the child's primary educator; it is the parent who bears the responsibility to shape his child's future.
Parents today lead exceptionally busy lives. But by ignoring our roles as both parents and educators, we lose the greatest opportunity we will ever have. By acknowledging our roles as educators - and, even better, by making time to learn with our children - we follow in the path of our forefather, Avraham, and enable our children to embody the values that we otherwise can only hope that they will uphold.
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