Issuu

Welcome to Orot Shalhevet

RABBI DAVID BLOCK ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear Shalhevet Community,

Sukkos is, ostensibly, the most curious of the Shalosh Regalim (three major festivals). Pesach celebrates God’s grandiose wonders during the Exodus story, and Shavuos commemorates God’s majestic revelation at Har Sinai. Such heartstopping, spectacular miracles certainly warrant commemorative holidays. Sukkos, though, celebrates God’s protection and sustenance throughout our desert travels. That’s certainly nothing to scoff at, but should it really warrant its own holiday of the same ilk and stature as Pesach and Shavuos? In his monumental philosophical work, Chorev, R. S. R. Hirsch notes a fascinating parallel between the agricultural and historical elements of the holidays. The Torah calls Sukkos “Chag Ha’Asif ” – the Ingathering Festival (Shemos 34:22). Indeed, it marks the final harvest in which produce is gathered in order to sustain us throughout the infertile, bleak wintry months - precisely as God sustained B’nei Yisrael through the infertile wilderness. That parallel is quite telling. The spring time is exciting, gorgeous, striking. Watching the world bloom into magnificent colors and lush produce is simply awe-inspiring. We rush to gardens to watch the splendor, we run to the market to buy that season’s fruit. That is the grandeur of Pesach (“Chag Ha’Aviv,” the Spring festival), and Shavuos (“Chag HaKatzir,” the first harvest festival) respectively. Much less exciting and beautiful, though, is that final harvest of the season. And yet, it’s precisely what nourishes us through the next months. That’s Sukkos. In relationships, there’s tremendous value to celebrating grand gestures of love (as we do on Pesach and Shavuos). But there’s something particularly special about recognizing the “smaller” things that constantly sustain a relationship. Noticing those things can be much harder - and, perhaps, more important. On Sukkos, God emphatically showed us that the Shechina (God’s Presense) is always with us, protecting, regardless of how covert it may seem. And when we celebrate Sukkos, our goal is to remind ourselves to notice that. While less flashy than splitting seas and stormy mountains, aren’t those miracles just as extraordinary? R. Saadiah Gaon (10th century) said it best: “Personally, however, I consider the case of the miracle of the manna as the most amazing of all miracles, because a phenomenon of an enduring nature excites greater wonderment than one of a passing character” (Emunos V’Deos). Our remarkable Judaic Studies faculty and alumni know this best. We can inspire students with amazing ideas or curated experiences (and they do!), but how long does that last? The real avodah (spiritual work) of Torah education is sustaining that feeling, fostering a long-term commitment to Torah, mitzvos, and Hashem. Indeed, the avodah of education is precisely the avodah of Sukkos. And it’s exactly this that makes our faculty and alumni the Orot of Shalhevet - the candles that don’t just momentarily glow, but the lights that yearn to light the souls the candles - of our students to ensure that the light burns forever as an eternal flame. As I always note, the teachers, students, and alumni are all the Orot (lights) that come together to form our dazzling Shalhevet (flame). I hope this edition of Orot Shalhevet helps to ignite your soul and add incredible meaning to your holidays. Chag Sameach, Rabbi David Block

table of contents

RABBI DEREK GORMIN

DIRTY FORKS: LEARNING HOW TO HOST FROM THE USHPIZIN PAGE 3

RABBI ARI SCHWARZBERG

“ALL IS FUTILE”: THE ROLE OF SKEPTICISM IN RELIGIOUS LIFE PAGE 5

MS. ILANA WILNER

A TIME TO CELEBRATE AND A TIME TO REFLECT PAGE 7

DR. SHEILA KEITER VANITY OF VANITIES: READING QOHELET ON SUKKOT PAGE 9

RABBI ABRAHAM LIEBERMAN

HOSHANAH RABBAH AND BEATING THE WILLOW PAGE 13

MS. SARAH EMERSON HOROSCOPES, PROPHESIES, FREE WILL, AND HOSHANA RABBAH PAGE 15

TALI SCHLACHT

TOGETHER WE STAND: UNDERSTANDING MITZVAT HAKHEL PAGE 17

RAV YITZCHAK ETSHALOM

BACK TO BASICS: A NEW LOOK AT THE OLDEST STORY PAGE 20

thank you

TO THE FOLLOWING SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE GENEROUSLY SPONSORED THIS EDITION OF OROT SHALHEVET. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THEM FOR HELPING TO PROMOTE THE SPREAD OF MEANINGFUL TORAH LEARNING AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. PLEASE ENJOY THE TORAH YOU WILL FIND WITHIN IN THEIR MERIT.

SELWYN AND GLYNIS GERBER SHARON AND ALAN GOMPERTS MICKEY AND HAIM KAHTAN BATSHEVA AND SHELDON KASDAN STACY AND RANON KENT CHERYL WOLF AND JEFFREY MATH IN HONOR OF OUR BELOVED FATHER AND GRANDFATHER MORDECHAI BEN MOSHE Z'L ON HIS 13TH YAHRZEIT JAY AND SARA SANDERS NAOMI AND ARI SCHWARZBERG TAALY AND ADAM SILBERSTEIN

NORA AND BEHROUZ SOROUDI LESLEE AND ALEX SZTUDEN AND FAMILY IN HONOR OF THE 12TH YAHRZEIT OF STEVE TEICHMAN, SHALOM NACHMAN BEN SHMUEL, Z”L, GRANDFATHER TO ISABELLA SZTUDEN, MAY HIS NESHAMA HAVE AN ALIYAH NIKKI SIEGER AND ANDRES TERECH SUSIE AND FRED TOCZEK IN HONOR OF SHALHEVET STAFF AND FACULTY FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS THROUGHOUT COVID

Limudei Kodesh Faculty Regional Director, West Coast NCSY RABBI DEREK GORMIN

RABBI DEREK GORMIN IS PART OF THE LIMUDEI KODESH FACULTY AT SHALHEVET, WHERE HE TEACHES TALMUD, JEWISH PHILOSOPHY, CHASSIDUT, AND TEFILA (PRAYER). WHEN NOT INSIDE THE HOLY WALLS OF SHALHEVET, RABBI GORMIN IS THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF WEST COAST NCSY. RABBI GORMIN STUDIED POLITICAL SCIENCE, MUSIC AND SOCIOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE, AND RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICS FROM YONSEI UNIVERSITY IN SEOUL, KOREA. UPON GRADUATION, DEREK WAS BLESSED TO SPEND TIME DIVING INTO THE DEPTHS OF HIS JEWISH HERITAGE IN VARIOUS YESHIVOT IN JERUSALEM.

Dirty Forks:

LEARNING HOW TO HOST FROM THE USHPIZIN Adirty forks were cleared from our Sukkah last year. After all, Sukkot is the holiday of guests, and we certainly had a 614 lot of them. In addition to hosting guests in the Sukkah for an entire meal, the Sukkah’s proximity to the outside also leads to the quick pop-in passerby or an easily arranged “shul Sukkah hop.” In fact, the Talmud states that the entire Jewish people could fulfill the mitzvah with a singular communal Sukkah (Sukkah 27b), which indicates that large gatherings and major hosting opportunities are an ideal part of the Sukkah experience. It is exciting to report that it does seem that the Jewish people have done a great job extending a hand to Sukkot guests for a meal, a refreshing drink, or some words of inspiration under the shade of the holy schach. With outreach efforts doubling every year and an ever-growing sentiment of hospitality during the holiday, we did seem to be on an upward trajectory towards the fulfillment of that Talmudic dictum; helping all Jews to enjoy the Sukkah. Along with so many other aspects of our world, COVID-19 has seemingly cut our sky-high trajectory off completely. The yearly rate of guests has been halted and the possibility of hosting anyone has become extremely challenging. The logistics of personal comfort to host a guest, paired with a guest willing to join for a physical meal, in conjunction with state and county guidelines for events has turned hosting a guest into an Olympic sport. Similar to a Doctor’s visit for a new patient, before an agreement is made to host or be hosted, there is a litany of questions that need to be answered: Do you have the antibodies? Been in contact with anyone with COVID? Have a fever? Are your kids physically attending school or camp? Do you socially distance? Is there room in your Sukkah to maintain 6 feet between my family and yours? Do your Sukkah walls provide proper ventilation...and the list goes on. Given the realities of the current pandemic, even if all those with a Sukkah who can host guests in a safe manner (such as with social distancing) would do so, we would still not be able to regain our pre-COVID trajectory with the same plan. How can we turn this challenge into an opportunity for growth? How can we jump back into that incredible pre-COVID growth in the area of Hachnasat Orchim, welcoming guests? Perhaps a direction to consider in addressing this issue can be found within a custom we already practice each year on Sukkot. The Zohar (Parshat Emor) informs us that in addition to any hosting of physical guests that we do, we also have the merit of hosting Ushpizin, spiritual guests, who visit our Sukkah each evening. This list of Ushpizin consists of individuals whom the Zohar calls the 7 faithful shepherds of the Jewish People: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and King David. Our home is a place of holiness along with the challenges and pursuits of physical life. The Sukkah, on the other hand, is completely spiritual, allowing our Ushpizin guests to leave their dwelling places in the highest of the highs to come and visit our Sukkah. Each night another one of the Ushpizin leads the pack and our focus is on that singular personality. There are many beautiful customs surrounding the Ushpizin. The Yesod v’Shoresh ha’Avodah teaches that without a formal welcome, which consists of the traditional liturgical reading often found in a Sukkot Machzor, the guests will not 3

enter. There is a beautiful custom to light 7 candles each night, one for each guest (Belzer Chasidic Community). The Chida has a custom to set a chair, specifically for each of the Ushpizin in the Sukkah. Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margolis (in his work Mateh Efraim) writes that one should prepare words of Torah about each of the Ushpizin to share and discuss during their featured day. Thus, Abraham is spoken about during the first day, Isaac during the second, and so on. I am sure that the process of fulfilling each of the beautiful customs listed above has inherent spiritual value. What I believe, however, will start to bring us back to greatness in Hachnasat Orchim is using the component of preparation for an honored guest that is inherent in each of these customs for all of our guests. Personalized guest preparation is a tremendous idea that can inform our hosting going forward. Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik was famous for regularly starting his lectures with the following phrase, “Ein Kedusha Bli Hachanah,” there is no holiness without preparation. Imagine the following scenario: You are hosting the Goldbluth family next Shabbat. You begin researching the names, ages, hobbies and preferences of each family member. Next begins the discovery of each parent’s profession and the subsequent preparation of meaningful questions and discussion topics that highlight their expertise and engagement. The creation of name cards placed or taped on the chair for every guest, just like the Chida suggests. Imagine ending the meal with the youngest guest child’s favorite ice cream flavor and a bottle of wine that the Mrs. of the home most prefers paired with your main course. This type of mindset, actively placing the guest at the forefront, would qualitatively change the game of hosting. This current pause to hosting guests can serve as a reboot for the quality of our hosting soon. May Hashem bless all of us with a healthy, joyous and a guest filled year to come!

Dean of Students

RABBI ARI SCHWARZBERG RABBI ARI SCHWARZBERG IS THE FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE SHALHEVET INSTITUTE AND DEAN OF STUDENTS AT SHALHEVET HIGH SCHOOL. HE RECEIVED HIS SEMIKHA FROM YESHIVA UNIVERSITY AND HOLDS A MASTERS OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES FROM HARVARD DIVINITY SCHOOL.

“All is Futile”:

THE ROLE OF SKEPTICISM IN RELIGIOUS LIFE Hidden among the tefilla, simcha, and unique mitzvot of Sukkot is the reading of Kohelet on Shabbat of Chol Hamoed. Aside from the question of its relevance to the holiday of Sukkot, even a cursory reading of Kohelet begs a more basic question: what role does this megilla have in our Torah? A book whose dominant refrain is “‫“ – ”הכל הבל‬all is futile” or “all is vapor” isn’t exactly the anthem we’re used to seeing in Tanakh. Though Kohelet is full of deep insight and wisdom, as a whole the book appears more as a work of skepticism or existential philosophy than as classical Torah. In fact, the Gemara in Masekhet Shabbat (30b) says that initially there was a movement to conceal Kohelet. The Gemara then offers a confusing and rather uninspiring response that “because its beginning consists of matters of Torah and its end consists of matters of Torah” it was deemed acceptable. So, what are we to make of this enigmatic sefer – how might we think about the religious function of a text that calls into question axioms of traditional religious thinking? On the one hand, there’s an approach in Chazal that reinterprets the literal meaning of Kohelet and finds an interpretive layer that creates consistency between Kohelet and other parts of the Torah. Such an approach is often brilliant in its exegesis, but it also seems like there’s an intentional avoidance of the plain meaning of Kohelet’s words. There are numerous examples of this in the Midrash (Kohelet Rabba), but let’s look at one example (2:24) where the rabbis contend with Kohelet’s repeated suggestion to eat, drink, and be merry:

R. Tanhuma in the name of R. Nahman, the son of R. Samuel b. Nahman, and R. Menahama said: All the references to eating and drinking in this Book signify Torah and good deeds. R. Jonah said: The most clear of them all is: “A man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, and drink, and to be merry, and that this should accompany him in his labor – ‘amalo’” (Eccl. 8:15). The last word should be read as ‘olamo’ (his world) – in this world; all the days of his life (ib.) alludes to the grave. Are there, then, food and drink in the grave that accompany a man to the grave? It must then mean Torah and good deeds.

The Midrash here replaces eating and drinking with Torah and mitzvot, and thus Kohelet’s hedonistic façade quickly becomes standard yeshiva fare. Yes, it’s a beautiful and important idea, but the reader is left wondering whether this is, in fact, the genuine intention of Kohelet. If one looks closely, however, there is another voice in the Midrash that offers an approach that is both comfortable with and appreciative of Kohelet’s pshat (its literal meaning). In 5:14, the pasuk states: ‫כאשר יצא מבטן אמו ערום ישוב ללכת כשבא ומאומה לא־ישא בעמלו שילך בידו׃‬ Just as he came naked from his mother’s womb, so must he depart. He can take none of his wealth he earned along with him. Rather than offering an alternative read to Kohelet’s nihilism, the Midrash concedes the point: 5

This is like a fox that found a vineyard that was fenced in on all sides. There was one hole through which he tried to enter, but was not able. What did he do? He fasted for three days until he was thin and weak, and he went through the hole. He ate and grew fat. When he wanted to leave, he could not fit through the hole. Again he fasted three more days until he grew thin and weak as he had done before and then left. When he departed, he turned and looked and said: Vineyard, vineyard! How good are you, and how good are the fruits inside! Everything inside you is wonderful and praiseworthy. But vineyard, what benefit comes from you? Just as one goes inside so does one depart! Thus also is this world. In another striking example, the Midrash supports Kohelet’s claim that the same fate awaits the wicked and righteous ‫( מקרה אחד לצדיק ולרשע‬9:11). Here, the Midrash takes actual examples from the Torah to further substantiate Kohelet’s point that life, indeed, is anything but fair: The same fate happens to the righteous – this refers to Noah… They say that when he came out of the ark, a lion attacked him and injured him so that he limped. And to the wicked – this refers to Pharaoh. They say that when Pharaoh came to sit upon Solomon’s throne… he did not understand its mechanism, and a lion attacked and injured him so that he limped. This one died with a limp and this one died with a limp; hence the same fate happens to the righteous and wicked. To the good – this refers to Moses… And to the pure – this refers to Aaron… And to the unclean – this refers to the spies, who gave an evil report about the land of Israel and did not get to enter it. These (Moses and Aaron) spoke of the goodness and praiseworthiness of the land of Israel, yet they did not get to enter it. While there may be different ways to approach the meaning of Kohelet, it’s clear that Chazal find value in the raw and candid reflections of Kohelet. No human being is immune to the injustices of life, and in the writing of Kohelet that universal human experience becomes sacred. Though the realities of life might push one towards the edges of nihilism or secularism, the very inclusion of Kohelet in Tanakh suggests that the irresolvable frustrations of life are not a challenge to religion, but are actually part of its very fabric. Kohelet concludes with the following piece of wisdom: ‫סוף דבר הכל נשמע את־האלקים ירא ואת־מצותיו שמור כי־זה כל־האדם כי את־כל־מעשה האלקים יבא במשפט על כל־נעלם‬ ‫אם־טוב ואם־רע׃‬ The sum of the matter, when all is said and done: Revere God and observe His commandments! As this is the whole [purpose of] man. For God will call every creature to account for everything unknown, be it good or bad. In the context of Kohelet’s 12 perakim, these final pesukim are not suggesting to ignore the vexations and dilemmas of life; they’re real and legitimate, and that’s why they must be included in Tanakh. The advice here, then, is that an honest and real confrontation with the irresolvable challenges of the human condition actually help build a more honest and legitimate relationship with Hashem. In the words of Rabbi Hayyim Angel: “Certain paradoxes and limitations are inherent to human existence, and not even the wisest of all men can make them disappear. Instead, Kohelet teaches us how to confront these challenges honestly and then embark on a process of intense existential frustration that ultimately leads to a greater recognition of the infinite gap between ourselves and God, leading in turn to humility and fear of God, leading in turn to living more religiously in every sense.” In a number of ways, the last several months have further raised some of the existential questions of life into our consciousness. Untimely death, financial instability, failure of leadership, and an uncertain future all make us feel less confident that our actions and behavior matter. Amidst a global pandemic, the words of Kohelet this Sukkot may seem like an actual commentary on our current existence. It is my hope, however, that even as Kohelet appears as an appropriately depressing tome for the Fall of 2020, its words also help us recalibrate and recommit to our most sacred human and religious goals. 6

Director of Student Activities MS. ILANA WILNER

MS. ILANA WILNER IS THE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES AND A LIMUDEI KODESH TEACHER AT SHALHEVET. ILANA HAS A MASTERS IN BIBLICAL AND TALMUDIC INTERPRETATION FROM YESHIVA UNIVERSITY’S GRADUATE PROGRAM FOR ADVANCED TALMUDIC STUDIES (GPATS), AS WELL AS A MASTERS DEGREE IN EDUCATION FROM AZRIELI SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND ADMINISTRATION.

A Time to Celebrate AND A TIME TO REFLECT

Sukkot constitutes the end of the ‫ שלש רגלים‬cycle of Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot. Three times a year God commanded us to get up and make the long, arduous trek to the ‫ בית המקדש‬to commemorate and celebrate various historical and agricultural events. But one of these things is not like the other – Sukkot stands out from the crowd. On Pesach we commemorate ‫יציאת‬ ‫מצרים‬, on Shavuot we commemorate ‫מתן תורה‬, and on Sukkot we commemorate ‫בסוּכות הושבתי‬, Hashem placing us in sukkot in the wilderness. Pesach and Shavuot have active and transformative moments – we left Egypt; we stood at Har Sinai and accepted the Torah. Sukkot? We sat in huts. Not so transformative – or is it? There is a famous disagreement between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva about the reason for sitting in sukkot. Rabbi Eliezer states that the holiday of Sukkot commemorates the cloud of God’s presence that protected ‫ בני ישראל‬in the desert over the forty years. Rabbi Akiva disagrees and believes we are commemorating the actual huts in which we dwelled in the desert (Gemara Sukkah 11b). Rabbi Eliezer’s explanation is the more commonly accepted one. Perhaps it is preferred 3 7 miracle demonstrating God’s presence. because it views Sukkot as commemorating a supernatural, overt But perhaps Sukkot’s significance as one of the ‫ שלש רגלים‬requiring a journey to the ‫ בית המקדש‬does not depend on the machloket of whether the Israelites sat under protective clouds or in huts, but rather on the simple fact that they dwelled in the same place for an extended period of time. After all, the pasuk specifically uses the word ‫הושבתי‬, which relates to sitting or dwelling in one place. Moreover, the bracha we say for the sukkah is ‫לישב בסוכה‬, which refers to the act of sitting or dwelling in the sukkah, not the act of building it. On Sukkot, we are not commemorating one awe-inspiring moment, but rather the inspirational experience of a generation that displayed the transformative power of ‫תמידיות‬, the consistency of sitting down for meals, for learning, for discussion. The time in the desert allowed ‫ בני ישראל‬to journey from the overt and once-in-a-lifetime miracle to developing as a nation and cultivating a real relationship with God in their daily lives and routine. What appeared from the outside like circling in place, going nowhere with nothing new or important occurring, was in reality a time of processing and reflection. Giving time and space in the routine of daily life allowed ‫ בני ישראל‬to reflect and grow into a nation. Sukkot is thus a holiday commemorating intentional processing and relishing the routine, both that of the Jews in the desert, as well as in our day. Sukkot gives us the opportunity to savor the moments of our daily lives. It allows us to sit down and build and connect our relationships with each other and with God. When seen this way, Sukkot teaches us that focusing and highlighting the ordinary can be just as transformative of an experience as the miraculous events of ‫יציאת‬ ‫ מצרים‬and ‫מתן תורה‬. Interestingly, Kohelet, one of the five ‫ מגילות‬and written by Shlomo HaMelech, is also read on Sukkot. On the surface Kohelet is a “kvetcher sefer” about the futileness and meaningless of life. However, there is another side to Kohelet that fits beautifully with our theme of Sukkot as focused on finding meaning in the cyclical moments of daily life. The Sages discuss whether Kohelet should be canonized but eventually agree that it is included in Tanakh because it ends with words of Torah (Gemara Shabbat 30b). The structure of the book highlights this idea as well. For eleven plus chapters, we 7

sit and ruminate over the meaning and importance of life and consider the significance of what appear to be mundane and ever repeating moments. But at the end of this reflection, we find meaning in all of it because it is God’s word and we have the ability (with His help) to elevate the ‫ הבל‬and turn it into ‫עמלו‬, His work. Thus, Kohelet too demonstrates that we don’t always need the miraculous events to inspire us, but we can make our everyday, ordinary life sanctified and directed to service of Hashem as well. This idea of elevating and celebrating the mundane permeates the holiday of Sukkot in additional ways as well. First, Kohelet itself is read not on the day of Yom Tov (which falls out once a year) but rather on Shabbat (Chol Hamoed), which is a weekly occurrence. Second, ‫ לישב בסוכה‬is recited at every meal, not just the ones on the day of Yom Tov. And finally, the mitzvah of lulav is fulfilled by saying a bracha on the simple act of ‫נטילה‬, picking up the four species. All of these mitzvot performed on Sukkot remind us to elevate all moments – even those that come daily or weekly – as critical times for reflection and growth. Before I started teaching, I feared the feeling of watching students grow up and move on each year to their new grade and new adventures, while I stayed put and would teach the same thing year after year. How was I going to find meaning in this routine and cycle? How would it not become monotonous? But I could not have been more wrong. With each new group of students, I become excited about the potential for different conversations, questions and new ideas that we would explore and discover together. ‫דור הלך ודור בא והארץ לעולם עמדת‬, “One generation goes, another comes, but the land stands always” (Kohelet 1:4).

Limudei Kodesh Faculty DR. SHEILA KEITER

DR. SHEILA KEITER TEACHES LIMUDEI KODESH AT SHALHEVET. SHE HAS A B.A. IN HISTORY FROM UCLA, A JD FROM HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, AND RECEIVED HER PHD IN JEWISH STUDIES FROM UCLA, WHERE SHE TAUGHT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEAR EASTERN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES.

Vanity of Vanities:

READING QOHELET ON SUKKOT The High Holiday season seems to follow a logical progression. In Elul, we anticipate the coming judgment, and we begin to address our shortcomings as well as how we can improve. By the time Rosh Hashanah comes along, we are, hopefully, ready to stand in judgment before our Maker. Just in case we have not yet perfected the repentance process, we are given an additional ten days before our fate is sealed, culminating in our final heartfelt petitions on Yom Kippur. Having emerged from this spiritually intense process, Sukkot affords us the opportunity to dwell with God and celebrate all He has done for us. Sukkot’s sense of joy and happiness reaches a crescendo when dancing with the Torah on Simchat Torah. All these steps contribute to a beautiful and meaningful spiritual journey. However, there is one practice that seems to be an anomaly. On Shabbat Chol Hamoed Sukkot, in the midst of our time of joy, Ashkenazim read Megillat Qohelet, a book filled with skepticism, cynicism, and fatalism. What gives? The other four megillot are read at times during the year that seem to correspond well with their subject and theme. We read Megillat Esther on Purim because it is the source of the Purim story and Eichah on Tisha B’Av because it perfectly expresses the sense of loss and desolation caused by the destruction of the Temple. Megillat Ruth is set during the barley harvest associated with Shavuot, while Shir Hashirim depicts young love reminiscent of the spring and Pesach time when it is read. But what does Qohelet have to do with Sukkot? It is almost as if Sukkot and Qohelet were the last students put into pairs because they could not find a more willing partner. While the reason for this pairing is far from settled, Qohelet features one particular lesson relevant to the Sukkot season. Qohelet, or Ecclesiastes, is perhaps the most intriguing of the five megillot. It is written in the form of Wisdom literature, filled with aphorisms seemingly advocating the best approach to life. The main body of the text is attributed to a thinker calling himself Qohelet, who identifies himself as King Solomon. However, the book’s internal contradictions make it impossible to define the speaker’s actual outlook, as he reaches no solid conclusions. The skeptical tone of the book calls into question any effort to find meaning in life beyond that offered by the epilogue, to fear God and observe His commandments (Qoh. 12:13). This is no doubt deliberate. Qohelet’s ramblings are bookmarked by the refrain: ‫( הבל הבלים הכל הבל‬Qoh. 1:2, 12:8). “Hevel of hevels, all is hevel.” In addition, the word ‫הבל‬, hevel, recurs throughout the book multiple times like a running theme. The word ‫ הבל‬is subject to varying interpretations: futility, vanity, transience, vapor, meaninglessness, etc. Like the content of the book itself, the use of the word is inconsistent. While any of these translations may work in one instance, none will work in every instance. Thus, efforts to definitively define the word ‫ הבל‬are equally futile (pun intended). Despite this, I want to examine one proffered understanding of the word ‫הבל‬, not because it offers a solution to the problem, but because it draws our attention to an interesting lesson and offers an understanding of why we read Qohelet during the Sukkot celebration. The Vilna Gaon (a.k.a. the GR”A) writes what is essentially an introduction to Qohelet. In it, he focuses on the various aspects of the human being and the human soul, concepts rooted in the Zohar and kabbalistic thought. The Vilna Gaon identifies the three parts of the soul, the plant-like ‫נפש‬, nefesh, the animalistic ‫רוח‬, ruach, and the godly ‫נשמה‬, neshama. The GR”A then associates each of these three elements of the human soul with the three sons of Adam and Eve (literally the original ‫)בני אדם‬, Cain, Abel, and Seth respectively. Cain, the farmer, concerns himself with food and survival. He represents the plant-like nefesh that merely seeks survival. God spurns his offering, 9

argues the GR”A, because he offered inedible plants he did not need. Abel, the shepherd, is associated with the higher animal-like ruach that seeks more than just survival. Abel is consumed with jealousy and seeks honor. Thus, he offers his choicest resources to outdo his brother. Seth, associated with the highest aspect of the soul, the divine neshama, is the only one who adheres to God’s will, serving a higher purpose (Biyur HaGR”A, Qohelet 1:1). The Vilna Gaon argues that these themes are hinted at in Qohelet by the recurring use of the word ‫הבל‬, hevel, which happens to be Abel’s name. Thus, for the GR”A, since Abel is the animalistic seeker of honor, ‫ הבל‬is properly translated as it often is (think King James Bible), as vanity. Since, along with most traditional commentators, the GR”A attributes Qohelet to Solomon, he then relates Qohelet to the midrashic tradition that King Solomon lost his throne and wrote Qohelet during his three years of exile (see b.Gittin 68b). He bolsters this association with a little gematria. Solomon reigned for forty years, but he was dethroned for three of those years. This leaves thirty-seven years, which is the precise numeric value of the word ‫הבל‬. The message of this gematria according to the GR”A is that in writing Qohelet, Solomon was acknowledging that his reign was a period of vanity, where he sought honor and glory. His ignoble fall from grace was the corrective necessary to cure him of his self-importance, and the product of that experience was Qohelet (Biyur HaGR”A, Qohelet 1:2). While the GR”A’s perspective on Qohelet and the word ‫ הבל‬is just one of many, it does offer some insight into the reading of Qohelet during this time of year. Sukkot is supposed to be ‫זמן שמחתינו‬, the time of our rejoicing, yet Qohelet comes off as a real downer. Sukkot marks the end of the harvest season. We are supposed to be celebrating a successful year, grateful for God’s bounty. However, at the same time, we are cognizant of the challenges of the coming year. We continue to recite hoshanot through Hoshana Rabbah, culminating in the prayer for rain on Shemini Atzeret. While Sukkot celebrates a successful harvest, it also embodies anxiety for the future. In addition, there is an inherent danger in the celebration of Sukkot that may also relate to the above explanation. The Torah warns: .(‫יז‬,‫החיל הזה )דברים ח‬-‫ואמרת בלבבך כחי ועצם ידי עשה לי את‬ “And you will say in your heart: My strength and the power of my hand made this success for me” (Deut. 8:17). The Torah is well aware that we may view our bounty with an eye to our own vanity rather than with gratitude to God. For this reason, it seems oh so appropriate to culminate our reading of the Torah at the end of the holidays and begin again from the very beginning, so to speak. For Sefer Breishit reintroduces us to the imperfections and challenges that continuously beset humankind. And it is no coincidence that we encounter the story of Cain and Abel in the very first parashah of the Torah. So much of the tragedy of the human condition is predicated on our own vanity. Perhaps no story captures this as well as the story of the first homicide, borne of filial jealousy. For the GR”A, Qohelet is King Solomon’s warning against petty jealousies, complacency, and self-satisfaction. By reading it during Sukkot, we remind ourselves to check our vanity and do what is right in the eyes of God.

v o T l e z a M

SHA

Maddie Adatto

Leah Alkin

Yarin Amzalag

Celine Basiratmand

Shayna Becker

Jacob Lawrence Benezra

Chana Berg

Aiden Bieda

Ashley Haley Botnick

Neima Fax

Nicholas Fields

Joshua Glettner

Leah Golfiz

Jesse Harrison

Zachary Helfand

Danya Abigail Helperin

Noah Hertzberg

Maital Hiller

Rachel Lasry

Gabrielle Lasry

Eliezer Lasry

Tobias Lee

Maia Lefferman

Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz-Brooks

Joshua Lewis

Emma Isabella Mackler

Makayla Marshak

David Saeedian

Maya Rachel Schapira

Ari Schlacht

Sheyna Schusterman

Natalia Shabtay

Rachel Shamouelian

Kikuyo Shaw

Gilad Spitzer

COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCES (76 COLLEGES) American University, Arizona State University, Bar-Ilan University, Boston University, Brandeis University, Brown University, California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo), California State Polytechnic University (Pomona), California State University (Channel Islands), California State University (East Bay), California State University (Fullerton), California State University (Maritime Academy), California State University (Northridge), Chapman University. College of Charleston, CUNY Hunter College, Drexel University, Elon University, Emory University, Fordham University, George Washington University, Goucher College, Hofstra University, Indiana University (Bloomington), Johns Hopkins University, Lewis & Clark College, Los Angeles Valley College, Loyola Marymount University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, Muhlenberg College, New York University, Occidental College, Princeton University, Rutgers University (New Brunswick) , San Francisco State University, San Jose State University, Santa Monica College, Sarah Lawrence College, Savannah College of Art and Design, Sonoma State University, SUNY at Binghamton, Syracuse University, The Ohio State University (Main Campus), The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, Tulane University of Louisiana, University of Arizona, University of British Columbia, University of California (Berkeley), University of California (Davis), University of California (Irvine), University of California (Los Angeles), University of California (Merced), University of California (Riverside), University of California (San Diego), University of California (Santa Barbara), University of California (Santa Cruz), University of Chicago, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Delaware, University of Denver, University of Kansas, University of Kentucky, University of Maryland (College Park), University of Miami, University of Michigan, University of Oregon, University of San Diego, University of Southern California, University of Toronto, University of Vermont, University of Washington (Seattle Campus), University of Wisconsin (Madison), Washington University in St Louis, Willamette University, Yeshiva University

Ari Taryle

Gabrielle Stein

passionate mensches

Over

7000

Hours

of logged Chessed hours with over 50 different local and national organizations and projects

Senior Club Leaders

0 2 0 2 f o s s a l ALHEVET'S C

GRADUATES! Zoey Sara Botnick

Raquel Ciment

Amy Cohen

Talia Cohen

Abraham Czuker

Harry Nathan Diamond

Mitchell Alan Hoenig

Avital Jacobson

Sabrina Ariella Jahan

Rose Julis

Nicole Olivia Klausner

Joseph Benjamin Klores

Garrison Kreitenberg

Coby Mendelson

Rachel Metzger

Eliana Mizrahi

Sarah Elise Navon

Noa Miriam Nelson

Ben-Tsion Oliel

Sam Rubanowitz

Jesse Thau

Adam Tizabi

Jonah Tochner

Maya Tochner

Ariel Urman

2020 % 58

Regional Champions FIRST Robotics Competiton

OF STUDENTS ADMITTED TO THE FOLLOWING HIGHLY SELECTIVE INSTITUTIONS Boston University, Brandeis University, Brown University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, Princeton University, Tulane University, University of California (Berkeley), University of California (Los Angeles), University of Chicago, University of Michigan, University of Southern California, Washington University in St Louis, Yeshiva University Honors

Caroline Esther Edry

Alyssa Wallack

National Merit Scholars 1 Scholarship Winner 4 Commended Scholars

David Edwards

Elianna Kupferman

Alex Joshua Rubel

Samantha Weinberg

48%

of the Class of 2020 who performed or exhibited in our Choir, Art and Theater Programs

ISRAEL PROGRAM ACCEPTANCES

Joshua Weindling

Jacqueline Adina Englanoff

William Kupferman

Evan Samuel Rubel

Anna Weiss

years in a row our Boiling Point newspaper staff won the prestigious Columbia scholastic press association gold and silver crown award.

Midreshet Torah V’Avodah, Midreshet Moriah, Midreshet Amit, Midreshet Lindenbaum, Tiferet, Midreshet Harova, Amudim, Nishmat, Bnot, Torah/Sharfman’s Seminary, Migdal Oz, Bar Ilan, Kivunim, Hevruta, Kivun (Bnai Akiva), Aish Gesher, Eretz Hatzvi, Lev HaTorah, Orayta, Torat Shraga, Yeshivat Ashreinu, Yeshivat HaKotel, Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh, Netiv Aryeh, Yeshivat Har Etzion, Yeshivat Reishitm, Yeshivat Shaalvim, Yeshiva Sha’arei Mevaseret Zion, Yeshivat Torah V’Avodah

2020 Captain Hyman Galbut Tournament Champions

Limudei Kodesh Faculty

RABBI ABRAHAM LIEBERMAN RABBI ABRAHAM LIEBERMAN IS A MEMBER OF THE LIMUDEI KODESH FACULTY AT SHALHEVET HIGH SCHOOL. HE PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE HEAD OF SCHOOL AT YULA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL. RABBI LIEBERMAN LEARNED AT YESHIVA UNIVERSITY AND RECEIVED SEMIKHA FROM EMEK HALAKHA IN BROOKLYN. HE RECIEVED HIS M.A. IN JEWISH HISTORY FROM THE BERNARD REVEL GRADUATE SCHOOL (YU), WHERE HE IS CURRENTLY WORKING TOWARDS HIS DOCTORATE.

Hoshanah Rabbah

AND BEATING THE WILLOW While the holiday of Sukkot contains many Mitzvot, different customs, much symbolism, and a rich tradition, one particular ritual stands out as being unusual and even a bit strange – the beating of the Arava (what we call the Hoshanot), or willow branch, on the day of Hoshanah Rabbah. What is the reason for this unusual Minhag and what is the significance of this day in general? Let’s begin by reviewing the many interesting and unusual practices related to Hoshanah Rabbah. The Mishnah in Tractate Sukkah (4:5) and the Talmud there (44a) refer to the “Mitzvat Arava”, a special commandment whereby a willow was taken in the Beit HaMikdash in addition to the four minim on each day of Sukkot. The Kohanim then walked around the Mizbeach (the Altar) once with it, waved it (Chibat in the language of the Talmud, to be discussed further below) and deposited the willow around the Mizbeach. On the last day of Sukkot, what we call Hoshanah Rabbah, they walked around the Mizbeach seven times. As a Zecher L’Mikdash, a remembrance of the Temple, we only perform this ritual of the Arava on the last day. The Zohar (Parashat Trumah, 142B) adds an additional dimension to Hoshanah Rabbah not mentioned in the Talmud that it is a day of judgement. In light of the Zohar’s understanding, Hoshanah Rabbah took on the notion of a minor Yom Kippur. Hence, the custom developed in the Ashkenazi community to wear a Kittel, the white robe-like garment worn on Yom Kippur. But while on Yom Kippur it is worn by many, on Hoshanah Rabbah it is only worn by the person leading the services. The custom in some places of staying up all night learning (with variations of the type of learning in different communities), the donning of Yom Tov clothing by some, the longer davening in the morning, and the custom of the Kohanim reciting Birkat Kohanim (even in many communities outside of Israel) all reflect this notion of Hoshanah Rabbah being a lesser level of Yom Kippur. In many communities, special foods and a Yom Tov-like meal are also eaten during the day. Hoshanah Rabbah is thus an extension of Yom Kippur in some sense that allows us a bit more time to perfect ourselves. Even the name of the day, Hoshanah “Rabbah”, the “Great” Hoshanah, is unique and illustrates the significance of the day. According to Rabbeinu Bahya ben Asher ibn Halawa (1258-1340), the term “Rabbah” refers to the fact that Hoshanah Rabbah is the 26th day since creation and the Gematria (numerical value) of Hashem’s great name (YKVK) is 26. The Levush (O.H. 664:1), R. Mordechai Jaffe (1530-1612), explains that the term “great” refers to the fact that we increase the number of aravot taken on this day. R. Avraham Danzig (1748-1820) in his Hayyei Adam (1:153:2) offers a third explanation that it is called great because we increase the number Hoshanot prayers on this day. All of this should give us some appreciation of the deep significance given to this day. But how does it help explain the meaning and significance of the willow and the customs associated with it? Before answering the question, let us first explore what exactly is done with the Arava on Hoshanah Rabbah in more detail. The previously mentioned Talmudic source discussing the Mitzvat Arava also speaks of Chibat Arava. Rashi (1040-1105) (Sukkah 44b) explains this to refer to waving it. Rambam (1138-1204) (Laws of Sukkah 7:22), on the other hand, explains Chibat to refer to beating it. Rabbi Yosef Caro (1488-1575) in the Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 664:4) follows the Rambam and states that we take a few willows and beat them two or three times upon the ground or against a vessel. The Remo, Rabbi Moshe Isserles (1530-1572), 13

suggests following Rashi’s opinion as well and doing both, waving it slightly first and only afterwards striking with it. Sources record different customs as to the number of willows needed, the number of beatings, and where to actually strike it, but the consensus has settled on the opinion of taking five willows, tying them together, and beating them five times upon the ground. Another striking aspect of this mitzvah is the custom to place them on top of the Aron Ha-kodesh, reminiscent of the days when it was placed next to the Mizbeach, rather than discarding them. In many communities, they were used later in the year as fuel either in baking Matzah or burning the Hametz. Interestingly, one early Italian source of the 14th Century, Sefer Tanya Rabbati (86), tells us of the custom of keeping them close to one’s bed because of the love for this particular Mitzvah. So what might be the significance of beating the Arava and the other customs related to its use? Rav Tzemach Gaon, (Gaon of the Yeshiva of Sura, 889- 895) was asked this question (Teshuvot Ha-Geonim Shaarei Teshuva 340) and answered based on the Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 30:12) that each of the Four Species refers to a different part of the body. The Lulav is symbolic of the spine, the Etrog symbolizes the heart, the Hadasim represents the eyes, and the Aravot symbolize the lips. By striking the Arava and causing the leaves/lips to fall away, we are asking Hashem to silence the lips of the enemies of the Jewish people, the Satan, or anyone who speaks against us. The Sfat Emet, Rabbi Yehudah Arye Leib Alter (1847-1905) of the Hasidic Dynasty of Ger, suggests a different explanation for the significance of the Arava. He points out that Hoshanah Rabbah is the 51st day of Repentance beginning from Rosh Chodesh Elul. The number fifty often refers to the completion of a process or time period (such as Sefirat Ha’omer) where we have improved who we are on a daily basis. He points out that this is hinted to in the Hebrew word nah (‫)נא‬, meaning please, which has the numerical value of 51, and serves as the ending of the word ‫הושענא‬, Hosha/nah. The Sfat Emet explains that on this day of the closing of our final judgement (referred to above based on the Zohar), it is the willow that will be our guide. The simple lonely willow has no redeeming quality. It bears no flower or fruit; it has no smell and no taste. Yet we approach Hashem with it to teach us about the humility we must have and to refocus us on the essentials, the basics of our existence. The Sfat Emet explains that the willow is shaped like lips to remind us of the power of speech, the power of silence, and the power of prayer – each one to be used at the most suitable and appropriate time. He also compares the willow to a poor person, who has nothing except for his mouth and his lips, which allow him to beg. So too, we come before G-d in the same way on this day with only the ability to pray before Him. Our special connection to Hashem thus depends not necessarily on how many mitzvot we have carried out, not in how much Torah we have studied, but plain and simple in the desire to be close to Hashem and in our essence of who we truly are inside. The uncomplicated, undecorated, plain simple willow is indeed a powerful teacher to man. May we all merit a Pitka Tava or good Kvittel, meaning a good decree from Hashem to move into a better, safer, and more loving world together. Chag Sameach!

Chief Operating Officer MS. SARAH EMERSON

MS. SARAH EMERSON IS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT SHALHEVET HIGH SCHOOL IN LOS ANGELES. HER FORMER WORK IN THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR WAS WITH CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER AND YESHIVA UNIVERSITY. SHE EARNED HER UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM STERN COLLEGE FOR WOMEN AND HER LAW DEGREE FROM NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW. PRIOR TO MOVING TO LOS ANGELES, SHE WORKED AS A TAX ASSOCIATE AT THE LAW FIRM OF MILBANK TWEED HADLEY AND MCCLOY AS WELL AS THE DIRECTOR OF WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP PROGRAMMING AT STERN COLLEGE FOR WOMEN.

Horoscopes, Prophesies,

FREE WILL, AND HOSHANA RABBA The Yamim Noraim season brings to the forefront the age-old discussion about free will vs. predeterminism. How much of our fate and destiny in life is predetermined by God at birth and how much of it can we change? How much of what befalls us for the coming year can we decide ourselves? Although Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are already past us, this question is still relevant until Hoshana Rabba, when, according to mystical sources, we still have one last chance to do teshuva and convince Hashem to change any evil decrees against us. The Rema (Orach Chaim 664:1) mentions that the shadow placement of the moon on Hoshana Rabba night can dictate the fate for the coming year of an individual and their family. The Rema concludes however that it is better not to rely on such signs to try to foresee the future and instead have simple faith in Hashem. How can we understand this conflict of fate and destiny and free will? Another dimension of this question relates to whether astrology in general can determine one’s character traits and capabilities. Although I have never taken horoscopes very seriously, I do think it is fun and interesting to read them and see where I fit in. My birthday makes me a capricorn, so I am supposedly pre-disposed to possess certain traits such as being ambitious, a workaholic, enjoying giving to others, being dependable and caring, moody and suspicious. Although I don’t fit the bill on all of these traits, I have always felt like horoscopes were written vaguely enough to allow anyone to see some part of themselves in each one. Does Judaism take horoscope predictions seriously? Interestingly, the Gemara in Shabbat (156a) does present astrological predictions for people based upon which day of the week they were born, per Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, or even based upon the time of day of their birth, per Rabbi Chanina. Regardless of the day or hour, these opinions appear to question not whether any of these factors determine one’s fate, but rather which planet alignment dictates the fate. After a detailed outlining of the planet alignments and predictions for those born during those times, the Gemara quotes Rabbi Yochanan as disagreeing with these principles and declaring ‫ – אין מזל לישראל‬there is no constellation that dictates the fate of the Jewish people. If so, though, the entire Gemara is difficult to understand. If Rabbi Yochanan believes that the astrological predictions have no bearing over the Jewish nation, what is the point of the whole discussion in his opinion? Does he think that those statements should be relegated back to the pages of People Magazine? Are they meant to tell us only about the rest of the world aside from the Jews? Rashi explains that even Rabbi Yochanan believes that the predictions are indeed sound. However, by engaging in Tefila and Tzedaka (see Rashi, s.v. v‎’yesh), the Jewish people can change their destiny from what the planets dictate for them: “.‫ דעל ידי תפלה וזכות משתנה מזלו לטובה‬- ‫”אין מזל לישראל‬ Rashi here is telling us that we have two lifelines, if you will, that can change our predetermined mazal in life. These two lifelines correspond with two of the three tenets of Unetaneh Tokef, one of the central components of the Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur davening. That Tefila famously ends stating that we can “avert the harshness of the decree” by engaging in Teshuva, Tefila and Tzedaka. 15

Interestingly, astrology and prophecy appear to share certain characteristics concerning how they relate to the future. Just as astrology dictates certain predetermined aspects of our personalities but can still be changed through Tefila and Tzedaka, so too the Jewish prophets foretold the future but did so to inspire people to do Teshuva and avoid the destiny predicted in the prophecy. The book of Yonah that we read on Yom Kippur reminds us of this fact, where Yonah prophesizes that the city of Nineveh will be “overturned,” meaning destroyed – a prediction that led the people of Nineveh to do Teshuva and change their destiny. Indeed, had his prophetic prediction come true, he would have failed at his ultimate mission to enable them to change their ways. The Torah in Parshat Shoftim, which we read during Elul, also discusses the role of prophets in observing the Torah and encourages us to pay attention: “Hashem your G-d will raise up from your midst, from your brothers, a prophet like me [Moshe], you shall listen to him” (Devarim 18:15). But as we learn from Yonah, if a navi foresees punishment due to our sins, we do not have to take that prophecy lying down – we can combat it with Teshuva. The Gemara in Rosh Hashana (17b) bolsters this concept by declaring teshuva to be so powerful as to cause a person’s decree to be torn up. How does any of this discussion about prophets, astrology, predetermined fates, and good will help us achieve a strong finish to this season of Yamim Noraim? Both the Gemara in Shabbat regarding astrology as well as the prophesies related in Sefer Yonah provide us with the confidence and inspiration to work to change our fate. Teshuva allows us to change our prophesies, and Tefila and Tzedaka save us from our astrological predictions. Taken together, these three practices continue to be the optimal activities to focus on during Sukkot and ending with Hoshana Raba – Teshuva, Tefila and Tzedaka together - remove the evil decree! The Rambam (Hilchot Teshuva 5:2-4) explains that Hashem does not decree upon a person when he is born whether he will be either righteous or wicked, and nothing forces a person to conduct themselves in specific ways. True, the Rambam acknowledges (Shemoneh Perakim ch.8) that a person’s character traits and inner tendencies can and will influence someone’s behavior, but the Rambam confirms that a person can always overcome these inclinations, even if it is sometimes difficult. Does this mean that you are culpable if you are not raised to be a good person or taught how to follow the Torah? Certainly not, says Rav Eliyahu Dessler in his work Michtav Me’Eliyahu (Vol. 1, p.111). A person can only be held responsible for the level he is on at any given time. For example, if he has been trained from childhood to be a thief, he will not yet be responsible for robbing a bank until he learns that what he is doing is wrong. Rav Dessler continues that with hard work, a person can slowly change his level and work his way “up the ladder.”1 The Gemara in Shabbat regarding astrology, Sefer Yonah, Parshat Shoftim, the Rambam, and Rav Dessler can provide us with the confidence and inspiration to conclude the Yomim Noraim season on Hoshana Rabba and enter the coming year knowing that we have the ability to change our fate. Although the predictions of the horoscopes may theoretically be accurate and we may have certain inborn tendencies, our planet alignment will not determine our fate, our horoscope will not force us to live our lives a certain way, and the shadow of the moon will not decide our future – our fate is in our own hands, and we can come to G-d and implore Him to change our decree. As we approach Hoshana Rabba, we have no planet alignment or prophesies to hide behind, no horoscopes to blame, no predetermined astrology charts to consider – we are coming to G-d, beseeching him to change our decree. It’s nice to learn what the planets say about your personality and your potential, and it might be interesting to figure out based on the moon where your life is headed in the coming year, but ultimately we have the power within ourselves to change that. That is why the Rema says that it’s better to ignore the shadows of the moon and decide for ourselves how we want our lives to look.

1 For more on this topic, see Rav Asaf Bednarsh, “Free Will,” at https://www.etzion.org.il/en/shiur-03-free-will-part-3 and Dr. Benzion Sorotzkin, “How Free is Free Will,” at https://drsorotzkin.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/eng-bechira.pdf.

Shalhevet Class of ‘18 TALI SCHLACHT

TA L I S C HL AC H T IS A G RAD U AT E OF S H AL H E V E T ' S C L AS S OF 2018. T A LI ST U DI E D FO R TW O Y EA RS AT M IG D AL OZ IN G U S H E T Z ION AN D IS C U RR E N TLY A ST U DE NT A T Y ES H I V A U N IV E R S IT Y' S S T E R N C OL L E G E F OR W OM E N .

Together We Stand:

UNDERSTANDING MITZVAT HAKHEL

If you’ve ever been in Yerushalayim on Pesach or Sukkot, you might have experienced or heard about the public Birkat Kohanim, where tens of thousands of Jews of all types gather together at the Kotel to hear the public priestly blessing on Chol Hamoed. The plaza is packed, it is usually hot, yet you can get a small glimpse of what it might have looked like during the times of the Beit Hamikdash when everyone would come to Yerushalayim on the Shalosh Regalim of Pesach, Sukkot, and Shavuot. If it were Sukkot following a Shemita year, then the experience would be even more special, as that was when the entire nation would gather to hear the reading of selections from the Torah – Hakhel. The Torah explains the commandment: ‫י“ג‬-‘‫י‬:‫דברים לא‬ ‫)י( ויצו משה אותם לאמר מקץ ׀ שבע שנים במעד שנת השמטה בחג הסכות׃ )יא( בבוא כל־ישראל לראות את־פני ה‘ אלקיך‬ ‫במקום אשר יבחר תקרא את־התורה הזאת נגד כל־ישראל באזניהם׃ )יב( הקהל את־העם האנשים והנשים והטף וגרך אשר‬ ‫בשעריך למען ישמעו ולמען ילמדו ויראו את־ה’ אלקיכם ושמרו לעשות את־כל־דברי התורה הזאת׃ )יג( ובניהם אשר לא־ידעו‬ ‫ישמעו ולמדו ליראה את־ה‘ אלקיכם כל־הימים אשר אתם חיים על־האדמה אשר אתם עברים את־הירדן שמה לרשתה׃‬ Deuteronomy 31:10-13 (10) And Moses instructed them as follows: Every seventh year, the year set for remission, at the Feast of Booths, (11) when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place that He will choose, you shall read this Teaching aloud in the presence of all Israel. (12) Gather the people—men, women, children, and the strangers in your communities—that they may hear and so learn to revere the Lord your God and to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching. (13) Their children, too, who have not had the experience, shall hear and learn to revere the Lord your God as long as they live in the land that you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. The Torah teaches us that the entire nation – men, women and children – are obligated to gather to hear the Torah being read at the end of the seventh year of the Shemita cycle, meaning the beginning of the 8th year, on Sukkot. We can understand the reason for the idea of having everyone listen to the Torah being read, as reading the Torah gives the nation a refresher on the laws written inside, which is clearly valuable. But why specifically after a Shemita year on Sukkot? Why not on the other Shalosh Regalim? And why should the kids come if they’re just going to be disruptive? Explaining the reference to Shemita (even though the Shemita year is already over), many commentators (Chizkuni, Ha’amek Davar and others) note that Chol Hamoed of the Sukkot following the Shemita year is when the Jewish people would really feel the effects of having their land rest the previous year. As Sukkot is a holiday of harvesting, it would be especially noticeable that there was nothing to harvest. Rav David Tzvi Hoffman, in his commentary on these pesukim, explains further that instead of celebrating the harvest on this Sukkot, we gather after a year of resting the land to thank Hashem for supporting us at a time when our finances were uncertain. The public reading of the Torah further parallels Matan Torah in that we reaccept the Torah and commit ourselves to adhere to its principles at all times, even when we find it challenging to do so (such as during Shemita). 17

The Chatam Sofer (Torat Moshe, Parshat Vayeilech) approaches the question from a different angle. He explains that during the Shemita year, we were not busy working the land, so we were able to spend the year learning Torah and immersing ourselves in Avodat Hashem (see also Ibn Ezra and Bechor Shor, Vayikra 25). Following Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we are now purified and forgiven for our sins. With the whole past year as well as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur under our belts, we are now prepared to celebrate the Kedusha of the Torah on Sukkot. One could add as well that instead of celebrating the physical harvest, Hakhel is our celebration of a “spiritual harvest” of the Torah studied during the entire previous year of Shemita. The other notable aspect of this experience is the presence of the entire nation, including women and children. While the children might not understand every word of what’s going on, they can definitely learn the concept of Yirat Shamayim just from showing up to this momentous occasion (Ohr HaChayim 31:13). The Malbim explains further that we come to hear, which in turn allows us to learn, ‫לשמוע למען ללמוד‬. We want the words of the Torah to be etched in our hearts and to arouse a deep desire within us to serve Hashem and learn His Torah. The Sefer Hachinuch also explains the essence of the mitzvah of Hakhel beautifully: ‫ספר החינוך מצווה תריב‬ ‫ תענוג נצחי שאין‬,‫ ובה יפרדו מכל אומה ולשון להיות זוכין לחיי עד‬,‫ היא התורה‬,‫ לפי שכל עקרן של עם ישראל‬.‫משרשי המצוה‬ ‫ ולהיות הקול יוצא‬,‫ על כן בהיות כל עקרן בה ראוי שיקהלו הכל יחד בזמן אחד מן הזמנים לשמוע דבריה‬,‫למעלה הימנו בנבראים‬ ‫ לשמוע דברי התורה שהיא‬,‫ אנשים ונשים וטף לאמר מה הקבוץ הרב הזה שנתקבצנו יחד כולנו? ותהיה התשובה‬,‫בתוך כל העם‬ ‫ ועם החשק בה ילמדו‬,‫ ויבואו מתוך כך לספר בגודל שבחה והוד ערכה ויכניסו הכל בלבם חשקה‬,‫כל עקרנו והודנו ותפארתנו‬ .’‫ וכענין שכתוב בפרוש בזאת המצוה ולמען ילמדו ויראו את ד‬,‫ וישמח השם במעשיו‬,‫לדעת את השם ויזכו לטובה‬ Sefer Hachinuch Mitzvah 612 It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] because the entire essence of the people of Israel is the Torah; and through it are they separated from every nation and language, to be meritorious for life of the forever - eternal pleasure that is not surpassed by anything among the creatures. Therefore since their entire essence is in it, it is fitting that everyone should gather together at one point in time to hear its words, and for the voice to go out amongst the whole nation - men, women, and small children - to say, “What is the great gathering, that we have all been gathered together?” And the answer would be, “To hear the words of the Torah, which is our entire essence and glory and splendor.” And they will come from this to tell of the great praise and the splendor of its value; and its yearning will enter all of their hearts. And with this yearning for it, they will learn to know God and merit good, and “God will be happy with His creations” like the matter that is written in explanation of this commandment “and in order that they will learn and fear the Lord.” The Sefer Hachinuch explains that our most important treasure is the Torah, which makes us unique from the other nations. When we bring the children to hear the Torah being read, they will ask: why are there so many people gathered here? And we will answer: because we are here to hear the beautiful words of Hashem’s Torah, which will cause us to yearn to be better Ovdei Hashem and learn it assiduously. There is one other parshan that suggests an additional element to Hakhel. The Kli Yakar (Devarim 31:12) explains that the purpose of Hakhel is to prepare us for Teshuva. The Kli Yakar elucidates this unusual idea (that we need teshuva after Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur have already passed) based upon a passage in the Midrash (Vayikra Rabba to Parshat Emor) that the first day of the chag is the first day for calculating our sins. During the ten days in between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we are already returning to Hashem with our individual Teshuva. In between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, we are busy preparing for the mitzvot of Sukkah and Lulav and presumably do not have any time to sin. The first day of Sukkot, then, is the first time when we may begin to sin. At this time, a public gathering ‫כאגודה אחת‬, as one unit, to read from the Torah and persuade the people to return to Hashem is an effective manner of encouraging Teshuva. Moreover, the Teshuva of the community at large is easily accepted during the rest of the year (as opposed to individual Teshuva, which is more appropriate for the time before Yom Kippur). The Kli Yakar explains further that Hakhel has a similar goal to the mitzvah of the Four Species. One of the famous explanations for the reason behind taking the Four Species that we hold together on Sukkot is that each represents a different type of Jew: The Etrog has a pleasant taste and pleasant fragrance, representing a person with Torah learning and 18

good deeds. The Hadas (myrtle) has a pleasant fragrance but a terrible taste, representing a person with good deeds, but lacking Torah knowledge. The Lulav has a fine taste but no smell, representing the person with Torah knowledge, but no Maasim Tovim. And the Aravah does not have a taste or smell, representing a person with neither (Vayikra Rabbah 37). The Kli Yakar continues that on Sukkot, we bind all four types of Jews, represented by the Arba Minim, ‫כאגודה אחת‬, like one nation bundled together. We put aside our differences and join together in the fulfillment of the Mitzvah of Lulav. The same thing is true concerning the Mitzvah of Hakhel according to the Kli Yakar. It is thus fitting that the Mitzvah of Hakhel is performed at the same time that the Arba Minim are commanded to be shaken. But that is only if we show up as one nation: men, women, even children. Gathering everyone together to learn Torah and bring us closer to Hashem is so much more powerful when everyone is included in the mix.

Rosh Beit Midrash

RAV YITZCHAK ETSHALOM

RAV YITZCHAK ESTHALOM IS THE ROSH BEIT MIDRASH AT SHALHEVET HIGH SCHOOL. RAV ETSHALOM CONTINUES TO DIRECT THE TANACH MASTERS PROGRAM AT YULA BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL, GIVES SHIURIM THROUGHOUT THE CITY, IS A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR TO YESHIVAT HAR ETZION'S VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH, AND IS A PUBLISHED AUTHOR ON TANAKH METHODOLOGY AND RABBINIC LITERATURE. HE ATTENDED YESHIVAT KEREM B'YAVNE, RABBI ISAAC ELHANAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, AND YESHIVAT HAR ETZION BEFORE RECEIVING SEMICHA FROM THE CHIEF RABBINATE OF YERUSHALAYIM.

Back to Basics:

A NEW LOOK AT THE OLDEST STORY Throughout the past strange spring and summer, we have been blessed with the rhythms of tradition. Pandemic or not, protests or not, ZOOM meetings or not - Shabbat comes like clockwork and redeems us from the fears and anxieties of the past six days. Just as those rhythms redeem, they also allow us to renew ourselves. Even after our lives were made topsy-turvy, we have still left Egypt, stood at the foot of Sinai, wept on the stones of a destroyed Mikdash and joined the Kohen Gadol as he entered the Kodesh Kodashim, as we do every year. Yet we are all aware of how different our exodus was this year, how lonely we felt at the foot of Sinai and how very real those tears of Tish’a b’Av were to us. A year ago, we festively opened the cycle of Torah reading and again began the story of our nation’s formation. Who would have thought that this year we would be rolling back to Beresheet and reading from behind plexiglass or with masks - or both? Yet as we ponder the surprising and unprecedented way that 2020 has spun out, we take comfort in the annual rhythm of Keriat haTorah and in the familiar words of Bersheet Bara Elokim… An intrinsic piece of our religious cadence is in looking at the familiar with new eyes. We read the same texts but ask new questions - or entertain alternative approaches. Let’s renew ourselves with a fresh look at the oldest story. Amplifying the question with which Rashi opens his monumental commentary on the Torah, we are struck by the seeming incongruity of the inclusion of the story of Creation, the Flood, and the Tower of Bavel in the Torah. If, as Rashi assumes, the Torah is essentially a book of Mitzvot, then it should have begun in Exodus 12, where the first set of Mitzvot was given to Bnei Yisrael. If it also purports to teach a set of values, then we might have lost nothing if it began with the story of Avraham. All the more so if we presume that the Torah also wants to teach us about our national history – which all begins with Hashem’s command to Avraham of “go from your father’s house.” Granted, we want to establish that God is the Creator, but we could have skipped directly from Beresheet…ha’aretz to vayomer Hashem el Avram…. Indeed, what need do we have, standing at the foot of Sinai, to hear about Cain and Abel, Lemech and Nimrod? In addition, the past three centuries of inquiry have raised serious questions about these first eleven chapters (which comprise Parashot Beresheet and Noach). From the age of the world to the “Origin of the Species” and the description of a geocentric flat earth, the purported battle between the “Bible” and “Science” (a la “Inherit the Wind”) revolves chiefly around these first few chapters. I would like to begin by pointing out that the first real human character in Tanakh is neither Adam, nor Noah (and certainly not Cain, nor Lemech). The first person whose emotions, fears, loyalties and challenges are shared with us, the readership, is none other than Avraham. Avraham is the beginning of our story and the beginning of our covenant with God. But why Avraham? Why was he called? Reading through our chapters in the beginning of Beresheet, we see a world created as perfect that quickly spiraled down to perdition. God reversed the entire process of creation and started again 20

– a ready solution for a failed experiment. Although He committed to never again use that strategy, the postdiluvian world followed suit and Man’s loyalty to God was soon replaced with a spirit of rebellion and hubris. What to do, what to do? Returning to the blueprints, so to speak, was not an option, based on God’s covenant with the earth. So…instead of execution, the preferred response was rehabilitation and education. Avraham was sent to repair the broken world into which he was born. I’d like to suggest that instead of reading the first eleven chapters in a linear fashion, we ought to see them as the necessary prequel to the real story of Beresheet – the story of Avraham and his developing clan. In order to understand his mission – a mission to which we, as his chosen progeny, were commanded to continue – we need to learn about the world around him. In other words, if we want to see what Avraham was sent to fix, we have to learn what was broken. That translates directly to us. To understand our holy mission as individuals, as a community and as a nation, we have to discover what is broken in this world. And for that, we need to learn about the world that preceded Avraham. The first overt sin involves the eating from the Tree of Life. When the primordial serpent enticed the woman to eat from the tree, “the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise…”1 The word “delight”, ta’avah, refers to a primal urge, a lust. The entire scene is about appetite and desire – witness the realization of nakedness and shame that overcome Adam and Eve as a result. Among the rabbinic opinions about what kind of fruit it was, R. Meir suggests that it was the grape vine, due to its association with sexual licentiousness.2, 3 The first crime was thus a crime of appetite. The second crime was fratricide, but Cain killing Abel was just the beginning. A few verses after we read about Cain’s exile, we learn that his descendant, Lemech, has raised murder from a crime of passion to a strategy and a threat, to be used against his own wives if they don’t submit to his demands. The second crime is one of violence. But a few verses later, at the end of chapter 4, we read that in the generation of Enosh, “az huchal likro beshem Hashem.” This phrase is difficult to interpret and the commentators are divided as to its meaning. According to Maimonides (among others), it means that people started calling other things (e.g. stars) “God.”4 In other words, this was the beginning of idolatry. Curious, isn’t it, that the three great crimes that defined the antediluvian world were sexual appetite, murder and idolatry – the three capital crimes for which a Jew is bidden to martyr himself rather than sin. As noted above, God’s response to this world gone bad is to destroy it (note how the story of the flood seems to be a step-by-step rollback of the creation sequence)5 and to start over. Sadly, the world of Noah fares no better than the world of Adam. The first crime in this new world takes place in Noah’s tent; however we interpret what happened between Ham (or Canaan?) and Noah (or Noah’s wife?), there is no question that the scene is one of sexual violation and, again, an appetite unbridled. In this scene, we are explicitly told that wine and drunkenness was the proximate cause for the debauchery. (Perhaps this was R. Meir’s source for suggesting that the Tree of Life was a grapevine). The first postdiluvian crime was, again, one of appetite. In the presentation of the families of the world (chapter 10); the progeny of each of Noah’s sons are listed, but we are told next to nothing about any of the named descendants – with one exception. In detailing the families of Ham, we are told that a particular Nimrod “began to be a mighty one…a mighty hunter before Hashem…the beginning of his kingdom was Bavel…”6 The first person described as “king” in Tanakh is also presented as a successful hunter. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to put these two details together and to understand that he used his hunting skills to establish his kingdom; in other 1 Gen. 3:6 2 See, e.g., BT Berakhot 40a and R. Yehuda haNassi’s observation about the juxtaposition between the passage of the Sotah and the Nazir in BT Sotah 2a 3 BT Sanhedrin 70a 4 Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Avodah Zarah 1:1 5 See my article at https://torah.org/torah-portion/mikra-5757-br-dt-58-1-02/ 6 Gen. 10:8-10 21

words, the use of power and violence as a means to getting what he wanted. The second postdiluvian crime was consequently violence and murder. The final sin that set the stage for Avraham was the building of the fortress/tower in Shinar. The commentators are divided as to the nature of the crime, but the evidence (including archaeological) supports the Midrashic contention that the “Tower” was a ziggurat, an idolatrous structure that its devotees claimed was the nexus between heaven and earth and the seat of the gods. The name of the city established there was Bavel, which, in Sumerian, means “gate of the gods.” The final crime that sealed the fate of humanity and thus set the stage for Avraham was, again, idolatry. When we consider this pattern of appetite-violence-idolatry, we understand the psychological underpinnings that drive the sequence. First, a person wants. He wants what he wants, even if it is forbidden. Then, someone gets in his way – the owner of the item, the cuckolded husband, the guard at the bank. But the appetite is strong, the passion pumping and the target is only attainable through violence. But generally, no one likes to live with their own failings and what ultimately amounts to the weakness of their own desire, so an ideology is developed that makes the venal noble and the immaturity of want into the power of an ideologue. Witness the corrupt ideology developed by the architects of the Shoah to justify their murderous barbarism. This was the stage onto which Avraham appeared. These were the battles he fought and the battles he bequeathed to his chosen children, through Yitzhak and Yaakov and to the entire family that then came to Sinai. At Sinai, we entered into a covenant to sanctify our lives and to continue living the Abrahamic mission, to help rebuild a broken world. Avraham became the great battler against self-serving pagan ideology, against a disrespect for human life (as evidenced in his valorous protection of the citizens of the plain in Beresheet 14) and against sexual immorality (as seen in his strong words to Avimelekh in Beresheet 20). He bequeathed this mission to his progeny and we have proudly and sometimes defiantly maintained the privileged task of bringing God’s Presence into the world and standing up to unbridled appetite, wanton violence and the dangerous ideologies that attempt to justify these dangerous behaviors.