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Pre-Pesach
Newsletter
Spring 5770
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Listen online to our Pre-Pesach Seminar!
click here
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UPCOMING SESSIONS
SUMMER
July 1 - 20, 2010
&
August 10 - 31, 2010
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 "In Remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt"
(Based on Netivot Shalom)
From the day of creation until now, there has never been two days that are the same as each other. Each day has its own role (tafkid), its own repair (tikun). Each day brings us an opportunity to "turn from evil and to do good" in a different way than the day before.
The day of the Exodus was the day we "turned from the evil" of the impurity of Egypt. Having left the evil, we turned to "do good" at Sinai through the receiving of Torah. These two events were not merely days in the history of the Jewish people, but the beginning of our role (tafkid) and repair (tikun) as a nation.
We mention the Exodus daily to renew the energy of that day, so that we can once again turn from the impurity of our own "Egypt" and turn toward our own redemption. Since each day of creation has its own "tikun" and "tafkid", each day brings the potential to "turn from evil" and leave a different aspect of Egypt, and to "do good" by accepting a different facet of Sinai.
There is no end to this process, because all of life's tests and difficulties are part of "our personal" Exodus and all of life's holiness (kedusha) are part of our acceptance of Torah. This is why we are commanded to remember the day we left Egypt all the days of our lives. Remembering renews the primordial energy of that day.
Each day, we are given Divine assistance in these two missions - to leave Egypt and to enter holiness, even to the point of being given the opportunities and the energy to achieve things that appear to be beyond us.
The night of the Exodus was the beginning of this process. It was the night on which each of us was born as a Jew with the ability "to turn from evil and do good." The night of the Exodus was the night when each of us was imbued with the power to redeem ourselves anew.
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Gain insights in Halacha and Hashkafa for Pesach from our Pre-Pesach Seminar!
Sponsored by Aileen and Barbara Goldstein
In memory of our parents:
Beatrice and Morton Goldstein
Bayla bat Moshe Tzedek and Meir ben Lipman Yitzchak haLevi
And for a Refua Sheleyma to
Alta Blima bat Roiza Sara
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Pre-Pesach Shiur
After the work is (almost!) done--finish preparing for Pesach with the inspiring words of Rav Shimshon Pincus zt"l
Join us for a phone shiur with
Rebbetzin Brussel
Thursday March 25th
10pm EST
Conference dial-in number:
712-775-7100
Access code is:
223729#
There is no cost for this shiur
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Insights into the "Stories" of the Going out of Egypt
The Mishna in Pesachim proscribes an order, a seder, for the eve of Pesach. This seder is structured around the mandatory Four Cups of Wine that we drink which represent the four verbs spoken by GD to Moses in His preview of the impending redemption:
Exodus Chapter 6
V'hotzati- I will take you away from your forced labor in Egypt
V'hotzalti- I will free you from slavery
V'goalti- I will redeem you with my outstretched arm
V'lakachti- I will take you to myself as a nation
These four stages, alluding to GD's commitment to Israel are followed by a fifth verb:
(Exodus 6)
Yadatatem ki Ani Elokeichem- You will know that I am GD your Lord, the One who is bringing you out from under Egyptian subjugation.
Ya'datem- "You will know" shifts attention to Israel's awareness of GD who is behind the whole process. It is a promise/demand that we become capable of knowing and feeling the wonder of Gd's salvation; of internalizing this experience so that it transforms the way we see and live our lives.
How does one get to "know" this way? The Sfes Emes, basing himself on the verse:"So that you will tell your children... then you will know that I am GD,"
contends that telling stories leads to such knowledge.
But, how does one tell a story without first knowing?
In his listing of the Torah obligations, l'saper b'yitzyas mitzrayim, relating to Pesach, the Rambam lists the positive obligation, "To tell of the Exodus from Egypt". In the body of the code he defines three indispensable criteria for the fulfillment of this mitzvah.
1.To tell the story, progressing from the hardships to praise, both on the physical plane-from slavery to freedom; and the spiritual plane- from idolatry to monotheism.
2. To use the brief historical sketch of Jewish History as stated in the Viduy Bikurim which is the declaration of gratitude for the first fruits of the land. "An Armenian attempted to destroy my father..." (Deut 26 verses 5-8) and then interpret and expound on each each word of the declaration with parallel phrases from the story in Exodus.
3. To present and explain the 3 central themes of the night; Pesach , Matza and Maror.
In summary, the Rambam names this , Hagada. "All of these things are called Hagada"
L'hagid(to tell), is used when one apprises another of precise relevant information. It would therefore appear that this obligation is fulfilled by relaying concisely and precisely the relevant central events of the story. We "stick to the point". Yet the Rambam, in line with the author of our haggadah recommends that we expand and elaborate on the story.
Kol m'saper b'yitzyas mitzrayim harei zeh m'shubach- Whoever expands on the story of the Exodus is worthy of praise.
This mode of storytelling is no longer simple hagadah. It even surpasses, sepor(telling) a detailed story complete with causes and results, the retelling a story we all know . Rav Soloveichik points out that the mitzvah is defined by the mitzvah l'saper B'yitzyas mitzrayim . We are expected to read into"this story". Here we start off without preexisting knowledge. We hear, ask and teach questions. New knowledge is generated. We are seeking, we demand meaning. We explore, we study, we research. We examine, we speak and hear and develop all kinds of insights that we could not have thought of before, and a new understanding results. This is story telling which is so intellectually and emotionally absorbing that it can be told throughout the entire night.
L'saper b'yitziyas mitzrayim- To tell the story of the redemption from Eqypt is to tell a story with dynamic force of an unfolding redemption. A story of the ongoing zeroa netuya, the loving force of GD's outstretched arm which releases us from the constriction of slavery of Mitzrayim. It is this mode of story-telling which makes us capable of reaching the level of knowledge called , "Vayedatem", You shall know that I am your GD- the One who is bringing you out from under Egyptian slavery to freedom.
A happy and Kosher Pesach from She'arim. Please feel free to use this at your Pesach seder in order to enhance your own personal "story-telling".
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She'arim students packing food for the needy at Yad Eliezer in Jerusalem.
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 She'arim: Gateway to Yourself
Erika Levin's Story
Erika Levin has just experienced two simchas: this vibrant young woman from Connecticut recently celebrated her 24th birthday and managed to get engaged, all in the same week!
Erika was raised in a reform household, where her connection to Judaism was, for the most part, cultural and traditional. Growing up, Erika celebrated the high holidays with her family but didn't feel that Judaism was relevant to her present-day life in any way. She observed the holidays solely for the purpose of respecting the past.
After spending some time on an Indian Ashram and on a Christian missionary, Erika decided that she needed to give Judaism a chance before dropping the 3,300-year-old religion. Hence, she decided to enroll in Religious Studies at Arizona State University, with a focus on Judaism.
Since Erika's main issues with the religion were ones of a feminist nature, she decided that she needed to learn more about what it means to be a Jewish woman. So for her college thesis, Erika interviewed over 40 Jewish women, ranging from modern Orthodox backgrounds to secular atheists. While turning these interviews into a play, she learned how relevant and dynamic being a Jewish woman could be.
Connecting with these women from different backgrounds gave Erika her first introduction to the beauty of Shabbos. She was amazed by the intellectual discussions at the table, the good food, and the satisfying feeling she experienced by keeping Shabbat.
Naturally, Erika then decided to go to Israel, and her first inclination was to study at a modern orthodox school. Since the curious young lady had no place to live while in Israel, she was taken in by our very own Rebbetzin Liff, who tried to convince her to attend at least one class at She'arim. She'arim, characterized as a traditional holistic approach to learning appealed to Erika immediately. As soon as Erika walked into She'arim and saw all the warm smiles, she completely fell in love with the place. She describes She'arim as a women-centered institution that is not trying to be something it's not. "It's just feminine," she says. "It's just Emes".
What Erika deems as some of the most important ingredients in her learning over the past year and a half at She'arim were the individual attention she received from faculty and staff as well as the connection she made with other girls who also wanted to grow through Torah. Erika felt that She'arim has been the perfect combination of text and hashkafah, allowing her to gain "the awareness and ability to channel all the energies that she had into something that has the potential to be holy, strong, vital and lasting." She'arim allowed Erika to reach her full potential as a woman, and as a future wife and mother.
Moving forward, Erika hopes to take everything she learned at She'arim and use it to raise a family who loves being Jewish, with kids who see the relevance that she didn't see for so long.
When asked to sum up her experience at She'arim and what it meant to her, Erika replied: "It gave me a sense of my true self." And then proceeded to ask: "How do you repay someone who gave you life?" The Torah is a tree of life for all those who grab hold. Although she plans on giving money back to She'arim for as long as she can, a lifetime of donations could not fully compensate for the beautiful gift that Erika has been given.
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How Can I Help?
She'arim is developing a new seminar called "How can I help?" which will address what we can say and do that really will be helpful when friends and family members are going through difficult situations.
April 26, 2010
at She'arim
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UPCOMING SESSIONS
SPRING
April 13 - June 30, 2010
SUMMER
July 1 - 20, 2010
and
August 10 - 31, 2010
ELUL
September 1 - 16, 2010
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Shearim news 
