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      Parshat Tazria/Metzora
      
April 28,2017 / 2 Iyar 5777
Hadlakat Neirot in Yerushalaim: 6:42 PM
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Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Seif
Rosh Yeshiva and Exec. Director
Yeshivat and Midreshet TVA

 

Rabbi Aaron Bayer
Ra"m and  Director
Yeshivat and Midreshet TVA

Dr. Tamara Spitz
Dean of Students
Midreshet TVA
drtamaraspitz@gmail.com

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Bnei Akiva of the US and Canada

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Dvar Torah
Molly Leifer, MTVA Student
In conjunction with Yom Hashoah this past Monday, I would like to touch upon an idea presented in this week's double parsha portion, Tazria-Metzora.

Parashat Tazria delves into the technical laws regarding the impurity of Tzaraat, while Parashat Metzora relays the process of purification from this leprosy. As The Sfat Emet explains, the word "Metzora" is a contraction of two words "Motzi Ra" , "eliminating the bad." The question I would like to pose is as follows; Why is the leprosy that afflicts a person written in a separate parsha from that of the healing process?

From an outside perspective, we can easily look at the affliction and self-purification as part of the same human experience. However for many people inundated with tragedy, suffering and renewal are not apart of the same process. In our moments of deep pain and despair, it is too difficult to feel positive or constructive. We tend to wallow in self pity, with no attempt to pick ourselves up again. But eventually, through courage and strength, we are able to overcome obstacles. We can recognize that the challenges we face shape who we are, and enable us to prevail triumphant over life's most difficult "impurities".

This week however, we read the two parshiyot together, presenting what I think to be a quite meaningful parallel to the Holocaust. Victims of the Holocaust suffered from indescribably profound trauma. Despite this overwhelming feeling of helplessness and anger, many victims maintained their emunah. They kept their faith intact amongst great affliction, intertwining these two elements of Tazria and Metzora. This unique acknowledgement of God's presence, of hope, during the ultimate suffering, must be learned from in our own times of despair.

As we read the double parsha this week, I challenge everyone to go beyond our usual patterns of separating pain and affliction. To embody this combination of Tazria-Metzora, and spend this month of Elul, often characterized as a period of self growth and healing, channeling the faith of these holocaust victims. And in doing so, may we all achieve our own self purification. Shabbat Shalom.

Highlights and Pictures
Our northern tiyul continued last week with kayaking on Friday morning -- a great time was had by all! We then traveled to the holy city of Tzfat where we had lunch in town, explored, learned a bit about Kabbalah from a local artist and checked into our hotel to prepare for Shabbat. We then enjoyed amazing pre-Shabbat singing and dancing in "the Cave". Over the course of Shabbat we attended several different batei-knesset (Tzfat has many, each student was encouraged to attend the one which most appealed to her). We heard from several local speakers, went on a walking tour led by our teacher Alan Goldman and enjoyed a ruach'dik musical havdalah. On Motzei Shabbat we had a special music workshop with Ascent, a local organization. On Sunday morning Shacharit was at Kever Rashbi (grave of Rabi Shimon Bar Yochai) then enjoyed a stunning hike at Maarat HaKeshet, led by our teacher Rabbi Alan Haber. 

Sunday night was Yom HaShoah, the beginning of an exceptional and emotional period in the Jewish calendar. We had a meaningful ceremony to remember the 6,000,000 Jews murdered in Europe, and dedicated our Torah learning to their memory. On Monday we had a leadership-program entitled "Mi'Shoah L'Gevurah" with Yehuda Rothner who took us to Har Herzl and the Herzl Museum, where we examined how Israel chooses to remember the Holocaust. We also joined Medinat Yisrael in stillness and silence as the siren sounded throughout the country for two minutes at exactly 10:00 AM. 

On Monday afternoon we had an Internship prep session, and on Tuesday morning most students began Internships and Magen David Adom volunteering. Each afternoon we are back at Matan, in the classrooms and the Beit-Midrash. MTVA is so proud to be contributing to Israeli society in the workplace and as emergency first-responders, while continuing intensive Torah learning. This is Torah V'Avodah at its best! 

On Thursday evening we had a great time at a "family dinner" at Matan, where we updated each other about what we're doing at our internships. We then started to gear up for Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut with a walking tour of the San Simeon neighborhood with Rabbi Haber. It is practically our backyard -- it was so interesting to learn the history of the battles that happened right here! 

We look forward to getting some rest over the Free Shabbat -- we're going to need it -- next week is going to be intense and awesome as we remember Israel's fallen and celebrate her 69th!

Shabbat Shalom!


Happy Birthday to Leora Spitz whose birthday is on May 1st! 
עד מאה ועשרים!







In Tzfat with Avraham the Kabbalistic Artist

At Maarat HaKeshet





MDA Orientation Session

MTVA student Ashley Galitzer next to the ambulance donated by her family!

Thursday night's family dinner

Learning about the Battle of San Simon