Ki Seitzei- Awareness of Hashem

Background

In the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (R’ Shlomo Ganzfried of Ungvar, Hungary 1804- 1886) when he writes about the Halachos (Laws) of assisting someone in unloading and loading their animal, R’ Ganzfried writes that even if someone encounters a ‘Rasha’ (wicked person) they still must assist them.

Why would this be? If someone is a rasha, a wicked person (not one who transgresses the commands of the Torah out of ignorance or habit- but rather with a warning and high level of awareness and choice), why would there be a commandment to help them?

R’ Ganzfried explains that since this person believes in the main tenets of faith in Hashem and the main tenets of the truth of Judaism, it is just that there is too much of a test, desire or feeling of need which compels them to violate the Torah- that is someone who there is much hope for and Hashem yearns for them to do teshuva. 

Question

Why would belief in Hashem and the main tenets of Judaism be such an important factor as to whether or not there is hope for this person to turn around? An argument can be made that it is just the opposite! If someone does believe in Hashem and the core tenets of Judaism, yet they are not living in accordance with those beliefs- that is someone who is dishonest and ‘living a lie’ and therefore much worse of a person! Why would it be better to believe in Hashem and the Jewish religion and the Torah yet not live according to those beliefs?  

Answer

If someone does recognize that Hashem created the world and that that same Hashem took the Jewish people out of Egypt and gave them the Torah through Moshe, and on and on- the core tenets of the Jewish religion according to the Rambam and accepted by the Jewish people- that is someone whose core beliefs are correct and in the right place. That is someone who with time, the right situation, with the proper direction and encouragement- will keep the Torah properly. However, if someone has adopted other philosophies and ideas that are inconsistent with the core tenets of Judaism, that is someone who it is very unknown as to whether they will be able to keep the Torah properly. 

But how is someone supposed to live like that? How can someone ‘live a lie’, to not be able to act consistently with their beliefs- yet maintain those beliefs!? 

Obviously this is a very big challenge and something that this person will be challenged with constantly- to know something and realize something which makes demands of them that they are unable to act on, and which is inconsistent with their way of life- but it is just that: a challenge. There are many different challenges in life, which is why Hashem put us here, to become stronger and more capable and to be built up through this ‘boot camp’ called life. And one of the most difficult challenges and most potent arguments of the evil inclination and those trying to persuade one over ‘to the dark side’ is: be honest, and live consistently with your beliefs. But that is not really necessary. It is certainly admirable, but not necessary.

To give an example- say that one is a physicist and they are studying the laws of gravity. At a certain point in one’s studies it appears to the person that there is just simply not enough of a gravitational pull on Earth to balance out the other pulls and keep people on land! Should this person nail themselves to the ground in the fear that they will float away? Should they feel compelled to live in accordance with their beliefs? Or should they continue studying and growing in order to eventually understand why it is that they are moored to land by gravity, while at the same time continuing in life as usual? The answer is obvious.

The same is true when it comes to recognizing the Hashem created the world, and the other tenets of the Jewish religion. Someone could recognize the truth of them and not live consistently with those truths. As long as the person has the self-awareness and a dose of humility to realize that they are not strong enough, not brave enough, not courageous enough- yet they still know what is right and what is wrong. For a person to go on and change their beliefs because of their inability to act in consonance with those beliefs would be the person digging for themselves a very deep hole and compounding their problems to the point where they might not be able to recover.

How incumbent it is, therefore, especially in preparation for Rosh Hashana, the New Year, for a person to focus on the BIG issues of life and clarify and strengthen their awareness of the BIG picture and allow their behavior to follow, as difficult as that may be.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Shabbos!

Rabbi Eli Meir Kramer

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Message from our Principal

Mrs. Aviva Hoberman

Dear Shalom Families,

Our school year got off to a fantastic and smooth start, as we welcomed all our students back to school this week in a gleaming, organized, and cheerful school building.

As parents, the first day of school for our child is momentous, emotional, and can even be tension laden until that moment when we see our child return to us at the end of their first day and we breathlessly ask…”So, how was your day? Did you like school? Are you happy with your teachers? Did you make new friends?” 

It was so rewarding to see the smiles and excitement on our students’ (and teachers’!) faces at the end of the first day, as everyone settled into their classrooms and began the process of getting to know each other. Our teaching staff has been completely invested throughout the summer in planning for a rewarding and enriching year for your child, and I am confident that you will have the satisfaction and confidence of knowing that your child is in the best of hands each day. At the same time, I invite you to contact me at any time in order to discuss any aspect of your child’s educational or overall well-being. Nothing is too small or insignificant to discuss! We view ourselves as a team where home and school collaborate to ensure that every child’s needs are met to the fullest extent possible.

Our teachers are learners as well! Our staff spent two Professional Development days together prior to the start of the school year, focusing on a variety of areas pertaining to their department. Our entire staff was trained in safety and security protocol by the Praetorian Agency staff. While we hope we will never need to fall back on the training, we constantly implement additional security measures and seek to be prepared for an emergency.  Our General Studies team was trained in ST Math, our new digital complement to our core math program, as well as being trained in Read Bright, our new K-2 reading curriculum. Our Judaic Studies staff received training in our upgraded Kriah program which will be spiraling throughout the grades, and has some exciting components that we are eager to implement. In addition to department meetings and the many details involved in preparing their classrooms, our staff members have put in so much effort already to make this year a great success.

We all extend a warm welcome to the new students who have joined our Shalom family this September: Simon Abragamov, Dalia Badach, Liam Badach, Aaron Baruchov, David Baruchov, Michael Baruchov, Adele Cohen, Menachem Crayk, Yonatan Dahari, Michaela Davidov, Hannah Estupinan, Rebecca Estupinan, Benjamin Faber, Laniella Shendel Finkelstein, Isaiah Fortune, Rivka Gewirtz, Jonah Grunewald, Etamar Haliva, Ariel Itzhaky, Chaim Jacoby, Shimon Kersh, Yehudis Kipper, Bella Klagsbrun, Avraham Kramer, Arie Leshinsky, Elior Levy, Eyal Levy, Gabriel Muller, Ariella Nektalov, Asher Nektalov, Rebacca Nektalov, Elijah Persky, Virginia Persky, Tiffany Rahamim, Victoria Rahamim, Jeremy Richter, Rivka Rosenfeld, Noa Rozenberg, Moshe Saada, Ronit Saada, Yosef Saada, Gitty Scharf, Bella Schaulewicz, Aaron Shoimer, Shlomo Siller, Yosef Siller, Ezra Stamler, Zechariah Stamler and Perri Tesser.

We are all invested in reaching and teaching each of your precious children, and I’m looking forward to a fantastic year together!

Wishing you all a great Shabbos,

Mrs. Hoberman

Enjoy this video of our first day of school!

Enjoy this sample of the Middle School boys Erev Shabbos program Shmuz!