Torani is a Yeshiva/Midrasha based Israel year program for participants from the Northern Hemisphere. World Bnei Akiva has partnered with three incredible institutions Midreshet Harova, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Yeshivat Hakotel, where participants can soak up Torat Eretz Yisrael! Outside of yeshiva, they experience Israel through seminars, Shabbatonim and tiyulim as well as kibbutz.
Shalom!
Wow, what an amazing couple of weeks! Since arriving in Israel the Torani participants have been settling into their midrashot and yeshivot. They have met people from all across the world and started to build their foundation and structure for the next year!
The Torani tzevet (team) have been visiting, bringing treats and running chaborot but most importantly getting to know everyone and checking in through this time!
Elul is such a meaningful time in the midrashot and yeshivot, its full of song, learning and preparing for the new year! We to have been preparing for an amazing Torani program – this Friday we have our first event all together – our welcome brunch!
We are so looking forward to the next month where we have Hachshara Selichot, a Shabbaton and our very own Northern Tiyul to look forward to!
A little thought for Rosh Hashanah-
On the first day of Rosh Hashanah we will be Laning a haftara about Tfilat Hannah, Shmuel Hanavi's mother.
We know that a lot of hilchot 'shmone esre' are studied from this tfila.
One of the Psukim mentioned is
"וְחַנָּ֗ה הִ֚יא מְדַבֶּ֣רֶת עַל־לִבָּ֔הּ רַ֚ק שְׂפָתֶ֣יהָ נָּע֔וֹת וְקוֹלָ֖הּ לֹ֣א יִשָּׁמֵ֑עַ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ עֵלִ֖י לְשִׁכֹּרָֽה׃"
Now Hannah was praying in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.
Meaning the heart is one of the more important aspects of tfila.
The last Mishna of Perek ג' in masechet R"H, that discusses hilchot Shfar as follows -
וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים משֶׁה יָדוֹ וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ' (שמות יז), וְכִי יָדָיו שֶׁל משֶׁה עוֹשׂוֹת מִלְחָמָה אוֹ שׁוֹבְרוֹת מִלְחָמָה. אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לְךָ, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִסְתַּכְּלִים כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה וּמְשַׁעְבְּדִין אֶת לִבָּם לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם הָיוּ מִתְגַּבְּרִים. וְאִם לָאו, הָיוּ נוֹפְלִין. כַּיּוֹצֵא בַדָּבָר אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (במדבר כא), עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף וְשִׂים אֹתוֹ עַל נֵס, וְהָיָה כָּל הַנָּשׁוּךְ וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ וָחָי. וְכִי נָחָשׁ מֵמִית, אוֹ נָחָשׁ מְחַיֶּה. אֶלָּא, בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִסְתַּכְּלִין כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה וּמְשַׁעְבְּדִין אֶת לִבָּם לַאֲבִיהֶן שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, הָיוּ מִתְרַפְּאִים, וְאִם לָאו, הָיוּ נִמּוֹקִים.:
Incidental to the discussion of the required intent when sounding the shofar, the mishna cites the verse: “And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed” (Exodus 17:11). It may be asked: Did the hands of Moses make war when he raised them or break war when he lowered them? Rather, the verse comes to tell you that as long as the Jewish people turned their eyes upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they prevailed, but if not, they fell. Similarly, you can say: The verse states: “Make for yourself a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that everyone that is bitten, when he sees it, he shall live” (Numbers 21:8). Once again it may be asked: Did the serpent kill, or did the serpent preserve life? Rather, when the Jewish people turned their eyes upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they were healed, but if not, they rotted from their snakebites.
We see from here, that even though we will come to shul, and hear the Shofar, the most important thing Hashem askes from us is that our heart and soul are directed to him, רחמנא ליבא בעי.
Wishing you a very good new year,
and all our prayers should be answered!
שנה טובה ומתוקה!
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