Midreshet Moriah
The Year Really Begins Now!!
We returned from the Sukkot break saying "Mashiv ha-ru'ach u-morid ha-geshem," praising Hashem for His power to bring rain, a miracle which modern science even today is only begining to understand. As the week brought the first real rains of the year, the Class of 5769 began to truly focus on learning with intensity and focus.
"Mashiv ha-ru'ach u-morid ha-geshem" can be understood literally, meaning that Hashem causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall, or it can be understood figuratively and spiritually: Hashem raises the spirit (ru'ach) up close to Him and pushes the physical (geshem/gashmiut) down. The approach of Winter brings us to a more "internal" season, one in which we not only find ourselves indoors more often, but also tend to focus our energies on activities which address our own internal side -- our minds, our hearts -- rather than the summerlike activities which address our external side, our bodies. The seasons affect our moods profoundly, subtly put powerfully influencing our choices.
In short -- until now, we've enjoyed the sunshine, getting to know one another and having a great time together. Now the time has come to learn. Students began "Nach Yomi" this week, in which they learn one perek of Nach every day in their Beit Midrash time; girls are quickly snapping up teachers for chavrutot in the Beit Midrash; schedules have been finalized and everyone is settling into the shiurim they've chosen. And all of our girls will spend this Shabbat at the homes of their teachers.
As we look out the windows at the grey skies, listen to the patter of drops and the rumble of thunder, we remember that, as the second section of Shema teaches us ("Ve-haya im shamo'a"), rain in the Land of Israel is not merely a meteorological event, or even merely an agricultural event -- it is a theological event, a sign of divine favor for the Jewish people in their Land. We're praying for a Winter which will soak this Land to its roots -- not only to replenish the parched Kinneret reservoir and relieve the worried farmers, but as a continued sign that Hashem is pleased with His people and has decided to grant them a year of blessing. May we all experience the kind of year in which we will deserve that blessing!
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