The Edythe Benjamin חיה בת שלמה, beloved mother of Barbara Hanus, Rosh Hodesh Elul Torah Essay
As the summer days wane and we enter the month of Elul, we look forward to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Days of Awe, with a mixture of joy and trepidation. We take stock of the year just past, from both a personal and national perspective, and we prepare ourselves individually and collectively to “meet” with God. This becomes the main emphasis of our learning and liturgy, our thoughts and behavior. We add mitzvoth which enhance this time period, blowing the shofar each day and reciting the beautiful words of chapter 27 of Tehillim, 51 times from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Shemini Atzeret:
א לְדָוִד: ה', אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי--מִמִּי אִירָא;
ה' מָעוֹז-חַיַּי, מִמִּי אֶפְחָד.
ד אַחַת, שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵאֵת-ה'-- אוֹתָהּ אֲבַקֵּשׁ:
שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית-ה', כָּל-יְמֵי חַיַּי;
לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם-ה', וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ
1 [A Psalm] of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the graciousness of the LORD, and to visit early in His temple.
In Vayikra Rabbah 29:1 our sages teach us that Rosh Hashanah is the anniversary of the commencement of the history of humankind. Rosh Hashanah presents us with an opportunity to relive that day in Gan Eden, the day that humanity was created, and the world was ripe with promise and potential. This motif is reflected in our prayers and customary practices; we recognize and declare that Hashem is the supreme ruler of the universe, that He created life, and that He is our ultimate judge. The sound of the shofar helps us feel God’s presence and experience the all-encompassing embrace of His love for the Jewish people. It reminds us that the start of each year presents us with new promise and potential; it is an opportunity to change, to renew, to dream and fulfill dreams and to pledge ourselves to grow in meaningful ways.
The Hebrew word shanah, year, shares a root with shinui and shinun,meaningchange/renewal and to repeat. This is the paradox of shanah - of time. There are yearly cycles and seasons that are always repeated yet at the same time the world is constantly changing. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur give us the framework to think about the constants while at the same time encouraging us to engage in self-reflection and motivate ourselves to renewal. Judaism provides the mechanism - teshuvah, tefilah andtzedakah. We are inspired and empowered to renew ourselves to making a difference to Jewish society, deepening our Torah learning, playing an active role in the Jewish story and building the Jewish future. The world around us may be changing, but our basic Jewish values are steadfast, serving as our moral guide and outlining our course.
This past week’s parsha Re’eh ( D’varim 11:26) echoes this theme:
כו( רְאֵה, אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם--הַיּוֹם: בְּרָכָה, וּקְלָלָה
26) Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse.
The Sfat Emet comments that we need to see today and every day as a chance to once again renew our commitment and choose either the bracha or the opposite - it is up to us.
Over the last 25 years, since the founding of Matan, the gates to advanced women’s Torah learning have gradually been unlocked. What was unimaginable even a decade ago – women studying Gemara and Halakha in all their breadth and depth, training to become Halakhic decisors, taking positions as influential community leaders and educators – has become a reality, a dream fulfilled. Throughout, Matan has been a pioneer, creating, innovating, influencing, and making a difference. We continually set new benchmarks, always striving for more.
At the time of the siyum of the Daf Yomi cycle, celebrated by Matan’s Daf Yomi group together with the worldwide Jewish community, I commented that when Hashem gave the Torah to the Jewish people, He said to Moshe: כה תאמר לבית יעקב ותגיד לבני ישראל. Our sages commented thatבית יעקב referred to the women, an indication that in giving the Torah, Moshe spoke to the women first. For a time, the voice of women in the world of Torah learning was quiet. Today, because of our commitment to learn and engage in comprehensive study of Jewish texts, from ancient to modern, and at the same time to strive for positive change, women have a meaningful voice in shaping and formulating Jewish society and thought, strengthening themselves, their families, their communities and future generations.
On a personal note, I would like to thank the Matan family and friends for their heartwarming concern and tefilot - they definitely helped, Ari (Aryeh) is B”H recovering. While working hard in rehab, after the horrific terror attack this past May, he has also resumed his learning at Yeshiva.
May the year to come be a year of peace for Israel and the Jewish people, a year of growth and learning, a year of good health and well-being and renewal.
כתִיבָה וַחֲתִימָה טוֹבָה