September 12, 2014

17 Elul 5774

Parshat Ki Tavo

Candles: 7:17

 

 

It seems from these verses that the individual thanks Hashem not just for the fruits and his crop, but for the overall state of Am Yisrael: for the miracle of turning a slave nation into a sovereign country, with the ability to grow our own crops and the freedom to partake in its bounty.
 

The Mitzvah of Mikra Bikkurim requires a person to look beyond his personal success and accomplishments. Our prosperity is a blessing not only for ourselves, but for the entire nation, and we must therefore give thanks not simply for this particular yield, but for all that G-d has done for Am Yisroel since its inception.

At Hillel we are constantly counting our blessings. Our students' accomplishments are remarkable as we see them grow in all aspects of their lives. It is so important that we realize that this growth does not emerge in a vacuum, but is a product of years of nurturing and development. May all of our efforts continue to bear fruit, for ourselves, our community, and all of Am Yisroel.

Shabbat Shalom,

RSW

• First Day of School Slideshow

  First Day Aug. 2014 Video

 

• Monday, September 15, 2014 at  6:30pm at the JCC room 202. Community meeting: Proposed Changes to the Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh - come support us. 
• Because it is dangerous for our students,
  No U-turns in front of the school.
• Infant and 1's parking along the building
• Please remain in your car during the car dismissal line 
  4pm dismissal M-Th and Friday at 2:15pm
• We are a peanut free school
• Check our online calendar for Yom Tov/days off schedule
• School Website 
• Facebook Page

 

 

      

Actions Speak Louder With Words

This week's Parsha is Parshat Ki Tavo. It begins with the mitzvah of Bikkurim. The mitzvah of Bikkurim has two steps. In the first step, the farmer who has grown his produce in Eretz Yisroel takes the very first ripened produce, but instead of eating it himself, he sets the produce aside and brings it to the Bait Hamikdash. He gives his produce to a Kohen to dedicate to Hashem. By doing this, the farmer shows that Hashem comes first. Next, the farmer has to make a declaration, which we repeat in the Haggadah at the Seder. It all goes back to when our ancestor Yaakov was persecuted by his uncle Lavan, and when we were persecuted in Mitzrayim. Both times Hashem rescued us, then He gave us the Torah and brought us to Eretz Yisrael, and gave us this land that yields produce. There is a two part process, one giving what we grew to Hashem, and two, making a declaration. One without the other is not enough. Making the declaration alone is not as significant, and dedicating your first fruit to Hashem alone will not be as powerful as when the two parts are combined. Together the statement with the action becomes something way more powerful. We see the same Parsha of the Torah is used at the Seder. The words that are in וידוי ביכורים were also borrowed by the authors of the Haggadah to form the backbone of the Haggadah. The mitzvot we perform at the Seder, drinking the four cups of wine, eating the matzah and marror, and the קרבן פסח are all actions. Now when we add the telling of the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim and saying Hallel together, the declaration with the actions become something much more powerful. 

In the next section of the Parsha the Jewish people are commanded that once Moshe Rabbeinu passes away and they enter Eretz Yisroel that half of the tribes are to go on הר גריזים and the other half to הר עיבל. The Levyim and Kohanim positioned in the middle with the ארון הקודש are supposed to stand between both mountains and recite a series of blessings and curses. Why is this procedure necessary? The answer is that when the Torah was given 40 years earlier, many of the mitzvot were not practical for the Jewish people. Many of the commandments were not able to be fulfilled and wouldn't have practical application until they would enter Eretz Yisrael. Forty years later when the Jewish people were going into Eretz Yisrael, they could have simply said "We're going to observe the mitzvot that we haven't done before, and we accept these mitzvot upon ourselves." But this was actually a new קבלת התורה, this was something new that was happening, that they are renewing their acceptance of the mitzvot. So it's necessary to combine the words of the curses and blessings, with the actions of writing the Torah on the stones and the ceremony of delivering the curses and blessings. This process of combining actions and words becomes more powerful when Bnei Yisrael accepted the Torah and enter Eretz Yisrael. At this time of year, it's easy to apply this concept to Rosh Hashana. The mitzvah of shofar can be performed any time during that day. However, חז"ל wove shofar into Musaf so that the action of the mitzvah of shofar is combined with the brachos of מלכיות, זכרונות, and שפרוס, in the Musaf עמידה to have a much more powerful impact. 

Liora Nimchinsky - 9th Grade

Students in the Mix	Where do you plan to spend Rosh Hashana?	One word for apples and honey?	Favorite Chag?
Shira Rivka Friedman	PGH	applesandhoney	Life
Rachel Cohen	PGH A.K.A my house	AH (apples/honey)
Shira Nimchinsky	Same place as Liora	Sweet	Pesach or Chanukah
Rivky Sutofsky	Home	Yummy	Purim
Liora Nimchinsky	PGH	Apples + honey = aponey	My twin sister's birthday

5738 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Dessert reception. Kashrut observed.

Couvert: $7/person by mail* or $5 advance online registration.

 

RECOGNITION OF 2014 VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR

EMANUEL SPECTOR MEMORIAL AWARD

presented to

LOUIS B. PLUNG

DORIS AND LEONARD H. RUDOLPH JEWISH PROFESSIONAL AWARD

presented to

DANIEL J. KRAUT

CEO, Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh

For more information, please email marilyn@jfedpgh.org.

The program is underwritten by a grant from the
Lillian and Dr. Henry J. Goldstein Annual Meeting Endowment Fund
of the Federation's Jewish Community Foundation.

*Please make checks payable to Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and send to
Jewish Federation Annual Meeting, 234 McKee Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

Red day in Morah Jessie's class.	Third-grade language arts with Mrs. Chapley.
Morah Admon teaches Ivrit to Galya Belman and the rest of her second-grade group.	Pre-school morning P.E. run.
Morah Elana taught them the letter A this past week. Pictured here are Shmuel Kanal and Yisroel Grossberg.	Morah Devorah Kohanbash's class learned about slugs in science this week with Morah Elaine.
Preschool director, Morah Dori leading a sing-a-long with Morah Leah Ackner's class.

Please send any mazel tov's to HillelHappenings@Hillelpgh.org. 

Please send condolence notices to HillelHappenings@Hillelpgh.org.