Maimonides Elementary School
ES Update
  
   May 1, 2015 - 12 Iyyar 5775 - Parashat Acharei Mot - Parashat Kedoshim
ES Highlights
Welcome
Dvar Torah
Yom Orchim May 8th
Curl Up and Read
Pizza Lunch Friday
Online Directory
MS and US Newsletters
Maimonides LinkedIn Group
Check us out on Facebook
ES Calendar

Fri., May 8
Yom Orchim
PTA Pizza

Sun., May 17
Yom Yerushalayim
Family Learning

Fri., May 22
Shavuot Dismissal
1:00 pm

As always, please see the Kol Rambam Weekly for the all-school calendar, events and PTA notes.
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Welcome!
Dear Parents,

We hope you had a great week and are enjoying the beautiful spring weather!  Read on for the latest Elementary School news and information about upcoming events. 
  
Dvar Torah
לֹא תְקַלֵּל חֵרֵשׁ וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשֹׁל וְיָרֵאתָ מֵאֱלֹקיךָ אֲנִי ה'
You shall not curse a deaf person. You shall not place a stumbling block before a blind person, and you shall fear your G-d. I am the Lord.

The Torah warns us not to curse someone who is deaf. Ramban wonders: Why are we commanded not to curse someone who is deaf, as they can't hear the curse anyway?

His first answer is that we learn by extension that this mitzvah applies to everyone, and not only to someone who is deaf. The Ramban observes that this entire warning seems to be an extraneous command, since in Sefer Shemot the Torah already cautions us not to curse leaders of the nation. In שמות כב כז the Torah states:
אֱלֹקים לֹא תְקַלֵּל וְנָשִׂיא בְעַמְּךָ לֹא תָאֹר
You shall not curse a judge, neither shall you curse a prince among your people.

The Ramban questions: What are we supposed to learn from this dual admonition to not curse both the deaf and the leaders? He answers:

הזהיר הכתוב בנכבדים בעם הדיין והנשיא . . . וחזר והזהיר באמללים שבעם והוא החרש, ומהם ילמדו בנין אב אל כל שאר העם, כי מן הראש ועד הסוף הכל בכלל האזהרה.
The Torah warns us not to curse the honorable people in the nation and then the Torah cautions us not to curse the individuals with a disability in the community, namely someone who is deaf. From both of these verses we learn to apply this to all people. Everyone, from one extreme to the other, are included in this warning not to be cursed.

From this mitzvah we learn that all human beings, no matter their class or social status, are included in this admonition.

The Ramban also offers a second answer:
הזכיר החרש בקללה, כי אע"פ שלא ישמע ולא יתקצף בקללתו הזהירה התורה עליו, ואין צריך לומר בשומעים שיתביישו ויחר להם מאד.
The Torah chose someone who is deaf as the object of the pasuk lest one think that it's permitted to curse someone who can't hear the curse and therefore won't become angry with the one who said the curse. The Torah is specifically warning us about this case. And certainly one cannot curse someone who can hear and thereby be embarrassed and become upset.

We are commanded to be careful and extra-sensitive regarding what we say about others, even if the words won't cause hurt feelings or shame to the one spoken about. Objectively, cursing someone is objectionable, even if it won't have a negative emotional effect on the target. The Torah demands that we refrain from this deleterious behavior in all situations.

Seforno says that the problem with cursing someone -- which is expressing a desire that that person should suffer some evil fate -- is that it denigrates and sullies the honor of that person. As he states, we are not allowed to do this because:
הזהיר שלא יזיקהו בחלול כבודו
we are warned not to profane the honor of another.

This is the root problem of this behavior. Kavod is demanded even if your words will not cause pain or embarrassment to the person to whom you are referring. Even if that person (and others), for whatever reason, will never hear or know that it was said, we have to be concerned and careful about treating everyone with kavod at all times. Cursing the deaf could cause one to be less mindful of the respect due to that person because, as we discussed in class, your words will have an effect on you. When you say a curse about another person, and you hear your own words, that will cause you to treat this person with less kavod than you did before you said the curse. The Torah, by using a deaf person as the example, isolates the speaker as the only person who will be transformed by this experience. A person has to make sure they don't engage in any behavior or words that will cause another to be treated with less kavod, even an iota, and even by the speaker himself.
 
Yom Orchim registration extended until Monday! 
 
 
Yom Orchim is next Friday, May 8! There is still time to register a visitor for your child. Remember, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and family friends would make wonderful visitors!

Please visit our event web page to register someone, or contact Ellen Pulda, [email protected], 617-232-4452 x423 by next Monday, May 4.

5th Grade Curl Up and Read Day

Yesterday, the 5th grade celebrated all the great reading they have done this year with a Curl Up and Read Day. The students came with sleeping bags, pajamas, delicious snacks, stuffed animals, and of course... books!  The students were treated to many guest readers, including Morah Renee; Morah Rose-Jane; Mrs. Gerber and her mother; Mrs. Baronofsky; the first graders, who shared their "Poems in Their Pocket"; Mrs. Verdun; and Rabbi Saltzman. Elior Mael's father (Oren Mael) came and shared his talent of fruit carving. Before the students' eyes, he carved a watermelon into a dragon!  Some 9th graders and seniors stopped by as well to read to the class.  Everyone was in great spirits.  Curl Up and Read Day is certainly a 5th grade highlight!

  

Curl up and read 2015 Curl up and read 2015 Curl up and read 2015 Curl up and read 2015   

 

Rosh Chodesh Make-Up Lunch Friday

  

  

On Friday, May 8th, to make up for a missed Rosh Chodesh lunch, a pizza lunch will be provided by the PTA for those who ordered in advance.  

 

Online Access to Directory
We know many of you are eager to connect with each other! The Maimonides School 2014-15 Directory has been distributed.  Parents can also access the directory online via MyBackpack.  

In order to locate family or classmate contact information, follow these steps:
  1. Log into My Backpack
  2. To find a single family, search by last name in the Directory box
  3. To generate an entire grade list, click on "Advanced Search Options" and follow these steps:
    • Click on the "Search for Student" tab
    • Select the grade you want and click on "Search"
    • Click on "Detail" to see email address information         
    • IMPORTANT - in order to return to the entire grade list, do NOT hit the browser back button. Instead, click on the "Back to Search Student/Parent" button, found above the student name (at top left)
See What's Happening in the Other Divisions
Lots of wonderful things are happening at Maimonides School!

If you'd like to take a peek at the other divisions' newsletters, please click here.

If you would like to contact a specific school office, please use these emails:

Maimonides LinkedIn Group

Maimonides School is rapidly expanding the LinkedIn group called Maimonides School Community. The far-reaching connections through LinkedIn can not only enhance professional opportunities but also serve as a resource for new ideas and conversations.

 

The link to join is 

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Maimonides-School-Community-6537785/about .

 

Check us out on Facebook!

Let's be friends... on Facebook! 
 
Fans of our Maimonides School Facebook page get an insider's view of all that's going on at Maimo, with the latest photos taken in the classrooms, on the playgrounds, and all around the Brener and Saval campuses. If you'd like to be in the know, just click here to "like" us on Facebook.


 
!שבת שלום
Rabbi, Reena, and the Maimonides ES Faculty