Page 43 - HaMizrachi Shavuot 5783 USA

Rabbi Dr. Yosef Rebbetzin Natalie Rabbi Yossi
Bronstein Altman Goldin

n Shavuot night I do not want to just grew up in a ba’al teshuvah family, received have personally found that over the years,
learn Torah. I want to feel enveloped Chabad schooling and attended a Modern different seforim and areas of Torah have
by the mesorah of Torah – the unbro- Orthodox midrasha in Israel. Upon my return piqued my interest and kept me up learn-
ken chain of Jews who studied, argued to South Africa, I was involved in Ohr Somay- ing all night on Shavuot. Often the seforim
Oover and contributed to the Torah from I Bnei Akiva and the University Jewish Stu- II chose reflected the stage in life I was in.
ach,
Sinai until today. I aspire to receive the Torah dent programme. I am currently the Director When I was younger, I enjoyed going through
anew accompanied by the intergenerational of the Religious Zionist yeshiva day school in Megillat Ruth with my friends – taking snack
mesorah-community. South Africa. breaks every 10 minutes, but also feeling a sense
For this reason, one of my favorite books For me, Shavuot is about mesorah (tradition) of accomplishment at finishing the Megillah
to learn on Shavuot night is Kunterus Divrei and the very personal way that each of us each year. As I entered my years in yeshiva and
Sofrim of Rav Elchanan Wasserman. Using express that mesorah. I am curious about the college, Gemara learning became my area of
the lens of classic Talmudic methodology, traditions that take hold over time, the ones passion and focus and Shavuot night a prime
the book dives deeply into the role of Torah that are rejected and those that are personalized opportunity for a “chazara (review) marathon.”
scholars throughout the ages as transmitters and tweaked by different communities and During my semicha years, my focus shifted to
and contributors to the mesorah of Torah. In individuals over generations. learning halacha in-depth. Years later, a new-
essay after essay, Rav Elchanan masterfully A book I could read all through the night found interest in Torat Eretz Yisrael dominated
clarifies key meta-questions about the mesorah is Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski’s Generation to my attention.
such as: Which halachot come from G-d, and Generation: Personal Recollections of a Chassidic Recently, however, my Shavuot night
which were developed by the Sages over time? Legacy. Rabbi Twerski shares personal stories of learning has once again shifted dramatically.
Which halachot are immutable, and which can his family’s Chassidic dynasty through the lens As a number of my children have reached the
be changed? What is the source of rabbinic of Torah and psychology. It is moving to read ages where they stay up for at least part of
authority? Kunterus Divrei Sofrim provides a about the practical, day to day expressions of Shavuot night, I now spend the night learning
window into the dynamic interplay between the the Twerski family’s authentic Torah lifestyle. with each of my kids, continuing the learning
Torah G-d gave us at Sinai and the collective This is the culture I try to create for my own we do together every Shabbat, but for a longer
contributions of the Sages. children and students, and it is important to amount of time. There is something incredibly
A student of Rav Chaim of Brisk and the remind myself of this goal every year. rewarding about this experience. Aside from
Chafetz Chaim, Rav Elchanan was deeply rooted I work with teenagers who are searching for the Torah learning itself and spending quality
in the legendary yeshivot of Eastern Europe. His and shaping their identities, and particularly time with my children, the opportunity to pass
lifetime was tragically cut short when he and their Jewish identity. In his description of his on the experience of Torah study to the next
his entire yeshiva were murdered by the Nazis. father’s home, Rabbi Twerski describes his generation on Shavuot night, when we celebrate
Studying Rav Elchanan’s Torah thoughts about father’s rebuke in three Yiddish words: “Es our nation’s kabbalat haTorah and the privilege
the mesorah is a way of giving him and the Torah past nisht,” “that is not becoming of you.” Our that a life of Torah provides us, is profound – and
that he represents the ultimate victory over the children face many challenges, distractions and something I do not take for granted.
Nazis. Decades after the fall of our enemies, Rav competitors to their yiddishkeit. When we teach
Elchanan’s words live on, connecting us to our them about the great depth of tradition and the
roots and challenging us to be our own link in beautiful legacy they must live up to, we help
the unbroken chain of Torah. them recognize their own inherent greatness.
It is an inspiring call for them – and us – to live
Rabbi Dr. Yosef Bronstein is the Rosh Bet Medrash our best lives. Rabbi Yossi Goldin is a 9th grade Ra”m at YTA,
of Machon Zimrat Ha’aretz, a new community Bet Israel Immersion Program Coordinator and Place-
Medrash and rabbinical training program in Kehilat Rebbetzin Natalie Altman is the Director of Yeshiva ment Advisor at YU/RIETS Israel, and Coordinator of
Shirat David in Efrat. College Schools in Johannesburg, South Africa. Community Engagement at World Mizrachi/NCYI.

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