This past Thursday evening we joined together with the sixth graders and their moms to celebrate their becoming Bnot Mitzvah. For many girls, this major milestone of becoming mechuyavot in the mitzvot, taken on the obligations of a Jewish Adult Woman, is marked with family gatherings, parties, chesed projects and a great deal of fanfare. Unfortunately due to the restrictions placed on us limiting social gatherings our girls did not have the opportunity to really party when it was or will be their 12th birthday. Of course, many parents were happy not having the extra expense this year but I am sure they will more than make up for it for their daughters’ weddings (iy”h). Sha’arei Bina has always been a family away from home and we saw this as a great opportunity to celebrate together in what I hope will become a yearly tradition. Thank you Mrs. Bodkins and Mrs. Goldenberg, as well as a number of our sixth grade mothers, for coordinating this fun event - complete with simcha dancing, food, decorations, photo opportunities and speeches.
As I began cleaning my closet for Pesach I came across a folder which contained, of all things, my son, Dovi’s Bar Mitzvah speech. The amazing part is that last week Dovi celebrated his 24th birthday and that his bar mitzvah perfectly coincided with this week’s parsha - Ki Tisa. Let me share with you some of his words.
“There is a pasuk in this week’s sedra, Ki Tisah, that clearly describes what my parents tried to teach me. In referring to the machzit hashekel- the coin Bnai Yisrael were to donate the pasuk states זה יתנו כל העובר על הפקודים, This is what needs to be given. Rashi quotes in the name of Midrash Tanchuma, that Hashem brought out a fiery coin, מטבע של אש, from beneath His throne and pointed to the coin and said to Moshe, כזה יתנו, this is what they need to give. Many ask, didn’t Moshe know what ½ shekel coin looked like?
The meforshim explain that Moshe knew exactly what the coin looked like. Hashem did not need to show him the ½ shekel coin. But what Hashem wanted to demonstrate to Moshe - was how to give it! The coin needed to be given from the warmth of the heart. The מטבע של אש represents התלהבות , the warmth and desire to do the mitzvah. The heart and soul of the person must impact the things that a person does in his Avodat Hashem. Just as when we wear tefillin we incorporate the Shel Rosh and Shel Yad, it is both the head and the heart that need to be involved in the fulfilling of the mitzvot.”
This is a wonderful message to our Bnot Mitzvah girls as well. We hope that they will be able to internalize the value of fulfilling the mitzvot not only by rote but with joy and passion. We at Sha’arei Bina hope that our students carry on the legacy given over to us by the Torah and their families' heritage. May they continue to keep the מטבע של אש burning brightly.
Have a Shabbat Shalom
Rochelle Brand, Ed.D
Head of School
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