This past week we celebrated the eighth graders' promotion to high school through an upbeat and meaningful program. Each student had the opportunity to share her take on what the different meanings of “Aliya” Ascendancy means. Some spoke about reaching beyond what they thought they would be capable of and others spoke about spiritual growth. One student spoke about how as you mature your perception of things change and yet another spoke about how it was a group effort, that as a united class they were able to support each other and reach their goals. One student remarked that it was the positive atmosphere in the school that lifted her up every morning. The evening was replete with Divrei Torah, Emunah, Chizuk and the nachas which these 21 girls have brought to their parents, their teachers, the school, and most of all themselves. I have no doubt that all of these young women will be shining stars who will lead the way for a brighter future.
We also had the opportunity to share a lovely evening with the families of our 12th graders upon their graduation. Because we allow students to study in college at the same time that they complete their high school requirements, by a quirk of fate, a few of the students who would have graduated opted out of twelfth grade. No, it is not something we encourage for many reasons but that is another discussion. Maayan Shaltiel and Esti Weinberger are to be lauded for not only surviving a complete 4 years of high school but for having grown and thrived this past year. Each one’s talents were honed, through their senior projects. Maayan blossomed into an incredible artist whose paintings will certainly hang in a museum one day! And we cannot wait to read Esti’s novel, a historical fiction based on the after effects of 9-11. These two young ladies are indeed girls with dreams who will certainly become women with vision.
The mission of a Sha’arei Bina education in short is to produce women who are yirei shamayim ( G-d fearing) and possess the self-confidence to effect change. The power of a woman can be used for positive or for negative, depending on one’s faith in Hakadosh Baruch Hu. In this week’s parsha - Korach- we can see the influence a woman can have on affecting the course of events.
Korach was Moshe’s cousin. He was known to be incredibly wealthy, intelligent, brilliant and even religiously motivated. But he was consumed by jealousy over the fact that Aharon was appointed Kohen Gadol and Moshe Rabbeinu was the acknowledged leader of Am Yisrael. His burning envy is said to be further inflamed by his wife, who goaded him on. Mrs. Korach used her power of persuasion, as we know a wife can do, to point out to her husband all of her perceived inequities. You can almost hear her whining - It’s not fair that Moshe gets to lead. It’s not fair that the Kohanim get to keep the maaser money. It’s not fair that you had to take that unflattering haircut”. So instead of using her intelligence to steer him away from disaster, Korach’s wife led him to rebel not only against Moshe and Aharon but to rebel against G-d and the Torah!.
On the other hand, the midrash tells us about another woman, hidden behind the scenes, who saved her guileless spouse from doing something very foolish. At the beginning of the Parsha we read that one of Korach’s followers was Onn ben Pelet, who was ready and willing to join the rebellion. But Mrs. Onn was wise and knew that no matter the outcome it wouldn’t be good for her husband. The Midrash relates that she appointed out to her husband, in the most loving way of course, that whether Korach succeeded in his rebellion or Moshe succeeded, Onn would always be “just” a disciple, never anyone of great importance. She then got him drunk and while he was in deep slumber, she positioned herself at the entrance to the tent and uncovered her hair, knowing that even though Korach and his followers were rebels they still respected the laws of modesty. In this way, she kept the men out of the tent and Onn ben Peled slept through all of the excitement.
We see in both of these cases that the man may think he is the “ head of his household but the woman is the neck and she can turn him in any direction.”
It is also interesting to note that in (last week’s) Parshat Shelach in discussing the Sin of the Spies, the Kli Yakar (Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz) posits that had Moshe sent women, as perhaps G-d may have wanted, they would never had brought back negative reports about the Land of Israel. We have seen that women, such as the Daughters of Tzelafchad, had a great deal of love for Torah, Mitzvot and Yishuv Eretz Yisrael. Even during the time that Bnai Yisrael were slaves in Egypt, while the men fell into despair, the women always kept the faith and it is said that it was in the zchut, the merit, of the righteous women, that the Jews were redeemed.
How is it that women are so insightful? The Talmud tells us "An extra measure of understanding was given to the woman," במסכת נדה (דף מה עמוד ב) הקדוש ברוך הוא נתן בינה יתרה באישה
The ability to analyze, think critically, and make wise decisions is a skill that while it may be innate, it must be honed. As with any other latent talent or potential, guidance, practice and application will lead to accomplishment.
The Sha’arei BINA graduates are indeed women with an extraordinary ability to make wise choices, to continue to use their potential for good, and to become the leaders of our next generation. Our graduates have that deeper understanding to know that they can be anything they choose to be WITHOUT overturning, or undermining, tradition and halacha. Their teachers, rebbes, and morot, together with their parents, and with Hashem’s help, have been successful in raising up these girls to affect change, to be the difference, to lead and light up the way.
We wish everyone a great deal of nachas, mazal, and health as we look forward to the summer months.
Chodesh Tov, Shabbat Shalom U’Mevorach
Rochelle Brand, Ed.D
Head of School
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