Dvar Torah - Parashat Mishpatim - Rav Amiad

Happy belated Tu beShvat!

Happy belated Tu beShvat!

We hope you all had a special and meaningful Tu beShvat Chag.

Here in the Mechina we studied about the basic elements and fundamentals of Tu beShvat, learned as well some of the deeper and hidden messages which it contains and of course held a beautiful Seder full of a variety of fruits and nuts, the seven species that Israel is blessed with, and lots of  Torah sharing and singing.

A great opportunity to connect to Eretz Yisrael!!!

עוד ישמע בערי יהודה ובחוצות ירושלים...

Before anything else, a warm Mazal-Tov goes to our Rosh Mechina, Rav Erez and his wife Ester on the recent engagement of their first child, (!) Shani, to her Chattan Ido. There was a lively and large engagement party in the Moshav that many people as well as the students attended, celebrating together this great Simcha.

A hearty Mazal-Tov also goes to Rav Amiad, who's younger sister Cherut, got married last week.

May both of them merit to build a proud Jewish family rooted in Torah and Mitzvot out of love, caring, and respect for each other, in Eretz Yisrael! Mazal Tov!!!

On a different note, about a week ago the students had their first hands on experience with navigation. Their skills were tested after they were dropped of in the middle of "nowhere" in the Galill, about an hour away and had to navigate back to the pickup point (there were of course staff members supervising everything behind the scenes). Using compasses, their knowledge, and maps, they all succeeded in eventually making it back. It was a very satisfying and rewarding experience using what they learned in actuality and truly having it work.

Academics!
This past Thursday the students had to hand in a project about a specific country in the Middle East on which they’ll be graded, for the past semester in their Bar-Ilan College courses. We hope they all did a good job and pass with a high grade!

That’s about it for now.
This Shabbat we will all be going to Chevron. We look forward to spending the Teffilot, meals, shiurim, and activities all together with a true sense of kedusha while strengthening our connection to our grandparents, Avraham, and Sara, Yitzchak, Rivkah, Ya'akov, and Leah.

Kol Tuv,

R’ Asher

Alon N. serves as role model for past, present and future LYA grads as he does his miluim (reserves) service…on his training base he ran into Gershon, also a LYA grad, doing his Officer’s Training Course  -  LYA grads are making an IMPACT!

Dvar Torah - Parashat Yitro - Rav Amiad

Dvar Torah - Parashat Yitro - Rav Amiad

Our Parasha is perhaps the most important Parasha in the Torah – the giving of the Torah. However, the Parasha is named Yitro, after a non-Jew who may indeed be important, but he doesn't seem to be important enough to merit such a part of the Torah.

What can we learn from this?

1. : דרך ארץ קדמה לתורה Derech Eretz comes before the Torah: Before the Torah which belonges to the Jews, a non-Jew comes and teaches Moshe about how to be properly organized, and how to judge the nation more efficiently. This is not the Torah yet; rather an external structural order. However, this shows us that this is something which we can, and should, learn from other nations.

2. Despite the fact that the Torah was given to Am Israel and it is suitable for Am Israel, it needs to pass through us to the entire world. The Torah cannot remain isolated within Am Israel, separated from the rest of the world. We need to fix the world with the royalty of Hashem.
http://www.lya.org.il/ArticlePage.aspx?artID=2

Nachat!

We are proud that two LYA graduates,

MOSHE FELDMAN from Washington DC and YAIR KLYMAN from NJ, were sworn in last night at the IDF ceremony for their combat units at the Kotel  and both received special recognition for EXCELLENCE!

LYA Orienteering (Nivut) field exercise!

Yonatan’s group arrived first, Moshe’s group arrived at the point second and Kevin’s group made a great effort and arrived third.

The Israeli Way of War

The Israeli Way of War