MHA-FYOS Dean's Blog

We read a double parasha this week – Nitzavim-VaYelech. Parashat VaYelech records some of the final words that Moshe conveyed to The Jewish People prior to his demise. At the end of these comments, Hashem shares a prophecy with Moshe in the presence of his successor, Yehoshua. Hashem said, “Behold, you will lie with your fathers, and this nation will rise up and stray after the gods of the foreigners of the Land, in the midst of which the nation is entering. And the nation will leave Me and annul My covenant that I have sealed with it. My anger will flare against the nation on that day and I will leave them; and I will conceal My face from them and they will become prey and many evils and distresses will encounter it. (The nation) will say on that day, ‘It is not because my G-d is not in my midst that these evils have come upon me?’ But I will surely have concealed My face on that day because of all the evil that it did, for it had turned to gods of others.” Rabbi Ovadiah Seforno discu...

The MHA/FYOS was abuzz this week in preparation for Rosh HaShana! The Boys and Girls High Schools each held a day of learning dedicated to Rosh HaShana topics. Elementary students learned special tefilot, songs and lessons. The bulletin boards and classrooms were decorated. The Early Childhood students made Rosh HaShana cards for the older members of our community. The Kollel MiTzion had its inaugural program. Each element of the school did its part to prepare for Rosh HaShana. On Thursday night, I had the honor of speaking at the Kollel MiTzion night of learning.  I presented the following idea which relates to this theme of each person doing his or her part. This week’s parsha,   Nitzavim , describes Moshe’s inducting b'nei Yisrael into a covenant with Hashem.  Moshe Rabbenu begins, “You, all, are standing ( nitzavim ) here today before the Lord your God.  Your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel, your little on...