We, at the Hebrew Academy of West Queens, are looking forward with great anticipation to the upcoming event on Sunday January 13th @ 7:30 PM, An Evening of Inspiration, featuring the reknown Torah lecturer and author Rabbi Yissochar Frand, Sh'lita. The event, B'Ezrat Hashem, will be hosted by the Young Israel of Great Neck, who have graciously opened the doors of their beautiful synagogue for this event, benefitting the children of HAWQ. A special thanks goes out to Mr. & Mrs. Charles Goldberg, Dr. & Mrs. Irving Golombeck, and Mr. & Mrs. David Kalish, for all their tremendous effort in planning, orchestrating, and sponsoring this special evening. We would also like to express our Hakarat HaTov to Rabbi Yaacov Lerner, Shlita, Morah D'atrah, for all his guidance and input into this event. We invite everyone to join us for what will surely be an opportunity for spiritual enrichment, as well as becoming our partners in opening the gates of Torah to the children of our community.
Rabbi Frand, Shlita, in his new sefer, Rabbi Frand on the Parsha Volume 2, has an interesting insight into the meaning of “growth” from the Torah prospective. The word “Vayigdal” –“And he grew” is used twice in the Parsha. The first reference describes Moshe’s physical growth, as he became old enough to be brought to Paro’s palace. The second reference describes Moshe’s growth in a spiritual sense. That spiritual growth is defined by the Pasuk with the words “and he went out to his brethen and observed their burdens.”
Spiritual growth occurs when the individual looks beyond his own needs and problems, and is able to empathize with the difficulties of others. When one is able to feel as if the other person’s troubles are his own. Moshe Rabbeinu, growing up in the luxury of Paro’s palace, could have lived securely and happily, isolated and oblivious to the terrible plight of his brethren. The Midrash describes how Moshe Rabbeinu left the comforts of Paro’s palace, and went out to share in the torturous work of his fellow Jews, helping them carry the heavy stones, moaning with them and consoling them. Rabbi Frand notes that we use the term “Gadol” to describe the great leaders of Klal Yisroel. The characteristic of our Gedolim is that they carry all the burdens of the Jewish people on their shoulders. The sorrows of Klal Yisroel are their own sorrows. What an important lesson for all of us. Let us look beyond the security of our Torah communities and do our part to reach out to bring Hashem’s Torah to those who are less fortunate!
Shabbat Shalom!
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