This Week @ YLS
News and Updates from Yeshiva Lab School
A Message from the Principal
In פרשת כי תבוא Hashem commands B’nei Yisrael “ולקחת מראשית כל פרי האדמה”, to “take the first of all the fruit of the earth” (פרק כו פסוק ב).
There are many reasons given as to why ּB’nei Yisrael is commanded to bring their first fruits. The Torah itself suggests in פסוקים ט–י that man brings his first fruits to Hashem in exchange for Hashem bringing us into the the promised land - ארץ ישראל. In other words, this is a concrete way for B’nei Yisrael to show gratitude for something that they really cannot reciprocate. The Rambam writes that the accompanying process of proclaiming the kindness and goodness of Hashem is to remind B’nei Yisrael in times of comfort of their previous experiences of suffering and distress when they were slaves. The Abravanel suggests that by bringing the first fruits, a man was being made to humble his selfish passions by giving to Hashem what was his most treasured possession.
As an educator, I am often struck with the awe by the ultimate Educator, Hashem, and the approach that He uses to teach us, his children. When studying these pesukim as well as the reasons given for why the ceremony was commanded as it was, it makes one think about truly impactful and meaningful learning. What all the commentators share is a sense that this very concrete, real and active experience of a person taking their first fruits and giving them to Hashem is meant to help B’nei Yisrael internalize complex and abstract feelings and ideas.
If this is how Hashem teaches B’nei Yisrael, then certainly we must do the same in teaching our children. Last week at YLS we focused on the mitzvah of mezuzot. We did not just learn about it in the abstract, we actually hung the mezuzot together as a class. When learning about numbers we went on a math walk and found numbers that exist in our world. We did not just talk about the fact that we are a new school in a new building but we are working together as a class to create a chanukat habayit for our school.
Taking abstract concepts and creating concrete, real and active experiences results in impactful and meaningful learning at Yeshiva Lab School each and every day.
Shabbat Shalom,
Explorations
Shofar Making
Theater
Celebrations
Birthdays
Yamim Noraim
Upcoming Events
Parent Orientation
Wednesday, Sep 9, 2015, 09:00 PM
Yeshiva Lab School
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Learning @ the Lab
Wednesday, Oct 28, 2015, 07:00 PM
Yeshiva Lab School
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Open Sukkah
Tuesday, Sep 29, 2015, 03:30 PM
330 Grasmere Road, Bala Cynwyd, PA, United States
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Yeshiva Lab School
Email: office@yeshivalabschool.org
Website: www.yeshivalabschool.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yeshivalabschool
Twitter: @yeshivalab