Ben Zoma Who?

Pirke Avot - 4:1 Ben Zoma says:
Who is wise? He who learns from every person...
Who is brave? He who overcomes his evil inclinations...
Who is rich? He who is happy with what he has...
Who is respected? He who respects his fellow man...

Ben Zoma tells us that a wise person might not know more than anyone else, that someone rich may not have a lot of money, that a mighty person might not be physically strong, and that a person we honor might not be a hero or an award winner.

Ben Zoma teaches us that these good qualities are about the way a person respects other people, and gets respect in return. When a person acts with respect to others, he or she earns respect in return.

What do you do to earn your good name?
What do you do to show respect to others?
What do you do to earn respect from others?

Respect and our Role in the World

What character traits help us define who we are as individuals?
What are the ways we can interact positively with others?
What are our responsibilities to improve the world?

These are some pretty heavy questions, and they are just a few of the many topics we touch upon each week in our Kitah Vav community. Students are encouraged to think about how they can be most successful in the world we live in, and be knowledgeable, informed, and intelligent Jews living in a non-Jewish world.

Judaism has much to say about how we live our lives. The Jewish Values we talk about on Sunday and Tuesdays are not just something we use while at Religious School or when we visit the synagogue. These values are life skills we need to practice 24/7. These are tools to use everyday. We are Jewish all of the time, and being that Judaism is a religion of action, we are expected to use these life skills on a daily basis.

A GOOD NAME

Rabbi Shimon said,
There are three crowns:
The crown of Torah;
The crown of Priesthood;
and the crown of Royalty.
However, the crown of a good name is greater than all of them.
Pirke Avot - 4:13

As we continue on our Life Cycle Journey, we have been talking about our names, and what it means to have a good name. Jewish tradition suggests naming babies after a loved one or in honor of someone who has a good name. When we are honored by having someone elses name, we are motivated to carry on the good work of those before us. The most valuable things in life are those we work the hardest for, and that includes making sure our name remains honorable. A good name has much to do with one's reputation. What do we have to do to protect our reputation? As our discussion progressed, we talked about Simchat Bat, or the naming ceremony for a girl, and the Brit Milah, the circumcion ceremony, where baby boys are given their names.

TABLE TALK:
What are you doing right now to earn your good name?
Who were you named for, or how was your name chosen?
What values did this person have that you can embrace?

ON OUR WAY

With the full moon looming overhead, we left our calendar unit behind us and began our journey through our first life cycle, Brit Milah, the single thread that binds all of our lessons together. From one little commandment the energy in our classroom peaked, as we talked about the idea of revelation, how we are all connected to each other through faith, and finally, the commandment to circumcise our male children.

In this week's Torah Portion, Lech L'cha, we learn about Abraham starting a new life and the promise that the Jewish people would be as plentiful as the stars in the sky. We also learn that G-D revealed himself to Abraham, and the two of them made a promise to each other. Abraham promised to circumcise himself, his son, and all those who belonged to his community, from generation to generation, and G-D would reward the Jewish people by making them a great nation. Even today, this single commandment binds us to every generation, past, present, and future.

Discussions in class began with the idea of revelation, and why we follow the laws in the Torah. We talked about the covenant of circumcision and why we are commanded to perform circumcision, or as some suggested, mutilate our babies, why only boys are commanded to participate in the circumcision ceremony, and how our Jewish duties and obligations begin at birth at the hands of our parents, and as we approach Bar or Bat Mitzvah, we begin to take responsibility for these same mitzvot as adult members of the Jewish community.

In our Hebrew Language rotation we have been polishing our reading skills and mastering the chanting of the Shabbat Torah Service. Students are working in small groups, one on one with tutors, and in pairs. Finally, in our Jewish Values and community rotation, we have been talking about how we fit into the community and our synagogue. What brought us to Shaarey Zedek, and how does the synagogue continuously enrich our lives and connnect us to each other.

Thank you to all of the families who donated candy to our Halloween Tzedakah Project. It's not too late to participate.

Do something kind for someone, and have a great week.