Happenings at the Yeshiva

The yeshiva is now on its Pesach break, as our students, rebbeim and staff prepare for the Yom Tov.  I am sure that all of you are busy in your preparations as well.  I hope that your sedarim will be meaningful ones, with engaged discussions about the themes of Pesach - slavery, redemption, memory, and freedom.   A wonderful book on some of these major topics, that is short but highly thoughtful and thought-provoking, is Exodus and Revolution, by Michael Waltzer.  I would also recommend the classic essay "Two Concepts of Liberty" by Isaiah Berlin, which distinguishes between the concepts of freedom from (bondage, restraints. interference) and the concept of freedom to (self-realization, self-mastery).    The second concept is reflected in the famous statement of Chazal, Ein lecha ben churin, elah mi she'osek b'Torah, there is no one free save the person who toils at Torah study.   A summary of this thesis can be found here.  I am sure that you will find these readings thought-provoking and insightful.