Happenings at the Yeshiva

This week was a short one as students returned from their chagimbreak and began learning on Wednesday, issru chag.   Students came back from their break energized and raring to go, and the beit midrash was full and humming.   Years 1 and 2 will be learning hilkhot Shabbat this semester, and Years 3 and 4 will be learning hilkhot Kashrut the entire year, beginning with hilkhot ta'arovot, laws of forbidden mixtures, in the Fall.  Both groups spent the entire Wednesday, from 8:30-5:30 immersing themselves in their first sugyot.  The Shabbat group began with the topic of melekhet machashavet, , intentional labor, for Shabbat, and the implications for acts that are done in the non-normal way or without intent, and the Kashrut group with the topic of bitul yavesh bi'yavesh, nullification of the status of a piece of forbidden food that is mixed up with kosher pieces of food.

On Thursday, after our morning learning, the entire yeshiva: students, rebbeim, staff, and administration, went on a mini-retreat.  We spent 6 hours together as a group, discussing what brought  us to the yeshiva, what aspect of the yeshiva's mission spoke most to us individually, and how we see ourselves as embodying and living out the mission of the yeshiva.  This was a wonderful opportunity to connect with each other around the mission that has brought us all together, and it was also an opportunity to hear each other's thoughts, concerns, and reflections on what the yeshiva's mission has been and what it can be.  The energy was energizing and inspiring, and it was a great way to begin our zman.  We look forward to continuing this conversation throughout the year and to translating the conversation into a reality.