בס"ד

Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin’s Pearls from the

Wellspring

Chesvan 5765

The link for the newsletter with photos/illustrations is http://www.berotbatayin.org/Chesvan.htm

The Month of Chesvan Rectifying the Sense of Smell
Tishrei and Cheshvan seem to be as far apart as two months can be. Tishrei is full of holidays, joy, and intensity; Cheshvan does not even have one minor holiday. Experiencing their juxtaposition feels like a spiritual roller-coaster ride. Tishrei puts us on a high with Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah; with the Shofar, the Lulav and Etrog, and the Sukkah; with introspection, prayer, excitement, and joy. Then comes Cheshvan with its apparent vacuum. Cheshvan seems like the vacant lot left after the amusement park has been taken apart and packed away at the end of summer.
Rabbi Eliezer Kwass notes that during the month of Tishrei we taste of the great Divine lights. In Cheshvan, even though the taste is gone, the fragrance still remains. Cheshvan is not a vacuum left after the holidays, but a vessel that allows us to hold on to the remnants of the holidays. Just as the fragrance of our etrog remains, the highs of Tishrei do not have to disappear but can stay with us during Cheshvan.
The holidays of Tishrei are the seeds of the entire year, in Cheshvan we need to bring these seeds into fruition with our Torah learning. The first rain in Chesvan is called "Yore" from the same root as Torah, as it is likened to our teaching that comes from above.

May we merit to integrate the lights of Tishrei and become satiated with the gentle rain of Torah.
Chana Bracha Siegelbaum

Pearls from the Wellspring is a monthly email contribution of the students of Midreshet B'erot Bat Ayin. We encourage you to send your comments and questions to Rebbetzin Chana Bracha at berot@netvision.net.il
Please let us know if you would like to be on our email list to receive our newsletter continuously.

In this month's issue:

"First High Holidays in Israel" By B'erot Student Sarah Bowser

"Simchat Torah Issues and Letting Go of the Ego" By Shulamit Frey, B'erot Alumna student

"Torah Farming" ~ on the connection between working the Land and Torah studies
by B'erot Students Aharona Rose and Sarah Webb

Poetry
"Summer is Gone"

Announcements

Simchat Torah Issues and Letting Go of the Ego
By Shulamit Frey, B'erot Alumna student

Last year was the first time I heard about women dancing with a Sefer Torah on Simchat Torah. Before that, I had simply never thought about it. I remember that during the dancing I thought why don't we get to dance with the Torah? I felt jealous. The men had so many, if we could just have one...then I found out about a minyan that allowed women to. That made me think, why didn't I know about that? I told a friend, who said, so you'll appreciate it even more next year. Almost a whole year passed, and Simchat Torah coming up. I was back in B'erot Bat Ayin during Sukkot. During a Shabbat meal at Rebbetzin Chana Bracha's, we began to discuss women dancing with the Sefer Torah. I felt strongly that there wasn't a problem. One of the comments made at the table was: "what is the difference between women dancing with the Sefer Torah and putting on tefillin or getting an aliyah on Shabbat?" So where should the line be drawn? I wanted to dance with the Sefer Torah, not because the men do, but because I love the Torah. I wanted to be close to it, I said.

A few days passed, and it was time for Simchat Torah. I never went to the minyan that allows women to dance with the Sefer Torah. Why? The Sukkot discussion had made an impact on me. I had changed. A quote the Rebbetzin had made from Rabbi Bulman, stuck in my head: "It smells treif." Growing up in a Western, secular society, we learn that everything women are forbidden to do or advised against doing is an injustice to us. We think the equality is in the exterior of what we do. Men have a miztvah of putting on tefillin; women don't. When one wears tefillin, one must have a pure mind. And a simple thing like passing wind is forbidden. But because men are obligated there are mitigating circumstances. Since women are not obligated, it would be a great transgression for women to pass wind while wearing tefillin. We should fight to have an equal society in general. But when it comes to Torah, we shouldn't let our egos interfere. It's not the physical that matters. You can dance with a million Sefer Torahs and still not be close to the Torah.This Simchat Torah was one of the best. I had let go of a piece of my ego. I was truly happy. When thedancing started, and the mechitza lifted up, one of the first things I saw was one of the yishuv menhugging a Sefer Torah. His eyes were closed. I felt his joy, as if it was my own. It almost brought me to tears. Later, a man went over to the women's section with a Sefer Torah and held it out for the women to kiss. I kissed the Sefer Torah, and it was amazing. I have now taken one step further in my growth. And it feels good not to have my yetzer hara going, "ME ME ME!!!"

Torah Farming -
by B'erot Students Aharona Rose and Sarah Webb

"And the L-rd took the Adom and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and guard it," Bereishit 2:15).

In the past, whenever I heard the term Torah study, I imagined a dimly lit room filled, from floor to ceiling with large wine colored, leather-bound books. I imagined Torah scholars' heated discussion over minute details cutting through the room like razor-edged lightening from early morning prayers late into the night. So then I have to ask, "When do we till and guard the garden, the first of Adom's (our root soul) purpose?"

This autumn, the students of B'erot have been working diligently in the garden to prepare new beds for winter crops. The project is spearheaded by Sarah Webb, horticulturist, landscape designer and (fortunately for us) a student of B'erot. When asked to comment on what she feels is the connection between her previous and current work on the Land and her Torah studies, Sarah poetically responded:

"In the B'erot garden, we labour, attempt, learn, move, sweat - Unearthing Hashem's gifts. Shovel up respite. Harvest nourishment. Rock clarity in tough turf of thoughts. Surrender dry places to heaven's rain and dew. Sense worthless messages in the compost pile. Receive sprinklings of solitude. Prune away damage and disease. Direct lush green growth. Sharp rocks, scratchy weeds teaches hands lessons. Liveliness of Torah in these moments-so obvious. Effort and recovery * participating in creation. A reason* a purpose* to till the soil. Care for others, Care for ourselves. In body and spirit. Need each other. Work together. Lift heavy loads. Break hard ground. Accomplish huge tasks. Water--holy words. Sink in. with every moment, step, dance. Listen, observe, wonder. About the designer. Of all these intricate plants, animals, systems. Protect, enhance, nurture, what already exists. Work with the essentials-- water, soil, seed. Be content with this portion. Use imagination. Dream for this space. Dream for the pure place inside. Ask G-d for help. Be present. Have cavanna. It's like davening=gardening--Hashem will transform us as individuals. We will grow as a family.

Midreshet B'erot dances Torah out of the classroom onto the Holy Land. Eretz Israel will provide Jews with a meeting point at which our brothers and sisters from all walks will gather once again. In the meantime, it is our duty to actualize the potentials of the land so it supports the ingathering and provides the nutritional and physical strength needed to resettle the Jewish Holy Land.

As a women's midrasha for Torah study, it is important to sanctify the integral role that women play in Torah life. Some may have the perception that women of traditional Jewish families just take care of large families and household chores. What remains hidden to the average, outside observer though is the cyclical process within the Jewish home of drawing down and actualizing the potentials of the family, the community, the Jewish people and the land of Israel.

It is a challenge to bring a group of women together- each one of us from a different place, demographic group and set of life experiences. But thank G-d, the New Year has begun with two positive feet forward (both left, mind you). The women are breaking down walls with strength, courage and a sense of empowerment to build stronger ones for the benefit of our new community. In this way, the women of Midreshet B'erot are growing as a family to realize and materialize the potentials of the land, each other and our own selves.

Many blessings and much appreciation go out to the moral and financial supporters of Midreshet B'erot.

"Summer is Gone"
Summer is gone,
The fiery intense life-giving sun
hides behind its soft gray shadowy curtain.
The trees stretch their half-bare branches
shedding their brittle wilting leaves on the ground.
A few dangling red-faced pomegranates
reminding us of the bygone abundance
stored away canned, dried and frozen.

Routine has come,
The playful harvest of new experience
has given way to relentless organizing
every fruit in its own container
every document within its own file on the computer.
A few melancholic embers of creativity
sparked by the memory of Nature's bygone creation
emerges from the sunshine on the dry fallen leaves.

Announcements

KOL SASSON V'KOL SIMCHA! B'erot Alumna Tamar Builder is getting married November 24

Women's Fundraising Concert coming up in Efrat: November 13, Motzi Shabbat featuring Heidi Lee and the B'erot Bat Ayin band

Dear Friends,
Although we are moving ahead with receiving permanent land, the process is slowed down by the bureaucracy of paperwork. Meanwhile we need to waterproof the caravans and fix the holes in the floors and walls, so our students can stay dry this winter. We must provide our students with suitable living conditions in order to maintain their health and avoid illness G-d forbid. This is even more critical this year as four of our students are above the age of fifty.
We need to raise $2000 immediately to cover the costs of the most urgent repair needed.
Another $2000 is needed for additional repair.
Some of you received our Tishrei Newsletter via regular mail with a return envelope. We are still waiting for you to mail your us your contribution. If you don't have a return envelope please send contributions to:
Midreshet B'erot Bat Ayin
The Village of Bat Ayin
Gush Etzion 90913 Israel
Donations of $100 and above are tax-deductible in the United States and Canada.
For a tax-deductible donation in the United States make checks out to:
The Gush Etzion Foundation.
For a tax-deductible donation in Canada please make checks out to Mizrachi of Canada.
May Hashem greatly bless you and your families with a good and fragrant year filled with blessings,
Chana Bracha Siegelbaum Founder & Director, Midreshet B'erot Bat Ayin