Midreshet Amit

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"And now write for yourselves this song and teach it to the sons of Israel, place it in their mouths. In order that this song be a testimony for the sons of Israel" (Devarim 31:19). The straightforward meaning of this verse is that Moshe is instructing the Jewish people to record the song which appears in next week's parshat Haazinu. However, our Sages have interpreted this verse as indicating a commandment for each individual to write a Torah scroll. The Talmud in tractate Sanhedrin notes that even if a person has inherited a Torah scroll, he is obligated to write one for himself.

Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Pollnoye, the great disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, explains how this law is metaphorically true about our relationship with God as a whole. Many of us maintain faith in God because that is how we were raised or out of a sense of respect and loyalty to a millennia-old tradition. This axis of faith is symbolized by the inherited Torah scroll, and it is certainly appropriate and laudable. However, a person can also strengthen his or her faith in God by "writing his own Torah scroll." By means of one's own journey, one's own study and rational exploration, one can reach faith in God independently, as well.

The Maggid of Mezrich, the other star disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, maintained that in fact this is the most secure approach to faith in God. By combining a strong sense of tradition with a relentless and independent pursuit through reason, a person builds himself or herself in all directions, and provides the strongest possible bedrock of faith in God. This dual approach is the most advisable.

This year in Midreshet Amit, the students are engaged in just such a mission. Studying in the land of Israel provides an incomparable opportunity to connect to one's own tradition. Concurrently, students are able to explore their own paths, their own intellectual journeys, as they work to solidify their own relationship with God. May we all be blessed with a sweet new year, full of growth on the many avenues that lead to God. Shabbat Shalom!