HIGHLIGHTS

We had another exciting week at MBNJ Yachad. It started out on Monday with many of our usual morning jobs, including packing snacks, setting up the Cheder Ochel (dining hall) and helping to serve lunch. After lunch we switched it up a little with a Yachad game of GAGA on the sports field. Then it was back to passing out snacks and our various jobs throughout the rest of the afternoon. On Tuesday we got a little break for Independence Day. But Wednesday morning we were back to work. Wednesday afternoon we had the chance to make some Tie-Dye staff t-shirts. We are looking forward to having a Tie-Dye day soon once everyone’s shirts are ready so we can show off what we made. On Thursday we had another special treat, we went out for pizza at EJ’s in Teaneck. It was nice for us to get a break and also to enjoy a little treat. When we got back to camp it was just in time for ice pops, yum! Now we are looking forward to a restful shabbas and a fun weekend before we get back to work on Monday!

DVAR TORAH: PARSHAT BALAK By Meir Olshin

This week’s parsha is Parshas Balak. In this parsha, King Balak sent messengers to Balaam offering him great riches and honor for his services. Balak wanted Balaam to curse the Jews. G-d was angry at Balaam for going, so he sent a sword-wielding angel to block his path. The donkey saw the angel on the road with his sword drawn. So she turned aside into a field. Then she talked to him and humiliated him. After that Balaam saw the angel. The angel told him to go but he would only say what G-d wanted him to say. So then when he came to curse them he ended up blessing the Jews. Question 1: What did Hashem want from Balaam? Question 2: Why did Hashem block him and let him go? Rabbi Avrohom Dov Avrutch explains that Hashem wanted Balaam to go so that he would bless the Jews. But Balaam was too arrogant to share G-d’s blessing. He had to realize that Hashem controls everything and that Balaam himself has no power. So Hashem humiliated Balaam in front of his ministers with his donkey and by blocking him. Now he was finally fitting to be the deliverer of Hashem’s blessings.