High School Ends Year on a High

By COLlive reporter

Rohr Bais Chaya Academy in Coral Springs, Florida just completed its eighth year of chassidish and academic excellence.

For this coming year, they will be expanding their tutoring program, adding an ethics class, finalizing plans for a new state of the art dormitory building and plan to apply for zoning before Rosh Hashana.

“I have just come back from my daughter’s graduation and have seen everything first hand for myself,” said Mrs. Penina Efune, parent and shlucha in Brighton, East Sussex, England.

She visited the high school on Gimmel Tammuz and had high praise for the teachers and staff that taught her daughter in the last 2 years. “The academic standards for both Kodesh and Chol are high, and there is a wide, rich variety of programs and opportunities for all the girls.”

The following is a graduation speech delivered by Yael Lilienthal, Valedictorian, Rohr Bais Chaya Academy, 5773:

If I ever become an English teacher, the first assignment I give will be: In nine sentences, write a story that will be famous for more than three thousand years including the following: a stick, a threat, and a rock.

Parashas Chukas and the account of Mei Meriva are astounding not only because they would have gotten my student an A+. The very short account tells of B’nei Yisrael coming to Moshe and complaining of lack of water. Hashem tells Moshe to speak to the rock in order to draw water from it. Moshe responds to the nation’s nagging by hitting the rock instead. The conundrums surrounding this incident are many. Why would Moshe disobey Hashem’s command? What exactly was Moshe’s mistake? Why is it that Hashem tells him to speak to the rock when 39 years prior, during a similar incident, He told Moshe to strike the rock?

My biggest problem with this story is not any of the above questions. I’m sure my classmates could tell you themselves that my biggest question is: How could Hashem deny Moshe Rabeinu access into Eretz Yisrael, the holy land on which his ancestors walked, where they built their homes, raised their families… And all because he hit a rock? To me, that always seemed like an abundantly cruel punishment coming from our abundantly merciful G-d directed towards the abundantly selfless leader of all times.

Chassidus explains that Moshe Rabeinu’s soul emanates from atzilus, an unusually high spiritual realm. His life source thus defined many aspects of his relationship to the world. He was innately a man of miracles. He did not negotiate with Paroh, bargaining the Jews out of Egypt; rather he smote him into acquiescence through miraculous means. Moshe did not cajole, he used his connections above to generate submission and remove opposition.

This attribute of Moshe was a perfect match for dor hamidbar, the generation he led from bondage through the desert. This lofty generation experienced the most astonishing of miracles. They witnessed G-dliness to a tangible extent. When they wanted food, Hashem rained down mun from the sky. When they wanted meat, a wind provided it. And when they wanted water, Hashem told Moshe: you do what you do best: take your stick and by way of miracles, strike that rock into submission.

Forty years later, Hashem was preparing to bring a new generation into Eretz Yisrael. These people faced a life of agricultural work, interacting with the land, and concealed G-dliness compared to the experience of their ancestors. Hashem said to Moshe “This is a different generation. Gone are the days of using miracles to eliminate opposition. Now you must speak to the rock, use your words and persuade it– and symbolically, them– into believing in Me.”

Moshe simply couldn’t do it. He was the leader of dor hamidbar. He could not depart from his flawless world, his elevated generation. He did not disobey Hashem; he simply conveyed that he was not a cajoler. He was too spiritual for the chit chatting. He was therefore not punished for his acts, Hashem simply found a leader that could deal with a flawed nation and lead them properly into the land where they’d have to adjust to life without open miracles.

Lehavdil elef alfei havdalos… When I first came to Rohr Bais Chaya, I was living in some kind of flawless fantasy world that I expected Rohr Bais Chaya to model. I saw hitting rocks as the key to discipline. Speaking to the rocks was a sign of weakness. In chassidic terms, I was total gevurah and perceived chesed to be a trait of the meek. Rohr Bais Chaya took me off my high horse and showed me that deep within every rock lies a soft spot that needs to be nurtured through caring means until it flourishes. Our school showed me the value of speaking to our rocks, to those around us whom we are attempting to influence.

I owe this transformation to the multiple bnos chabad programs, farbrengens, living Torah videos, and teachers who took it upon themselves to speak to the rock I was. I owe it to the girls who personified strength of character while always smiling to others and seeing their positive features. I owe it to the girls whom I initially did not get along with, who proved me wrong through their amazing talents and taught me the power of potential. I owe it to everyone who, instead of branding me as a rock-striker based on my attitude when I came into the school, allowed me to become a rock-speaker.

To our teachers: You are the Yehoshuas of our generation. You lived in a time– or close enough to it to still draw from the inspiration– where the Rebbe’s presence was as prevalent as the miracles in the desert. You were charged with the difficult task of speaking to a generation of complete mundanity. I’m sure at times when our hiskashrus and kabalas ol were running low, you became frustrated and wanted to strike us into submission. Instead, you have spoken to us numerous times. Thank you for understanding that we are a new generation which needs to be dealt with differently.

To my fellow classmates: We are the future leaders of our nation. Hashem has already told us that our avoda is not to hit the rock. As we each go on our separate paths, and especially as you come home from the spirituality of next year, don’t get frustrated with the flaws outside the holy bubble that is seminary. Remember that in our mundane lives of working and dealing with those around us, we must engage those whom we wish to inspire through speaking, caring, and nurturing.

As you all become leaders in your own rights, remember to use the natural talents, the abundance of positive traits, that you used to bring out the softness within my rock. Don’t hit the rocks even when you think you are accomplishing nothing, when you feel no one appreciates your leadership. Keep speaking, because the water is meant to come forth eventually. That is what Hashem taught us, and Rohr Bais Chaya instilled in us.

May your rock-speaking elevate the remnant sparks of this world so that we can experience the complete Geulah with Mashiach Tzidkeinu and finally bring Moshe Rabeinu into the holy land of Eretz Yisrael.