D'var Chizuk Parshas Noach We have just completed a very intense and meaningful part of the Jewish Year. The Yemei Ratzon, the 40 days from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Yom Kippur, and the ensuing chagim TO SIGN UP FOR TALMUDICAL ACADEMY'S *NEW* TEXT MESSAGE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM TEXT "@talmudic" TO (832) 460 - 5943 *Please Note: Even if you've received text messages from TA in the past, you must sign up again. Standard text message rates apply. To opt out, text "unsubscribe @talmudic" to (832) 460 - 5943. Please email yberkowitz@talmudicalacademy.org with any questions. October 19, 2012 Vol. 5 Issue 1 that culminate with Simchas Torah, are a testimony to Hashem's endless love for us, His people. Hashem watches us and guides us through every step of our day, ceaselessly showering his chesed and ahavah upon us. In this week's parsha, Rashi points out in Bereishis Continued on page 4 Talmudical Academy of Baltimore Page 1 www.talmudicalacademy.org

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Continued from page 1 6:13 (based on Sanhedrin 108a) that "the decree [to destroy mankind] was sealed only because of robbery." Yet, previous passukim indicate that terrible immorality was also occurring, and in reality, it was their sin of immorality that lead to them being condemned to death. Why does Rashi state that the fate of the Dor HaMabul was sealed because of robbery, and not because of immorality? The Midrash explains in Vayikrah that Hashem does not first punish a person on his body; rather, He first extracts punishment from the person's money and only then - if the person continues to sin - does He punish the person's body. We see this in regards to the punishment of a person who speaks lashon hara. After a person speaks lashon hara, he may find a negah tzaras on his house. If the person does not do teshuva, he will then have a negah tzaras on his clothing. If he still does not do teshuva, he will receive a negah tzaras on his body. This is part of Hashem's kindness to us; He does not start by exacting punishment on our person, but rather starts with our possessions. With this in mind, we can now understand the Rashi. Hashem would have preferred to exercise his middah of chesed and first punish the Dor HaMabul via their money, but He could not because their money was not their own as it was obtained through theft. Thus, Hashem was left with no other option but to destroy the Dor HaMabul. The Dor HaMabul was condemned to be punished for their immorality, but their propensity for theft led directly to their punishment by physical destruction. The final decree to destroy all mankind was only sealed because of the stealing that was taking place during that generation. Let us daven, that we are all zocheh to Hashem's ongoing and everlasting ahavah! Have a good Shabbos! Rabbi Yaakov Schwartz Menahel, Middle School Page 4 Talmudical Academy Of Baltimore

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MIDDLE SCHOOL Welcome back! The talmidim are back! B"H, the z'man has started out with vigor and enthusiasm. This z'man is traditionally one full of great growth and we look forward to an excellent continuation of this school year. Hatzlacha u'vracha to all of the talmidim, rebbeim, teachers, and administrators on this upcoming z'man! Parent Teacher Conferences Sign up for the Middle School parent-teacher conferences will begin on Tuesday October 23. Parents may sign up through October 29. The conferences will be held on Tuesday, October 30. Sign up will be online. If parents do not have access to the online sign up, they may do so at school. These meetings are crucial for the continued partnership of parents and the school. Bar Mitzvah Meeting On Tuesday night October 16, our 7th grade parents gathered to hear and talk about the "Bar Mitzvah Year" for their child. The night was full of practical advice and shared experiences from our Middle School rebbeim. Parents were very appreciative of the realistic and practical suggestions and thoughts that were presented at this forum. Special thanks to Rabbi Berkowitz, Rabbi Ciment, and Rabbi Feder for sharing their time and experience with our parents. Super Science from Mr. Schuss Mr. Schuss's 7th grade Science class has just completed their study of measurement, learning the metric system and methods of converting from one unit in the Metric System to another. They are exploring and expanding their understanding of observation and inference and the scientific method. It is a pleasure to see the boys engaged and excited about learning. Mr. Schuss is making science alive, fun, and meaningful! Page 6 Talmudical Academy Of Baltimore

ELEMENTARY School Many, Many Mitzvah Boys! Dear Rabbi Brecher Eli Minzer was fantastic over Yom Tov! He davened from a Siddur almost every day and was super helpful! Ami [Buck] made us proud so many times over Yom Tov. First of all, he sat so nicely with his Abba in shul during each Mincha and Maariv. Second, we loved listening to him make Kiddush and sing and read bentching after each meal. Ami and his brother also made us so proud when we got stuck in a huge traffic jam coming back from New Jersey on Chol Hamoed. They had perfect behavior in the car. Finally, we loved watching Ami dance with the Torah in shul on Simchas Torah. He really made us proud! If the year is anything like Yom Kipper, we are going to have a great year! Zisha Lefkovitz was so amazing the whole time. He played so nice while I davened and helped with Dovi! We are so proud of Zisha! Eli Lempel shook his Lulav and Esrog in shul very nicely. He also got an Aliyah on Simchas Torah and made the Birchas HaTorah like a big Bar Mitzvah boy. We were so proud of him! Yonah [Bamberger] was amazing over Yom Tov! What a great helper! We are so proud! It was such a tremendous Nachas to see how excited Yisroel Meir Frand was to perform all of the Mitzvos on Yom Tov. His face was literally shining when he heard the "Layshayv Basuccah" on the first night in the pouring rain. He got up very, very early with such zerizus to run to the succah to eat breakfast so he would be able to say the Bracha on his own. He was ecstatic to shake Lulav and Esrog and even managed to convince his Zeida to get him his own set. He was such a tremendous help, always offering to serve by the seudos. He was also such a help running after his equally active baby brothers. The beautiful ending to a beautiful Yom Tov was watching Yisroel Meir jump and dance with such pure joy on Simchas Torah and hearing his first Aliyah! Thank you for preparing him so well. Yehoshua Heinemann was such a big Mitzvah boy over Yom Tov. He helped with his younger sisters, played beautifully with his cousins and enjoyed doing the Mitzvos of Yom Tov. Yehoshua was Continued on page 8 www.talmudicalacademy.org Page 7

also eager to learn Mishna with his Daddy over Yom Tov. He enjoyed learning about the different types of kosher and non-kosher Succahs. Shaul Aryeh davened like a big Tzaddik. He learned everyday and listened to the Rav's speeches! Shaul Aryeh helped build the Succah and decorate it. He danced with the Torah and said "Good Yom Tov" to Rabbi Kahana. He was so proud to watch his Tatty dance with the Rav on his shoulders. Yosef [Feigenbaum] read the entire Parshas Zos Habracha over Succos vacation! We are so proud of Yosef for reading so beautifully and for showing so much enthusiasm in his Torah learning! Yosef read the last Pesukim and made a Siyum with his cousins. He shared candy with everyone. After that, he read one more Pasuk because we are never finished learning Torah! We are so proud of Yosef! We are so proud of Asher Frydman!!! He learned Mishnayis Succah with his father over Succos vacation and got up to Perek Daled. He also bentched carefully, following along nicely for the first two paragraphs. He was helpful and played nicely with his two year old twin brothers. We had a beautiful Yom Tov with Yeshaya Simcha from start to finish! He was so excited for Succos and knew so much about Yom Tov. He davened beautifully every day and with much enthusiasm. He brought much nachas to the entire family. Thank you Rebbe for all you did to prepare Yeshaya Simcha for Yom Tov! I want to tell you what a very special Mitzvah boy Pinny [Ehrenfeld] is. He did so many Mitzvos over Yom Tov: 1. He came with his Daddy to shul so many times; 2. He davened beautifully; 3. He learned Torah with his Daddy; 4. He watched his baby sister; 5. He cleaned up the playroom so many times; 6. He danced with the Sefer Torah and kissed the Sefer Torah 100 times. Pinny is excited to come back to Yeshiva and learn so much Torah! We are very, very proud of him. Thank you for preparing Chaim Markowitz for Yom Tov. He had such an enthusiasm for each day. We were amazed at how wonderful he davened, learned and behaved throughout Yom Tov. Each day he davened beautifully from a Siddur and even followed along in shul. He was so excited to hear them announce and begin saying Mashiv Continued on page 10 Page 8 Talmudical Academy Of Baltimore

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Continued from page 8 Haruach. He even learned a song to help remember! Chaim also learned each day by reviewing what he learned about Succos, discussing the different Halachos of Succah and practicing Kriah by reading the Parshiyos. Chaim finished Haazenu and Zos Habracha and even started Beraishis. He is really looking forward to getting his Chumash so he can begin learning! To top it off, Chaim got his first Aliyah on Simchas Torah and said the Brochos like a true Bachur! And of course, Chaim behaved so nicely throughout Yom Tov to allow Mommy and Abba to prepare and rest on Yom Tov!! Shmuel Shmidman is such a Mitzvah boy! My daughter, Leah, wanted a cracker so Shmuel went all the way back to his house and got her a cracker. He stopped playing just so my Leah would be happy. Isn't he the best? Thank you Shmuel! Succos is a long Yom Tov! To list all the Mitzvos that Eli [Blau] did would take lots and lots of paper! So we will highlight the Mitzvos special to the Yom Tov. Eli shook his Lulav and Esrog and walked around the Bima in shul with his 4 Minim. When Eli's Lulav "disappeared" from its place in shul, Eli did not get upset! He realized that someone took it accidently and it would be returned! It was - on Hoshana Rabba! He also danced and danced on Simchas Torah - he is feeling the excitement of getting his own Chumash soon. Eli also got an Aliya and said the Brochos loud and clear! We are so proud of our Tzaddik! Dear Rabbi Moskowitz Boruch Hashem, we had a beautiful Yom Tov. Thank you for teaching Yehoshua [Hoffman] so much about Succos! He performed the Mitzvos beautifully. Yehoshua was not in school the last two days before Yom Tov so we did not have the information and form to fill out for learning. Yehoshua davened beautifully from his Siddur each day of Yom Tov! In addition, he also read from Tehillim through Perek Gimmel and learned with Abba from a Chumash! We are so proud of Yehoshua! Although Reuvain (Schwartz) did not complete the entire Masmid chart, he did a lot of Kriah and learning with his father and is our big Masmid. He will be getting a prize from Mommy and Daddy, but we wanted to let you know how proud we are of him! We wanted to let you know how proud Page 10 Talmudical Academy Of Baltimore