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At Rambam, fighting to learn, learning to fight

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Rabbi Eliezer Sheinwald, rosh yeshiva of Modiin’s Hesder program, visited Rambam Mesivta in Lawrence on Oct. 28.

Rabbi Sheinwald is working with Magen David Adom to start a paramedic’s Beis Medrash in Ofakim where students would learn Torah half a day and study to be paramedics the rest of the day.

Rabbi Sheinwald believes that one must take responsibility in life and live up to one’s potential, that one must be able to “do something.” He himself has a degree in electronics.

In Modiin, he is particularly known for his acts of chesed. He inaugurated a program in which he gives Bar Mitzvah lessons to any boy who needs them, regardless of the boy’s religious affiliation. Rabbi Sheinwald learned at Yeshivat Merkaz Harav Kook, whose principles are Harbatzat Torah and Religious Zionism.

In his talk to the talmidim at Rambam, Rabbi Sheinwald used the week’s Torah portion, Lech Lecha, to highlight an important lesson. He referred to the Alshich and explained that when Hashem told Avram to “Lech Lecha” his commandment was not only for Avram to leave for a new place, but also to look within himself in a new way.

Hashem was telling Avram to take responsibility, which is the message Rabbi Sheinwald was giving over: One must learn to take responsibility in life and live up to one’s ideal.

At the outset of his army career, he was in charge of a small number of soldiers when a problem came up. He went to his commander for help and the commander said, “You figure it out.” He learned that he had to take responsibility and couldn’t rely on other people. 

Subsequently, the rabbi became the commander of thousands of soldiers because of his strong belief that, “You have to be willing to make sacrifices on behalf of Klal Yisrael.”

Next, Rabbi Sheinwald spoke about the matzav in Israel.

“The current situation is a war,” he said. “It is not about land. Both PLO and Hamas have proclaimed loudly that their goal is nothing less than the destruction of all Jews.” It is not accidental that many victims in the recent stabbings and attacks are religious Jews and soldiers, he said, because what is happening is a religious war, which they have openly depicted as jihad.

What must a Jew do to respond to this violence?

According to Rabbi Sheinwald, one must learn Torah, daven and be prepared to fight. One must take responsibility for oneself and become a leader. As Hashem told Avram, “Lech Lecha,” so must every Jew take responsibility and look to himself and rise to the challenge to become a leader as well as work for the betterment of others.

The boys of the Mesivta were inspired by Rabbi Sheinwald’s talk and “Lech Lecha” will have a special meaning for them now and in the future.