פרשת בשלח
ויהי כאשר ירים משה את ידו וגבר ישראל וכאשר יניח ידו וגבר עמלק | שמות י"ז, י"א
It happened that when Moshe raised his hand Yisrael was stronger, and when he lowered his hand Amalek was stronger
The Gemara asks, “Was it merely the raised hands of Moshe that assured victory to the Yidden in their battle against Amalek?” The Gemara answers that success in the battle came through focusing on the fact that Hashem is in control of all aspects in the world. Moshe’s raised hands were merely the catalyst for the Yidden to internalize this message and thereby ensure success at the battlefront.
HoRav Chaim Ozer ZT”L explains that Moshe Rabbeinu was the one selected to drive home this message, since he was the Torah mentor of the Yidden. Only through the Torah were the Yidden able to attain this degree of recognition in Hashem’s all-encompassing power by way of Moshe Rabbeinu’s raised hands.
We too are the transmitters of Torah in our generation. We too are the ones to drive home the message to our talmidim and talmidos that focusing that Hashem is in control brings success on all fronts.
About the Author: Rabbi Yisroel Meir Rubinfeld
Rabbi Rubinfeld has been in the field of Torah education for over 3 decades and serves as an Executive School Consultant for Torah Umesorah. He provides an array of services to schools across North America, including teacher and principal mentorship, school and curricula evaluations, professional development and parent education.
Rabbi Rubinfeld's expertise includes classroom management and discipline, effective instruction, bullying, cultivating sensitivity in the classroom, impulse disorders (such as ADHD and ODD), and balancing the educational needs of mainstream and special needs children in the classroom.
Rabbi Rubinfeld is the also the founder and director of Torah Umesorah's Lilmod U'Lilamed department which provides professional development for teachers and principals throughout the year.
Rabbi Rubinfeld is a talmid of the distinguished Yeshivos of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, the Mirrer Yeshiva in Yerushalayim and Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood.