Daily Update
One short day, sandwiched between Tisha B’Av and Shabbat Nachamu. But what a day!
Friday was non-stop activity, and a thrill a minute. We welcomed another group of boys from TJJ for our annual Mitzvah Fair in the morning. We conducted workshops in Tefilin and Tzitzit, with our NCSYers helping some of the TJJers tie their own first pair of Tzitzit. The Tefilin demonstration was a hands on exhibition of the what and how of Tefilin, and provided plenty of insights into this important daily Mitzvah.
In the afternoon, the Mitzvah Fair continued with a live shechita, highlighting many of the halachic and ethical issues that govern the food we consume.
Meanwhile, our annual Soccer Tournament was in full swing, giving NCSYers a chance to shine in sports other than basketball and hockey. The tournament was competitive and fun, and we will report on the winners next week. There was also pick up games of Roller Hockey, and a joint TJJ-Kollel game of basketball. In the late afternoon we returned to the pool with our first post-9 Days swimming. It was great to be back in the water! Throughout the day, the air was heavy with excitement for Shabbat Nachamu, unquestionably one of the most anticipated days on the NCSY Kollel calendar. Between haircuts, music, and fun, there was a tangible sense of Shabbat’s arrival.
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In this daily feature, we will highlight one aspect of the general Kollel schedule. In the weekly updates and daily phone messages, we will often describe these parts of the day as “a great morning of learning”, or “strong chaburas”. Of course, these descriptions hardly do justice to such integral parts of the NCSY Kollel experience. The “Spotlight” posts on the blog will try to visually fill in some of the blanks
Spotlight #3: Halacha Shiur
Great things can sometime come in small packages. One of our most productive and unique learning slots is also one of our shortest.
Each morning, a five minute Halacha Shiur follows Shacharit. These shiurim are delivered by one of our Roshei Yeshiva, and cover a range of topics regarding daily life.
The most significant benefits of these shiurim are two fold. First, the opportunity to hear halacha explained clearly and deeply from preeminent Torah scholars, is extremely valuable. For years to come, NCSYers will be able to quote and refer to statements they heard directly from Rav Schachter, Rav Sobolofsky and Rav Twersky. Second, there is the interaction itself. There are few scenes on the Kollel as special as these shiurim, as NCSYers sit attentitively and listen to the Roshei Yeshiva. There are almost always spirited follow up discussions that provide even more intense give and take
