I’ve reached a level of exhaustion I didn’t think was possible. But I got through this day, and as soon as I finish writing this post, I’m going to bed.
Today, I arrived at Matan at 9am and listened to Dr. Nechama Barash talk about “Kavod HaBriyot as a Tool in Contemporary Halachic Situations.”
I was fascinated by the sources Dr. Barash provided, especially the Responsa Rema 125 and the Noda Be-Yehuda (Orech Chaim, Responsa 35). I was also interested by the Yabia Omer 8: Yoreah Deah 32. Normally I would retype these sources but today I am too tired, so I will simply take photos and include them below. You should read them. They are fascinating and showcase the compassion of the rabbis.
Afterwards, we reflected on our experience at Matan. We went around the room and shared our thoughts, because some of us will not be returning to the program tomorrow. People were appreciative and talked about how much this program and experience affected them. (We do still have one more day of Matan programming tomorrow.)
Then it was time to go on our tiyulim for the day. We began by going to Qaasr al Yahud. This is the location where the kohanim and Bnei Yisrael crossed the Jordan in Sefer Yehoshua [the Book of Joshua]. I dipped my feet in the water because I thought it was extremely cool to stand in the same place that our ancestors once stood. (It was also pretty cool to realize that our side of the Jordan was Israel and on the other side it was, well, Jordan.)
Then we got back in our tour bus and headed for Mitzpe Yericho. However, our tour bus driver told us that he had a surprise for us. He said “לא לדבר עכשיו,” then proceeded to drive the bus at breakneck speed over a narrow ledge. I looked down and thought the bus was going to tumble off the side of the cliff and we were all going to die. Luckily, we didn’t die. Instead, our driver took us to see Jordanian bunkers, including a place where Jordanian soldiers used to shoot at their enemies. Apparently the Jordanian bunkers are now being used as a teenage hangout spot (as evidenced by the candy wrappers and candles we saw within).
We took some breathtaking pictures of the view from there.
(It’s crazy to think that’s the real view, and I saw it with my own eyes. It looks like something you would see in a Lord of the Rings film, although then it would probably also be darker, smoking and on fire/ Mordor-esque.)
After the bunkers, we went to Mitzpe Yericho. We learned about why we can’t go into Yericho (Jericho) proper, and about the Oslo Accords, Area A, Area B and Area C. The focus of today’s tiyulim was to provide rationalistic explanations for how the waters of the Jordan could have all piled up in one spot, and how the walls fell in Yericho. Since I’m not a rationalist, these explanations did not particularly speak to me, although it’s useful to learn them for the sake of the students in my classes who are.
I learned that I am really not an auditory learner. If I don’t have a pen in my hand taking notes, or a computer on which I am typing, it’s very hard for me to assimilate the information that I am being taught. On the one hand, it’s amazing to experience a tour on-site/ on-location but if the goal is for me to bring back this information so I can teach it to students in my classroom I simply don’t retain enough. Luckily, I can follow up with the person giving the tour (in this case, the amazing Rivi) and ask her for the information at a later date.
At Mitzpe Yericho, we davened mincha and I saw this glorious sunset.
And then I saw someone’s chuppah.
It’s amazing how much romantic imagery I have encountered over the course of this trip- a proposal at Mearat HaMachpelah, Marc’s wedding, and now a chuppah at Mitzpeh Yericho. It’s like this is the running thread through my time here!
And now, to sleep.