Dr. Yedidah Koren
Yedidah Koren has recently moved from Jerusalem to New York to take on the position of assistant professor in the Department of Religion at Princeton University. Yedidah holds a PhD in Talmud from Tel Aviv University and is currently working on her book on Jews of blemished lineage in Rabbinic literature and the ways in which lineage and marital prohibitions are used for inner Jewish separation. Yedidah has studied at Midreshet Lindenbaum, Migdal Oz, Drisha, and Matan, and she holds a BA in Talmud and Classics from Hebrew University. Before teaching at Princeton, Yedidah has taught at Drisha, Yeshivat Hadar, Bar Ilan University, and the Paideia Institute in Stockholm. Yedidah loves teaching about ancient Judaism and connecting rabbinic literature, Second Temple literature, and ancient material artifacts.
In one of my favorite stories in the Bavli, in Massechet Shabbat, Moshe goes up to the heavens to receive the Torah, and the angels try to push him away. The Torah is holy, they say. It’s been in God’s domain since before the world was created. How could God now give it to flesh and blood?
God does not respond to the angels but tells Moshe to do so himself. God trusts Moshe to know how to defend his right – and the right of all of humanity – to receive the Torah.
And he does. Moshe shows that each of the ten commandments was intended for human beings. Angels were not enslaved in Egypt, nor do they work six days a week. They do not have parents, or jealousy, or desires.
In other words: there is no purpose for the Torah in a state of eternal purity and perfection. The Torah is for the corporeal world, for the bodies and the weaknesses of human beings. Imperfection is the very reason that the Torah was given.
I am standing here today, receiving the Torah in a new way. Not only as a student and an adherent of the Torah, but as a teacher and a bearer of it.
It is a daunting moment, but I want to remind myself – and all of us – that our imperfections are precisely the reason that we can receive the Torah and become musmachot. The Torah was not given to angels – לא נתנה תורה למלאכי השרת – it was given to us, כל הרוצה תבוא ותיטול – anyone who desires should come and seize it.
Moshe teaches me to take pride in my humanity, and with an infinite amount of humility, to accept the Torah and to become a teacher of Torah for Klal Yisrael.
Anat Sharbat
*$180.00
Mazal Tov to all the musmachot, and to Yeshivat Maharat.
We pray for the chatufim, the chayalim, and the Akurim.
Rabbi Jason Herman, Executive Director, International Rabbinic Fellowship
*$180.00
Mazel Tov to everyone at Yeshiva Maharat and Yasher Kochachot to all the musmakhot. May you go mechayil el chayil!
Sarit and Jonathan Gribetz
*$360.00
Mazal tov Meytal, Yedidah, Dena, Meira, Rivka, Talia, Leah, Adina, Tamar, Miriam, Naima, and Rabba Sara! So proud of you!!!
R. Miriam-Simma Walfish
*$72.00
Rabba Wendy Amsellem and Rabbi Mike Moskowitz
*$360.00
We are so inspired by what you have accomplished and so excited for the wonderful transformative work that you will do!
Liz Shayne (and Family)
*$360.00
Mazal tov to all of you! It was such a zechut to learn with you and from you and to be part of your Maharat journey!
Rabba Aliza Libman Baronofsky and Ari Baronofsky
*$500.00
Avital Morris
*$36.00
Rabbanit Tamar Green Eisenstst and Abe Eisenstat
*$10,000.00
Mazal tov to our amazing friends, colleagues, chevrutot, teachers, care providers, leaders, guides, wise souls and just general all around superstars. The rabbinate is blessed to have y’all join the ranks!
Rabbi Marianne Novak and Dr. Noam Stadlan
*$3,600.00
Congratulations to all the musmakhot on your accomplishment!