New Year at Machon LiYahadus! Back to Miriam’s well

Class One Hundred and Thirty Six, The Chumash: The “Well of Miriam” Class Three.
This class is the first of the new school year (5780-5781/ 2020-2021) and the introduction is therefore necessary.
Part 1:  What is slavery? Having no control over oneself means not having the freedom to overcome our weaknesses – that is slavery.  If a person can use self-control over chocolate, pizza, drugs, internet, gambling etc… that is freedom.  Through Torah any human being can take control of him or herself.  The purpose of life is to work and maximize oneself and that is freedom.  
Key Points:  
1. God took the Jews out of Egypt as a Nation.  
2. God took Egypt out of the Jews and made them free.  
3. Freedom is established by entering a life of Torah and Mitzvot and a relationship with G-d, this is challenging but it makes us bigger and more (or: Freer) that makes humans free. Therefore until the Jews received the Torah they were not yet completely free of Egypt.
Class Length (33:52)

Class One Hundred and Thirty Six, The Chumash: The “Well of Miriam” Class Four.
Part 2:  How can a slave begin to trust? In the relationship with Hashem the key test is trust. This is exemplified by the journey in the desert facing the need for daily water in combination with rising sense of insecurity leading to conflict between each other.  Lessons are drawn from both the side of the Jews, dealing with the individual stress spilling over into community behavior and dis-unification – being “vayarev” (when they arrive and see that there is no water,) and “vayalin” (when they are actually thirsty)- and how Moshe responds to each complaint.  
Continuing from last year into the story of the Chumash (five books of Moshe).  Reading inside begins at 14:47 (“Vayisu” – “and they journeyed”)  Behind the scenes with the Jews traveling with a rock that is called “the well of Miriam”.
Class Length (43:40)