Galut - גלות

To learn that each one of us is a part in a whole body that includes Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael. (And our goal is to keep the Torah)

To understand that if we don’t have any part of Am Yisrael or Eretz Yisrael then it’s as if we are missing a part of our own body.

Game:

We will start sniff with a series of games that will remind us how important each part of our body is and how if we forget Yerushalayim we will be very sorry for losing our right hand.

Wheel borough race – set your group in wheel boroughs and have them race without using their right hand.

Tongue less speech – ask each chanich to explain what his name means or why he was given it but without moving their tongue.

No finger - Bring a can or a bottle to the peulah and time each chanich trying to open it without using fingers.

 - If you can think of any more similar games then go on and do them (covering easy, tying legs and more)

Story:

Hi, my name is Yisrael and I would like to tell you the story of my life. I was born in Miami 26 years ago to a very successful juish businessman (my father) and a world wide known Jewish doctor (my mother). I have 2 sisters and we live in a big mansion. During middle school I was spotted as an excellent runner and changed school from the Jewish day school to the sports academy. I spent most hours of the day training and running and was kept on a very strict diet. In the evenings and on Shabbat afternoons I had private sessions with a great Rabbie who taught my Hebrew torah and other Jewish studies.

On my 13^th birthday witch was a Sunday (the day of my Bar Mitzvah) there was a very big nationwide youth running tournament and after months of training for that and for laining my Parsha I came second place in the U.S. on the next Shabbat at my bar mitzvah my Rabbie spoke about how I brought pride to the American Jewry and what an important thing it is to have Jews participating in all aspects of life. Later on he told me that when I do well the whole Jewish nation unites into a happy moment, feeling that their own legs were running that race. I felt so proud of myself knowing that there are so many people together with me on every step I run.

By my 18^th birthday I was known as one of Americas best long distance runners and I was getting prepared to represent America and the Jewish nation in the Olympic games. This included many hours of training every day. I had to run in lots of tournaments to earn my ticket to Italy for the worldwide competition. At last I had one more final race between 15 runners that we knew 10 of us were going to be chosen.

It was on a Tuesday afternoon the 4^th night of Chanukah. On the evening before we had a big family Chanukkah party and I was the star not only of my small family but of the larger family I was going to represent, Am Yisrael. I felt all Jews were part of me and together with the celebration of Chanukah when few beat the many I would bring the nation another reason to celebrate.

Before the race began I went through the regular doctors check and to my big surprise I was disqualified from the race. I could swear I had never taken any drugs, and the doctor wouldn’t explain to me what the problem was. He sent me for further checkup that I had to do on the same day and under no circumstances would he let me run.

I immediately went of for my checkup very disappointed and at the end of it they told me I must stay in hospital over night although they don’t know exactly what I had.

In the morning I went through a series of tests and they told me I have a very bad sikness that is very rare and will probably start effecting me within a couple of days. They couldn’t tell yet how bad it would be but they said I probably wouldn’t be able to move my hands and legs ever again. They said it would start with pain in my feet and would expand to being paralyzed.

I didn’t know what to do with myself and I even thought of suicide, but luckily enough I didn’t harm myself any more that the sickness harmed me already. While I still could I traveled around and spoke to all doctors that might have been able to heal and none had any good advice. Then I turned to my favorite rabbi and asked him what I should do and where is Am Yisrael when I need them. All he had to say is that he feels Am Yisrael’s legs are in pain and we should all be praying and learning more torah so that I can get better.

Although this was a strange answer it was better then al the doctors as it gave me some hope. I took his advice and went to join a Yeshivah. I didn’t need my hands and legs to learn torah so I could succeed even with this terrible sickness.

By the age of 25 I had finished my Rabbinical exams. In the yeshiva I was considered a great scholar and many people liked to sit and learn with me. Within a year after becoming a Rabbi I had a group of students that was growing every day. I became a great rabbi and even my favorite Rabbi used to come to listen to my Shiur. After class he used to comfort me and say that I will always stay Am Yisrael’s legs just now I am leading them all to run to learning torah.

Just last year I was on another meeting with a young talented doctor, who claimed that he has a new experiment he would like to try on me that might get me back on my feet. I took the chance and finally last week I took my first steps. I feel I have full control over my hands and legs and soon I will be able to run again. The doctors say that it all depends on me and within 3 months I can be back on the running course.

Now I am in a big dilemma in my life, I don’t know which part of Am Yisrael’s legs I would like to be. Should I continue learning torah or should I  try winning my Olympic trophy.

Discussion:

What do you think I should do?

Madrichim – have a short discussion on Yisrael’s Dilemma and then before solving his problem we tell them that this story is really about AM YISRAEL. Until the distraction of Beit HaMikdash we were considered an amazing nation that had lots to teach the world. On any level of tournament we had an important position. As we learned last week about Shlomo Hamelech. And then suddenly we became very sick and lost our hands and legs so the only Jewish thing we had left in exile was learning torah. We had no other way to express our Judaism to the world. Now finally we have the chance to get cured and we can lead the world to learn many things from Am Yisrael and our way of life in Erets Yisrael. The only big problem is that we are still missing the heart of the nation that will decide to put an effort both in running and in learning torah.

Now we know that we are all one body and each person that is missing is like a finger that isn’t working. In that case what do we think Yisrael should do?

After this discussion we feel the correct thing to do is to link torah and Avodah, which can be done in full only in Eretz Yisrael. We need to remember that all Jews are a part of us and each one that is missing is like a part of our body is missing. We need to take ourselves and think of the best way we can help the complete body of Yisrael lives its life to its best way. We must always think of what we can contribute to the nation and how we can get our whole body to its healthiest position.

Steps:

Game – forget my right hand.

Story – Yisrael’s big dilemma.

Discussion – living without a heart.