Pinteleh Gala Journal - Feb 25th, 2018 Final Pinteleh Journal | Page 14

FROM OUR HEADS OF SCHOOL
Dear Lamplighters
Community,
Der pinteleh Yid-- “the tiny Jewish dot (within).” The place of our strength,
our origin. The spiritual DNA that defines our mission in this world, a
world in which we are both within and without. There is no question that
the idea of pinteleh is both close and intimate to identity, yet distant and
unknowable. Two extremes brought together by light.
In no other context is der pinteleh Yid as essential as in the realm of
chinuch. In fact, it forms the basis of why education is not just a work of
mundane instruction but of Holiness. It reminds us that each and every
child who joins our learning community is G-d’s treasure. There are only
“good” and “capable” children. Our job as educators is to believe this and to
let them show us the way.
Within to Without-- “‫ם‬ ָ‫ָאד‬ ‫ת‬ ַ‫מ‬ ְ‫נִׁש‬ ’‫ה‬ ‫”נֵר‬, “The soul of man is a G-d’s Lamp
(Mishlei 20:27).”
G-d has provided us with our vessels and wicks. Yet it is not until we, from
our wick, our pinteleh, take flame that we become G-d’s lamp, illuminating
the world with Divine light. There is no way to “make a child” become lit.
As parents and teachers, there is only our reaching out through our innate
ahavas Yisroel to show children the way. Heat conducts. Flames catch. A
Jewish education ensures that this process continues forever, from older
to younger generation.
Even more profoundly, our pinteleh draws together the individual points
of each of us--the G-dly energy emanating from each of our individual
existences--into one profound picture. We are both the brushstroke and
the painting, composed of thousands of other dots of color.
Without to Within--“‫ֽר‬ ‫ה‬ ָ ‫ה‬ ָ ‫נֶגֶד‬ ‫אֵל‬ ָ‫ר‬ ְ‫יִׂש‬ ‫ם‬ ‫ׁש‬ ָ ‫ן־‬ ‫ח‬ ַ ֽ ‫ּי‬ ִ ‫ו‬ ַ ”
opposite the mountain (Shmos 19:2).”
“And Israel camped there,
As a people, we stood together to receive our Torah “like one man, with one