Blessings of the Archer to the Class of 2019

To the Class of 2019*,

Every day as I walked by your classroom, I could always count on something in the air. Whether it was a conversation about literature, math, Hebrew, science, history, or Torah, (or Chinese food, or Axe) the air in Room 108 was pretty much always filled with thought, energy and passion.

As you know, just a few days ago, we celebrated Shavuot, the culmination of the counting of the Omer.  Perhaps the most famous day of the Omer is Lag BaOmer, a mysterious day on which, among other things, children traditionally play with bows and arrows. 
Although most of us will never be archers, on Lag BaOmer we are all archers and there is much to learn from the bow and arrow on how to look at life and the decisions we make.  Tonight I bless you with the blessing of the bow and arrow.

First, when the archer sets a goal, the archer pulls back, giving tension to the bow. 
As Dena Weiss of Yeshivat Hadar so wisely states, “a bow mentality allows for periods of focused intensity.”

Class of 2019, invest every goal and decision you make with the seriousness of the archer.  Do it with focus and passion  Pull back and focus with intellect and precision. 

Second, the archer also moves the bow close to his heart before letting the arrow go.  We are told by our mesorah, devarim sheyotsim mehalev, nichnasim lehalev.  The things that come from the heart, have the most power to influence the hearts of others.

Class of 2019, realize that every important decision you make and action you take should come from your heart, and all you should do should be done with empathy, with passion and heart.

Students, you have great role models in your lives that model these first two lessons. 

You have been blessed to be in a school with such a rich history, neshama and vision with wonderful and dedicated teachers and the entire KDS staff, to whom we all owe such gratitude.  They have taught you about care for one another, intellectual commitment and the value of taking your passions and using hard work and discipline to bring your goals to fruition. 

And of course, your parents and families have shown their devotion to the growth of your minds and your souls in so many ways. One is by sending you to our school.  On behalf of the entire Kinneret family, we are so grateful to them for entrusting your education to us every single day. 

But there isn’t just the preparation of the bow -- there is also the release.  Writer Heinrich Heine, was known to say that “the arrow belongs not to the archer when it has once left the bow.” Yes, the arrow is directed and guided by the archer, but once it leaves the bow it is subject to the elements of the world -- to winds, to storms and to anything else that meets it in the air. Whether we like it or not, there is no direct and predictable path to the target. 

So, while the focus and passion are in your hands, realize that part of life is the letting go and the understanding that there are things beyond your control.
I will miss you in the halls of Kinneret. I will miss our time learning together and your presence in our school.  But it is your turn to fly. 

Take the bows and arrows that the adults in your lives have prepared for you, take your academic skills, your wide range of talents, your deep souls and your desire to learn, and focus intensely and passionately, letting your impact fly to make this world a great place, with more giving, more growth and more holiness.

Know that we will always be here for you. Come and visit!
Mazal tov. 

*This message was inspired by Dena Weiss, “Bows and Arrows”
https://www.hadar.org/torah-resource/bows-and-arrows