So we crossed the boarder and are about 1 hour from the woods. To wrap up this final blog we will just give a final thought or 2. This trip was about one thing. Hishtadlut in learning. .maybe the amount of time spent in monsey was short. Maybe we could have been a larger group. .. ..Maybe the weather could have cooperated more. Regardless, we wouldn’t have traded this experience in for the world. We came with proverbial empty pockets and left with tremendous riches. If we can relate this trip to the parsha in any way its that Moshe went along with Hashems plan regardless of the personal and environmental shortcomings he was up against. In a much much smaller way we did the same thing.We firmly believe that this trip was planned out by the KB (Hashem) Perhaps we aren’t ho ho chum chums just yet and we don’t wear strombolies on our heads. Nevertheless we sure have grown in the presence such great Rabbi’s and talmidey chuchumim this week. The essence of Hamilton has just fittingly arrived once again on our last blog , so we wish you a good night and thanks for joining us on this most legendary adventure!

E&A

Rolled out of bed this morning with 15 minutes to Shacharit. Walk into Beit-Midrash with time to spare.

Raisin Bran cereal has been our staple breakfast here in Yeshivah. It’s either that, or some high sugar coated cereal or plain bread. The two of us realize that a Bachur diet is an extremely undesirable one. In fact we want to start our own Yeshiva when we get back into town. Its going to be called UFY (Ultimate Fighting Yid). While this yeshivah will still focus on the traditional study, there will be a strong emphasis on eating well and working-out. The Bachur diet at UFY will have learning in mind, and will be tailored to their needs. There is no doubt that the quality of learning will be drastically improved, and the Yeshivah will produce Super Talmidim Chachamim (STCs). Anyway, enough about that.

Our morning was filled with Pirkei Avot, Mishna Brura and Gemara Beyukis. We then decided to head into town to see if we could find a deal on a couple of suits. After a lot of haggling, we both walked out with two suits each from the ‘Hat Box’. Yes they sell suits too.

The snow has been coming down pretty hard the past 8 hrs, and we’re not sure we’ll be able to leave Monday, as originally planed. We might just have to stay an extra day. Must be a sign from Shamayim.

E&A

Siman Mem Zayin Sif Alef
What’s the p’sak?

So we pull into the shell gas station after passing 35 hassidic hitchhickers. I know you are all asking why we didnt pick one up? Here’s the pshat to that shyla. None of you ever needed stop for a person completely dressed in black, in pitch black darkness when all you could see is a white little index finger pointing into the path of your vehicle. Anyways back to the shell gas station. I go in to pay and ask the clerk to use the bathroom. He says sure but its in the office area. I go in to the back office area and through a small corridor and upon my return I see a mirage. 2 huge crock pots in the office boiling at full steam sitting on a stack of milk crates. I pose this question to the only italian in the whole town (Sal the clerk). Are you seriously making chulent? He replies in a NY accent yeah we do it every week. This place kinda turns into a deli on fridays. I looked around to make sure I wasn’t hilucinating from the candy coated chicken we just ate. But sure enough. We were in a gas station with a mezuzah, jewish newspapers, torah class cds and hassidic music, and of course a percolating chulent in the back office. That’s monsey livin my friends Shabbat shalom. Check us out after Havdala.

E&A

5:01pm

So we just got settled in to cb5. Actually a very nice set up here in the Or Sameach dorms. After a half an hour of amir trying to figure out that the Z on the door code was not a 2 we finaly made it in. Inside we found a friendly fellow named Moishee from Thornhill. A good kid and a natural leader. Monsey is a quaint little town yet to be discovered but we have to sign off as our first class starts in 20 min.
WYWH

7:28am

Our trip started off on a bit of a low point with our ipod transmitter not working. Coffee from Tim Horton keeping us up along the way. Ahh! The smell of Hamilton’s essence blasting us through the vents!
Where should we stop to daven? Fallsview Casino? Uncle Jed’s farm? Side of the road?
Stay tuned for more posts from Ely and Amir’s great Yeshiva adventure.
Because you gotta have faith (GM).