| Mrs. Michal Horowitz delivers weekly shiurim in her community of the Five Towns, NY, while her Zoom shiurim reach audiences around the world. She has been a scholar in residence in schools and communities, nationally and internationally. In September 2023, Michal was a keynote speaker at Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis' Pre-Yamim Noraim Conference, for the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. At the OU Women's Initiative, she inaugurated the Torat Imecha Parsha program presenting weekly shiurim on Sefer Bereishit. Michal taught Yehoshua, Tehillim 36-41, and Divrei Hayamim II to over 5,000 women across the globe as part of the Torat Imecha Nach Yomi cycle I. She taught Tehillim 1-41, and Mishlei for cycle II. She taught Shoftim for cycle III. Michal presented Rosh Chodesh, Selichot Night and Nach Yomi Siyum shiurim and taught in-depth courses at the ALIT Virtual Summer Learning Programs of 2020, '21, '22, '23, and '24. Michal's weekly OU Parsha shiur can be found on the AllParsha App. She has thousands of audio and video shiurim online. Her writings have been published in YU's Torah-To-Go, HaMizrachi, the OU's Jewish Action magazine, and most recently in "Reclaiming Dignity: A Guide to Tzniut". Her story can be found on all major streaming platforms on the "Rolling With the Punches" Podcast, Episode 14, Sounds of Silence. Michal lives in Woodmere, NY with her husband and family. | | | Dvar Haftorah OU Women's Initiative Founding Director Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman | | | | | | From Promise to Prayer Yechezkel 28:25-29:21 | | | בְּקַבְּצִ֣י | אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מִן־הָֽעַמִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָפֹ֣צוּ בָ֔ם וְנִקְדַּ֥שְׁתִּי בָ֖ם לְעֵינֵ֣י הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וְיָֽשְׁבוּ֙ עַל־אַדְמָתָ֔ם :אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לְעַבְדִּ֥י לְיַֽעֲקֹֽב When I gather in the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they have been scattered, and I have been sanctified through them in the eyes of the nations, then shall they dwell on their land that I gave to My servant, to Jacob. One cannot read the opening posuk of the Haftarah without hearing its echo in the Shemoneh Esrei. "When I gather the House of Israel from among the nations…" becomes, in our daily prayer, "Gather us together from the four corners of the earth." Yechezkel speaks in the language of promise; the Amidah answers in the language of longing. What the Navi describes as Hashem's future act, we articulate as a daily request. Both frame kibbutz galuyot not as private consolation, but as public recognition — something meant to be seen. Yechezkel then clarifies what that gathering entails. He does not speak of return, but of gathering — קַבְּצִי — a word that assumes fragmentation and patience. Gathering is not a single moment but a process, drawing scattered pieces toward one another over time. Nor were the people merely displaced. They were נָפֹצוּ — scattered outward, dispersed into other cultures and histories, at risk of losing cohesion altogether. The verse culminates not in survival, but in sanctification. וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בָם. Rashi explains that Hashem's name is sanctified when the nations see that Israel's story did not end in exile. The Malbim sharpens the point: sanctification does not wait until the gathering is complete; it unfolds through the gathering itself. The process becomes the revelation and recognition of Hashem's name. To pray these words today, in a world where the scattered are quite literally being gathered, is to sense how closely prophecy and prayer can stand beside one another. In Yechezkel's vision, holiness emerges not only through miracles that suspend nature, but through history that refuses to erase a people. A people drawn together. A promise unfolding. A revelation of Hashem in full view of the world. | | | As part of your weekly learning, join Torat Imecha Parsha with Mrs. Hyndi Mendelowitz. Register below to receive weekly recordings. | | | |
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