Last night I had the privilege of speaking at a ceremony that marked the completion of a daily study program. Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman from the OU initiated a program of learning one chapter a day from the Nevi'im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings). After two years, the learning cycle was complete and, of course, it began immediately all over again. My remarks were as follows:
"There is a new game that is conquering the world: 'Wordle.' Each day you need to figure out a five-letter word based on guessing its letters and then putting them in the proper order to form the word of the day. You are given six tries to do this and can only play once a day. The success of this game is explained by its exacting requirements and limited scope. In a world of constant stimulation, distraction, and sensory overload with its accompanying dopamine release, here is something we have been missing: a simple daily activity that gives us something to talk about throughout the day and look forward to doing again tomorrow. We are thirsting for this and perhaps this game explains the magic of a daily learning routine: We want to return to sanity, to a sense of order, to a process of which we feel a part.. Daily learning gives us this opportunity, embracing the moment but also looking expectantly toward what tomorrow will bring.
Yet to learn the Prophets and the Writings is more than just a matter of daily study, It's about getting to know books with which we are not sufficiently familiar despite their speaking directly to us and about us. Our sages say that not all the prophecies delivered were written down in the Tanach, only 'prophecy needed by generations to come.' Apparently there were many words spoken by Jeremiah, here in Jerusalem, but only those that needed to be heard by future generations - by us - were written down. And those words were not chosen casually, but because of what they would mean to us today.
Congratulations and Good luck!"
