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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Va'era
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מנחם בן יהודה
Let us go back in time and see the relevance of water and blood to these events. The Egyptians were appalled by the fertility of the Jewish family. As such, they decreed that Jewish women should not immerse in a mikveh, in which water purifies the body from the effects of blood. In response, Hashem turned Egyptian water into blood (Shemot Rabba). Others say it is related to Paroh’s slaughter of 300 Jewish children in whose blood he bathed. Still others connect it to the decree to throw baby boys into the Nile. Rashi (Shemot 17:7) points out that the Nile was not only the life source of Egypt but also a diety in Egypt. This should not be surprising, as this extremely arid land always had available water, which seemed to miraculously appear in the Nile.
If we put these last facts together, we can uncover some interesting connections. After Paroh lost confidence in his system of killing Jewish males at birth, he decreed to have them thrown into the Nile. His astrologers told him that it was seen in the stars that the Jewish savior would find his demise with water. "How appropriate," Paroh must have thought, "that the Egyptian diety would subdue the Jewish savior." (In fact, not only did the Nile fail to kill the savior, but it protected him, which is the reason that Moshe did not personally bring the plague upon the water (Shemot Rabba 9:10). According to Me’am Loez, once Moshe was put into the Nile, the signs to the astrologers stopped indicating that there was still a danger from the Jews’ savior.) It must have been relatively easy to explain to his people that the Jewish newborns would not be slaughtered in cold blood but would be given over to the Nile to do to them what it would.
If we view matters along these lines, we can appreciate the story of Bat Paroh more fully. Here she was on the Nile, bathing, when she saw a child floating in the Nile. Not only did her father decree that the babies be killed, but it had been explained that the babies were "the property" of the Nile, which would deal with them. By choosing the life of the young Moshe, she was not only choosing mercy over cruelty, but was questioning the rights of the diety that the Nile represented. This is, perhaps, the Torah’s hint to the conversion of Bat Paroh from Egyptian idolatry to Jewish monotheism. Indeed both problems and solutions began with water and blood.
"You shall draw water, in joy, from the springs of salvation."
Rabbis in Midrash
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.