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The New York Times in its usual "evenhanded" manner headlines Israel’s refusal to accept the truly non-existent cease fire proposal but does not headline Hamas’ continuing shooting of rockets at Israeli civilian populations. The Human Rights Commissioner (a misnomer if there ever was one) for the United Nations speaks of international law and war crimes. But she speaks only of war crimes as regarding the Israeli military. Hamas and the Palestinians are never mentioned in this type of context. They can do no wrong but the Jews can never do any right. A rocket on Sderot is understandable and somehow justified. A tank shell against a house that houses Hamas terrorists is never justified. Hamas cynically exploits civilian populations, its own as much as ours. Ambulances end up as means of smuggling weapons. Hospitals are command centers for firing rockets. Trucks carrying humanitarian aid to the civilians of Gaza are fired upon by Hamas mortars and then the Red Cross - also notoriously anti-Israel and anti-Jewish in its World War II history and even till now - blames Israel for the "humanitarian crisis." None of this is emphasized in the news reports of the world media if it is reported at all. Hearing lectures on morality from a world that tolerates piracy in Somalia, mass murder in Congo and Darfur, dictatorships from Libya to Venezuela, understandably make little impression on us. Cynicism when practiced for far too long a time reaches its own limits. It is unlikely that Israel will place great trust in the United Nations or in any of the other current mediators and peace lovers who are narrowly focused only on our struggles as though all of the world’s problems and misfortunes stem from our small country. We have already been in that scenario before with very disastrous results for us and the whole world.
I was once flying on a plane in the United States after the Yom Kippur War. The Arab oil boycott was then still in full force and Jews felt more than a tinge of discomfort in the United States then. Sitting with my kippah in the back of the plane I was next to a woman who was obviously a business professional who was working furiously on her papers. Suddenly she looked up, stared at me and said in a loud whisper: "You realize that all of this trouble is your fault." Even though I was taken somewhat aback by her statement, I gathered whatever wits I had and answered softly: "Madam, you are wrong. All of this may be because of me because we are a special people. We are the canary in the mine. But it is not my fault." Israel is fighting the world’s battle in Gaza and not only our battle. Terrorism left unanswered only strengthens itself and spreads. The world knows this to be true but its ingrained cynicism and its historic anti-Jewish attitude blinds itself not to follow its head and instead follow its cynical heart. Perhaps eventually the cynicism will exhaust itself. We should not be impressed or surprised by its existence. But better days will certainly arrive.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
