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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Beshalach
The people of Israel celebrate their deliverance from bondage and from Egyptian persecution by singing a song of triumph and deliverance. In fact this Shabat derives its title - Shabat shira - the Shabat of song from this great song of Moshe and Israel. This song is recited daily br Jews the world over and is part of the daily morning prayer services. It is granted such great importance in order to remind us that the destruction of evil is not a thing of the past, an historical event alone. The power of freedom of choice which God implanted in the world and the human race presupposes the possibility of the existence of evil in world society. The forces of good must always rally their strengths and abilities to counter evil and attempt to destroy it. And we should never delude ourselves that this is a peaceful matter of discussion, compromise, discussion and non-violence. Ghandi’s non-violent approach in India ended in a civil war that killed millions. Evil is never overcome by making nice to the tiger. So the Lord impresses us with this truth so that we should not delude ourselves regarding the true nature of the struggle. The messianic era promises us a world of peace and the end of violent struggles in this world’s society. But until that time shortly arrives the struggle exists with its all of its violent overtones and details.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
