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Beit Midrash
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Let us consider. The words, "Yihiyu l’ratzon imrei fi... (Let my mouth’s sayings and my heart’s thoughts be accepted in good will before You)" (Tehillim 19:15), are relevant both before and after prayer. Why did the rabbis institute it after the 18 blessings? It is because David said it only after 18 psalms. Isn’t it after 19 psalms? "Praiseworthy is the man..." (Tehillim 1) and "Why did the nations churn ..." (ibid. 2) form one section.
Ein Ayah: Upon deliberating whether it is fit to make a short prayer that our prayers will be accepted before or after prayer, we see both possibilities have logic. There is an advantage to do it before prayer so that it will arouse a person’s heart to pray with proper intent. This is a great element of shleimut (completeness) beyond the gain achieved by our prayers being accepted and our requests fulfilled.
There is also an advantage to making this request after prayer because it is fit to notice that prayer is intended to impact on man’s behavior, which should be good and clean after the prayer in a manner that resembles the spiritual elevation he experienced during prayer. This is as the rabbi in the Kuzari said that the light of prayer should illuminate the spirit in a manner that lasts until the next prayer. It slowly dims until its light is renewed at the next prayer. Therefore, it is proper to pray after the prayer that the words and feelings be in good will, including that they should have their intended effect on the heart in the best way even during the time he is away from prayer. Therefore, it is most appropriate to say this prayer as he is ready to take leave of his prayers and become involved in dealings that are divorced from holy ideas.
One should not deny that during prayer one can reach very high emotions of holiness, which are too lofty to relate to life’s mundane elements. Thus, it would be good to request, as prayer commences, to succeed in reaching these lofty levels at the right time. We learned, though, from the fact that King David uttered this prayer after 18 chapters, that there is greater gain in attaching the uplifted state to one’s practical daily attributes and activities. This exceeds the gains of having lofty ideals that last only while one has them, even though those too are good and pleasant. That is why David is called "the pleasant psalmist of Israel" and "the man placed above" (Shmuel II, 23:1). In other words, his elevated spirit was preserved. He strove to have his actions resemble the high state that he had during his prayers, the prayers of the straight. We learn that the main gain from spilling out his spirit before its Maker in prayer is in its connection to the constant behavior in life. Thereby, one sanctifies his life until it is close to the holy emotions that are reached in the holy moments of prayer.
Man’s shleimut is when he tries to perfect himself individually as much as he can. However, he must realize clearly that no personal shleimut can be reached unless the whole (k’lal) is completed in Israelite national success. From that success will flow the success of all of mankind.
One should be careful that his interest in the shleimut of the klal not compromise his personal shleimut in good actions and traits. The whole cannot be complete without its components being complete and successful. On the other hand, he should not think that he can reach personal shleimut without yearning with all his heart for the klal’s shleimut and success. Only when his diligent striving for personal shleimut joins together with interest in the klal’s shleimut will he reach true good fortune. That is why, "Praiseworthy is the man...," which deals exclusively with personal shleimut and "Why do the nations churn...," which deals exclusively with the matters of the klal form one section, and are combined with an "ashrei" in the beginning and the end.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
