YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Tetzave
Every person has something to contribute to human life and civilization. There are those who are fortunate enough that this becomes a holy calling, anointed so to speak by the oil of Moshe. In First Temple times these people were identifiable by their relationship to the prophets of Israel and to the experience of prophecy itself. In Second Temple times this gift of prophecy was no longer present in Jewish society. So people were called to higher service in the Temple by donning the special and holy uniform if you will of the priesthood. Yet the Talmud teaches us that one also became consecrated to the holy task of service in the Temple by basically and actually working at the task of service and holiness in the Temple. To paraphrase a gross commercial advertisement of current times, the Torah taught us that the way to do it was to just do it. The Torah is therefore a series of laws - commandments and activities that require performance and behavior on our part. We no longer have supernatural means of sanctifying ourselves to God’s service. The oil of Moshe has been hidden away from us. Nor do we have any official garb or vestments that grant us the mark of holiness and service to God and man, all reports and mores to the contrary notwithstanding. But we retain the ability to just do it - to behave in a holy and exalted fashion and to adopt the yoke of service to God and man upon ourselves. The ability to consecrate ourselves to that service has never been diminished or taken away from us. The results are up to us.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
