YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Pkudei
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Vayakhel
How did Am Yisrael view their existence at that point? Did they see their time as spiritual and supernatural or were they simply slogging though the mundane, pragmatic reality of the desert on their way home?
From the last five pesukim in Sefer Shemot it appears that both attitudes can be seen in the place of the anan (cloud) over the mishkan. We first find the appearance of the anan in the mishkan as a statement of HaShem's presence there, yet the Torah continues and describes the anan as being the beacon that simply announced whether it was time to move or remain in place.
This dichotomy between the holy and the profane would stay with Am Yisrael throughout their travels - in fact, it foreshadows the division of the desert story between Sefer Vayikra, whose focus is on the spiritual and Sefer Bamidbar which describes the mundane - even as they lived a miraculous existence for 40 years in the desert. Only upon entering the Land of Israel will the emphasis switch to living "normal" lives when they begin to eat the produce of the land with a cessation of manna (see Yehoshua 5:11-12).
Is life in Israel today unique and spiritual or is it ordinary and mundane?
It all depends on how you look at it...
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
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.
