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Beit Midrash
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Part of this reticence is that no one wishes to be seen as a naïve patsy that can easily be taken advantage of. Therefore when someone asks a favor from us, not money but just a favor - pick up my mail or groceries, etc. - we have a natural tendency to refuse because of our vulnerability to exploitation by others. There is a voice within us that says "Why should I do you a favor? When have you ever done something for me?" The Torah wishes to break us of thinking in such a mode. One is not allowed even to do a favor for someone else and at the same time remind that person that when the circumstances were reversed the other person refused to do the favor. Thus chesed becomes a very demanding goal. It requires a revamping of attitudes towards others and a reworking of our individual personalities. The Talmud sees that wishing others a good morning is an act of chesed that has the potential of lengthening one’s life span. We do not often think of a friendly greeting in that vein but the Talmud views this ordinary act of sociability to be of cosmic importance. The Mussar movement placed such seemingly small gestures of sociability and concern for the feelings and well being of others at the forefront of its definition of Jewish ethical values. Being a good Jew meant being able to do favors for others without a feeling of resentment and reluctance. Not an easy task.
Many schools have instituted chesed programs wherein the students are required to perform specific acts of chesed at appointed times of the week to assigned people and groups. In an unguarded moment, a number of such students over the years have complained to me about coerced chesed. The program instead of training these young people to love doing chesed had a completely opposite effect upon them. Coercion rarely breeds acceptance within the soul and mind of the coerced person. Very few good and believing Communists were created in Stalin’s gulag or Chairman Mao’s retraining camps. Chesed is basically a habit learned at home and emphasized in the general society. Here is Israel where the prevailing fear amongst all is not to be considered a freyer - a naïve simpleton who can be taken advantage of - chesed has a difficult struggle many times to burst forth. Good defensive driving and giving consideration to others on the road to others, even to the idiot who is trying to get back in your lane is an ultimate act of chesed. Our father Avaraham and our mother Sarah built the Jewish people on the pillar of chesed to others. The world itself is built on the idea of chesed. So we actually do ourselves a favor when we do a favor for others.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
