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Beit Midrash
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- Ein Ayah
On Shabbat [in the Beit Hamikdash], they would add another beracha for the mishmar (the group of kohanim finishing a week of service): "He who had His Name dwell in this house should have love, brotherhood, peace, and friendship dwell among you."
Ein Ayah: The Beit Hamikdash, from which light and knowledge of Hashem spreads to the world, will finally bring ultimate global peace and human perfection in knowledge and morality. This is promised by the pasuk, "Many nations will walk and say: Let us go up to the house of Hashem... and they will beat their swords into plowshares" (Yeshaya 2: 3-4). This will come by means of raising the banner of Israel, whose set place is the Beit Hamikdash, the eternal place of Hashem’s light on earth. Therefore, it is fitting that He who had His Name dwell in this house to bring global peace will cause love, brotherhood, peace, and friendship to dwell among the kohanim. That will enable them to guide toward the goal of global peace.
There are four elements of man’s existence, from all of which peace can come when used properly: emotion, nature, intellect, and chance. The emotions of the heart bring on love; nature causes that those born from one race, one nation, or, certainly, one tribe feel kinship toward each other; intellect teaches one to appreciate peace because it is objectively good. Chance, which brings people together in a place or an occupation, increases friendship.
All these positive outcomes are actualized when people go in the straight path. However, when the path curves, these connections can become points of friction. That is why there is a blessing that in all four of these areas, love, brotherhood, peace, and friendship will dwell through emotion, nature, intellect, and chance.
Belief Preparing for Knowledge
(based on Ein Ayah, Berachot I, 164)
Gemara:
Whoever did not say "Emet v’yatziv" in the morning or "Emet ve’emuna" in the evening did not fulfill his obligation, as the pasuk says: "To tell your kindness in the morning and your trustworthiness in the nights" (Tehillim 92:3).
Ein Ayah: The night, in relation to the day, is like the preparation in relation to the goal. The rest we have at night prepares for the work of the day. So too, emuna (belief) prepares for the completeness of true knowledge regarding Hashem’s kindness. Without belief one would not fulfill mitzvot and all the attributes that eventually lead to recognition of the truth. Therefore, belief is considered like preparation, which night represents, in regard to what the intellect and senses grasp. It is necessary for one who is to grasp as he reaches the heights of intellect to be properly led in the path of belief. He certainly cannot reach true knowledge without being prepared by belief.
A person also will not have flashes of truth at all times, as the Rambam says. His intellect may work well, and he will independently realize the truth of the Torah views. Yet, even as one who is in the light of day, he still must always be armed with the ammunition of belief. This enables his completeness to find a place to give light even when the intellectual inspiration subsides, a time that can be compared to night. That’s why the gemara mentions day before night, because often, even during the times of "intellectual daylight," some "dark of night" lingers. Therefore, one always needs to be ready to hold on to belief, which is the eternal light. This is also hinted at regarding the moon, about which it says: "Go and rule in the day and the night" (Chulin 60b).
Various Rabbis
Various Rabbis including those of of Yeshivat Bet El, such as Rabbi Chaim Katz, Rabbi Binyamin Bamberger and Rabbi Yitzchak Greenblat and others.
Moreshet Shaul Moreshet Shaul: A Crown and its Scepter – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 294-5
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.
