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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Shlach Lecha
- Family and Society
- The Land of Israel
- The Torah Perspective
The Zionist movement and its predecessor the Lovers of Zion attracted greater Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel but the vast majority of Jews still did not come. When the gates of the Soviet Union and later Germany and finally all of Europe shut and trapped the Jews of Europe six million of them were doomed to destruction. After World War II there was a determined effort by hundreds of thousands of survivors to reach the Land of Israel. With the creation of the State of Israel these Jews were absorbed into the Jewish state as were soon afterwards almost six hundred thousand Jews who were expelled from their homes in Moslem and Arab countries where they had lived for centuries. The early leaders of the state, Ben Gurion, Weizman and others fully expected a large wave of immigration of Jews from Western countries especially the United States to occur. They were surprised and shocked when this did not at all materialize. In effect for most Jews in the world the Land of Israel was a nice place to visit (though most of them did not even visit) but they preferred to live elsewhere. When the Soviet Union finally collapsed a great wave of Russian Jews came to live in Israel. But over the decades hundreds of thousands of Jews left the Land of Israel to live elsewhere, some of them even former high ranking legislators and officials in the government of the state. I do not write any of this in criticism of anyone but these are merely the facts of the matter. And there continue to be millions of Jews who pray every day for their return to Zion while living comfortably or uncomfortably as the individual case may be on foreign shores.
The ultimate test for the State of Israel in my opinion is not so much what our enemies or even our erstwhile friends think about our wonderful little country but what the Jews of the world think about it. How deep is their real affection for Zion and Jerusalem? Does it enter into their future plans to arrive and settle here and help build the Jewish state physically, financially and spiritually? How do we explain to the world that our affection and longing for Zion and Jewish independence is not solely a Holocaust related cause and effect situation? The original words of the Hatikvah anthem had it more correct than the new improved version. In the old version we sang about David’s city, where he lived and ruled millennia ago. That is our claim to the Land of Israel and to Jerusalem. The current version speaks of independence and freedom but those are not exclusively Jewish values - everyone in the world wants to live in independence and freedom - and do nothing to buttress our more than legitimate claim to our land and our capitol city. If we are not for ourselves than who will be for us? The saga of Moshe and his fact-finders lingers on.
Rabbis in Midrash
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.