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We will suggest an additional approach. Balak twice (ibid.: 5, 11) explained to Bilam that he was disturbed that Bnei Yisrael have "covered the eye of the land." The simple explanation is that they were a large nation. However, the S’fat Emet explains that he was afraid that Bnei Yisrael would usurp the concept of connection to the land and physicality in general. This was a departure from the existence in the desert, where Bnei Yisrael dealt only with spirituality, and all physical things (food, water, security, etc.) were a present from heaven. When they would enter the Land of Israel, they would fulfill the pasuk "When you enter the Land and plant fruit trees" (Vayikra 19:23). It would be a country with agriculture, an army, and an economy, as Hashem wanted, under the Divine ideal, which Rav Kook calls "saving everything." The nations of the world are willing to leave us spirituality; it is difficult for them to let us "trespass" their territory, physicality, and sanctify it. That is why Balak asked that Bnei Yisrael be "expelled from the land" (Bamidbar 22:6).
The mitzva of going up to Yerushalayim on holidays stresses this element of sanctifying the physical. What happens in Yerushalayim? "For there tribes go up, the tribes of Hashem (using the two letter name), a witness to Israel, to give thanks to Hashem’s Name" (Tehillim 122:2). Rashi explains that the testimony in Hashem’s Name relates to the verification with His Name that the children born in Egypt had Jewish fathers and were not from the Egyptian oppressors. The letters in His Name were attached to the names mentioned in the Torah from that time (see Bamidbar 26). The midrash says that Hashem created this world with the letter "yud" and the next world with "heh." Thus, this name relates to the connection between the physical and the spiritual.
On the holidays, the main sacrifices are shelamim, which combine benefit for the one who brings it, the altar, and the kohanim. A non-Jew may bring a sacrifice but only an olah, which is entirely consumed by the altar. Bilam and Balak wanted to prevent us from combining the two worlds in the manner of the holidays and their shelamim sacrifices, but Hashem wanted us to connect them.
![Bilam [No Nation] and Balak - Dealing with Domestic Strife](/SiteProjects/YeshivaModels/Logic/Images/spriteRszRound.jpg?pic=R-Londin.jpg&cacheVer=54){kind=icon}
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
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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.