YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Tetzave
The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
Tzvi Yoel Ben Moshe HaLevi
By all standards of drama, Moses was a tragic figure. He was raised among strangers. He had to flee his birthplace as a fugitive though he had stood up for justice. His marriage was a troubled one, and his children are barely mentioned in the Torah. What are the accomplishments that a man of Moses’ stature might have wanted in life? After all he didn’t seek greatness or leadership, all of that having been thrust upon him by G-d. He might have wanted at the very least, to see the fulfillment of his life’s work, to bring Israel safely to the Promised Land and enter it with them. Perhaps he might have wanted to see his children follow in his path and succeed him, to have the pleasure in them that is characteristic of Jewish parents. Tragically, he was denied both in his lifetime. His posterity is missing from Jewish history. His brother Aaron’s descendants are widely known in Jewish history and the community, the kohanim. Who can claim to be a descendant of Moses?
Equally tragic, he was denied the joy of entering the Promised Land, though he pleaded and beseeched G-d for that favor. It was just not to be. To spend a whole life aiming for Israel and to die before accomplishing it. That is a tragedy born of irony. Moses who transmitted the mitzvoth, all Jewish values, to a people for all generations, was denied the opportunity to actually fulfill any of the many mitzvoth which apply only in the Land of Israel, foremost among which is that of actually taking possession of the Land of Israel, living there, and settling the Land.
And how shall we look at a generation in history that has the ability to succeed where Moses failed? That has the opportunity of entering and building the Holy Land if it would only be willing to do so? Moses so desired to enter Israel, longed for it, and shared that love and longing with all future generations of the Children of Israel. Can we prove ourselves worthy of his yearnings?
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
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.
