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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Purim & The Month of Adar
- The Month of Adar
Many educators are unhappy about the current state of affairs. They try to restrain, to limit, to reduce, and to minimize the damage. Some succeed and others fail in this effort. Many educators face difficulty taking a stand against the "glorious tradition" of shattering the frameworks during the month of Adar. They find it nearly impossible to stop the rowdiness on Rosh Hodesh Adar, the inflated and vain coronation of the Purim Rabbi, the pointlessness and the utter futility. Therefore, the only solution remaining that somewhat helps defuse some of the pitfalls is scheduling the yearly trips (typically several days long) for the beginning of Adar.
The truth is that the best thing would be to phase out all of the aforementioned silliness. There is no justification in wasting spiritual energies and money for non-educational (or anti-educational) purposes. The Talmud emphasizes (Shabbat 88a) that the month of Adar is the month in which the Jews "once again received it (the Torah) in the days of Achashverosh." There is no reason that Adar shouldn't be a month of spiritual growth, of intensive learning and of joy of the Mitzvot. But everyone who understands something about education knows that the situation cannot be changed overnight. Therefore the first and most important task at hand is to prevent the misuse of spiritual energies and to direct them to positive and constructive directions.
Our sages have already deliberated over this point, how can happiness be channeled toward positive means of expressions. Certainly, the ideal way is "Simcha (joy) of Mitzva," about which the Book of Ecclesiastes (8:15) says, "I praised joyfulness." But not everyone is capable of directing his Simcha to the realm of Mitzvot and learning Torah.
The guidance which is universally applicable is that of the Rambam. Twice the Rambam cautions us that a person who delights himself on the Festivals or on Purim and doesn't include others in his celebration does not fully fulfill the Mitzvah of rejoicing (which is obligatory on these special days). The Rambam writes (in the laws of Yom Tov 6:18) that if one doesn't incorporate in his Simcha "the poor and the despondent, then this is not the Simcha of Mitzva but the Simcha of his stomach." In the laws of Megillah 2:17, the Rambam adds, "There is no great or splendid Simcha besides making happy the hearts of the poor, the orphans, the widows, and the converts, and he who makes these unfortunates happy resembles the Shechina (divine presence), as is written, "to revitalize the spirits of the demoralized, and to give life to the hearts of the downtrodden."
"With the onset of Adar (we must) increase in Simcha" must be interpreted as a directive to make the hearts of the downtrodden happy - the poor, the sick, the needy, people without families, and all those suffering from distress. In short, we have to proclaim the month of Adar as the month of Chesed (kindness). All the energies - to be directed toward Chesed. All the expenditures - for Chesed. All the ingenious plans and sophisticated intrigues - for Chesed. Incentives, activities and creative thinking - for Chesed. Students should get together and brainstorm how to coordinate successful Chesed projects. The administration of the schools will give them financial and logistical support. True, many schools already have Chesed projects in the month of Adar (for example distributing Mishloach Manot in hospitals) but these comprise a minor part of the "Adar experience," they are not the main focus of the month. The Chesed operations will doubtless be at the expense of the regular learning framework, maybe even more than this is true today, but the energies will go toward positive and constructive directions, and not anarchic and destructive ones.
If we stand firm and persevere about this, then we will succeed in creating a new tradition as to the nature of the month of Adar in the educational institutions. If a broad enough coalition forms of principals and educators in elementary and high schools, it can lead a process which will result in an educational revolution in several years. And from then, the month of Adar will cease to be dreaded by educators, but will be a month which itself is educational: the month of Chesed!
Rabbis in Midrash
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Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
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.
