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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- The Four Parshiyot
- Zachor
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- The Four Parshiyot
- Sh'kalim
And we may add that the three aforementioned characteristics show us (by contrast) the proper attitude toward wealth, valor and wisdom: True wealth is being happy with one's portion and not envying the wealth of others. True valor is conquering one's evil inclination. And true wisdom is the willingness to learn from every person, without worrying about compromising one's pride. And wisdom leads to humility, as "the ultimate knowledge is that we will not know."
And in this spirit, the prophet Jeremiah (9:22) warns us: "Thus says G-d: let not the wise man glory in his wisdom; let not the valiant man glory in his strength and let not the rich man glory in his wealth. For only in this may one glory: in knowing and understanding Me, etc."
And this is the substance of the four Parshiot: Parshat Shequalim relates to wealth, with regard to which one understands that he must give to others. It is written, "The poor man who is with you" and the Ohr HaHaiim HaKadosh explains that G-d gave the money of the poor man to the rich man in order that he should return his deposit to him. And the half-shequel comes to remedy the envy of Joseph's brothers toward him: "You sold the son of Rachel for twenty pieces of silver, therefore each and every one of you will be obligated a bequa a head, (that is) half a shequel" (Midrash Tanhuma Ki - Tisa).
Parshat Zachor relates to valor, to overcome Amalek who is the "ferment in the dough." Our sages ask: Who is valorous? They provide the answer: he who conquers his evil inclination. When the children of Israel were in Refidim, their hands became limp regarding the Torah. Immediately, "And Amalek came" to attack them, and the remedy to that was to look at the hands of Moshe who brought the Torah, about which is said, "From His (G-d's) right hand, He gave them His fiery law," and then they prevailed over Amalek.
Parshat Parah relates to wisdom, as is said, "This is the decree of the Torah" and its secret was divulged only to Moshe Rabbenu, who had complete humility. The purification process which requires the red heifer hints at this, "and the Cohen shall take cedar wood and hyssop," if one raises himself like a cedar (out of arrogance) and as a result became impure, then he has to lower himself like a hyssop (a small plant).
As a cure to these three shells of impurity, comes the remedy of "For only in this may one glory: in knowing and understanding Me," that is, cleaving to the Torah and to the Giver of the Torah. By virtue of the half - shequel, one understands that he is only "half" and G-d completes him, and he realizes that his wealth was given him for the purpose of doing G-d's Mitzvot. Similarly, the Torah is the antidote for the evil inclination: if it is a stone, it melts; if it is metal it explodes as a result of the fiery power of the Torah. And when one nullifies himself to the Torah, he merits revealing new insights in Torah, in the spirit of "this month is to you," a mitzvah that teaches us about the power of Torah scholars to learn new things in the Torah, and all this is given to their discretion, as our sages explain regarding the new month, "to you, even if you are mistaken; to you even if you were wrong willfully."
The fourth expression of the redemption is the positive redemption, as is written, "and I will take you to be my nation," and this is implied by the verse, "in knowing and understanding Me...for these things I desire, says G-d." And by virtue of this, we will merit the complete redemption.
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
