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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Vayikra
- Emor
Thus the special laws and standing applied to kohanim as described in this week’s parsha came to serve as a safeguard against their potential abuse and exploitation of power and position. The kohein was not to be the king, he owned no land by right of being one of the tribes of Israel and he was subject to special familial restrictions - all meant to enhance his position of a servant of God and of the people. In Tanach we read that in spite of all of these safeguards the kohanim in both the First and Second Temple period eras and many of them were eventually corrupted by power and avarice. The prophets became the true "priests" of Israel, the moral role models and spiritual leaders of the Jewish nation. The Hasmoneans who were kohanim, in spite of their initial great piety and heroism violated the rules of balance of power ordained by the Torah and usurped the monarchy for themselves in spite of being kohanim. Eventually this led to disastrous consequences for the Jews. The Second Temple saw great corruption in the ranks of the kohanim with the office of the Kohein Gadol being bought and bartered. Thus the rabbis of the Mishna and later the Talmud became the spiritual "priests" of Israel Yet the kohanim have retained their special identity and position within the Jewish world over these many millennia. They are to be respected and we are to be grateful to receive their blessings and services.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
