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Beit Midrash
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Serving Hashem, Mitzvot and Repentance
A Jewish member of the United States Congress declared after the Gaza flotilla incident that he was now ashamed of being Jewish. Of course he like unfortunately many other Jews has no real connection to Jewish practice, tradition or behavior. He is ashamed of being Jewish because being Jewish in our "modern, progressive, humanistic" and intensely false and hypocritical society makes him very uncomfortable. Those who are ashamed of being Jewish and who view the State of Israel as a "mistake" waiting to be undone have no true sense of shame but rather are simply engaging in shameful behavior and suicidal statements. Many Jews are not ashamed to openly violate the written principles of moral behavior found in the Torah but claim to be ashamed because of the fact that the UN, Europe, the State Department and the liberal media do not like us. Jews are a proud and resilient people who have survived all persecutions and all attempts to annihilate us. Jews who are ashamed of Judaism, the Jewish state, the edicts of the Torah, of the public appearance of other Jews looking Jewish engage in hateful and shameful behavior and pronounces. One can feel demeaned and shamed by the acts of individual Jews - unfortunately lately highlighted in many a financial and tax scandal. But that is no justification for being ashamed of Judaism and its Torah and of the privilege of being a Jew. One should never confuse Jews with Judaism or rabbis with religion. A sophisticated view of things will enable one to differentiate correctly between the necessary sense of shame and sinking into the abyss of shamefulness.
I think that this is what the rabbis had in mind when they said that the lack of a proper and proportionate sense of shame shows that the Jew’s connection to Sinai has somehow been severed. There is much shameful behavior that abounds in our society today. There are no permanent stigmas left in our society any longer. The Talmud advised that people who were found guilty of wrongful behavior should adopt a low profile - leave town, so to speak - and not continue in a brazen manner to live on as though nothing occurred. A healthy dose of shame can be most redemptive. Not having such a sense of shame turns all later behavior into being shameful. Not allowing our society to have any legitimate standard of behavior - the Torah - as the measure of one’s behavior and activities creates a complete atrophy of the ability to have a healthy sense of shame. It is what instead allows false shame that creates shameful statements and behavior. Self-pride and self-identity forms the key ingredients of being a Jew. And paradoxically enough such pride and identity allow one the necessary strength and honesty that will create the trait of positive shame by which one can improve one’s life morally and spiritually.
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.