Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Va'etchanan
A philosopher asked one of the rabbis about the logic of the mitzva of mila (circumcision), where one makes changes in the body that Hashem gave us. The rabbi proceeded to illustrate how there are all sorts of things in the world that are made useable or improved by human intervention, and this applies to a man’s body as well (Bereishit Rabba 11:6).
What should a person’s approach be? Is he intended to fight his tendencies? Is that which is natural better, and fighting to change it is just tampering with something good? Is it even realistic to fight something inborn? The Jewish approach is that we are supposed to perfect our nature, not accept it as is. We believe this can be accomplished because in addition to the nature we clearly see, there is a more internal nature that yearns to be the way Hashem wants us to be.
The philosophy of Ba’al Pe’or is to be happy with and proud of "what you are." Bilam knew that Hashem is holy but said that that is fine for Hashem but people cannot and therefore need not strive to be like Him. He said: "Let my soul die the death of straight people" (Bamidbar 23:10). Yes, he argued, when one is dead and the body stops working, that is the time to be holy.
The Torah provides an exact blueprint for developing a person. That which needs to be restrained, the Torah tells us to restrain. That is why we are commanded not to add or detract from the Torah. Following the Torah lifestyle, as it is given, promises spiritual tranquility, harmony between a person’s powers, stability, and contentment. Our eyes saw what happened to those who took on the approach of Ba’al Pe’or that what one feels like doing is what he should be doing. They reached destruction. Those who clung to Hashem are alive today.
Look at the life that is on display in contemporary society. Its idols, whether they are soccer players or movie stars, lose their charisma after a certain age, and they are thrown away unwanted to the side. In our Torah world, there are no two separate worlds for the old and the young. The aura of the old gives meaning to the young. The freshness of youth can be preserved in the old. "All of you are alive today."
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Hosha'ana Rabba FLYDUBAI & HOSHANA RABBA- ANI VAHU HOSHIA NA- I & HIM SAVE US
"Ani vaHu Hoshia Na", "I and Him, Save Us". We don't just pray to Him, but we also pray to and for ourselves that we should emulate and educate our children to have that instinctive altruism with which He created the world. President Trump seemed amused about Yaniv Hayon, our PLUMBER who confidently worked with G-d like Superman (he learned from a pilot on a TV show!) to save 174 lives on the Dubai hijacking, but we in Israel are totally accustomed already 78 years to our plumbers, teachers, garbage-men, rabbis, farmers & doctors being Hashem's shlichim! This is what Zionism is about.
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part I
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Our King on Rosh Hashana, Our Father on Yom Kippur.
Based on Aroch Siach, p. 221 (Rav Shaul Yisraeli)
