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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
Commentaries struggled with the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, as it should have exempted him from punishment. The Rambam (Teshuva 6:3) says that the hardening was part of the punishment. However, it is difficult why he needed the hardening, as there was so much to punish for in his past behavior. The Ramchal (Derech Hashem 5:1) explains that the "image of G-d" that man has means that man can reach levels that are innate to the Divine by wrestling with and subduing the evil inclination. One of the inclination’s trick’s is to blind the person so that he should not see alternative actions, like a drug addict who stops believing that he can stop being a drug addict. When we infer from the Torah that certain sins pollute the heart, it means that one stops sensing the battle and happily continues to do the sin without noticing the alternatives.
We distinguish between people who act properly and run to good things and those who unfortunately run to bad things (Berachot 28b). One who has developed a proclivity to sin is like one who runs to sin and thereby creates a dependency on sin. The worst thing is for one to become like a robot who can no longer decide on his actions but is almost forced into the actions or like an addict who knows he is destroying himself but cannot stop.
It is actually the performance of sins that makes the person’s heart hard, as one sin brings on another until the sinner develops an ideology of sin that denies other approaches. He forgets the idea of being able to strive for being in the "image of G-d." But man is in the image of G-d, as Hashem breathed into us a "soul of life" (Bereishit 2:7). Moshe repeated over and over in Sefer Devarim that we have freedom to choose goodness.
This is what the Torah meant by "because in the desires of my heart I shall go." The sinner says that he will not be punished because there is no alternative to the way he is acting, as he is addicted. The fact that he acted as he wanted pushed him into that position. Therefore, that which infuriates Hashem is the statement that I will follow what I want, for from that point on, there appears to be little hope to do otherwise.
However, hope in the form of teshuva (repentance) always exists and, in fact, is close and "in your mouth and heart to do it" (Devarim 30:14). If we can look past the façade that the evil inclination spreads out before us we will see that the path to repentance is much closer than we could see.
thieves, and we are just returning to reclaim it.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
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.
