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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Nitzavim
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Vayelech
In the parsha we are told that when awesome and terrible troubles will befall Israel, the Jewish response will be that the reason that these cruelties descended upon us is because "the Lord is not present within our midst." The simple and universally accepted interpretation of this verse is that the Jewish people slid away from Godliness and holiness, were not observant of the Torah and did not place any strong spiritual priorities on their behavior and lives. They pursued physical pleasures and assets for their own sake per se and ignored their true calling to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. The Lord was not present in their midst and was not the major determining factor in their lifestyle and existence. However Malbim in a letter written at the turn of the twentieth century mentioned a different view of the verse. He, in describing the turbulent disaffection of Jews from Torah that already characterized his time, stated that there would be sizable numbers of Jews who because of the tragedies would deny that God existed at all. They would refuse to believe in, much less honor, God’s covenant with Israel. And this in fact is what happened to the Jewish people over the past century. But God’s covenant remains eternally in force with us and eventually the blessings of that covenant will be showered upon us in the great good new year that is arriving upon us.
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.
