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Beit Midrash
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The Torah study is dedicatedin honor of
Tehila Chana daughter of Adina Chaya Ita
In order to receive the yoke of Torah, an individual must free himself of all previously held opinions and accept the words of the Torah for what they are. Rather than interpreting the Torah in accordance with one's personal leanings, one must tailor his personal leanings to fit the Divine Law. It is not uncommon for man's baser impulses to sway his thinking, like a bribe which blinds the wise and warps the judgment of the righteous to the point where they do not even sense their partiality.
One of the chief sources of both idolatry and heresy is man's evil inclination and physical appetite, especially in the arena of sexual promiscuity. Man's evil impulse struggles to free itself from the restrictive chains of religious obligation and attempts to convince the heart to abandon the Torah. The Sages of Talmud tell us that Rabbi Yehudah said in the name of Rav that the Jews knew all along that idolatry was a bunch of nonsense; the only reason they practiced idolatry was in order to make sexual promiscuity openly permissible. Driven by their evil inclination, they said: "Let's throw off the yoke of Torah so that we no longer be reprimanded regarding incest.'"
When a person manages to overcome his baser leanings and take control of himself so that he not be swept up by his physical appetites, he removes a serious obstacle from his path, and, along with securing a gained capacity for objective appraisal, becomes fit to receive both the yoke of Heaven and the yoke of Torah.
Another necessary preamble to embracing the Torah is a willingness to labor and to exert oneself - for the Torah is huge. It is deep and wide, and it can only be acquired through the investment of much energy. In order for an entire nation to receive Torah, unity is necessary; if unity is lacking there is a risk of the Torah itself splitting up.
What is needed, then, in order to receive the Torah, is liberation from physical appetites, a readiness to exert oneself, and the sort of absolute objectivity which is tantamount to humility and unity. This is what the nation of Israel possessed when they arrived at Mount Sinai, as the verses states, "In the third month after the Children of Israel went out of the land of Egypt, they came into the wilderness of Sinai. And when they departed from Rephidim and came to the wilderness of Sinai they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mount" (Exodus 19:1,2). "They departed from Rephidim..." i.e., they left the weaknesses ("Rephayon") of Rephidim behind. They left their physical appetites behind and distanced themselves from laziness, for it is impossible to acquire Torah without serious effort; "...and came to the wilderness of Sinai..." i.e., they became as open and humble as the desolate wilderness; "...and there Israel encamped ("VaYachen") before the mount;" the word for encamped, "VaYachen," is written in the singular form, for the entire nation of Israel was like single united body.
A determination to overcome physical appetites, willingness to labor, open-mindedness, humility, and unity - these are the ingredients needed for the renewed acceptance of the yoke of Torah on both the individual and national level.
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.
