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Beit Midrash
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- The Nation of Israel
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The Torah study is dedicatedin honor of
עם ישראל
There are however permanent defeats. Neither the empires of Alexander the Great nor of Rome will ever return again to power or existence. I think that it is safe to say that England will never again own India or Hong Kong. Russia still exists but the Soviet Union lies irretrievably on the ash heap of history. No American thinks that it would be wise to control Vietnam. There are no real comebacks in history. Events may morph one into another but the original strength and power once lost never returns in any real historical sense. The ancient languages, Assyrian, Babylonian, Classical Greek, Latin, etc. all are now "dead" languages hardly even part of any important curriculum of what was once considered a classical and essential education. The Roman Catholic Church after almost millennia of use has been forced to give up insisting that Latin be used as the language of its rituals. This change reflects in my opinion not so much the vaunted modernization of the Church as perhaps it does the recognition that Latin is never going to return to be a spoken or written language in any sort of general or popular use. Even long accepted ideas and philosophies that ruled the world for centuries are no longer considered relevant or vital. There are very few true believers in Aristotle left amongst us. All defeats can contain a degree of finality with them.
The Jewish people and its State of Israel is the exception to this rule promulgated in the previous paragraph. Hebrew is certainly not a "dead" language. It is the only language of the ancient Middle East that has survived and is spoken by millions today. The Jewish people have returned to their homeland after an absence of power and sovereignty that lasted for almost two thousand years. Our victories may not be permanent but neither are our defeats. We are the comeback kids of history. I feel that a large part of the enmity directed against us as Jews and the State of Israel particularly in today’s mean and bigoted world is because the current scenario of there being a Jewish state in the Land of Israel is simply historically unacceptable. It flies in the face of the commonly accepted rule that there are no comebacks allowed by history. But here we are, Hebrew and all. We are witness to the fact that our military victories over the past sixty plus years, impressive as they have been are not permanent. Each victory granted us a further temporary lull in the fierce struggle for our existence here in the land of our fathers and mothers. But each victory also illustrated for all to see that our defeats were also not permanent and the resilience of the Jewish people relative to all adversities remains intact and alive. The torah advises us that we will yet achieve permanent victory and Moshe will sing to us again, this time in finality and security. May that be soon and in our days.
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.
