YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Middot - Character Traits
For various reasons that I will not bore you with I found myself on a Lufthansa airplane traveling from Tel Aviv to Frankfurt am Main this past week. I have never flown Lufthansa before and I never visit Germany - my personal prejudice. But since I had to arrive in Chicago on that very day at a certain hour the only connection to Chicago that fit my schedule was through Frankfurt am Main and so I found myself seated in the Lufthansa airplane. As the plane took off and the steward read the stock announcements about food service over the plane’s public address system I was struck by his statement that no pig meat is served on the flights to and from Tel Aviv. This impressed me as being an extremely sensitive statement of policy, taking into account the sensitivities of the Jewish and Moslem passengers that make up the bulk of the traffic between Tel Aviv and Frankfurt am Main. Maybe the history of Germany in the twentieth century still weighs on the German psyche and has made it more sensitive to others. I would certainly hope that this is the case. A friend of mine who recently accomplished his aliyah to Israel asked me if all Israeli drivers are aggressive and discourteous. I replied that one should never generalize but there is no doubt that people who are less narcisstic and aggressive and are sensitive to the needs of others around them are much safer and saner drivers. In general a large heaping of sensitivity would do wonders for the mood and temper of our society.
Sensitivity to others creates a sense of community solidarity. Solidarity is not conformity. The right to hold differing views is sacrosanct in the writings of the Talmud. Because of this the Talmud also emphasizes that the other person’s viewpoint is to be taken account and not demonized or rejected out of hand. The schools of Hillel and Shamai disagreed over three hundred and twelve matters. Even though the school of Hillel was more numerous and authoritative it nevertheless was always sensitive to the opinions and rulings and feelings of the school of Shamai. In many instances they withdrew their opinion in favor of the one of the school of Shamai where they gathered that it was a principle that the school of Shamai could not and would not abandon. Therefore the Talmud relates that both of the teachings of Hillel and Shamai are those of the living God of Israel. In the long run of life and society sensitivity is the lubricant that gives one a smoother existence.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
