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Beit Midrash
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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.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
