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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
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Kindness stated that humans should be created. There is a streak of goodness and compassion within human beings. They will build schools, hospitals, orphanages and day care centers. They will search for medical cures to disease and raise vast amounts of wealth to help those who are less fortunate and truly needy. They will care for the helpless, domesticate animals and be kind to them and have concern for the world that they live in. Overall therefore they are certainly worthy of being created. Justice also stated that humans should be created. There is an intrinsic sense of fair play amongst humans. They will establish courts of law and attempt to adjudicate disputes between themselves. They will search for methods of enforcing a just society; the creation of police forces to make for a secure society; and a method by which all basic human rights - those of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - can somehow be guaranteed to all. Again, overall humans can be a positive force in the world so therefore it is advantageous to create them and let them fill and develop the planet. The Midrash continues by saying that God, so to speak, considered all of the four protagonists and their arguments and found them to be an even draw - two against two In order to reach a decision he therefore "threw" Truth down to earth so that now the "vote" was two to one in favor of creating humans which He then proceeded to do.
The great Rabbi Menachem Mendel Morgenstern (Halperin) of Kotzk asked: "If God was only looking to break the tie vote, so to speak, why did he throw down Truth? He could just have easily thrown down Peace and Truth remaining alone would then have been outvoted two to one." He pondered and then answered: "Truth can never be outvoted. No matter what the vote is, no matter how many speak against it, Truth remains as is its essence - eternally true. Peace may be compromised and adjusted. Not so Truth. It is a trait that is all or nothing. Something which is ninety-nine percent true is still not Truth. It does not adjust to ever changing mores, fads or current correctness. So therefore Truth had to be disposed of before a vote could be taken." The Jewish people have always been outnumbered. God promised us that we would be a small people numerically and that promise has certainly been fulfilled. The rest of the human race consists of billions of people who disagree and outvote us regularly, sometimes peacefully, most of the time violently. Other faiths have for centuries attempted to convince us that the majority rules and prevails and thus we should give up and join them. But we have not wavered as a nation in our belief in Truth as revealed to us by God at Sinai. We cannot be outvoted as long as we represent Truth in its essence and sincerity. And that is the secret of the creation of humans and the existence of Judaism throughout the ages.
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.