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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
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- A Nation and its Halachot
- Leadership
Aharon dealt with people and was always sympathetic to their wants, needs and moods. This led him into an unintentional role as a facilitator in creating the Golden Calf, a role for which he paid dearly in family tragedy. He was unable to firmly stand against the apparent wishes of the people, believing somehow that by cooperating with the people he could eventually save the situation. Yet it was this exact personality trait of limitless empathy with the people that allowed him on Yom Kippur to be the instrument for bringing forgiveness and heavenly compassion down on the Jewish people. He could not see wrong or baseness in the Jewish people for his love for them was unbounded and sincere. The Lord Himself, so to speak, also will eventually no longer see evil in Jacob or sins amongst Israel. The power of love overcomes rational analysis and reasonable assessments of seeming facts. We often pay a steep price for too much love but that is a personality trait that is very hard to overcome if one possesses that trait within one’s personal makeup. It was this weakness of personality that also eventually led to King Saul’s forfeiture of his right to be the king of Israel. He listened to the people too diligently, he feared for the loss of his own popularity with them and he therefore made a fatal national and personal error. Yet a High Priest who does not have unconditional and overflowing love for his people cannot really be the right man for the job.
Moshe also loved the Jewish people. He is willing to sacrifice his name and his eternity even for the sake of Israel’s survival and welfare. Yet Moshe’s trait is tough love. He is the leader not the High Priest. His task is not to always acquiesce to the demands and whims of the people. He is their teacher, their guide, the cold realist whose nature does not allow him to gloss over error and sin. He is not reticent to use any means to stamp out idolatry and treason from within Israel. He constantly reminds the people of the goal of being a holy nation and a kingdom of priests and he is always dissatisfied with their backsliding excuses. He is not interested in winning a popularity contest. Rather his task is to instill Torah into the minds and hearts of Israel in a fashion that will make Torah knowledge and its values eternal within that people. Thus he destroys the Golden Calf that Aharon helped make and punishes those who worshipped it. He chastises Aharon for his role in the debacle and accepts no excuses. This type of tough love is necessary for any leader. It is especially necessary for those who wish to lead such a strong minded fiercely independent and opinionated people such as the people of Israel. Moshe and Aharon together, each in one’s own proper role and attitude is the perfect template for Jewish leadership throughout the ages.
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.
