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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
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There are problems with the way the Haggada brings this pasuk. First, the second pasuk seems to be out of the context of national growth, which the Haggada is trying to prove. Secondly, it is brought out of order, as first pasuk 7 is brought regarding the growth into adolescence (parallel to Bnei Yisrael’s national growth), and then pasuk 6, which deals with the infant girl’s being found abandoned with blood from her birth still on her, is brought.
The reason the pasuk made it into the Haggada is probably Chazal’s statement (Shemot Rabba 17:3) that its two mentions of blood hint at the blood of mila and Korban Pesach, which gave life by being the mitzvot in whose merit Bnei Yisrael were redeemed. According to that understanding, the Haggada’s order makes sense, as it explains how Bnei Yisrael reached redemption, which took place after the growth of "adolescence."
How, though, does this approach explain the order of the p’sukim? Regarding placing the Korban Pesach’s blood on the door to protect Bnei Yisrael, the midrash continues that the door’s lintel refers to the merit of Avraham and the doorposts refer to the merit of Yitzchak and Yaakov. While both are significant individually, what is the connection between the merit of the patriarchs and the blood of Bnei Yisrael’s own merit from their own mitzva? Let us suggest that the birth blood is an indication of Bnei Yisrael’s strong bloodline, the merit/strength that Bnei Yisrael inherited from the patriarchs. This strength is responsible for everything, from the eventual growth of a family into a burgeoning important nation that is ready to rise to the occasion and slaughter a deity of Egypt and put the blood on their doorposts.
Without our own merits, we cannot accomplish anything, but even when we succeed, we need to credit not only Divine Assistance but also the bloodline from our patriarchs and matriarchs, which give us the strength we need to act our best.
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
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.
