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Beit Midrash
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- Jerusalem and The Holy Temple
Judaism envisions an entirely different division of Jerusalem - one that is up and down, higher and lower, one of imaginary space and not of any area on the ground itself. The rabbis taught that the heavenly Jerusalem hovers directly over the earthly city itself. It is the heavenly Jerusalem that provokes all of the possessiveness and passion that surrounds the earthly Jerusalem. It is the heavenly Jerusalem that invests the earthly Jerusalem with its eternal qualities and special atmosphere. The heavenly Jerusalem represents a city of tolerance, peace and harmony, free of bitter contentiousness and constant strife. It serves as a challenge to the earthly Jerusalem, riven as it always has been by sectarianism, bigotry and pettiness of vision and behavior. "Rise up O Jerusalem" the prophet implores us. He means not only the physical rebuilding of a city that has been destroyed many times in its long centuries of existence. He also means meeting the challenge of emulating the city on high, the heavenly Jerusalem. As long as we will only deal with the earthly Jerusalem as though it is the only Jerusalem that exists for us, then most of its problems are unlikely to be amenable to permanent solutions. Only those that somehow glimpse the heavenly Jerusalem will also find hope and succor in the earthly Jerusalem. By attempting to infuse the spirit that the heavenly Jerusalem represents into our daily earthly Jerusalem lives and mores we recognize the reality of the division of the two Jerusalems and our task of somehow narrowing the differences between the two. One who deals only with one of the Jerusalems solely, be it the heavenly one alone or the earthly one alone, without factoring in the other city of Jerusalem does a disservice to one’s self and to the Holy City itself.
How to achieve the connection between the two Jerusalems has been an ongoing challenge for millennia. The two previous Jewish states that had Jerusalem as its capitol were ultimately tragically unsuccessful in their attempts to do so. We are now embarked on another attempt to do so. The problems that faced the first two attempts to attach the two Jerusalems one to another are certainly present in our current situation as well. Jerusalem is beset with external enmities and internal quarrels. It has a wide variety of individuals and groups, many of whom are convinced that they and they alone know what is best for the city and the Jewish people generally. Unfortunately they cannot all be right at one and the same time. So a little more modesty and a little less certainty would probably be of great help to our earthly Jerusalem. The bridge between the Jerusalems is founded on sensitivity to others, an ability to doubt one’s own piety and decisions and an abiding faith in the God and people of Israel. We should all attempt to walk on that bridge and struggle to be able to live in both Jerusalems simultaneously and permanently.
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.
