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Beit Midrash
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- Parashat Hashavua
The gemara (Shabbat 22b) asks: "Did Hashem need the light that the kohen lit? Is it not so that throughout the forty years in the desert, it was Hashem who provided light for the nation? Rather, this was evidence to the world that the Divine Presence dwelled in Israel."
Let us take a look at the special characteristics of this mitzva and thereby get a better idea of what is needed to have the Divine Presence dwell among us. Elsewhere in the Torah (Shemot 31:8), the menorah is referred to as the "pure menorah." The purity of the oil that is placed into the menorah is also something that runs deep in our Jewish consciousness from the Chanuka story, as the miracle of the lights that continued burning was to deal with the situation where there was a shortage of pure oil. This concern was particularly appropriate against the backdrop of the spiritual conflict between the Jews and the Greek Hellenists and their culture of aesthetics.
The menorah is, to a great extent, the symbol of spirituality. One indication is that the navi, Zecharia, was shown in a dream a special vision based around a menorah to represent that which he was told, "Not with masses or with strength but with My spirit, said Hashem" (Zecharia 4: 2-6). Candlelight also represents Torah and mitzvot, as we know from the famous pasuk in Mishlei, "For a mitzva is a candle, and Torah is light" (6:23). Of course, light can be used for qualitatively different things, and therefore Mishlei also says: "The light of the righteous is happy, and the candle of the wicked will flicker" (13:9) and "Haughty eyes and a proud heart: the candle of the wicked is sinful" (21:4). The light of the menorah within the Mishkan is also a symbol of wisdom, as finds expression in Chazal’s statement that "he who wants wisdom should go to the south, for the menorah was in the south" (Bava Batra 25b).
There is an important message to learn from the special connection between the motifs of spirituality, wisdom, purity and the dwelling of the Divine Presence that they usher in. An outlook of aesthetics and philosophical musings, even if people feel that it elevates them beyond coarse physicality, does not suffice for the Nation of Israel. A "lighting of lights" in a manner that invites the Divine Presence requires a high level of the type of purity that leads to sanctity. How appropriate is it that the author of the saying that "purity leads to sanctity" was named "Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair" (his father’s name meaning, will give light).
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
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.
