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When a person makes an appraisal of his life, he often finds that that he is missing some sort of satisfaction. He may think that he needs to work hard to acquire something else that will make him happy. But for so many people, it just never happens. It can be like a child who is trying to reach the end of the horizon, with the problem being that as he walks, the horizon keeps on changing and never becomes reachable. The greatest blessing is to understand that we should not be looking for the blessing elsewhere, but that the healthy lifestyle we are leading, "listening to Hashem," is itself the blessing.
The gemara (Gittin 68a) tells of a magician who was looking for a treasure at the edge of the world and did not know that he was standing on the treasure. So many people are searching high and low and working so hard at things that will not bring them the real satisfaction that is readily attainable from within and from nearby: a daf of gemara, a perek of mishna, parashat hashavua with Rashi. It is much easier and less strenuous than one thinks.
The midrash (Kohelet Rabba 6:1) illustrates the idea of the pasuk "and also the soul will not be filled" (Kohelet 6:7) as follows. It is like the simple city dweller who marries a princess. If he brings her all of the things in the world that he has access to, they will not be worth anything to her because she is a princess. Our soul demands nourishment, but we provide it with physical food, which it cannot digest because our soul is spiritual.
This Shabbat we proclaim the coming of the month of Elul, which Chazal connect to the pasuk, "Should the shofar be sounded in the city and the people will not tremble?" (Amos 3:6). Elul is here to shake us out of our complacency regarding our spiritual state. For those who have decided that their path cannot be questioned, it is a matter of raising the question of whether that should really be the case. "Maybe I am not always right." In this way it is a preparation for the Ten Days of Repentance, a preparation that takes three times as long as the repentance itself. We must realize that we can be wrong because if we cannot be wrong, we cannot sin or need repentance. If we can break the wall of complacency, we might be able to see the ugly truth, and then we can know what we have to repent for.
Naso “Do Not Disregard the Practices of One’s Mother”
Ideas from 5704 (1944) – Harav Shaul Yisraeli – from Siach Shaul, p. 368-9
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
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.
