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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Jewish Holidays
- The High Holidays
It has often been said and quite truly that there are Jews who are only secondary Jews.
By this I mean that Jewish concerns and what the effect of their behavior on Jews as a whole will be are not primary ideas in their thinking and behavior. Thus Communist Jews were Communists first and Jews at best second. Zionist Jews were Zionists first and Jews second. Fanatical Jews are fanatics first - pick whatever stream of fanaticism you wish in the spectrum of Jewish life - and Jews second. Liberal Jews are liberal first and Jews second. As long as Jewish concerns are at most secondary to a large number of Jews we are in danger of our boat not surviving the rough seas that we find ourselves embroiled in. Jewish money is squandered in the millions in support of those who state clearly and openly that their purpose and goal is to destroy us. Where is the judgment, the clear unbiased thinking in such policies and organizations and funders? What happened to common sense and Jewish solidarity? This lack of judgment in matters that we can control - our own behavior and policies - speaks volumes and points to matters that constantly occur that we cannot control or even anticipate. Many Jews who tragically do not believe in the concept of Heavenly judgment therefore lose all rational human judgment in understanding the effect their words and deeds have upon the survival and continued welfare of the Jewish people. Bad judgment makes for a bad future.
The task of the High Holy Days was and is to create an atmosphere for the individual Jew and for the nation as a whole that allowed for clear thinking and wise judgment. Introspection is certainly a necessary ingredient in creating this atmosphere. However a sense of vision and responsibility is also just as necessary. The wise man, the person of balanced judgment, the rabbis taught us, sees the future, the consequences of behavior from afar. Abraham and Isaac are described in the Torah as being able to see the Heavenly cloud engulfing Mount Moriah from afar. There is no substitute for seeing things from afar if one wishes to gain measured and astute judgment. Not only seeing things from afar but seeing in a far sighted fashion is vital. The necessity for patience, strength, self-worth and self-belief to bring about intelligent judgment and wise regard for events and statements should be obvious to all. But sadly it is often lacking in our media, political leadership and even in our religious leaders. Realizing that history and destiny, let alone Heaven itself, will come to its own judgment regarding our attitudes and behavior can help us impose on ourselves a necessary guide to our own judgments and policies.
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.
