YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Family and Society
- Education
- The Education of Children and Students
- Family and Society
- Current Events
- Understanding Circumstances
The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
Asher Ben Chaim
In response to this report, popular media analysts focused their attention, as usual, upon irrelevant factors. For the most part, they opted to blame the impending cuts in the education budget rather than make an effort to get to the roots of the problem. For one thing, cuts have not yet taken effect, while the results of this study reflected last years developments; furthermore, the education budget in Israel is comparatively higher than those in most Western countries.
The truth of the matter is that the problem is a social-ideological one, and not connected to Israel’s spending budget.
For generations upon generations, the Jewish people have given scholarship precedence above all else. The scholar was considered the most honored individual in society. The wealthy considered it a privilege to have their daughters marry scholars. Jewish education was never based upon schoolwork alone; it was first and foremost a family affair - the Jewish family has traditionally related to scholarship as the most important of values. Even non-observant Jewry, during its first and second generations, continued to relate to study with honor. Yet, now, in the third generation, things have changed.
When the life objective becomes going out on the town, buy clothing, traveling abroad, gourmet restaurants, dancing all night, and returning drunk in the early hours of the morning, it should come as no surprise that the majority of our youth prefer television, movies, drinking, dancing, partying, and unbridled freedom over study.
Parents who lead a life of freedom and irresponsibility, expressing themselves in vulgar language and adorning themselves in immodest clothing, chain-smoking, drinking beer and coffee, and wasting their time with self-centered leisure and all sorts of nonsense, should not expect their child to turn out modest, honest, educated, and intelligent. The child merely imitates his parents. Adults who are insolent towards those who are better and wiser than they and laugh at jokes which desecrate all that is treasured and sacred, are later shocked that their children are disrespectful toward them and their teachers and are unwilling to accept authority. They do not hesitate to blame the government for not investing enough money in "education."
In the past, Torah teachers were poor. The children would gather in the teacher’s house and he would educate them from morning until night. This "classroom" also served as the bedroom, kitchen, and living room of the teacher’s family. In the center of the room the children sat and studied Torah, and on the side, the teacher’s wife would sew, cook, and take care of the small children. Sometimes even the goat and rooster would come inside the very same room in order to warm themselves and eat the scraps of leftover food....In the midst of all this, Jewish children studied Torah and grew to become learned, pious, and gentle Jews. Though they lacked adequate formal conditions, they possessed respect for scholarship.
The Education of Children and Students The Heavy Price Paid by Rabbis, Leaders & Their Children
Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 240
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
