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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
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As they grow, their paths separate: Esav is a hunter, a man of the physical world, whereas Yakov sits in the tents of Torah developing his soul. On the day of the funeral of their grandfather Avraham, Yakov is cooking lentil soup, the traditional mourner's meal. Esav rushes in, & decides to sell Yakov his birthright for a bowl of soup.
Yitzchak wants to escape to Egypt when a severe famine strikes Canaan, but Hashem reminds him that because of the Akeida, he has attained a special holiness & must never leave Israel. Avimelech makes a treaty with him over the wells of Avraham.
Yitzchak summons Esav to give his blessings. Rivka helps Yakov impersonate Esav, so that the blessings go to Yakov. Esav discovers what has happened & he, too, seeks & is given blessings. Esav vows to kill his brother, so Rivka sends Yakov to her brother Lavan's home.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
