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Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Vayikra
- Behar
A. The laws of Shemitta – let us stress the law that the produce is open to consumption of all the Land’s inhabitants, from non-land-owners, to slaves, to animals (Vayikra 25:6-7).
B. The Yovel year – the central elements are that servants are set free and land returns to their original owners who sold them (ibid. 10).
C. Not overpricing when selling land, considering that land returns in Yovel (ibid. 23-24).
D. Limitations on the sale of land, including the ability to redeem sold fields (ibid. 25-34).
E. The prohibition of lending money with interest – note the mention that Hashem took us out of Egypt (ibid. 35-38), which seems unconnected in this context,
F. The prohibition of taking advantage of a servant and the requirement to set him free, after six years or during Yovel – we take note of the mention of "for they are My servants, whom I took out of Egypt; they shall not be sold the sale of a servant" and the repeated use of the phrase "you shall not work them with perech (overly harsh conditions)" (ibid. 39-46).
G. The laws of redeeming a relative who was sold into slavery – here, too, the Torah stresses: "for to Me are Bnei Yisrael servants; they are My servants whom I took out of the Land of Egypt" (ibid. 47-55).
What is the common denominator between all of these halachot? It is possible that all of these matters are connected at their root to the concepts behind Yovel. Yovel represents freedom. A free person has the right to have personal acquisitions and, first and foremost, to be in charge of himself and his time [in concert with Divine mandates]. The Torah grants and protects these freedoms for all individuals, including the weakest in society. However, the Torah stresses repeatedly that this freedom was obtained through Hashem’s miraculous liberation of us from Egypt. The rights of our personal ownership are connected to our indebtedness to Hashem.
The laws that emerge from these concepts: every seven years, our land becomes as if ownerless and its produce belongs to all because, in essence, all belongs to Hashem. There is no permanent sale of people or land because one person cannot take control of that which belongs to another. Acquiring wealth must be done in a fair manner, especially with the rich being careful not to take advantage by charging interest on loans or jacking up prices. Even if one needs to sell himself into servitude, his owner must respect his dignity, which emanates from the divine image within him.
Hopefully we will remember these rules while we remember that only a servant of Hashem is truly free.
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.
