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Beit Midrash
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Ein Ayah:
One fasts due to a dream only when his spirit is depressed by it even after he awakes. Rav Chisda was making the following point in regard to one’s reaction to dreams.
All the natural things that happen to a person’s spirit are for his betterment, as everything Hashem does is for the good. Since dreams are a permanent, natural human phenomenon, certainly dreams are good for a person’s body and spirit. However, natural phenomena are good only when they stay within their natural boundaries, for when they extend beyond, they can be damaging. Specifically, dreams are supposed to impact on a person as he sleeps. When they are so powerful as to have such an effect that they depress a person to the point that he wants to fast, it has certainly gone too far. Such an exaggerated feeling is never good and is a sign that something is wrong with the person’s emotional state.
The Impact of the Reaction to a Dream
(condensed from Ein Ayah, Berachot 9:34)
Gemara: Rav Chisda said: It is sufficient for a bad dream [Rashi- to nullify it] that one is sad; it is sufficient for a good dream [Rashi- to nullify it] that one is happy. Rav Yosef said: Even for me, it is sufficient for a good dream that happiness nullifies it.
Ein Ayah: Natural phenomena leave their mark work on the spirit but only while the spirit stays in its natural state. However, when an external stimulus alters the person’s state, then the natural phenomena will cease to have their normal impact. The weaker the natural phenomenon, the easier it is to remove its impact. A dream is a natural stimulus but a weak one, which is easily nullified by small external stimuli.
A normal person is affected by the things that he sees during his waking hours, so that those sights take away the impact of his dream. Rav Yosef was blind, though, and thus the relatively strong stimulus of sight was missing. Despite that fact, the reaction to the dream alone was enough to upset the impact of the dream because the dream’s power is weak. Because he was blind, there is reason to believe that Rav Yosef would be in a sullen state in which his reaction to a bad dream would have more of an impact than his reaction to a happy one. Therefore, he stressed that even his reaction to a happy dream was enough to undo the natural impact of the dream.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
