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Beit Midrash
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- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: For a great person in the realm of wisdom and ethics like Rav Yehuda, illness and the bitter possibility of his passing from the world did not relate primarily to him but to the people around him. A problem can arise when the great person’s associates do not sufficiently appreciate the value of the benefit they receive by having a person of his stature in their midst. In order to awaken them to this realization, Hashem may bring an illness, so that it will result in a fear of losing the great person.
That is why Rav Chana and the others expressed that the main thanksgiving should come from them for not having lost Rav Yehuda [as it was their response that Hashem was trying to elicit]. They purposely made the beracha of thanksgiving in a simple language which would have been more appropriate from a simple person. This signified that without a great scholar and tzaddik like Rav Yehuda and his spiritual impact upon them, they would sink to a much lower level. They wanted to hint that they would be unable to express themselves on a high level, such as speaking in Lashon Hakodesh (the Holy Tongue – Hebrew), which the angels use. Therefore, they gave their thanks in Aramaic, the coarse language of the masses [not normally used in reciting blessings] to indicate that the lowness of Aramaic is what they should expect of themselves without the presence of Rav Yehuda.
They also stressed in the beracha that "Hashem gave you to us," for their purposes and to elevate them and "not to the earth." This description of death also stresses the simplistic material element of the body returning to the earth and decaying, without getting into the more intellectual/spiritual outlook into death. This, again, indicated the feeling of inadequacy that those who blessed felt without Rav Yehuda. They also meant to hint that the waste of losing Rav Yehuda without having maximized the gain from his influence would be like an object that was covered up by the ground and lost. Now that they showed their recognition of what they should have done, they would be inspired to concentrate on learning as much Torah and ethics from him as they could.
Rav Yehuda expressed that he was aware of the need for a personal expression of thanks for his recovery from illness. However, since he already saw that there was a benefit that came from his illness in the realm of Torah and piety (to the others), he already was able to view the illness as something for which to be thankful. By answering Amen, he showed how, with an enthusiastic heart, he was happy with his physical pain since it was the source of blessing to many. As far as his own feelings were concerned, "the cow wants to give its milk more than the calf wants to receive it" (i.e., the teacher wants his students to learn more than they do).
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.
