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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah:One’s love for himself and one’s love for the welfare of the collective (klal) are somewhat contradictory. When a person dedicates himself to self-advancement, his love and concern for the collective is likely to decrease. When he advances in his love of the klal, his concern for his own interests will decrease. It would actually be best if one would have a full love of himself and not allow that to impinge upon his concern for the klal. This would reveal a great light and bring great results for goodness and the ways of Hashem.
We see that Achav had a heaping portion of self-love, which he used in a wicked way. This finds particular expression in the story of Navot, where Achav hired false witnesses to have Navot killed and have his property confiscated by Achav so that he could obtain Navot’s beautiful field. To the other extreme, Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa exemplified nullifying one’s personal desires and having concern only for the needs of the klal. This is as the gemara says (Berachot 17b) that the whole world was provided for in the merit of Rabbi Chanina, and he sufficed with one kav of carobs per week.
Each of these historical examples is one half of the story. Ideally, it is proper for one to have a healthy portion of love of himself in his heart, as this is fundamentally a very positive thing. The only problem is that practically, until the world is in a more ideal state, we must avoid too much self-concern, because it pushes away concern for the klal. If we could have the self-concern while preserving a level of concern for others on Rabbi Chanina’s level, this would be ideal. The gemara means, though, that the world was created for the two types of concern, of Achav and of Rabbi Chanina, one that is at the basis of this world and one that is at the basis of the World to Come. If the two traits can be combined, great things will come out of it.
When one combines the traits properly, the love of the physical side will enable him to bring significant progress to the state of the physical world for the betterment of its inhabitants. This will work properly only if the person has the same level of concern for the world as one with small personal physical aspirations. An ideal person of that type will have such a strong affinity toward the spiritual to the point that people would think that he does not care about his physical situation. This is what will exist of the World to Come, where things will be ideal both from a physical and a spiritual perspective.
We are so used to positive values being contradictory to each other, as they so often are in practice, that we do not always try to combine them. However, we should try to improve ourselves until it will be possible to do so. We should increase our wisdom, strength of character, and resolve until both physicality and spirituality will lend strength to the other, enabling us to enhance the world in a broad and significant way. When peace can be made between these apparently conflicting characteristics, Hashem will be happy with His creation and will be known as possessor of both heaven and earth
Various Rabbis
Various Rabbis including those of of Yeshivat Bet El, such as Rabbi Chaim Katz, Rabbi Binyamin Bamberger and Rabbi Yitzchak Greenblat and others.
Moreshet Shaul Moreshet Shaul: A Crown and its Scepter – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 294-5
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.
