YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Bo
On the Yom Kippur fast all Jewish people pray together. In the famous Kol Nidre liturgy mention is made that "we allow to pray with the transgressors". Our Sages taught us to pray on this fast day even with Jewish criminals! Why then on Pesach, does the Torah forbade those people who cut themselves off from the nation from eating the Pesach lamb?
All holidays, but especially Pesach and Yom Kippur, express the belonging of each individual to the Jewish nation. On Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol (high priest) has special duties relating to sacrifices and other commandments related to all of the nation. One of the ideas of Yom Kipur is that we are one nation. which means accepting everyone who wants to be part of the nation. Pesach has a similar idea. Everyone who was connected to the Jewish nation came out of Egypt. At the Seder night we mention four sons. The wicked son views himself as being disconnected from the nation and our response to him is "If you were in Egypt, you would not have come out".
Despite the similarities between these holidays, there is a difference in practise. When an apostate joins the public on the day of fasting and prayer, he shows that he is serious. Although he is a criminal, he really wants to be a part of the Jewish people, and so as such he can join the prayer. In contrast, one who shows up only during Passover, when the smell of barbecued lamb is carried in the air, shows he does not want to be a part of the nation, but part of a meal.
There is a place for all Jews who wants to be part of the Jewish nation, but a person who wants to eat the Korban Pesach, that sacrificial lamb which expresses so strongly the belonging to the Jewish nation, has to want to be a part of it.
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
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.
