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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Purim & The Month of Adar
- The Month of Adar
In the Book of Creation (Sefer Yetzira, Chapter Five and see Ramak) there is a list of psychological dimensions, each is attached to a different month. Every month is characterized by a different dimension on which to focus our work in a particular aspect of our personality. The aspect mentioned in relation to the month of Adar is laughter.
What is laughter? In the tractate Avodah Zarah (3, b) we learn "Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rav: The day has twelve hours. In the first three - God sits and studies Torah; the second - He sits and judges the whole world; In the third group of three hours – He sits and feeds the entire world, from the horns of an Oryx to nits; In the fourth - He sits and plays with the whale as is said (Ps. 104, 26) "The whale you created to play with".
This passage shows that God revealed the gradual unfolding of reality as divided into four stages. The first stage is the initial contact between G-d and the creation in which the reality is the Torah, the order of the world. In the second stage, the relationship with God is revealed by the law, the ability to lead actual life directed by the Torah. In the third stage the Divine leadership is expressed by caring for the material needs of all creatures. In the fourth part, the last three hours, the peak of the relationship and connection between the Divine plan and the world is revealed. A connection called "Livyatan" (whale). The Maharal (Chidushey Agadot) explains that the whale's name is from the root of "livui" (escort), reflecting a matter of escort or connection. The peak in a relationship is laughter. When a person feels full identification with a particular content, laughter appears (laughter in the sense of happiness and not of hedonism). This is the reason that laughter is the broadest common denominator for all humanity. There is no faster way to connect with people other than through laughter. Laughter is related the most to the natural feelings and desires of a person. Laughter is an expression of full compatibility between the desires, of connection between people.
The Book of Creation also states that Adar's special letter is "Kuf" - ק. Tractate Bava Batra (58, a) teaches that the "a person to the Divine Presence is like a monkey ("Kof") to a person". We can look at a monkey as a negative element, but we can also see a positive element. The lower element of a monkey is external behavior, of "mimicking like a monkey", such as the Hebrew expression "Maase Kof B'alma" (mere act of a monkey) (Rosh, Gittin, b) that describes something empty and trivial. However, there is also a elevated mimicry in which we try to imitate G-d. "As He is compassionate, you also should be so" (Pesikta Zotrta, Re'eh). This call for "monkeyness" is our desire to become like the Creator, to reach a state of connection, a complete comparison of our will with the will of God. This is the month of Adar.
The month of Adar is the month of a great, great effort to compare our will with the will of God. "They received the Torah again in the days of Ahasuerus". At Mount Sinai Am Yisrael were forced to receive the Torah, but in the month of Adar they accepted it in their own will. Therefore, in Adar laughter can appear. The month of Adar has a glittering of the World to Come. "Then our mouth will be filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing". A glittering from that era when we will laugh the same laugh of absolute identity with the words of G-d.
"They will laugh at a life full of intense and ongoing pleasure, an immense flood from G-d's light, and will savor from His goodness. The laughter that G-d laughs with the righteous in the World to Come. The laughter that G-d’s hand will lead, the laughter resulting from the Divine Pleasure being open and exposed.This is very glorious". (Ein Aya, there)
Rabbi Haggai Lundin
Articles about Hanukkah The Triumph of Israeli Renewal over Greek Stagnation
From "Megged Yerachim" published by "Beit Harav"
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.
