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The Zohar emphasizes the difference in the people of Israel before and after the sin of the golden calf. Before the sin, they reached a high degree of prophecy and at the Red Sea saw the revelation of G-d. In "Az Yashir", the Song after the splitting of the sea, it says "this is my G-d, and I will glorify Him", as if pointing at G-d. However, after the sin, they were afraid to look even at Moses face.
In spite of the low spiritual level of the nation after the sin, we can yet learn from the verses about their virtue. Moses covered his face, but if one pays attention to the verses, his face was not covered when he spoke to the nation:
"And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him; and Moses spoke to them. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai. And when Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. But when Moses went in before the LORD that He might speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out; and spoke unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded."
Although the people were afraid at first to go to Moses, after he called them, they come up to him and learnt from him the Torah even when they saw the light radiating from him.
Anyone who is close to a prophet or a tzadik, a righteous person, is affected. Even if a person sins, even if it's one of the worst sins, being close to a prophet affects him. So writes Rabbi Yehuda Halevi in his book, the Kuzari. During the times of prophecy, the great virtue of prophecy wasn't only for the prophets. All who heard their words were raised!
Although there was the sin of the golden calf, when there is communication between Moses and the nation, they can still learn from him without being afraid of the light.
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
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)
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
