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Beit Midrash
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The pasuk states: "A house did he make for the daughter of Paroh, whom Shlomo married" (Melachim I, 7:8). We have explained in the past that the fact that Shlomo took so many wives was a sign that he was able to create diplomatic relations with many kings and leaders, who gave their daughters to Shlomo’s as wives because they recognized his greatness. Realize that the longstanding practice in days of old was that the stronger king would take the daughter of the weaker king as a wife. Shlomo’s goal was to influence many nations by means of his wives and the "embassies" opened around them, bringing them to acceptance of Hashem as the one, ultimate King. The marriage with Paroh’s daughter was the crown jewel in this regard.
The aforementioned house for Paroh’s daughter was not an individual house but was actually the Foreign Ministry of the kingdom, out of which a variety of diplomatic activities were carried out. By calling the building after Paroh’s daughter, Shlomo was essentially announcing to the nation and the world: "If Paroh gave me his daughter and thus recognized my supremacy, no one can question my international standing." For this reason, the navi sets aside several p’sukim for this topic.
One important pasuk, which opens the discussion about Shlomo as an independent king after his father’s death, reads as follows: "Shlomo married with Paroh, the King of Egypt, and he took the daughter of Paroh and brought her to the City of David, until he finished building his house, the House of Hashem, and the walls of Yerushalayim around it" (Melachim I, 3:1).
Let us notice a few points of interest in the pasuk. 1) The marriage is described as being with Paroh, not with his daughter, for the connection that the marriage made between the two leaders of the most important empires of the time was the purpose of the marriage. 2) The daughter of Paroh waited in the City of David until "her home" was ready. 3) The building project included a governmental building, the Beit Hamikdash, and the security apparatus of the city. As a pasuk of summary, the navi says: "However, the daughter of Paroh went up from the City of David to her house that he built for her; then he built the milo (Melachim I, 9:24).
Let us put the matter into perspective based on our understanding that this house served as a Foreign Ministry. The milo, next to which it was situated, was a project to level out the area to aid those going by foot to the Beit Hamikdash. Shlomo wanted these masses, Jewish and non-Jewish, according to his vision, to notice on the way to the Mikdash that Paroh had made this unprecedented vote of confidence in Shlomo’s reign. It highlighted the place of Yerushalayim and the Beit Hamikdash as the centers of the whole world, as Yeshaya would, centuries later, prophesy regarding the End of Days.
Let us hope that in our days, the Foreign Ministry will succeed in spreading Jewish values throughout the world… without resorting to marriages.
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.
