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The first question can be dealt with on a straightforward level. Yericho was situated close to the crossing region of the Jordan, and in that way stood as a gateway to the Land as a whole. Midrash Tanchuma (B’haalotcha 18) indeed calls it the lock of the Land, and explains the reasoning that "if Yericho is conquered, the Land is conquered." Yet, the other questions remain unanswered.
A spiritual approach will provide a deep answer for all the questions. The Land of Israel is a holy land, and as the mishna (Mikvaot 8:1) says, it is pure. This status began when Yehoshua Bin Nun brought the nation into the Land, turning the Land of C’na’an into Eretz Yisrael. This was not a geographical or a political change but a spiritual one.
C’na’an, the person, was the partner of his father, Cham, in the horrible act that was done to Noach when the latter was drunk (Bereishit 9:21-22). Whether it was castration or sodomy (see Rashi ad loc.), it was certainly an act that contradicted a life of sanctity and purity. About such a lifestyle, Chazal already taught us through the plans of Bilam: "The G-d of this nation hates promiscuity. Let me give you advice: ‘put up partitions and place in them zonot’" (Sanhedrin 106a).
Yehoshua’s spies came to the house of Rachav, the local zonah, and the result was that she repented and converted. She, who had represented the situation of the Land before Bnei Yisrael entered it, now represented the transformation of the Land into Eretz Yisrael. The city, then, had to remain in its destroyed form to symbolize the transformation. Rebuilding it could be understood as an attempt to return to the ways of the Land before the spies came to Yericho. The mound of ruins in the gateway to the country needed to announce before those who entered: "This is the Land of Israel, not the Land of Cham and C’na’an," prompting Yehosua’s ban and curse on the rebuilding.
A strong indication of the above thesis can be found in Melachim. The wicked kings that sprouted up learned from and imported wives from the neighbors. The most notorious of these wicked queens was Izevel, wife of Achav and princess of the Tziddonim, descendants of the firstborn of C’na’an. She was well known in the field of promiscuity, and her worship involved it (see Melachim I 22:38). It thus should not come as a surprise that Achav’s friend Chiel is the one who built the ruins of Yericho. This is mentioned after the navi says that Achav worshipped Asheira, the female element of the worship of the Ba’al (ibid. 16:33).
If we want to hold on securely to the Land, we should try to ensure that it be treated like the Land of Israel and not the Land of C’na’an.
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
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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.
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.
