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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Hanukkah
- The Meaning of Hanukkah
Surrounded by enemies meant to destroy the Jewish state and faith, and beset by a substantial amount of internal enemies willing to become Greeks, the Hasmoneans fought both enemies strongly and successfully. But they were fortunate that in the second century before the Common Era there were no NGOs, EUs, no media bias and a plethora of do-gooders.
The Hasmoneans would undoubtedly have been accused of war crimes, aggression, and of becoming occupiers of the land that in truth belonged to them. However, their timing was impeccable. By current day standards, there could never be a Chanuka holiday. This is not to say that hypocrisy and double dealing did not exist in the days of the Hasmoneans. Human nature has not changed significantly since Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden.
However, with the development of civilization, technology and the wide dissemination of information – both true and false- we must agree that the implementation of hypocrisy and false and unfair judgment has reached a new high in our time. And unfortunately, our small state and great people are the primary victims of this new, exalted perfidy.
Perhaps the Rabbis of Old, when establishing the holiday of Chanuka, realized that there would rise a later generation, Jewish and non-Jewish, that would not be proud of the courage and fortitude of the Hasmoneans. There would arise a generation that would have preferred that the Hasmoneans engage the Greeks rather than defeat them in battle. Perhaps this is why the Rabbis chose to emphasize the miracle of the light of the oil lamp as the basic theme and commandment of Chanuka.
It is hard to find fault with a small flame that somehow burned miraculously for eight days when it had only sufficient fuel for one day. This miracle of the small flame came to justify the entire epic of the Hasmonean struggle against the Greeks and against the Hellenists. If the Hasmoneans were in fact wrong in conducting their struggle against the Greeks in a forceful fashion, then the Lord would not have provided the miracle of the flame.
The rededication of the Temple and its purification from pagan defilement was again another indication of the correct struggle of the Hasmoneans, of their tactics, and behavior. The preservation of the Jewish people and of Torah values within that people is the ultimate strategic goal of our nation since the time of Abraham. This goal has not changed in our time and, in fact, all current events have brought it into sharper focus. This is the central issue which dwarfs all others in Jewish society and worldview.
The Rabbis framed one of the blessings over the lights of Chanuka as recognizing the events ‘bayamim hahem,’ in those days’ bazman hazeh,’ in our time. We always have to look at how past events play themselves out in the current scene. We have to make certain that national errors and wrong policies that were present ‘bayamim hahem,’ in past times, do not repeat themselves ‘bazman hazeh,’ in our current time.
And, we also have to be aware that the wisdom, traditions, and good sense of the past not be easily discarded by current fads and transient mores in order to fit ourselves into a perceived modern, politically correct time. This balance between the past and the present, between what was and what is remains the challenge of our generation.
Discarding our past has proven to be spiritually and even physically fatal to millions of Jews over the last centuries. And, ignoring the realities of the present, handicaps us in dealing with the problems and the struggles that we must yet endure. The lights of Chanuka serve to remind us that at one and the same time we live ‘bayamim hahem,’ in those past days and ‘bazman hazeh,’ in our current world as well. The flames of Chanuka have survived for almost 23 centuries and remain the inspiration for our faith in our eventual achievement of Jewish sovereignty in our holy land and in the expansion of our spiritual values, Torah knowledge and observance.
Rabbis in Midrash
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Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 2
The King of the Kazars, in his search for truth, starts by inviting the philosopher. This is a "crash-course" on Aristotelian philosophy and the reasons why the king is not convinced. Through this dialogue, R. Yehuda HaLevi already foreshadows some of his central ideas that will appear later.
Shavuot "Love of Torah = Love of Israel"- for Shavuot
People often identify Judaism as just a religion, but upon examination, we see, even halachically and explicitly in the siddur, that the Torah is dependent upon Am Yisrael, Jewish nationalism.
Ein Aya The Middle-Child & Anti-Tzni'ut Syndrome- Negative Attention
Although tzni'ut is for men just like women, Rav Kook deals here with the sources in Yishayahu and the Talmud which deals with the special problem of lack of tzni'ut in women's dress and actions, where it's not just a problem of midot and character traits, but also can include practical, social and national ramifications, as well, which caused the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash and exile from Israel. The class continues the previous one (Ayn Aya Shabbat vi, 29), and is a must for all educators and parents of high-school aged and young adults.
P'ninat Mishpat P'NINAT MISHPAT: A Mess of Loans, Repayments and Grievances – part II
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts