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Beit Midrash
- Family and Society
- Education
- The Education of Children and Students
- Family and Society
- Traveling and Vacations
- The Summer Vacation
Some Talmudey Torah (prime schools) and Yeshivot indeed have a shorter vacation for a month or even three weeks and it showed good results. Also in Bney Tzvi Yeshiva (yeshiva high school in Bet El) the vacation was shortened to a month. It seems that yeshiva high school must be the first to do this and show an example to all other institutions.
Since in the meantime the vacation is long, we should prepare correctly. It should be used for rest, refreshment and dissolution and not for idleness. Idleness leads to boredom and boredom leads to sin. Therefore we must try to fill the vacation days with a good program.
The Mishnah in Avot (2, 2) says:
"Rabban Gamaliel the son of Rabbi Judah the Prince said: Great is study of the Torah when combined with a worldly occupation, for toil in them both puts sin out of mind. All study of the Torah which is not supplemented by work is destined to prove futile and causes sin."
This Mishna teaches a deep wisdom.
Effort and exertion put sin out of mind. Spiritual and practical labor, both together keep a person from sins. It is not enough to put much effort in learning Torah only , or in work only (worldly occupation, Derech Eretz as the Sages called it), but both are needed. "For toil in them both puts sin out of mind".
This is because a person is combined from body and soul, physical powers and spiritual forces act alike. A man needs to be qualified in both. The Torah completes the soul. And worldly occupation, labor, livelihood, complete the body. When a person acts and tries to complete himself, he is far from sin, for sin is the opposite, the opposite disadvantage is perfect. The sin comes when the desire to integrity ceases.
Our sages say that wherever it says "Vayeshav" (sat, dwelt), it is a language of grief:
"And Israel dwelt in Shittim", - what follows? " and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab".
"And Jacob dwelt" What happened to him? The sale of Joseph.
Another Midrash (Bereishit Rabba) explains more: "And Israel abode in Shittim" - sitting anywhere is a language of corruption. It says: "and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to make merry" which means worshiping idols.
Human beings have forces that push them to act and do, if these forces are not directed to building and rising, they push us down.
There is no middle, or up or down.
If there is no positive action, if there is idleness, it causes bad results of sin and iniquity. "Great is study of the Torah when combined with a worldly occupation, for toil in them both puts sin out of mind".
Ein Aya More Love and Less Discipline- the Change in Education Styles
Ein Aya Shabat Chapter A Paragraph 71
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
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.
