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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
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
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.
