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Asher Ben Haim
One reason for this commandment is to prevent a situation whereby wealthy people will gain control of the lands of the lower social strata and take advantage of them. However just a few p’sukim later, the Torah says: "Should a man sell a house in a walled city, he shall be able to redeem it until the completion of a year from the time of his sale...[afterward] the house that is in the city will be established as the buyer’s for eternity for his generations" (ibid 29-30). We have to try to understand why the Torah strayed in this case from the aforementioned principle. The Sefer Hachinuch (#330) tries to answer by saying that the finality of the sale in walled cities is a penalty the Torah placed upon the seller because of the love of the Land. But what is the nature of this penalty?
The laws of the walled city may be an example of conflicting interests. On one hand, the Torah opposes a person’s acquiring permanent ownership by buying land in Eretz Yisrael. On the other hand, homes in a walled city have great significance from a security perspective, and there is a public interest that their ownership not be transferred often. Therefore, the Torah penalized the seller by saying that if he sells the house, he will have only a year to redeem it. It is the latter, security concern that prevails here.
There are at least another two halachot where the public, security concerns take precedence over even spiritual considerations.
1) There is a halacha of ir hanidachat, that a city where most inhabitants are involved in idolatry is destroyed. However, the laws of ir hanidachat do not apply to a border city, because its destruction would make it easier for the enemy to infiltrate and destroy the country (Rambam, Avodah Zara 4:4). This exception to the rule gives precedence to security concerns over the spiritual danger of keeping the city intact.
2) In general, no monetary considerations justify violating Shabbat. Yet, when a border city is under siege, even if the stated issue is monetary, Jews can go out on Shabbat and use normal means to defend it (including chillul Shabbat, because of its strategic, security importance (Eruvim 45a).
Let us pray for the coming of days when the laws of walled cities will apply without fear of real-estate tycoons usurping power and when security factors will be only a theoretical factor.
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
