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Beit Midrash
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Ein Ayah:The holy Torah is a blueprint of life that does not lead its followers to a life of abstinence from the pleasures of the physical world, as pleasures can raise a person’s personal level by bringing joy to his heart. Therefore, part of the characteristic of Torah is that it recognizes the need for a social life with friendships, which bring to the world a good life within society. This is particularly rewarding when one’s social group consists of good and scholarly people. Separation from other people and extreme asceticism, which is the approach of a significant portion of those people who, of their own, have sought closeness to Hashem, is a foreign idea to the Torah. For that reason, if one wants to acquire knowledge of Torah, he will succeed specifically by joining together with a group of learners, which shows the gains of avoiding isolation.
There are three main elements of danger when separating oneself from human interaction, especially for those who are involved in the world of philosophy and morality. Firstly one can be successful in improving the world through the ideas he studies only when his purity, fear of G-d, and understanding of Torah are accompanied by intellectual tolerance. It is crucial for the Torah thinker to deal openly with approaches to law, halacha, and even matters of morality that are different from his own viewpoint, so that he can fulfill "the truth and the peace shall you love" (Zecharia 8:19). This tolerance can only be achieved by a Torah scholar who studies Torah as part of a group and thereby becomes accustomed to different ways of thinking. Then he can see how the clear and straight approach is arrived at specifically by hearing a variety of scholarly views, in which the light of Hashem dwells.
When a person operates within a very narrow inner group and is unaware of a variety of people possessing logical but different approaches, he will not be able to stand viewpoints different from his own. This in turn is a strong cause of quarreling, which can bring to the "sword of discord" spreading throughout the nation, whether literally or figuratively. This unfortunate phenomenon starts from those who study Torah as individuals rather than study it with a spirit of "its sons/ its builders," as Chazal describe scholars who increase peace in the world (Berachot 64a).
The second problem of studying without a broad group is that the conclusions one arrives at are often wrong. Not only is the truth not attained intellectually, but the mistakes can cause one to sin in practice. Not only is a life of abstaining from permitted things a sin in and of itself (like a nazir who sins by forbidding wine upon himself), but a misguided rabbi can have a negative impact on society, if he does not arrive at clear conclusions, as is hinted at in one of the p’sukim the Rabbis cite in this context.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
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.
