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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Rabbi Yossi opened his remarks by honoring the hosts and expounded: The pasuk says: "Do not despise an Edomite, for he is your brother; do not despise an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land" (Devarim 23:8). Let us compare the matters through a kal vachomer. The Egyptians welcomed in Israel for their own purposes, as the pasuk says: "And if you [Yosef] know that there are among them talented people, you shall make them officers over my cattle" (Bereishit 47:6). If they deserved consideration, one who hosts a talmid chacham in his home, gives him to eat and to drink, and has him benefit from his property, is all the more so [worthy of reward].
Ein Ayah: Maintaining Torah within the Jewish community as a whole has a double value. There is a special value that corresponds to the way a person benefits from honor in his life. Although honor does not provide any practical physical benefit, a person’s honor is very important to him, and gold and silver cannot compete with it. Torah has another value, which corresponds to the practical benefit people receive from a variety of commodities.
The first type of value of Torah scholarship is that the nation as a whole needs talmidei chachamim who are involved in Torah study, so that they can give life to the nation through the spirit of Hashem that is upon them. This is valuable even if people will not rely upon these talmidei chachamim to rule on matters of Jewish law, because the increase of Torah knowledge, in and of itself, is the nation’s strength and glory. This value certainly exists in regard to great Torah scholars, who are already on the level that they deal with matters of Torah that are broader than what applies to most people’s daily lives. These scholars should be cherished the way a person cherishes acquired honor. The value of increased Torah knowledge also applies to students, even those who have not reached, and may never reach, the level to rule and teach matters of Torah for others. Still, the involvement in Torah is innately extremely lofty and holy.
Yitro showed Moshe affection for his own honor. Therefore, we learn through a kal vachomer that one who attaches himself to a talmid chacham, for the value that resembles honor is certainly worthy of great reward. This is because he seeks this gain not for himself but for the whole nation – that they should contain Torah scholars, irrespective of their practical value,.
The second element is understood in a straightforward manner. Every member of Bnei Yisrael must try to ensure the presence of Torah in the nation [on all levels] for very practical purposes. After all, if there are no "kids," there will not be "goats." In other words, if there are not young men who aspire to be scholars and are diligently trained by their teachers, from where will spring forth great Torah leaders who can adjudicate and make halachic rulings? Corresponding to this aspect of value of Torah, Rabbi Yossi brought the comparison to the Egyptians who sought the Israelites’ arrival for practical purposes. When someone seeks Torah scholars for practical purposes, for the whole nation’s benefit, he is most certainly worthy of reward for the benefits that his support of scholars and scholarship bring about.
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.
