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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: Affliction of the spirit is much greater and more troubling than affliction of the body. Therefore, a bad dream, in which Divinely-inspired fear impacts on the power of imagination of the spirit, is more powerful than physical pain.
This power itself is exactly what engenders the positive part of a bad dream. This is because the fear of punishment, which is important for the furtherance of the world, has to be able to be perceived in a way that man can absorb it. In order to fully fear punishment, one has to know of the idea that the soul lives on after the death of the body, at which time it will receive its reward and punishment. However, man, who is steeped in the material world, has trouble picturing punishment of the soul. For that purpose, a nightmare comes to cause a person poignant spiritual pain and fear of a type that gives him some idea what he may feel in punishment after death. In this way, he is less likely to be tricked into believing that he will escape payment for his sins when he is dead. He will recognize that even without a body and its pain, one is capable of suffering in a spiritual manner, through fear, pain, and embarrassment that affect the spirit. This will give the dreamer a broader perspective of the proper fear of Hashem and His punishment.
Actual Truth and Theoretical Truth
(condensed from Ein Ayah, Berachot 9:40)
Gemara: [After the gemara discusses the idea that all dreams contain elements that are void, Rabbi Barechia is cited as saying something that seems an example of void in a dream.] Even though most of a dream may come into fruition, the entire dream will not come true, as we see from Yosef’s dream, as he saw the sun and the moon [representing his mother] bowing down to him, and at that time his mother had already died.
Ein Ayah: Void things in dreams are things that have nothing to do with that which goes on and are a result of the element of exaggeration in one’s imagination. However, a dream can be of the best possible type and follow the nature of the pure spirit. In that case, everything will be related to matters of truth, and there will be nothing void in the dream.
However, there are two types of truth that can be represented in a dream. There are simple truths, where the matter either already took place or will take place in the future. There is also a potential truth, where something of significance is worthy of happening, but in actuality it will not take place due to technical factors. Such a truth also has value and is not considered a void matter.
In this vein, Rav Barechia was saying that even the substantive part of a dream has elements that may not end up taking place. The example of this is Yosef’s dream in which he saw the moon, representing his mother, bowing down. This is not void because Yosef’s stature would indeed reach such a level that, in theory, his mother would have bowed down to him had she been alive. However, in practice this part of the dream was not fulfilled
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.
