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Beit Midrash
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- Bamidbar
As alluded to, the encampment was based on a tribal division, according to the twelve tribes of Israel, with each tribe having a position and its own leader (listed in Bamidbar 1:4-15). The subsequently described census of the nation was also broken up on the basis of tribes. In the encampment, each direction had three tribes encamped in proximity to each other, with the Encampment of the Divine Presence in the middle. (To a great degree, these groupings were preserved in Eretz Yisrael, as surrounding the Tribe of Binyamin, where the Beit Hamikdash was established, there were on four different sides, the tribe-leaders of the four directions from the desert: Reuven, Yehuda, Ephrayim, and Dan.)
King David tried to unify the Nation of Israel around his capital, Yerushalayim, "the city that was not apportioned to any individual tribe" (Yoma 12a). While unifying the nation, he was careful not to undo the tribal distinctions. When he organized his kingdom (see Divrei Hayamim I, starting with perek 23), he appointed negidim, leaders of subgroups. These were actually tribe heads, as each one was from a specific tribe and for that tribe (see ibid. 27:16-22).
If we contrast this division of the leadership with the one that Shlomo did at his time (see Melachim I, 4:7-15), we will see that Shlomo took the approach of trying to erase tribal distinctions. He called his leaders nitzavim (representatives of the king), and he broke them up not by tribe but by geographical regions (which did not always coincide exactly with the tribal boundaries). Many of the nitzavim were from Shlomo’s family as opposed to being local representatives. This infringement on the rights of the individual tribes did not work and was involved in the division of the kingdom that took place during the reign of Rechavam, Shlomo’s son. This in turn impacted on the status of Yerushalayim as the center of the country. Rechavam did not even attempt to "mend the tear" in Yerushalayim but rather in Shechem, and in any case he did not succeed.
We see that David’s approach, of keeping the tribal distinctions, but unifying them in Yerushalayim, the city that was not apportioned to any tribe, was the right approach. In the upcoming week, when we celebrate the unification of Yerushalayim, the city that unifies the people, let us remember the special spiritual power of the Holy City.
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.
