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Let us look at other examples in Tanach where occurrences involving clothes indicate a crucial event. After Shmuel informed Shaul that Hashem had become disgusted by Shaul’s reign and turned to go, Shaul grabbed for Shmuel’s cloak, which tore as a result. Shmuel commented metaphorically: "Hashem has torn the Kingdom of Israel from you and given it to your counterpart who is better than you" (Shmuel I 15:26-28). We see in that context that the ripping of a garment was a sign of the removal of King Shaul from his reign.
A second case is when Shaul dressed the young David with his battle uniform so that David could fight Goliath (Shmuel I, 17:38). Chazal explain that Shaul understood that in the course of this action he had unwittingly appointed David as his replacement. David also had such an understanding, which would explain that David’s removal of the uniform was to not accept that distinction (see Rashi, ad loc.).
Eliyahu approached Elisha and threw him his mantle (aderet) (Melachim I, 19:19) as a sign that Elisha should follow him. Later on, Elisha lifted up Eliyahu’s aderet, which had fallen as Eliyahu was taken to the heavens, and used it to cause the Jordan to split and allow him to pass (ibid. II, 2:13-14). This transfer symbolized the student’s inheritance of his master’s prophetic leadership.
The famous story of Haman suggesting that Achashveirosh allow him to wear the king’s clothes (Esther 6:7-9) is another example of the symbolic significance of wearing a leader’s special clothes.
This thesis gives added meaning to the episode at the end of David’s life when his clothes failed to provide him with warmth (Melachim I, 1:1). The gemara (Berachot 62a) explains that whoever disgraces clothes will at some point lose the ability to benefit from them. The Radak describes this idea as an extreme one. However, we will explain it in a way that the Radak might be able to accept. We already discussed one case of David’s contact with Shaul’s clothes as a sign of his impending claim to the throne. When Shaul approached David while he was hiding in a cave, David ripped the corner of his cloak. This, too, represented a compromising of Shaul’s position. At the last stage of David’s life, he had to deal with the question of who would succeed him as king. Some of the people closest to David tried to usurp his right to make that decision. This situation finds expression in the idea of David’s clothes no longer being useful to him. The first section of Sefer Melachim describes how David dealt with that challenge (beyond our present scope).
Let us pray that we will be able to find the right way to identify the correct candidates for positions of spiritual leadership and to "clothe" them in the appropriate way for the task.
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.
