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Beit Midrash
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- Serving Hashem, Mitzvot and Repentance
This follows the pattern of the past decades when, since Oslo and Wye, Israel has been unable to fulfill the escalating expectations and demands of the Palestinian Authority. It is easy to see why Israel was blamed for the failure of the talks. Placing the blame on the Palestinian side would have been a tacit admission that, from the onset, the talks had no chance of success – a fact that certainly would again emphasize the ineptness of American foreign policy in this past decade.
So it was the refusal of Israel to release the last batch of terrorist murderers and the announcement that it was going to continue building new housing mainly in the "occupied" Jerusalem area – Gilo, Ramat Shlomo, Ramat Eshkol, Maaleh Adumin, Gush Etzion, etc. – that was the root cause of the failure of the talks. This is another one of the many fairy tales that completely becloud the truths of the Middle East in today’s wonder world.
Everyone knows what will remain Jewish property no matter if and when a "final" agreement is reached and that is where Israel is building. But someone must be blamed for the failure of the talks so it might as well be Israel.
A long time ago – forty years ago to be exact – I was the head of the OU Kashrut Division and I was flying from New York to Los Angeles on "business" matters but not in business class. Next to me – I was naturally in the middle seat – was an apparently very high-powered business woman who was working furiously on the spread sheets she laid out before her on the seat tray. This was the period of time in world affairs after the Yom Kippur War when the Arab oil boycott had greatly inconvenienced ordinary Americans and was inhibiting their ability to drive their automobiles.
After a period of time, without any further introduction or preparatory remarks, she turned to me and said curtly "You know that all of this is your fault!" I was naturally somewhat taken aback by this outburst and by the tone of voice employed by this woman, but somehow I gathered myself and I calmly responded to her: "No, madam, it may be because of me. But it is not my fault!" There is no doubt that the Lord has riled up the whole Middle East because of us. But it is not our fault. We are not to be arbitrarily blamed for the mistakes and stubbornness of others.
What the consequences of the failure of the recent talks will be is certainly not known now. The new shotgun marriage of Hamas and the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority has yet to pass the test of time and problems. Will the Palestinians declare a state at the UN? And if so, so what? Will there be an attempt to mount a new wave of violence against Jews living in Israel, God forbid? Will Israel continue to be labeled as an apartheid state while no Jew is allowed into Saudi Arabia or even Ramallah? Again, if so, so what?
This is the unknown future that faces us. We can only admit that the future is certainly inscrutable. But the future has always been one of mystery and unexpected events and unimaginable results. And, only the past can help us understand the present and prepare us to face the unknown future. If after a century of Arab violence against Jews in the Land of Israel we still don’t understand their intentions towards us, then we are truly dense.
What we can hope for, and in fact what we should insist upon, is a change in the mindset of our neighbors, a willingness to recognize that Israel is here to stay and will engage in legitimate negotiations that will have a chance to succeed and produce a viable settlement. That agreement will not only satisfy each side but will be one that both sides will be able to live with. Until then we can only wait and keep on building.
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.