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The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
Hana Bat Haim
Where is Har G’rizim? The accepted identification is a mountain that stands to the west of the city of Shechem. This mountain is home to the settlement, Har Beracha (whose name is no accident) and l’havdil, the Samaritan (Shomronim) center.
The Shomronim are the descendants of the Kuttim, whe were brought to Eretz Yisrael from Kutta, as part of an Assyrian policy of trans-migration, after the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel (10 tribes), 150 years before the first Beit Hamikdash was destroyed (Melachim II 17:24). The Shomronim originally converted to Judaism because of fear of lions that attacked them, but were eventually rejected by the Jewish people and deemed to be non-Jewish (see Chulin 6a; Even Ha’ezer 4).
Chazal also called them forgers, "for making changes in your Torah without gaining anything from it. You wrote ‘next to Elonei Moreh’ as Shechem, when it is known that it is Shechem, except that you do not derive from a g’zeira shava (derivations from the use of the same words in different places) (Yerushalmi, Sota 7:3). What forgery are Chazal referring to?
The answer is that there were apparently multiple forgeries. The first forgery was to change the place where the altar was supposed to be erected from Har Eival to Har G’rizim, where they claim to live. (We may note that there is no archeological evidence that such an altar existed on Har G’rizim some 3,500 years ago.) The second forgery was in our parasha. The Torah describes the blessings and curses taking place by Elonei Moreh, and the Shomronim changed it to Shechem. Our community of believers, while rejecting the Shomroni forgery, continued to accept their tradition that the ceremony took place around present day Shechem, which they claim to be in between Har G’rizim and Har Eival. This ignores the implication of the aforementioned Yerushalmi.
Dr. Zartal’s findings indicate clearly that while Har Eival is indeed the one we call by that name today, Har G’rizim is not Har Beracha, on the opposite side of Shechem from Har Eival, but is rather opposite a different side of Har Eival, the side that contains the remains of the ancient altar. Thus, the site of Har G’rizim (the real Har Beracha) is apparently really Har Kabir, the site of the yishuv, Elon Moreh.
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Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
