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Beit Midrash
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- Yom Kippur
The choice of Sefer Yonah to be read towards the end of the holy day of Yom Kippur is, on the simple level, due to the great success of the teshuva of Ninveh. However, the fact that the entire book is read hints at another idea, which is perhaps actually the main one.
Yonah ben Amitai was given a mission by Hashem, and he naively tried to avoid it. Hashem sent a more obedient messenger, the wind, and it instilled fear in the passengers of the boat. The Yalkut Shimoni says that there were members of each of the 70 nations on that boat. Each one prayed in his own way to his god for the same thing – to live rather than die. Only one person from one nation was apathetic, sleeping in the bottom of the boat without praying. Yonah knew the truth and tried to ignore it, until his counterparts exhorted him to join in prayer. Yonah told them there was a simpler solution – simply throw him overboard.
It his not hard to come to the conclusion that although Yonah was a real person, the whole story is a parable in its essence. Bnei Yisrael are compared to a yonah (dove) (Berachot 53b). Yonah was the son of Amitai, reminiscent of the father of Bnei Yisrael, Hashem, whose seal is that of emet (truth). Like Yonah, we are sent to fix the world so that it will accept the kingdom of Hashem, and we avoid the task. There are great storms around us, and while the nations are not all proficient at it, they pray. It is possible that when the nations opened their session in silence, there was real prayer, because even those who possess nuclear weapons want to live. [Perhaps this is a reference to the Windscale nuclear disaster in England, which took place in 1957, although a few days after Yom Kippur.]
In difficult situations, there is one nation that tries to avoid the spotlights but does not succeed to avoid them. "Lots are cast" and Israel comes up being singled out. The world looks around and points to the Middle East, and then within the Middle East they point to us, to Israel.
"Contemplate the years of every generation" (Devarim 32:7). This country and this region has been sleeping for many centuries. This point, at the edge of the desert, suddenly arose as if from the dead. Sheiks woke up and decided that this is indeed a desirable place, in a strategic location. What caused the storm that awoke people? Israel.
What prodded Egypt to seek so many weapons? What unites all the wild nations? Who riles everyone up? It is Israel. And when they cast lots, who do they find is guilty? Israel. Indeed it is true that disaster befalls the world because of Israel (Yevamot 63b).
Are we able to understand what the nature of the disaster is? Should we wait to see if they will throw us into the sea? Sometimes we think that we are not able to do anything. Our arms do not extend far enough, and we do not determine what our nation does. The Rambam (Teshuva 3:4) teaches us that we can view the world as being at a standstill, and the actions of one person – indeed, our own – could possibly determine the future of the world. If Israel is in the middle of what happens in the world, it is every individual who, in his own way, is in the center.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
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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.
