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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Shabbat
- The spiritual view
In Israel, though Sabbath observance is certainly not universal, Sabbath recognition is. Saturday is the official day of rest in the country, most commercial enterprises do not operate on that day and Friday night family dinners remain a custom embedded in Israeli life. A noticeable return to Jewish observance and values has occurred in Israeli life over the last number of decades. The trend towards tradition is noticeable almost everywhere in the country. There are various reasons for this change in attitude but one of the main driving forces for this societal trend is the realization that in order for Israel to survive and continue to prosper it must have certain unifying bases to hold it together. Throughout Jewish history, the Sabbath has served as that unifying base for Jewish society. As the often-quoted aphorism has it: "More then the Jews kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath kept and preserved the Jews." Scattered throughout the world, subject to prejudice and persecution, the universal observance of the Sabbath united Jews world over and gave them physical and spiritual strength to survive and prevail. Here in Israel, this realization of the power of the Sabbath and of its value in protecting and promoting a message of positive Judaism and of a better world has sparked a revival in marking the Sabbath and making it an integral part of general Jewish society here. We still have a long way to go here in Israel in restoring the Sabbath to its proper place of honor and observance. But the trend to do so is clear and unmistakable.
Last year, under the initiative of Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein, South African Jewry observed and commemorated a Sabbath that embraced all of South African Jewry. The experience was electrifying, for it rekindled a long dormant spark of Jewish memory, tradition and spirituality within tens of thousands of Jews. It gave them a sense of unity and belonging and by restoring the Sabbath in their lives – even just one Sabbath – it served as a recommitment to Jewish identity and community. This South African Sabbath project is now being replicated in many communities throughout the United States, Western and Eastern Europe and even here in Israel. All Jews should participate in one fashion or another in this noble and historic endeavor. Hosts and guests, Jews from all walks of life and differing value systems, have the opportunity to join together to unite the Jewish people and to bring much-needed serenity, hope, optimism, a sense of history and tradition and family bonding to our generation – a generation that so needs all of these blessings on a regular basis. The Sabbath is recognized in Jewish tradition as being a gift from God Himself, so to speak, to Israel and through Israel to the world at large. Our greatest accomplishment in this coming new year of goodness and blessing will be the strengthening of the Sabbath idea and commitment amongst all Jews.
The spiritual view A Deeper Take on Shabbat: Why is This Allowed & That Prohibited?
Ein Aya Shabbat 4, 4
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.
