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Beit Midrash
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- Noach
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Hana Bat Haim
Noach became drunk and revealed his nudity. His three sons reacted differently to the situation. Cham, who freely told his brothers of the disgrace he saw, showed a lack of sensitivity to human dignity. Shem took the initiative to rectify the situation, as the Torah hints by using the singular verb form to describe the act of covering that is attributed to him and, secondarily, to Yefet (see Rashi on 9:23). While both covered their father with their back to him, Shem did so in order not to reveal the internal blemish that his father’s physical state engendered. In contrast, Yefet was concerned with the aesthetic distaste involved.
Rav S. R. Hirsch explains how we see here the prototypes of three diverse, cultural tendencies among nations and individuals. Shem represents spirituality. Cham represents the height of physicality. Yefet represents the point of convergence between the spiritual and physical, which is the art of external beauty. Rav Hirsch continues to explain that there are nations who go out to conquer and destroy, to eat and to drink, and everything about them is violence and coarseness. There are other nations that dedicate their energy to art and aesthetic beauty. They coat the physical with pleasantness and come in contact with the spiritual by their involvement in poetry and music. These are the followers of the approach of Yefet. Of course, this is not the height of spirituality. Rather, the essence of spirituality, explains Rav Hirsch, is that only by recognizing the truth and absolute good, can a person reach his full potential. This is the idea behind the legacy of the culture of Shem.
When Noach realized what had transpired, he cursed Cham and blessed Shem and Yefet, saying that "Yefet shall dwell in the tent of Shem" (ibid. :27). The gemara (Megilla 9b) sees this pasuk as granting permission to allow art forms to enter realms of the holy, as even a sefer Torah can be written in Greek. Yet the gemara in Yoma (9b) limits the matter by saying that "even though Hashem gave beauty to Yefet, the Divine Presence will dwell only in the tent of Shem." This is the reason that the Divine Presence was found in the first Beit Hamikdash, built by Shlomo Hamelech, and not in the second, which was erected under the auspices of the Persians.
Rav Kook (Orot, pg. 252) explains that Hashem was kind in granting the nations of the world the skill of art in order to create a point of contact between our different cultures that enables us to influence them and create a certain level of unity between Israel and the rest of the world. However, the connection is external. In Orot Hakodesh (II, pg. 403) Rav Kook says that when one delves into the secrets of the Torah, he reveals that, in essence, the aesthetic side of Yefet emanates from the tents of Shem.
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.
