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Beit Midrash
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Gemara: One who is careful about mezuza will merit an attractive house. One who is careful about tzitzit will merit an attractive garment. One who is careful about Kiddush will merit filling barrels of wine.
Ein Ayah: There are people who believe a life of broadening physical pleasures is a correct priority because a healthy human spirit desires to live in physically appealing surroundings that give pleasure to his spirit. They wrongly think that the only way one will be able to satisfy his spirit is by putting physical pleasure at the center of his life goals, and then perhaps he can fulfill his desires. He thinks that if his inner goal is for a spiritual, eternal foundation and if material abundance will only be a means by which to achieve success in Torah and mitzvot, then the foundation of his life will be limited. He feels that then he will be living an unnatural life, considering that his spirit yearns for pleasure and aesthetics. In order to prevent these perceived wrongs, such people turn the secondary into the primary.
But actually, those people are embracing a falsehood. It is true that physical pleasures are a natural human tendency, but that does not mean that the pursuit of these pleasures should be the goal of life. Rather, the element of sanctity should be the basis for life, as it is a "fruit" that lasts forever.
Since there are great spiritual levels to be sought and it takes great efforts to succeed, a lot of physical preparations are needed to make that essential goal a reality. Therefore, a person should not exaggerate in the other direction and say, for example, that the only benefit of having a house is to be able to fulfill the mitzva that is connected to it (i.e., mezuza). That indeed would contradict the natural inclination in man to desire a broad and attractive house for its own sake. Rather, one should make the spiritual into the main goal even as the embellishment of the physical side goes hand-in-hand with it. That is why the gemara says that one who puts up a mezuza will merit an attractive house.
Similarly regarding garments, while their main purpose is to allow people to fulfill mitzvot, one need not remove a desire for nice garments, which can indeed be a positive consequence of being careful about themitzva of tzitzit. Similarly concerning wine, even though wine should not be for simple pleasure alone, one should not think that the proper outlook closes the door on pleasures of life. Rather, he can look forward, through the mitzva of Kiddush, to have barrels of wine.
It is just that one who focuses specifically on the material will not reach the sanctity of lofty ideas and have the most refined happiness in life. Rather, the overly materialistic will be emotionally distraught when he grows old [and he loses interest in these things]. In contrast, those who look toward Hashem and see life as a good medium to achieve real goodness will see blessing even in that which is only a means to a goal, and they will be able to be happy in all situations. They will view their material gifts as aids in reaching a lofty level of spirituality and will love Hashem. That will allow the nice house, clothes, and wine to have great value as reward for putting one’s priorities in the right place – focused on the spiritual, with its mitzvot and sanctity in the center.
Various Rabbis
Various Rabbis including those of of Yeshivat Bet El, such as Rabbi Chaim Katz, Rabbi Binyamin Bamberger and Rabbi Yitzchak Greenblat and others.
Moreshet Shaul Moreshet Shaul: A Crown and its Scepter – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 294-5
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.
