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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Korach
- Family and Society
- A Nation and its Halachot
- Leadership
The battle between Moshe & Korach over the leadership of Am Yisrael is all the more tragic because they are cousins. They should have been the first to band together, to share in the joy of being in the upper echelon of Jewish society & representing the community. Instead,
they are part of a divisive machloket that rocks the nation.
But there is something quite puzzling in this saga. Korach criticizes Moshe for taking too large a chunk of power for himself & his immediate family: "It’s too much for you!" he says. "All the nation is holy, Hashem is with all of us, so why do you exalt yourself over G-d’s congregation?!"
Moshe then replies to him quite sharply: "Isn’t it enough that you, Korach, a Levi, serve in the elite ranks of the nation? Yet you want to be Kohen Gadol, too?!"
Sounds like a valid enough argument, eh? But hold on a moment. Didn’t Moshe himself also want to be the Kohen Gadol?! In fact, he actually held that position for one week, during the inauguration of the Mishkan, & he was quite reluctant to give it up – even to his own older brother Aharon!
As evidence, if you look at the section in Parshat Tzav, where Moshe, serving as Kohen Gadol, is commanded to consecrate Aharon & sons to service in the Mishkan, you will "note" something very interesting. The pasuk places a shalshelet note there, one of the few times this trope-note appears in the entire Torah. The shalshelet, by it’s back & forth cantillation (it also is shaped in a zig-zag, for added emphasis), always indicates hesitation & pause. It is used, for example, by Yosef, when he debates whether or not to succumb to Mrs. Potiphar’s advances; by Lot’s family when they are reluctant to leave the sin-city of S’dom, etc.
Moshe, clearly, is extremely reluctant to pass on this plum position to Aharon. So why should he be so angry at Korach for expressing the very same emotion?!
The answer, of course, is the man’s motivation, the will behind the wavering. Moshe’s sole interest in the Kehuna was his desire to get closer to G-d - which could be accomplished by performing the Avoda & entering the Kodesh Kadashim - & further serving His people. As opposed to Korach, who just wanted more power & more fame.
In the end, the test chosen to settle the dispute was to take fire-pans filled with ketoret-incense, & see whose offering G-d would choose. Ultimately, Hashem cannot be fooled; He knows the all-important "why" behind the "what," & whether our passion is holy fire, or just plain burning greed.
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 2
The King of the Kazars, in his search for truth, starts by inviting the philosopher. This is a "crash-course" on Aristotelian philosophy and the reasons why the king is not convinced. Through this dialogue, R. Yehuda HaLevi already foreshadows some of his central ideas that will appear later.
Shavuot "Love of Torah = Love of Israel"- for Shavuot
People often identify Judaism as just a religion, but upon examination, we see, even halachically and explicitly in the siddur, that the Torah is dependent upon Am Yisrael, Jewish nationalism.
Ein Aya The Middle-Child & Anti-Tzni'ut Syndrome- Negative Attention
Although tzni'ut is for men just like women, Rav Kook deals here with the sources in Yishayahu and the Talmud which deals with the special problem of lack of tzni'ut in women's dress and actions, where it's not just a problem of midot and character traits, but also can include practical, social and national ramifications, as well, which caused the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash and exile from Israel. The class continues the previous one (Ayn Aya Shabbat vi, 29), and is a must for all educators and parents of high-school aged and young adults.
P'ninat Mishpat P'NINAT MISHPAT: A Mess of Loans, Repayments and Grievances – part II
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts