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Beit Midrash
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The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
Asher Ben Haim
The solution to this dilemma is at once simple and profound. Indeed, we cannot grasp God Himself, but we can perceive His doings in the world. Through His actions, God is perceived by us as creator and conductor of the entire universe. There is no place in all creation where He is absent, "His glory fills the earth" (from the Sabbath Keushah prayer). All of creation evinces the greatness of God's actions. We perceive God's absolute sovereignty over creation with all of our senses. As far as God's revelation through His actions, He is very close to us; regarding God's essence, He is sublime, transcendent, and beyond comprehension, and there is no adjective that can accurately describe Him. He is above all.
The sages hinted at this idea when they said God resembles the soul of man in five respects:
1. Just as the soul fills the body, so God fills the world.
Foundations of Faith (51)
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
16 - 14. Contradictions between Science and Torah
17 - 15. Perceiving God
18 - 16. God's Hand in Nature
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3. Just as the soul sustains the body, so God sustains the world.
4. Just as the soul is pure and above the body, so God is pure and above the world.
5. Just as the soul resides in the innermost chambers, so God resides in the innermost chambers.
Though the soul itself cannot be seen, it is revealed through the actions of the body. Even though the soul itself is invisible, speech and every bodily movement testify to the existence of this inner life force. Similarly, God Himself can be neither seen nor felt, but His existence is revealed through His actions. This is the profundity of the faith that permeates man's entire being, saying, "There is none like You, God." Such a faith lifts man to the highest of heights, to a place which the eye cannot penetrate and the mind cannot grasp.
According to this principle, the sages fixed the wording of the benedictions so that they begin in the personal (second person) - "Blessed are You ..." - and then change over to the impersonal (third person) - "...Who has sanctified us..."
The sages did this in order to teach us the proper manner of relating to the Almighty. On the one hand, He reveals himself to us; on the other, He is hidden from us. He reveals Himself to us through His actions, and it is through His actions that we become acquainted with Him; yet, He Himself remains hidden from us.
"You are He" - there is no contradiction here, rather, an accurate description of God. Hence, "You are He - the first, and You are He - the last, and without You we have no saving and redeeming king."
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
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.
