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Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Va'etchanan
"And you shall observe and do, for it is your knowledge and your wisdom in the eyes of the nations" (Devarim 4:6). The sefer Torah was always the book of knowledge and wisdom. Different cultures and all sorts of different books entered the world sphere, and yet our book remains the Book of Books, the holiest and most important of all books. There is practically no language in the world, from the most distant land, that the Torah has not been translated into and where it is not sold. Our land, which was promised to us, is also held in great esteem by the nations as the "Holy Land." They consider it sacred and worthy of admiration. Nations even hold us to be a special nation, and our scholars have often been revered. All who were in contact with us realized that we have something special. Even in the time that we were subjugated by the Romans, there was a movement of Romans who wanted to convert to Judaism.
The problem is that we do not always see the greatness within ourselves. At times, the Holy Book is not at all holy in the eyes of part of the youngsters. Instead of "our knowledge and our wisdom," they want to learn the wisdom of other nations. There is no greater chillul Hashem than this. "They came among the nations … and they desecrated the Name of Hashem, when it was said of them, ‘They are nation of Hashem …’" (Yechezkel 36:20). Moshe Rabbeinu did not merit entering Eretz Yisrael because he caused a chillul Hashem, but the level of his wrongdoing was very minute, and that was enough to cost him.
From the place where we are at, how much must we toil to have Hashem’s Name sanctified by our actions? How does one do it? Chazaltell us that one should be a person who is deeply involved in Torah and speak in a calm way with people, so that they will say: "Fortunate is the one who taught him Torah." Making Hashem who gave us the Torah beloved based on our actions is a kiddush Hashem. The opposite is achillul Hashem (Yoma 86a).
If one is responsible for creating a kiddush Hashem or a chillul Hashem, respectively, among the nations, then certainly we must be careful how our fellow Jews view things. After all, we find within thehalachot of not violating the Torah under duress that public desecration is referring to doing so in front of a group of Jews (see Sanhedrin 74b).
We need to try to be at our best in our actions, our mode of behavior, our speech, and our thoughts. In that way, all will be able to recognize that we are members of the nation that Hashem blessed. Everyone should sanctify himself regarding his pure thought and being careful about how his time is spent and with what energy level we spend it, so that we will act to increase the power of mitzvot and the pleasantness of the Torah.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
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.
