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The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
Hana Bat Haim
The Rabbi answered, "To whom do you attribute the wisdom evidenced by an ant? Who is responsible for the ant's intricacy?"
"Nature," responded the king.
"And what is nature?" inquired the Rabbi, "Does it create? Does it possess wisdom? Where does nature come from? Who is it that creates all of the wonderful elements of nature which are so full of wisdom? You must admit that it is the Almighty Who created the magnificent world of nature, so full of Divine wisdom."
Foundations of Faith (51)
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
17 - 15. Perceiving God
18 - 16. God's Hand in Nature
19 - 17. According to Divine Guidance
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At the outset, God created the world in such a way that it operate according to a fixed order, fixed laws which we refer to as the "laws of nature." However, the wisdom evidenced by these laws' complex interaction must be attributed to the all-wise Creator alone. The wisdom that is revealed through the many wonders of nature is God's.
The sages illustrate this idea in a most wonderful anecdote:
A certain matron asked Rabbi Yose bar Chalafta, "In how many days did God create the world."
"Six," her replied. "As it is written, 'For in six days did God do this.'"
"And what has He been doing since then?" she queried the rabbi.
"He has been arranging matches," Rabbi Yose rejoined.
To this the matron responded, "Even I can do that! I have scores of slaves and maidservants and I can arrange matches between them in no time."
The matron took a thousand of her male servants and a thousand of her maidservants and she lined them up. Then she began to announce, "So-and-so shall wed so-and-so...and so-and-so shall wed so-and-so..." In this manner she succeeded in arranging a thousand marriages in one night. On the following morning, the servants came to her, some with a black eyes, others with fractured skulls, still others with broken legs. Male servants were shouting, "I don't want her!" and maidservants were shouting, "I don't want him!" The matron sent for Rabbi Yose. She told him, "I now can testify that your God is the true God, and His Torah is true, for everything that you said to me was sound."
We find, then, that God created the world in six days, and since then He has been "arranging" his creation, interweaving and correlating between the array of forces at work in the world. He is like an artist who utilizes various paints to create his work of art. Clearly, one cannot attribute the profound idea and the beauty of the painting to the paints themselves! Insofar as these matters are concerned, credit must be given to the painter. Likewise, the abundant wisdom and many wonders of creation are not to be attributed to nature's ingredients; they must be attributed to the Almighty Himself Who oversees and arranges them.
Having clarified the nature of God's relation to His creation, we can begin to understand how the actions of man, when carried out according to Divine guidance, can themselves take on a Divine character.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
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.
