YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Rav Kook books
- Ein Aya
Gemara: That which [Yirmiya lamented], "My spirit was deprived of peace" (Eicha 3:17), is referring to [the inability to light] Shabbat candles.
Ein Ayah: Daytime is set aside for lively human interaction, whether or not a person tends to enjoy being around other people. However, night is the time when one retreats to his natural surroundings. If he is one whose love of peace is well-entrenched in his soul, because he and others relate to each other properly, then he will benefit from continuing interaction and will want to make night day-like. Such a person will consciously decide to light candles, so that he can enjoy seeing those close to him.
During the week, when people are used to working and toiling, a person will not always focus on his internal life. He will be forced into working hard during the day and resting up at night for the next day’s toil. On Shabbat, the feelings of the heart return to act as they naturally do, and one feels the natural enjoyment of life. If he finds at that time that the people who surround him make him feel good and loved, then he will easily appreciate the need to have light even at night so that he can take the choice to pursue the relationships. That is different from the relationships he has during weekdays, because those are relationships of necessity and these are relationships of choice.
However, when the world becomes a dark place for the nation and enemies afflict its members, people around a person are often a bitter yoke, as happen to people whose lives are out of order. Then, when he has a desire to cling to his internal life on Shabbat, he will, for the most part, choose isolation, as opposed to the task of interacting well with others. A depressed person will look negatively at relationships and be deprived of peace. This is different from the time of national tranquility, when things around a person were upbeat, as he would feel a desire to have Shabbat candles to broaden the social opportunities by choice. But after the exile, when we are among people who are foreign to us, society is a source of pain and hatred, and a person prefers to avoid the attempt of peaceful interaction but to look within his inner spirit in solitude. It allows him to escape from the society that forces itself upon him during the day.
The above is what a person would feel were the Rabbis not to have lit our path in the way of Torah and mitzvot. Shabbat is a special present which is connected to the divine promise that we will have an era of tranquility in which the nations will treat us with respect. Then we will be interested in embracing relationships, and this spirit will extend to the whole world. So even if Israel will call out its desire to forget about the light of the Shabbat candles, while we are in the depths of the darkness of exile, Hashem’s word will counteract our inclination and will restore our spirit. Hashem’s impact on us through the medium of mitzvot will "skip over mountains" and lift us to the heights of the future, to the time of the kingdom of Mashiach. That is why we are commanded to light Shabbat candles and thereby reawaken the pursuit of positive relationships, for "Hashem will not deprive forever" (Eicha 3:31), as he is the Master of Peace.
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
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
