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Beit Midrash
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- Parashat Hashavua
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- Bereshit
- Noach
The Midrash (Shemot Rabba, Bo 18) reports that the angels Michael and Gavriel wanted to save Avram from the furnace, but Hashem argued with them, saying that since Avram was acting to glorify His name and not theirs, He should go Himself to save Avram. This open miracle strengthened the belief of many, who followed Avram’s leadership and joined a group of tens of thousands of monotheists (Rambam).
Why, at this point, would Avram go to the Land of Canaan of all places, as we would think that this was a place he should avoid? After all, Nimrod was a son of Kush, the oldest son of Cham, Noach’s wicked son (see Bereishit 10:6-8 and Divrei Hayamim I, I:8-10). Canaan was Cham’s younger son. Why would one "switch a cow with a donkey"? Why run away from a prominent son of Cham and go to the land of the descendants of the son of Cham who was a direct participant in his father’s great sin against his father, Noach? Note that Canaan’s involvement is the reason that Noach invoked the name of Canaan when cursing Cham (Bereishit 9:22-27). It was for rejecting Cham’s actions that Shem, Avram’s progenitor, was so rewarded (ibid.).
When we look at the results, we do not find, at that point in history, any significant results of Noach’s blessing and curse. The all-powerful strongman in the world was Nimrod, Cham’s grandson. Canaan’s family was firmly in control of the Promised Land. Their conquests were at the expense of Shem’s descendants, who should have been the blessed ones who inherited the Land (see Rashi to Bereishit 14:18, who talks of Malkitzedek (=Shem) as the theoretical king of the region but not the actual one).
Avram and his family decided to move to the Land of Canaan to support Malkitzedek. In other words, he decided to move the battleground of the spiritual fight against the heretics to the Land of Israel, which was still called the Land of Canaan. This was the beginning of a long struggle for the Land, for which the saying "The Land of Israel is acquired through pain" is very appropriate.
We have merited in our generation to take an active role in the mitzva to settle Eretz Yisrael. "The Land of Israel is pure and its mikvaot are pure" – it is a merit to turn the Land of Canaan into the Land of Israel. Let us pray that we will merit being the followers of Avraham Avinu in all aspects.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
