YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Rav Kook books
- Ein Aya
Ein Ayah: One’s regard and love for people should always come from the higher side of life. In other words, whoever is connected to life will develop, at some time, that which is good and straight within himself and/or his actions. This includes lofty emotions and good pleasures, which are beneficial when they occur and far into the future, for the person involved and for the whole world. In order to enable these positive things, for which the world was created, to exist, it is worthwhile to put up with things that are negative and even potentially corruptive. We should always look for that which is related, whether closely or distantly, to goodness and wisdom, and put up with the unwanted by-products.
Whoever has a more sensitive, broadminded spirit will find it easier to find the hidden good in everything that occurs around him, even if it is not done in the desired manner. Those who want to learn from the greatest scholars should always look for the good and just. These are the elements that highlight for man that the purpose of life is for goodness and straightness, justice and wisdom, and all pleasant things that elevate the spirit.
Two factors affect how this highlighting is done: humility/patience and exactness/impatience. The humble will see the full extent of the good in something, as part of a view that good pervades the world. Thereby, even distant and difficult things can be gathered in to relate to positive things in life. Kapdanut demands that everything in life should be focused exclusively on goodness and correctness. This attribute warns against stumbling by using tolerance to accept negative things because of elements of goodness that exist within them.
The Leader of All Actions planted great luminaries in every generation to teach mankind the proper path. He gave different inclinations to different great people, enabling them to lead their generations and future ones in a certain manner. Some gravitated toward a central approach within which kapdanut, including protesting against any wavering from proper behavior, is good. Others taught that if there is a kernel of goodness, all extraneous elements can be drawn over to good. The great Hillel and Shammai differed one from the other in this point. Hillel used humility to capture the idea that a small amount of quality of purpose of life can reign supreme. Shammai used kapdanutto follow the quantitative indications of whether something is good or not.
It is wrong to try to decide which one of these great people was better, which is like trying to decide between heat and light. Each one is crucial within its context. However, there are few people who can follow their path in life independently and properly. Most people have to follow a great role model. In this regard, Chazal taught us that humility is an intrinsically better approach than kapdanut, both in terms of absolute truth and in terms of positive influence on man. This is the proper approach even for one who is on a far lower level than Hillel, who can still bring peace to the world through his tolerance. Kapdanut can work for a great person who knows how to demonstrate exactly what the correct way of living is. However, a lesser person will not succeed, as he will be unable to distinguish what the exact right manner of living is and be unable to protest in the proper way. Thus, the kapdanut of a lesser person will ruin his own middot and harm peaceful relationships.
That is what the gemara means by a person should always …, meaning an average person, should follow Hillel’s humility. An average person must not, Heaven forbid, follow Shammai, whose approach was only good for people like him. Kapdanut must not be mimicked; tolerance may be.
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
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.
