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Beit Midrash
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The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
שמחה בת חנה
The Midrash Aggada says that since Yosef was a king and Yehuda was a king, it was proper to send one king before another. The Midrash Hagdol says that since Yehuda had started with the mitzva of approaching Yosef, when pleading for Binyamin’s life, he should continue the mitzva. These explanations put the stress on the encounter between Yehuda, head of the delegation, and Yosef, the delegation’s host. Midrash Rabba, cited by Rashi, seems to take a different approach. It says that Yehuda had a specific task, to set up an academy for the study and teaching of Torah. What this approach does not explain is the choice of Yehuda. Isn’t it Levi (Devarim 33:10) and Shimon (Rashi on Bereishit 49:7) who are in charge of Torah education?
There need not be a contradiction between the explanations we have cited. Yehuda represented the Jewish people’s leadership and the initiative to accomplish daunting tasks for mitzva’s sake. He was, therefore, called upon to prepare and build the school system, which may have been staffed by his brothers. For fundamental, not only technical reasons, it is crucial that lay leaders take an active role in building Torah institutions. Torah centers cannot be seen as secluded ivory towers, of interest to the spiritual elite alone. The Yehudas of the world need to demonstrate that their leadership begins by ensuring that Torah flourishes and that those efforts are the foundation for the rest of their leadership responsibilities.
But we have still not explained Yosef’s role in this effort. One can say that he just provided the governmental approval for the building sites, but I believe that the answer is deeper. Yehuda represented leadership in the more insular community that the family had known and would someday know again. But as they approached the challenge of building a Torah center in Egypt, which could teach the developing nation how to implement eternal truths in new environs, Yehuda had to draw inspiration and learn strategies of how to survive in Egypt from Yosef. Yosef, who was able to apply the teachings of his father, the shepherd, to the halachic and moral dilemmas he faced as the ruler of the ancient world’s superpower, was the perfect advisor to Yehuda. Yet, in the final analysis, it was Yehuda who carried out the work with Yosef’s blessing and tutelage.
This ancient "triple thread" of Yosef, Yehuda, and Levi demonstrates the multi-faceted challenges of developing and running a Torah institution according to the needs of the time and the place. May all of the modern-day implementers of this lesson be successful in their holy tasks.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
