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Indeed, the patriarch Abraham was only made fit to receive the Divine influence after reaching the Land of Israel. Only when he was situated in Israel did God enter into a covenant with him—the Pact Between Halves (see Genesis 15).
The Rabbi said to the King: "Just consider the lengths to which the forefathers went in order to settle in the Land of Israel, despite the fact that it was then populated by idolaters. Consider how much they thirsted for the land when they were not there. They even went out of their way to make sure that their deceased bodies would be brought to Israel and buried there, as we find with Jacob and Joseph.
Foundations of Faith (51)
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
29 - 29. “You have shamed me, King of Khazar”
30 - 30. The Preeminence of the Holy Land (Continued)
31 - 31. Regarding the Holy Temple in Jerusalem
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"Even the nations of the world are aware of Israel's elevated status. In the past, they would send sacrifices to be offered up in the Holy Temple on their behalf. They would similarly request that prayers be recited for their sake in the same Holy Sanctuary. Even today, we find that people bestow abundant honor upon the land of Israel even though the Divine Presence no longer reveals itself there. To this day many religious sects make pilgrimages to Israel and harbor great affection for the land, as is well known.
"Because of the land's greatness, the Sages taught, 'All ascend to the land of Israel, but not all descend from it.' Accordingly, they concluded that if a woman does not agree to immigrate to Israel with her husband, she can be divorced and the husband need not provide her with what she ought to receive according to their marriage contract. The opposite is also true: if a man does not agree to immigrate to Israel with his wife, he must allow her to immigrate, present her with a bill of divorce, and give her whatever she deserves according to their marriage contract.
"They furthermore expressed Israel's superiority in a very emphatic manner, saying, 'Whoever lives in Israel is akin to one who has a God; whoever lives outside of Israel is akin to one who has no God.' Indeed, David, when he was forced to flee from the Land of Israel, said 'For they have exiled me from my attachment to God's inheritance, saying to him, "Worship other gods."
"Even just dying in the land of Israel is a great privilege. The Sages say that, 'Whoever is buried in the Land of Israel is considered as if he were buried under the altar [of the Holy Temple].' When Rabbi Haninah was asked if it is permissible to go abroad in order to fulfill the commandment of marrying a deceased brother's widow, he responded bitingly, 'His brother married a gentile? Blessed is He Who struck him down! Now he wants to leave Israel in his brothers footsteps?!'
"In other words, the behavior of the brother who left Israel and got married abroad was so inexcusable that he was seen to have married a gentile. It was thus inconceivable that his brother should leave Israel in order to marry his widow.
"In addition, the Sages forbade selling land in Israel to a gentile. They also taught that 'the air in Israel makes one wise,' and that whoever walks four cubits in the land of Israel is guaranteed a place in the World to Come."
These, then, are more of the positive traits that the Rabbi related to the King of the Khazars regarding the Land of Israel.
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.
