Beit Midrash

  • Jewish Laws and Thoughts
  • Foundations of Faith
קטגוריה משנית
To dedicate this lesson

The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of

Simha bat Hana

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The Jewish people's ability to survive for thousands of years, despite all of the hardships, bears out the fact that they possess a mighty spiritual foundation that can endure the stormiest of winds. This foundation gives them the strength to stand up to the most trying circumstances, any spiritual crises, to face the long and difficult exile, the dispersion, spiritual confusion. The Jewish people have experienced all of this and have nevertheless managed to survive.

If any other nation had gone through what we did, they would have assimilated and disappeared. Indeed, a number of nations that rose to greatness after Israel have disappeared and nothing remains of them: Moab, Amon, Aram, Philistine, Kasdim, Median, Persia, Greece, and many more. The King of the Khazars acknowledges all of this, and the Rabbi continues to explain: what element is it that keeps the Jewish people going under all circumstances? Answer: the covenant which God made with the Jewish people. In fact, God entered into four covenants with Israel.

The first was the covenant of circumcision, as it is written, "My covenant shall be on your skin as an eternal pact." Second, the Sabbath, for the Sabbath too was given as an indication on a covenant, as it is written, "For it is a sign between Myself and you for your generations." In addition, it is written, "The children of Israel kept the Sabbath...an eternal covenant between Myself and the children of Israel, an eternal sign."

Third and fourth, the covenant of the Patriarchs and the covenant of the Torah. The covenant of the Torah is that which God made with us at Mount Sinai and then on the Plains of Moab before our entrance into to the Land of Israel. Reward and punishment are dependent upon it, exile and redemption, the punishment of exile, and after this, emerging from this, redemption and repentance: "Even if your dispersed are at the far ends of the heavens I will gather you from there, and you shall return to God your Lord and abide by His word." These covenants, which God made with us and our forefathers, cannot be breached. They cannot be nullified and they continue forever, eternally.

Therefore, it has never been possible to liken us to a "dead" nation, even when we had reached the most terrible depths. We could not be considered dead, but we could have been compared to a mortally sick person, afflicted with tuberculosis, a patient whom all of the doctors have given up hope of curing. The doctors gave up hope but the patient still believes that he will be miraculously cured.

This is reminiscent of the miracle regarding which the verse states, "These bones will come to life," or like the allegory mentioned by Isaiah the Prophet, "Behold, my servant shall prosper" (Isaiah 52:13). There the prophet describes the terrible situation of the Jewish people who are overcome with despair as a result of the exile. The prophet likewise describes the inconceivable redemption that is to follow.

According to Isaiah (ch. 53), Israel "has no form nor comeliness" - it is impossible to gaze upon him because of his strange and repulsive appearance. "He was despised and rejected of men; a man of pains and acquainted with sickness, and we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not."

Yet, this despised and rejected person... "behold, my servant shall prosper. He shall be exalted and extolled." And just as they stood gazing mercifully and despairingly upon Israel in this downtrodden state, so will they be amazed and not believe their eyes when they witness Israel's future exaltation in redemption. Then it will be known to all that Israel's suffering had an important role in the rectification of the world: "But in truth he has born our sickness and endured our pains. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."

This is what the Rabbi had to say to the King of the Khazars regarding the secret of Jewish survival.


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Lessons
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    Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
  • Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira
    Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira
  • Rabbi Chaim Drukman
    Rabbi Chaim Drukman
  • Rabbi Ya'akov Shapira
    Rabbi Ya'akov Shapira
  • Rabbi Hershel Schachter
    Rabbi Hershel Schachter
  • Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli zt"l
    Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli zt"l
  • Rabbi Chaim Avihau Schwartz
    Rabbi Chaim Avihau Schwartz
  • Rabbi Mordechai Sternberg zt"l
    Rabbi Mordechai Sternberg zt"l
  • Rabbi S. Yossef Weitzen
    Rabbi S. Yossef Weitzen
  • Rabbi Shimon Klein
    Rabbi Shimon Klein
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    Yitro

    Only Those Who Live In The Land Love G-d

    The Torah threatens punishment for idol-worshipers that is only 1/500th of the reward that the righteous will receive: "Concerning My enemies, I keep in mind the fathers' sins for their descendants, [only] to the 3rd and 4th generations. But for those who love Me and keep My commandments, I show love for [at least two] thousands of generations" (Sh'mot 20,5-6). The punishment is for four generations, and the reward for 2,000 generations. But the question we would like to address is: Why are the righteous termed both "those who love Me" and "those who keep My commandments?" Is not one enough?

    Rabbi Moshe Tzuriel | Shvat 19 5783
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    3 min
    Shlach Lecha

    For God's Sake Don't Go To Israel

    Israel National Torah

    Clarifying the spies' argument for not entering the Land of Israel...and then clarifying why it's so important to enter the Land anyway.

    Baruch Gordon | Sivan 19 5780
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    Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions

    Serving as Chazan on the Shabbat Before a Yahrtzeit

    How important is it for someone to be chazan on the Shabbat before a yahrtzeit? Is it is just for parents, or also grandparents/in laws? Some people in my [the rabbi] shul feel that people use it as an excuse to “grab the amud.”

    Rabbi Daniel Mann | Tevet 2 5777
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    Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions

    How Many Eggs Should be Boiled Together?

    When making hardboiled eggs, may one cook one or two eggs or must there be at least three? Also, does it make a difference if there is an even or odd number

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    P'ninat Mishpat

    Introduction and Biography of the Noda B’Yehuda

    After an extended period of presenting ideas of the Chatam Sofer on monetary disputes, we move on to a shorter series on the works of Rav Yechezkel Segal Landau, often called the Noda B’yehuda. (Although Rav Landau served as a dayan for many years, poskim do not usually publicize their rulings on cases in which they served as a dayan, but on questions asked by other rabbis. The Noda B’yehuda did not include many such cases in his reponsa.) Many view the Chatam Sofer and the Noda B’Yehuda as two of a kind. They were in the same basic time period (Rav Landau was around 50 years older), they were important rabbis of important communities at critical times, and the works of each are among the most respected and quoted by Acharonim.

    Various Rabbis | Tevet 8 5776
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    Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions

    Working in a Non-Kosher Establishment

    Rabbi Daniel Mann | Sivan 14 5775
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    Prayer

    Birkot HaShachar – The Morning Blessings

    Chapter nine-part one

    Chapter nine-part one

    Rabbi Eliezer Melamed | 5775
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    Jewish Holidays

    The Twentieth of Sivan

    "I noticed that the back of my siddur contains a large section devoted to selichos for the 20th of Sivan, yet I have never davened in a shul that observed this day. What does this date commemorate?"

    Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | Sivan 17 5780
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    Additional Lessons

    The Laws of Tumas Meis

    When the Beis Hamikdash is rebuilt, bimheirah beyameinu, the laws of tumah will affect us all, since we will be required to be tahor in order to enter the Beis Hamikdash, to eat korbanos and maaser sheini, and in order to separate challah and terumah.

    Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | 5772
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    Basics of Financial Laws

    How Does a Heter Iska Work?

    What is the prohibition of "Ribbit"? who does it apply on? How does the "Heter Iska" bypass the prohibition? and more...

    Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | 5770
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    Marriage and Relationships

    Relationships during the Time of Engagement

    A young engaged man and his fiancée naturally have very strong feelings for each other. It goes without saying that these will be expressed after the wedding, but what expression, if any, is permitted in the meantime? And while we're on the subject, is the attraction of men and women to each other really a good thing to begin with?

    Rabbi Elyakim Levanon | 5770
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    Other Great Leaders

    That a Cohen May Not Marry a Divorcee

    A few days later, a royal emissary of the Empress Maria Teresa appeared at the rabbi’s home. The surprised rabbi realized that the wealthy Jew had broken the convention by which Jews did not involve non-Jews in their inner disputes. He had no choice.

    Rabbi Shmuel Holshtein | 5769
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