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It is an enigma that defies logic. Other than Moshe – who got the word directly from Hashem – no one could figure it out, not even Shlomo HaMelech, by tradition the wisest of men. It is the puzzling paradox of the Para Aduma.
You take a red cow, you kill it, you mix its ashes with a few ingredients, you sprinkle it on those who came into contact with a corpse and walla! – they’re now Tahor, pure.
How can a dead animal, something which is inherently tamei, impure - and even makes its handler impure - cause someone else to become spiritually pristine?! It makes no sense! Great minds have pondered this question for millennia, and shrugged their shoulders with bewilderment.
But today, I think I finally figured it out.
As I write this, I have just returned from the homes of the Ariel and Mark families. Hallel Yaffa Ariel, a gifted, musical 13-year-old girl, was brutally murdered in her bed in Kiryat Arba by a 17-year Palestinian monster. "Not murdered," corrected her mother Rena, "slaughtered, stabbed 9 times, in the face, chest and heart as she slept in her bed!"
Michael (Miki) Mark of Otniel, father of 10 and charismatic educator, was killed near his home by Palestinian terrorists on erev Shabbat, in a drive-by shooting that also severely injured several of his family members.
When we walked into the Ariel shiva, Rena stood up and greeted us: "Celebrate life!" she said. "Hallel danced, she loved life; in her memory, bring life to the Jewish people, add life to our great country Israel, live life to the fullest!"
And in the Mark home, Miki’s beautiful daughter Orit, all of 15-years old, had a message for us as well: "Be strong! My father was strong; he never gave up or gave in. Now all of us – you and me – must stay strong and never let the murderers win! "
As I listened to these courageous women speak, I now understood the power, the secret of the Para Aduma: From the gross impurity of the animalistic terrorists, there emerges the pure and holy neshamot of their victims. A holiness and purity that is angelic, G-d – like, that contains within it the ability to purify a whole nation, to inject spirit and strength into all who come into contact with them. They are the Kohen! They have been touched by death, but now have the power to give life.
May these Kedoshim constitute the Para Aduma, the precursor and prerequisite for the building of the Bet HaMikdash, and may they M'taher the Jewish nation in preparation for the Geula Shlema.
Chukat Jewish Art – The Positive and Halachic Care
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: #158 – part II
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
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.
