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Beit Midrash
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The Rabbis interpret this pasuk as requiring us to have perfect faith in Hashem, trusting Him at all times to guide us in His wisdom and unerring accuracy. From here we derive that a visiting a fortune teller is prohibited by Halacha; we are told to overcome our natural inclination to know what the future holds for us. In fact, even a Navi, who may know what is to come, is not allowed to reveal that knowledge until and unless Hashem explicitly commands him to do so!
This seems a bit hard to understand: If G-d allows us the ability to view and remember the past - as Moshe Rabbeinu does all throughout Sefer D’varim – then why couldn’t He give us the power to also see into the future, as the prophets do? Wouldn’t this help us to
move forward, even with most difficult and challenging tasks, knowing that in the end we would be successful?
But this is exactly the point. If we were to see the future, we would hold back from attempting any endeavor that we knew would fail. We would forfeit the enterprise of "trial and error" that creates innovation and progress.
But more than that, it is the courage of taking risks, and often experiencing failure, that helps us to grow. If a baby knew that he would fall the first 1000 times he tried to walk, he would end up crawling his entire life. Hashem wants us to have faith, to dare to live up to His high standards, even if that requires patience, frustration and suffering. Even if it necessitates our stumbling and slipping along the way.
It is precisely because we don’t know what the future holds that creates challenge, determination, adventure and faith. Believing that Hashem walks with us, and will support us in difficult times, makes us spiritually healthy and humble at the very same time.
The past is vital to lighting our path. As in legal issues, it serves as a valuable precedent for us to learn from and use to our advantage as we go forward. But, as the well-known rhyme says, while the past is revealed History, the future must remain a Mystery, so that we can appreciate the Present for the gift it truly is.
The excitement of life comes each time we open that Present and dare to make each day count.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
