YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: The purpose of afflictions, whether of the collective or the individual, is that they should help bring ethical improvement, whether in actions, emotions, or beliefs. It is as the pasuk says: "You returned man to difficulty and said: ‘Repent, people!’" (Tehillim 90:3).
Every phenomenon in creation has many elements to be contemplated, whether regarding its internal workings or how it interacts with the rest of the world. This applies to afflictions as well. Horrible diseases need to be contemplated in order that they can provide their full positive effect. The more an affliction attracts contemplation about its characteristics, the more it can bring ethical change.
Everything in the world is Hashem’s doing. It is fitting that people should improve their minds to discern the "word of Hashem" that is contained in each phenomenon, according to its prominence and its ability to improve the world in the most important way – ethically. All wonderful elements of creation must have an internal educational element for the mind and for the development of justice and kindness.
The consequences of askara, which was one of the most severe deadly diseases (see Berachot 8a) and impacted people so significantly, must have profound characteristics that deserve attention. Askara starts in internal organs and works its way to the outside of the body, finishing in the mouth. This hints that the sin that causes it [lashon hara ¬– see last week’s piece] starts within a person and finds expression in his external life. In the disease, the parts that precede the mouth are significant. So too, regarding the sin, internal factors that cause the sin to be perpetrated are critical to deal with.
Only great people in the generation who understand life by tapping into Hashem’s secrets can uncover the explanations that are capable of "scraping off the honey" from the horrible curse of askara. That is why the rabbis of Yavneh were asked the question about the disease, with confidence that they would have insight and help return the nation to the proper path. Why, people wanted to know, does askara start at the intestines and end in the mouth?
The Point of Practical Damage
(condensed from Ein Ayah, Shabbat 2:252)
Ein Ayah: The great evil of lashon hara is that it is hard to accept how damaging it can be. The reason that speech can be so ruthlessly effective in harming the object of slander is that speech is an incredible power of the internal spirit.
It starts with the "advice" that the kidneys give and the understanding of the heart as to how to promote the kidney’s idea and prepare the tongue to have the message impact on the one who listens. All of this is carried out with full force by the mouth.
The same is true of the disease that mirrors the sin. The main power of the disease relates to the place at which the main damage is done, in this case, the mouth, just as regarding the sin. Rabbi Yehuda, the expert on practical halacha, stressed to contemplate the point where things occur practically. He mentions the source of the problem but connects it to the final point.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
