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The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
R. Avraham ben-tziyon ben shabtai
2. Greece against the Torah
3. The World's Nations and the Nation of Israel
4. The Stealing of the Torah
5. Different Periods
6. Light and Darkness Together
Introduction: Maimonides writes: 'During The Second Mikdash (Temple) when the Greek Empire ruled the world, they laid decree's upon the Jews, and did not allow them to learn Torah or keep the commandments. They also entered the Mikdash, caused damages and defiled it... God saw the suffering of the Jews and saved them in the hands of the sons of Hashmonai. They conquered the Greeks and returned the ruling to Jewish hands...for more than two hundred years when the Mikdash was destroyed' (68 A.D.) Maimonodies. The Greek ruler of the Land of Israel at the time was Antiyochus who ruled the Syrian Province. In memory of this great miracle we celebrate the eight days of Chanukah.
Greece and the Torah
The Talmud (Megilla 9) teaches that one may translate the Torah (only) into Greek. The Talmud learns this fact from the words 'Yaft God to Yefet and he shall dwell in Shem's tent' - the splendor of Yefet will reside in Shem's tent (Greece being a nation to come from Yefet and Israel a nation to come from Shem). Yefet's finest language is Greek.
Maimonides as well, asserts, that the Torah may be translated into Greek. He adds, though, that the original Greek has long since been forgotten.
We find several other quotes in the Talmud and in other sources describing Greece in a positive context.
It seems there is some connection between the Jewish and Greek ways of looking at life.
Greece against the Torah
On the other hand, our Rabbis teach us in other sources that 'Darkness - is Greece - that darkened Jewish eyes with its decree's. In the special prayer said on Chanukah ('Al Hanissim') one says, 'They who made an endeavor to cause the Jews to forget the Torah'. Harav Kook explains this prayer by saying that Greece tried harder than any other nation in order that the Jews should forget the Torah.
If so how does one explain these contradicting sources?
The World's Nations and the Nation of Israel
Maimonides (in Igeret Teiman - The Letter to Yemen) divides the relationship between Israel and the world's nations into three main periods: The era of Force, the era of Claims, The era of Similarity and Pretence. After the nations realized physical force (first era) would not beat the Jews, nor would the spiritual or philosophical claims (such as used by the Greeks) persuade them, they chose to use the Judaism itself against the Jews. The Christens and the Muslims pretended to be the ones to continue the Jewish belief.
The Stealing of the Torah
Our sages tell us about the Egyptian-Greek king Talmai. Talmai ruled the Egyptian Province of the Greek Empire. This king made a point of stealing the treasures of other cultures and to translate them into Greek so as to enrich the Greek Culture. This included stealing the Torah. Our sages tell us that the day the Torah was translated was a terrible day for the Jewish nation.
The world's nations recognize the importance of the Torah, but refuse to admit that the Torah is Israel's Torah. Therefore, they adjust the Torah to their needs and desires. Translating the Torah was part of the Greek Plan of imposing the Greek Culture - worldwide. If so, the actions taken by Talmai, king of the Egyptian Province, were similar to the actions taken by Antiyochus, the king of the Syrian Province.
Different Periods
The Talmud tells us a story of how them knowledge of the Greek Culture caused great trouble to the Jewish nation and from then on it was forbidden to teach or study the Greek Culture. We learn from this story there was a time when studying the Greek culture was allowed, only when it became clear the damage it can cause - was it forbidden.
If such was the case the historical explanation given by Maimonides is also understandable; The translation itself is allowed - but the language has been forgotten, had it not been forgotten it would have been forbidden.
Light and Darkness - Together
As previously mentioned, Greece belongs to the second era, the era of claims. These claims are ones that try to darken Jewish eyes. The translation of the Torah, though, moved Greece closer to being part of the similarity era. This Translation was in fact one of the main weapons used by the nation in their combat with the Jewish nation.
On the other hand, Harav Kook explains that we won two victories on Chanukah: We succeeded in stopping the Hellinism and we also managed to instill the Torah into the Greek culture. As a result of the translation the Greek philosophers - caused a revolution in the Greek Empire and preached about ethics and morals to the whole world.
Both of these victories bring us closer to the age when "All around will God's name be known".
If that is the case then we have light and darkness together, explaining the contradiction in the different quotes.
Rabbis in Midrash
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Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 2
The King of the Kazars, in his search for truth, starts by inviting the philosopher. This is a "crash-course" on Aristotelian philosophy and the reasons why the king is not convinced. Through this dialogue, R. Yehuda HaLevi already foreshadows some of his central ideas that will appear later.
Shavuot "Love of Torah = Love of Israel"- for Shavuot
People often identify Judaism as just a religion, but upon examination, we see, even halachically and explicitly in the siddur, that the Torah is dependent upon Am Yisrael, Jewish nationalism.
Ein Aya The Middle-Child & Anti-Tzni'ut Syndrome- Negative Attention
Although tzni'ut is for men just like women, Rav Kook deals here with the sources in Yishayahu and the Talmud which deals with the special problem of lack of tzni'ut in women's dress and actions, where it's not just a problem of midot and character traits, but also can include practical, social and national ramifications, as well, which caused the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash and exile from Israel. The class continues the previous one (Ayn Aya Shabbat vi, 29), and is a must for all educators and parents of high-school aged and young adults.
P'ninat Mishpat P'NINAT MISHPAT: A Mess of Loans, Repayments and Grievances – part II
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts