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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: Hashem’s opinion is, of course, inestimably higher than that of any human. Hashem determined that despite all the evil and lowliness that can come from concentration on mundane needs, when life, with its blemishes, proceeds according to the divine plan, light can come specifically through unsightly things. The light can expand to give meaning to such activities and provide light for righteous and straight-hearted people.
One should start with the highest level of sanctity applied to lowly elements of life to maintain them as is. Then, slowly and incrementally, one can purify matters until they eventually reach the goal that the Creator intended for them.
Hashem complained to Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar, who had not yet reached the level at which they were able to connect themselves on their high level to the low level at which simple people interact. This caused them to want to destroy the lower level so that they could build a higher level on top of the ruins. In fact, they should have strove to improve the world slowly until people’s lives would be perfected and evil would turn into good.
Therefore, they were told to return to the cave to go up to yet a higher level, so that they would have such wisdom and sanctity that they would be able to actually go down to the level of people leading a normal life and fix them the way Hashem wanted. This is in line with thep’sukim: "The world is built on kindness" (Tehillim 89:3) and "The world was not created to be void" (Yeshaya 45:18).
After twelve months, they felt that they had to reach the level of closeness to Hashem’s wisdom at which they would be able to find interest in improving life as simple people experience it despite their own lofty level. This is, after all, how Hashem wants the world to be – repaired according to His attributes.
In order for Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar to succeed in this task, they needed to change things in the very essence of their spirit. They had to take this outlook of raising life as is to a higher level without eradicating the present situation with some swift revolution, which requires the destruction of the world as we know it. Therefore, they were given the amount of time that it takes to fix the souls that have serious blemishes (in Gehinom) and to turn them into a new essence for the good.
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.
