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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Va'era
Hashem tries to reassure Moshe by revealing the end of the story, telling him straight away that it will all turn out well. "I will rescue and redeem you; take you out of Egypt and into Israel," He promioses. You’d think that this would buoy Moshe up. And yet, even after hearing the good news, Moshe says: "If the Jewish People will not listen to me, then how can I, of ‘uncircumcised lips,’ possibly convince Paro?!"
Interestingly, G-d does not answer Moshe’s question directly. It could very well be that Moshe was speaking rhetorically, addressing not Hashem, but himself. He is humble – perhaps even to a fault - and so he doubts his own greatness, his ability to accomplish this most challenging of missions. He may also fear that as a prince of Egypt, the Israelites may look upon him not as a brother, a fellow Jew, but as "one of them," an agent of the Pharoah.
And so Hashem wisely addresses both these concerns by breaking into the narrative of the story and chronicling the lineage of Moshe. The next 13 p’sukim review just where Moshe comes from him, with specific emphasis on
the Tribe of Levi. By doing this, G-d is telling Moshe: "Do you think that your royal bearing derives from your connection to Batya and Paro?! No, you are indeed a prince, but not by virtue of Egypt! You are a Jewish prince! You are the offspring of the Avot and Imahot; you come from Levi, the spiritual center of the nation. That is who you are; you belong to the nation, and the nation belongs to you."
It is not by coincidence that Moshe keeps referring to "uncircumcised lips." A Brit/ circumcision, is the primary link between the generations. Indeed, say Chazal, it is only when a father brings his own son to be circumcised
that he affirms the brit that was once performed on him, when he was a baby, and so had no say in the matter. Therefore it is davka at the brit when, by tradition, the child’s name is given, further linking this newest member of our people to those who came before him.
It is also not by coincidence that we refer to Jewish circumcision by the term "Brit MILA." The word "mila," of course, also can mean "word." Our word is our bond; we declared from the very moment of our birth as a people that we would be loyal to Hashem, and He gave us his word that He would stand by us throughout history, come what may. It is this bond which strengthens Moshe; he now approaches Paro not as merely one, lone individual, but with a whole nation standing behind him.
So it is with the Jewish People; we are One continuum from Avraham to Moshiach - and beyond. So when we make national decisions, we must factor in our ancestors as well as our descendants. And when we face crises, we know that we never face them alone. That, and Hashem's promise to take us to our final destiny, is the real secret behind our strength and survival.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
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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.
