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Beit Midrash
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Ein Ayah: This gemara teaches a nice moral insight related to the nature of protecting the body. It is more important to bathe in hot water for the purpose of protecting the body than for adorning himself externally. This makes one realize that external cleansing as a way to remove dirt from one’s exterior also requires that he clean his spirit, including purifying his heart from unseemly thoughts and his mind from problematic imagination.
One should always, including for external matters, turn toward the internal benefit he can receive from the matter. Then he will always choose for himself a beneficial approach to life. When focused on the internal, better things result, even in external matters, than if he intended only to improve the external. The appropriate metaphor for this is heating the oven. Heating it on the inside is more effective not only for heating the inside but even for heating the outside.
When a person loves and respects his spirit, despite the fact that he is too close to himself to be objective, this enables him to build the foundation of treating others properly. When one spreads out his efforts towards others, this behavior actually includes an element of crude love for himself, as he wants that all should love and respect him. This will not bring the desired result, as he will remain a slave to the masses without a healthy spirit in his own midst.
Regarding protecting one’s body, which relates both to the external and the internal, Hashem put into nature things that bring benefit in a way that trains people to put the emphasis on the internal. This fact should serve as the basis for concluding that the preference of the internal that he sees in nature is true also for the spiritual world. It is unwise to just bathe in hot water and not drink hot water or to heat an oven from the outside – [in the literal and metaphorical senses.]
Flexibility Until the Time for Rigidity
(condensed from Ein Ayah, Shabbat 3:7)
Gemara: If one washed in hot water and did not rinse with cold water, it is like iron put into a furnace but not followed by cold water (the latter finishes the strengthening process - Rashi).
Ein Ayah: Two powers come together in a person’s physical and spiritual structure. One is the power of action, which causes him to gain new attainments. This brings new powers and new materials to replace those that are no longer effective for their intended purposes. The second power is that of preservation, which stores that which was already gained.
One who wants to gain must be ready for changes, flexibility, and dynamism. For preservation, one must be ready for materials becoming firm. Bathing in hot water softens the body and prepares it to be more responsive to the power of life that rules it. It is excellent for the metabolism and the renewal of one’s energy. On the other hand, a person needs to create within himself the power of preserving, so that he not be too prone to softness and exaggerated metabolism. Therefore, rinsing in cold water is important. This idea has parallels in the spiritual realm.
This is similar to working with metal. Putting it in the furnace enables it to be made into a utensil. Preserving what was done, though, requires an opposite process – putting it into water, which allows the form created by the heat to be functional. Not surprisingly, opposite powers work together to reach a goal. "Everything goes to one place, and all was given by one shepherd."
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
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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.
