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Beit Midrash
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- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Vayikra
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in and of itself. A special Shofar blast was sounded, on Yom Kippur, signaling the advent of Yovel, and in this 50th year, all the laws of Shemita continued to be observed in full.
But while Shemita remains an active Mitzva even in our own day, Yovel has been lost to us. Some say Yovel was discontinued when the 10 tribes of Israel were exiled (since Yovel depended on ALL the nation observing the
occasion); others say it ended when the Sanhedrin was dissolved, following the second Temple’s destruction.
The word "Yovel" actually means "ram" or "ram’s horn;" but Ramban defines it as "movement" (as in the modern Hebrew word, "hovala," a moving company). The word "Jubilee" connects to "jubilation," the joyous celebration of families when their ancestral land would be returned to them, which was the primary centerpiece of the Yovel phenomenon.
But is Yovel truly, irreparably gone forever more?
The pasuk tells us that when Yovel occurred, "Freedom was declared throughout the land; each man shall return to his heritage, each person shall return to his family." (25:10). The Torah then immediately ordains that "a man
shall not harm his fellow-man….you shall fear G-d and you shall follow G-d’s laws - both those that you rationally understand and those which you don’t - and you shall dwell securely on your land, which I, Hashem, shall bless."
I suggest that the Torah is telling us that even when Yovel cannot be observed in its literal fashion, it can still be kept in a spiritual way. If we decide to re-order our approach to others by treating them well, if we reconnect
to our family, if we return to our Jewish heritage, then we create a kind of "virtual Yovel!" If it is a shipur, an improvement (as in the word, "shofar); a "movement" towards Hashem, then indeed it is a "jubilation" that will
surely bring us bracha.
All our blessings are intertwined with the Land of Israel. And so consider: In 1917 – the first "modern Yovel?" – the Balfour Declaration affirmed our right to the land, ushering in an age of Jewish freedom, unprecedented in
2000 years. 50 years later, in 1967, we reunited Yerushalayim as our eternal capital and recaptured our holy places. And now, another 50 years on, we stand at the brink of another Yovel, as our great country gathers in the
exiled of our people and we take our place as a preeminent nation among the world’s nations. Shall we not be jubilant?!
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.
