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Beit Midrash
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- Vayikra
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The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
R. Avraham ben-tziyon ben shabtai
2. Holiness Fosters Mitzvoth
3. The Earth is the Lord's
Shmitta - Incumbent on the Person or the Land?
Of late some have asked the question as to whether the halachot of the Shmitta or Sabbatical year in Eretz Yisrael relate to the land itself or whether they are obligations on the person. From the Torah’s terminology, "the Land should have a rest (Shabbat) for God," - it would seem that the land itself requires a "rest." This issue has important legal ramifications: If the prohibited labors during Shmitta are directed at the Jew, one who instructs his non-Jewish worker to work his field has transgressed only a rabbinic prohibition; if, on the other hand, we are obliged to let the land itself rest, then one who hires a non-Jewish worker during Shmitta has transgressed a Torah prohibition - since, after all, the Land is not resting! The Minchat Chinuch discusses this matter and concludes that our main obligation is to let the land rest during Shmitta. According to this formulation, the Land of Israel has intrinsic holiness, and the mitzvoth (commandments) associated with the land are indicative of this holiness. Because of Eretz Yisrael’s holiness, the Master of the Universe commanded us to perform special commandments with regards to the land. Some mistakenly believe the opposite: namely, that the mitzvoth of the land give Eretz Yisrael its holiness.
Holiness Fosters Mitzvoth
The same principle applies to the Kohanim (Priests), whose special mitzvoth do not give them sanctity, but are rather a manifestation of their inherent sanctity. This holiness reflects itself in the need for the Kohen to refrain from confronting situations of ritual impurity and in the prohibition of him marrying a divorcee. Similarly, the holiness of the Land of Israel does not diminish in periods during which it is impossible to fulfill certain mitzvoth, since the land’s holiness is independent of those mitzvoth. Obviously, the more we perform mitzvoth of the Land, the more its holiness becomes apparent.
Since Eretz Yisrael’s holiness is inherent, many scholars assert that the mitzvah of dwelling in the Land is independent of its various special mitzvoth. The mitzvah of separating a portion of "Challah" from one’s dough (to be a Torah obligation, most Jews must be living in Eretz Yisrael), the mitzvoth of tithes, which according to the Rambam, are also contingent on most Jews living in Israel - are all not obligatory according to Torah law at present. Yet, the mitzvah of living in Israel remains intact.
The Earth is the Lord's
These matters are very straightforward, and this is probably why we rarely discuss them. Still, it is advisable to regularly review and deepen our understanding of them. We should study Israel’s holiness more intensely than ever - with a special accent on our Torah portion. Parshat Behar speaks in great depth about the mitzvoth of the land. In fact, Parshat Behar teaches us that everything is in God’s domain. Land, people, money - literally, everything! "The Land will not be sold for eternity," states the verse in Vayikra, "because I own the entire Land." The laws of Shmitta are not so much there to teach us the limitations on working the land in the seventh year, but rather to inform us that we are permitted to work the land in other years. The Land is God’s; He gave it to us as a "deposit" - with certain conditions. He allows us to work on the land for six years, but forbids us to do so in the seventh. God, as "Master of the House" - also forbids working the land in the fiftieth Jubilee year, or selling a piece of land forever. The land can be sold for only a set period of time, since it must remain divisible into the units designated by the Creator when the Jewish people entered the land.
Each time we partake of something in this world, we are using "God’s property." One who benefits from this world without permission is guilty of "Me’ila" - or misappropriation - of holy property. Blessings on food permit one to partake of this world. The Talmud in Berachot cites the verse "Hashem possesses the Land and everything in it" as referring the relationship between man and the world before one makes a blessing on food. After saying a blessing, the verse "the land was given over to man" is the rule of the day. Everything is Hashem’s. A person cannot even sell himself as a slave unless he has the permission of God - and even then, for a very short time. "They are my servants and not the servants of servants," says God.
We have spoken in the past of how after we liberated the Land of Israel and freed ourselves from the non-Jewish domination of the land, our service of God has changed as a result. We are no longer servants; no more are we subject to the burden of the rule of other nations, and our acceptance of the yoke of Heaven is now in our own hands. It is clear why we mention the theme of learning Torah as an introduction to Kriat Shma; when we ask God "to put into our hearts the ability to understand and comprehend, to listen, to learn and to teach, etc." But why do we mention the theme of Geulah - or redemption - prior to Shma? The answer: It is impossible to fully accept the yoke of Heaven upon ourselves as long as we are overwhelmed by pressures and influences of foreign powers. Therefore, before Shma - the acceptance of the kingdom of Heaven - we must pray to be relieved of the burden of non-Jewish nations, to be fully returned to our land.
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
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.