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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.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
