YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Family and Society
- Redemption - Geula
- Ways of Redemption
And indeed, the difference between Israel and the nations is not seen in these things. The thing that gives the Jewish people true individuality is the torah, the faith. The faith in the lord of the universe, its creator and its leader, the faith in one god is the thing that makes us unique. The torah is the one that makes an essential and absolute difference between Israel and the nations. And this difference makes the relations between Israel and the nations so complex and tangled. And the sages have already said – 'for what reason it is called the mount of Sinai? Because hatred (sinah) came down and filled the nations from that day on' (Shemot Rabbah 2:4). The meaning of this saying is that since the torah was given to the people of Israel, a huge gap was created between Israel and the nations. This is the origin of the tension, this the reason for the adoration and the hostility, both at once.
The whole world is looking for the true god, the god of Israel, but on the other hand, he cannot achieve the great level of the faith of Israel, which is beyond every realization. Many nations accepted Israel's belief in god, the belief in one god, but not completely, not in a pure way.
In this current era, when the time of the true verification of the faith is getting closer, when the Jewish people are coming back to their land, and their return to the land of Israel and to Jerusalem is announcing the victory of Israel's faith, right now, in this period, the complexity of the relations between Israel and the nations reaches its peak. On the one hand, appreciation and help, and on the other interruptions and delays, coming from a subconscious desire to prevent the full return of Israel to their land and to Jerusalem. The sages foresaw this situation, and so they said – in the days to come, meaning the days of the beginning of Israel's redemption, non-Jews will come to convert to Judaism (Avodah Zarah 3b), but we won't accept non-Jews in the days of the messiah, because it's not a true and honest conversion, they will only come because of Israel's success. However, those non-Jews, even though they are not accepted, are starting to fulfill mitzvot as if they were Jews; they put on tefillin, put Tzitzit in their clothes, and affix a Mezuzah in their doorposts.
But eventually, the success of Israel will increase the nations resistance to the Jewish people, to the point that all of the nations will resist and interrupt the actions of the Jewish people, and that will be the war of Gog and Magog. And in this hard time, that these converted non-Jews will see that the whole world is coming to fight Israel, they will instantly leave the Israeli nation and the mitzvot. Then god will sit down and laugh, because they don't know what is about to happen, they don't know that Gog and all of his soldiers are going to be fully defeated, and by that finally it will be clear, that the lord of Israel is the true god, and there is no other god but him.
The sages foresaw this situation. Out of their profound psychological perception, and out of their knowledge of the origin of these relations between Israel and the nations, they could have known that in the days to come the nations will aid us at first, but as we grow stronger, they will turn against us, and stand in our way. All of that is caused by this tricky situation of longing to the lord of Israel on one hand, and having difficulties accepting him on the other. Indeed 'He who is enthroned in heaven laughs' (Psalms 2:4), because the hour of the godly appearance, and the great clarification that god, the lord of Israel, is the true god, is getting closer.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
The Month of Elul TESHUVA IS THE ANSWER
The month of Elul serves as a vital time for self-reflection and personal accountability to prepare for true repentance.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
