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Beit Midrash
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Our Sedra, clearly, revolves around the concept of Justice, with the 41 Mitzvot in the parsha covering a wide variety of scenarios: Setting up a proper court system; prohibiting bribes; appointing prophets, kings & Kohanim as arbiters of the law; punishing false witnesses; respecting an individual’s "space;" behaving decently during war-time; even treating fruit trees with care & concern are all part of the overall justice system.
Along with these many subjects is that of the Ir Miklat, the City of Refuge. Here, a man-slaughterer who killed by negligence (the classic example is a hunter who accidentally killed another hunter instead of an animal) would flee & reside therein in order to escape vengeance from the victim’s next-of-kin. (There were 6 such cities, including Chevron & Shechem in modern-day Israel).
On the surface, the concept of Ir Miklat seems to go against the overall trait-Mida of justice. Why would we countenance vigilantism? If the perpetrator is guilty of murder, then let him be executed. But if he is not, then why should a relative – though he is understandably upset ("his heart is hot," says the pasuk) – be permitted to take the law in his own hands & take another person’s life? Does the Torah really want to promote the "law of the jungle?"
The Torah, I suggest, is teaching us about the sanctity of life, & the need for ultimate justice to be carried out. Ever since Kayin killed Hevel, & Hashem declared, "the bloods (unborn descendants) of your brother cry out," it remains
a sacred principle that there must be expiation when a life is taken & future generations are prevented – even when the killing was not willful. Ideally, this should be the function of the courts, of the Shoftim & Shotrim who are mentioned in the very first pasuk.
But when that system breaks down & does not function as it should, the Torah allows for justice to come about via the direct involvement of the victim’s relatives. Not an absolute, unlicensed act of revenge, but only one carried
out through the specific medium of the Ir Miklat.
All of this should bring home to us the necessity of guarding life – ours & others - & reacting strongly & swiftly whenever innocent lives are endangered or taken. Freeing murderers, going soft on terrorists, accepting deadly acts as simply "part of the territory" not only commits the ultimate moral outrage, it is an affront to Hashem Himself, & cannot be tolerated in a just universe.
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.
