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Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Ki Tetze
Amalek’s strength is in his sword, in battle. Amalek seeks to nullify the significance of the spirit and to belittle it. War is his weapon, and we are to smite him with his own weapons. We are to show him that the power of the book has a positive impact even on our ability to hold the sword – "You shall wipe out."
Yet there is another intention. Some see this commandment as inconsistent with the attribute of mercy that we are supposed to have. The Torah is coming to instill in us that just as mercy is critical, so too, for the world to survive, there must be cruelty against the foundations of the corrupt. Misplaced mercy is itself the greatest cruelty. Do not think that if one shows Amalek the beauty of the Torah, he will be inspired to change his ways. This is a total mistake that will just boomerang back against us.
Therefore, "wipe out" without questioning or distinguishing. Amalek does not hate us because we lack a land. The Torah tells us that even when we are secure in our Land, the battle against Amalek will be very relevant. The more successful we will be, the more he will hate us.
On the other hand, the Torah is teaching us to remember that the battle against the forces of evil cannot be won with our own strength. At the end of the day, just based on nature, the expert of the sword will naturally defeat the expert of the book, no matter how much we practice military tactics. We must enlist the divine spirit which gets involved in all areas of life – the divine providence that is in every phenomenon. Wickedness is only one of the passing phenomena that Hashem deals with – "I [Hashem] will wipe out."
This is what Yehoshua should be told. Without knowing the Hand of Hashem is involved, he will not succeed. He is fighting a nation that is brought up with militarism from the cradle, to whom success on the battlefield and having dominion is everything. We are missing all of that. We are missing the ambition to win at war; we did not drink that in our mother’s milk. We did not learn to march to the beat of military songs. We cannot win unless we add to our strength, specifically by recognizing the divine correctness of the battle – "Hashem will wipe out." It is a mistake to think we will win by relying on our strength and that we will do better if we forget that Hashem is behind us.
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
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.