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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: The good inclination of a proper spirit will often lead a person to the straight path even in matters that he did not learn how to do properly. Such a person will not be able to be truly exact in his actions, which can only be accomplished when instructed by the Torah. However, he will not stray by much, and even the mistakes, since they come from a pure spirit due to lack of study, will have a moral value. Thus, there is a difference between someone with good moral powers for goodness and sanctity but who is only missing the light of Torah and one who innately is deep in evil powers, which lead him away from goodness.
When the two types of people improve their actions due to the light of the Torah and become new people, there will be a difference between them. For one whose whole life was corrupt at its core, when he sees the light, his main purpose is to erase the past. If his activity was very broad, as a king’s would be, he will try to uproot the influences of his actions from the dark period and plant new ones that will straighten all that was corrupt.
This is different from one who was always sincere and who was guided by morality, even though he was missing the light of Torah and therefore walked in darkness in his own life and his impact on others. He should not try to erase the past but to improve and enlighten it. He should expand and develop what he did based on the depth of the divine light of the Torah of truth.
We are told about Yoshiyahu that his path was always like that of his father David, a great spirit crowned with grandeur. Hashem was always before him, even before he learned the detailed blueprint for proper life. Even his mistakes, although they needed to be fixed, left a positive imprint because they contained elements of light and general justice.
This is what R. Yonatan meant when saying Yoshiyahu had not sinned, as he had not sinned in a broad moral sense. Therefore, he did not have to uproot that which he built or totally change his approach, which was a good one. Rather, he took noble steps to fix the mistakes with kindness and greatness without undoing the past. That is why he did not return the money from one litigant to the other, which would undo the whole previous ruling that had been based on a pursuit of justice. He just needed to fix the blemishes that affected individuals. The word of a king is dominion (see Kohelet 8:4). Rather he gave money on an individual basis from kol me’odo, his own resources, which he used to reimburse those who lost due to his mistakes.
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
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.
