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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
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This phrase, this sentiment, perfectly describes Miriam, one of the great - maybe the greatest heroine - of the entire Egyptian saga. Miriam - a midwife (along with her mother Yocheved) who saved the newborn Hebrew boys from
being murdered by Paro’s assassins - literally "saw the unborn" as she delivered those babies. And while Miriam doesn’t always get the same "hype" as her older brothers Ahron & Moshe, she was the initial catalyst for all the miracles that were to characterize this wondrous "birthing" of our nation.
The Medrash recounts how Miriam boldly stood up to her father Amram, who had urged his fellow Israelites to refrain from having more children. "Why subject these innocents to a cruel death?" he had preached to the community, while he himself separated from wife Yocheved in the process.
But Miriam castigated his actions: "You are worse than Paro!" she sternly preached. "Paro decreed only against the males, while you decree against all the children! Paro deprived the babies of life in this world, while you deprive them of life both in this word and the next!"
And so Amram relented & withdrew his decree. This led to the birth of Moshe, who would go on to lead the nation, & put a stop to all the atrocities of Paro. In Hashem’s mastery of sweet irony, Moshe would be raised – even pampered – by the very same people who had sought his demise, as the very water of the Nile that was to be his deathbed came to be his river of salvation & deliverance.
Miriam’s courageous act teaches us several crucial lessons in life: Never give in to prophecies of doom & gloom, never give up on our faith in the eternity of the Jewish People. Moreover, be extremely wary of "making cheshbonot," i.e. plotting the course of human events as you think it will turn out. Human vision is mortal, & so by its very nature is "short-sighted;" it cannot fathom all the unexpected twists & turns that history invariably takes, confounding the well-intentioned calculations of the prognosticators, who more than not completely misread the tea leaves.
Most of all, never, ever discount the "G-d factor" that presides just beyond the curtain, meticulously moving the players on stage & directing - if not producing - the action. Where logic & knowledge end, there Emuna takes over.
Miriam gazed into the darkness & saw the light of new life. And where there is Life, there is always Hope.
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
