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Yaakov Ben Behora
Upon waking, explains Rabbi Kook, one's heart is full of rapture due to the renewed encounter with God's great and bountiful creation. This leads to a feeling of exalted joy and a desire to express thanks to the Almighty for everything. The first word to come out of one's mouth is "thanks." Thank You. Thank God that He has restored my soul. This is how a person of faith awakes and begins his day - on an optimistic and joyful note, full of trust in the good and beneficent God. Such a person knows that God is the omnipotent Master of creation and that everything derives from Him.
A person of faith thanks God and blesses Him for everything. The first part of his daily agenda is prayer. The blessings in the prayer service give expression to our pondering of the Universe and its order. The blessing "He creates the constellations" expresses the vastness of God's creation: "How many are Your works, God; You made them all with wisdom, the earth is full of Your possessions," and God "renews every day, continually, the work of creation." How enormous and impressive are the constellations, the sun which renews its light for us daily. All of these things cause this blessing to burst forth from the depths of the heart, "Blessed are You...Who creates the constellations."
Foundations of Faith (51)
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
49 - 50. One Hundred Blessings
50 - 51. Beginning the Day
51 - Emuna From the Cradle
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After the blessing "He creates the constellations," which relates to God's creation, the supplicant is uplifted to an even higher level and recalls Israel's unique Divine greatness. This greatness is do to the fact that we are God's nation for whom God harbors an eternal love. This is why He drew us near to Him and gave us the Torah.
The Divine light which radiates from the Torah is incomparably loftier than the creation of the physical world. This is the backdrop to the blessing "An eternal love You have loved us, Lord our God." He has chosen us over all other nations. The world is renewed every day, and so is God's love for Israel - a new, vibrant, and burning love. This is what is felt by the believer, and he blesses God regarding this, saying, "Blessed are You...Who chooses His people Israel with love."
After these two blessings, the supplicant accepts upon himself the Yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. He is totally prepared to fulfill God's complete desire, no matter what this involves, and he will do this lovingly, wholeheartedly, and with complete self-sacrifice. He is ready to give all, as it is written, "with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your possessions."
This is the way a man of faith begins his day - with an all-encompassing vista of the world, life, and the Almighty Creator. It follows that his entire day possesses quality, ideals, and meaning. Rather than being gray, superficial, monotonous, and empty, his daily existence is profound, rich, and full.
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Some of the text in the above article is taken from or based upon Rabbi N. Daniel Korobkin's translation of The Kuzari (Jason Aronson Inc.).
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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.
