YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: A person of unusually great intellect cannot be compared, in terms of his emotions and knowledge, to normal people. He cannot even be compared to special people with straight hearts, even if they are among the wisest people of their generation, if the person in question is a giant among giants in his spiritual stature.
Such a giant will not be able to interact regularly with normal people because the latter’s average-level concepts pollute his spirit and lower its glow from its lofty level. Therefore, he is forced to choose a place for himself in which the average level of his counterparts will not be a burden to him. He also does not want his lofty and wondrous way of life to be mixed in among normal concepts even of those who are involved in Torah and in wisdom, but according to the levels that fit the generation and the times.
Such a great person cannot go along with set arrangements that are aligned with public leadership, amongst an assemblage of Torah scholars whose level is measured according to their influence on the people of their time. That is why Levi, the "great and tall man," stayed on the outside and only connected himself to another person of lofty intellect, with whom he was close enough to unite and develop great concepts together. This was Rav Chanina.
However, even Rav Chanina became inappropriate for Levi when he accepted upon himself the mantle of leadership of a broad group. He was forced, after all, to embrace a more normal level to which more people would be able to be drawn. The light from above which Rav Chanina was worthy of attaining had to give way to lesser levels in order to be able to improve the spiritual lot of the masses. Levi could then no longer join with him, as he did not fit in among such normal frameworks.
On the other hand, even someone as great as Levi needed to connect to other great spiritual powers and have his logic interact with that of another. Only when there is some level of contrast in thinking can someone like Levi increase the light and complete his wisdom in his understanding of godly matters. That is why, with no one to connect to in Eretz Yisrael, Levi came to Bavel. Such an elevated soul gives search for a place and a land in which the spiritual element that his soul needed was found. This internal recognition of a great person is inspired by a divine spirit to fulfill his great spiritual thirst. The greatest person who remained in that generation was Rav, who by this time had moved to Bavel. Indeed, Rav, who was close in spirit to Levi, was able to deduce what experiences Levi must have undergone in order to bring him to Rav’s courtyard.
Various Rabbis
Various Rabbis including those of of Yeshivat Bet El, such as Rabbi Chaim Katz, Rabbi Binyamin Bamberger and Rabbi Yitzchak Greenblat and others.
Moreshet Shaul Moreshet Shaul: A Crown and its Scepter – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 294-5
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
