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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: There is a "measure and weight" for everything. There is a special value for spiritual actions when an individual stands by himself and is able to make himself recognizable as a unique spiritual force. There is also a value for a great individual to be included and subsumed within a community. Even though that will cause him to somewhat lessen his unique characteristics, there are advantages to this lessening, as it allows him to join a larger whole. This allows the elevated spirituality of the lofty soul to enter inside the soul of the community and give it life and energy.
The critical determination of which of these approaches, the growth as an individual or the joining of a group, that a great person is to take requires connection to the secrets of the world. One determining factor is whether there are facilitators within the community to enable the inclusion of the great individual. Another is whether there is anything that stands up as an obstacle to the individual growth of the great individual, which can potentially be equal to a full world.
Levi was able to use the partnership with Rav Chanina to elevate himself in the bright light of wisdom and great and holy peaks of holy emotions. When Rav Chanina became unavailable to him, this changed his plans. Rabbi Affes was of a very high level, so much so that even if he had to lower himself when he took responsibility for the broader community so that lower-level people could relate to him, he was still able to greatly elevate those around him with the great light that flowed from him.
Levi decided that if he had the opportunity to connect himself to the great Rav Chanina, this would justify his staying out of the circle of leadership of the broad community, which allowed him to be on a high level. The joining together of the two would allow them to be a unit that remained separate from the general society. However, if staying out would require being alone, then it would have been worthwhile to join the leadership – while it was led by Rabbi Affes.
However, since this was not possible, Levi came to Bavel in search of joining with the highest level of spiritual/intellectual partnership. With Rav, he could join in a manner that would elevate the community. Fortunate was the generation that had such bright lights illuminating it, who were able to influence their surroundings even more by their special characteristics than by their actions.
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.
