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Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: The source of falling is the collapse of the spirit, as the intellect leaves him and his imagination sinks. It is as the pasuk says: "Israel abandoned goodness; the enemy will pursue" (Hoshea 8:3). The imagination lowers a person and the nation as a whole to a ditch, i.e., into dense materialism and its ugly and lowly tendencies. It is not the external perceptions that is dominant in its midst, as the pasuk says: "To the action of Hashem they did not look, and they did not see the work of His Hand" (Yeshaya 5:12). External imprints have their impact according to their natural ability to give light. They do not extend to revive the spirit and to spread light to the intellect and one’s personal attributes. [This is what the gemara means by that which comes in, comes in, and that which leaves leaves.] The results are similar to what one would expect. There is a lowliness of the spirit, fear of the enemy, hiding in a cave, and a lowly decision based on continual decline, due to fear of the enemy.
Imagination, which is from the outset the factor that causes people to abandon Hashem and the paths of straightness, itself becomes the medium through which punishment comes. It deepens the feelings of evil and increases the weakness of the spirit to the greatest degree. When something changes even in the slightest, it causes the whole world to turn around for him. Imagination is not like intellect, which can handle each new situation and conception throughout physical and spiritual life and use its strength to lead one in the proper and righteous path. In contrast, imagination is spoiled by a small wind; one murky idea can summon up many bad feelings and consequences. Thus, when one shoe was turned around, frightening and desperate decisions were made, and they believed that the enemies discovered them and were attacking.
Not only does the decision one comes to based on imagination tend toward bad, decline, and despair, but it actually causes the ruin of the person with the imagination. It does not allow the individual and the community to notice their situation and return to a higher level by using the intellect and morality to elevate them over the situation of lowliness and fight off the situation of difficulty. Rather imagination increases commotion and inner enmity and ends the glimmer of hope that the powers can be summoned to survive. This is the horrible tragedy of a person who causes more destruction to himself than any enemy. It all starts when he is removed from the light of the pure intellect and the lofty aura, the light of the G-d of truth. It causes him to embrace fleeting mistruths and improper personal attributes that stem from a bad imagination. It concretizes the bad thoughts with thick mud and with irremovable nails. "Your evil shall oppress you, and your iniquity will rebuke you; you shall know and see that it is bad and bitter that you left Hashem your G-d, and My fear is not upon you" (Yirmiya 2:19). Instead of a thought-out fear of Hashem, which puts the mind at ease and fixes every group that lost its moral content, the bad imagination creates extreme, purposeless fear. This pollutes the mind and increases commotion and self-destruction beyond what any enemy could accomplish.
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
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
