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Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Bamidbar
Hoshea was commanded to do extremely difficult things: 1. He was to marry a zona and have children of questionable standing (Hoshea 1:2), as a metaphor for the spiritual adultery of the nation. 2. He was to rebuke the people by comparing them to an adulteress (ibid. 2:4,7). 3. He was to compare the people to a woman who receives pay for her promiscuous actions (ibid. 14).
The followers of the Ba’al believed that the more they engaged in promiscuity, the more rain would fall and produce would flourish. Thus, a solution for the sinful nation was to return the nation to the desert, a place where rain is pointless, as nothing grows there anyway. When Bnei Yisrael left Egypt, they lived in the desert, where they were purified of sin and accepted the Torah.
When they entered the Land, the first place they were to conquer was Yericho, a city with a famous house of the zona Rachav. The goal was to make Rachav repent and destroy the city. The ruins of Yericho were a public statement: "We, Bnei Yisrael, entered our Land in order to demonstrate that we are a holy nation." The one who misappropriated the remains of Yericho was Achan. Yehoshua took him to be executed and called him an ocher (one who polluted the nation) and named the place of his execution: Emek Achor (Yehoshua 7:24-6).
The optimistic conclusion of the prophecy of the haftara (Hoshea 2:17-22) is that Hashem will appease us after our separation from Him, return us (like Hoshea’s wife) from the desert, and turn Emek Achor into petach tikva (the opening of hope). There is a linguistic hint (too difficult to transmit in English) that the idol Annat will be replaced by Miriam. The section ends with the p’sukim we say when we wrap the tefillin’s retzuot around our fingers – "I will betroth you forever …" The relationship between Hashem and Bnei Yisrael will be like that of husband and wife. This is why the Rabbis chose these p’sukim to represent the closeness to Hashem that we should feel when putting on tefillin.
More than a century ago, pioneers from Jerusalem decided to build an agricultural settlement near the location of the original Emek Achor (in the desert near Yericho) and call it Petach Tikva in order to fulfill the prophecy of Hoshea. After bitter failure, they used their great dedication to build, on swamps along the Yarkon River, what is now an important city in Israel.
May all positive elements of Hoshea’s prophecy be fulfilled in our days!
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
