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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
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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!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
