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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Beha'alotcha
At the end of Parshat B'reishit, when the Torah says "…and his days shall be one hundred and twenty years", it does not imply that one cannot live longer, since we see that even after the flood there were people who lived more than 120 years. The actual meaning is that the world will continue to exist another one hundred and twenty years until the flood.
In any case, the age of 120 is considered – in Judaism and universally – the age of peak perfection, probably because Moshe Rabenu lived 120 years: "And Moshe was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye had not dimmed, nor had his vitality abated".
Why is it that Moshe, specifically, achieved this "age of maximal perfection"?
Why don't human beings live forever?
One reason may be that people must clear a space for those succeeding them. While they are still alive, the next generation's ability to function and progress is limited.
In our weekly portion of B'Ha'alotcha the Torah says about Moshe Rabenu: "Now the man Moshe was exceedingly humble, more so than all men upon the face of the earth". Humility does not mean a lack of self-esteem. A truly humble person knows and realizes the value of what he is and does, but his aim is not personal success and achievement. His goal is the accomplishment and success of the mission. Therefore, he does not begrudge and is not jealous of others working towards the same goal. Quite the opposite, he is glad that the mission is advancing and succeeding! The paragon of true humility is one who knows how to give others a place.
Everyone should know how to give others a place, and do so, during their lifetime. However, the time comes when one must depart this world so others may have the opportunity to continue developing and improving the world.
Moshe was the most humble of all men. He did not encroach on anyone's territory, or tread on their toes. Rather, his attitude was: "Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would bestow His spirit upon them" (Bamidbar 11, 29). Such a person can indeed remain alive "tuntil one hundred and twenty", since his presence in the world enables others, too, to continue to develop personally, and advance the world towards its perfection.
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.