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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: When one comes to "wage war" against something bad, he naturally already recognizes that the bad thing is at hand and needs to be fought. However, sometimes the internal inclinations are not yet fully refined, so that the battle against the evil matter can actually strengthen the bad inclination to which the person is secretly susceptible. The way to protect oneself is to connect himself to an event in which the community recognized that the evil is indeed evil. The individual’s standing will be fortified by connecting to a strong communal stance. This is particularly effective when the bad and lowly matters come about because one has separated himself as an individual from others.
These sensitivities came to the fore when Bnei Yisrael fought the Midianites after the moral downfall the foreign women brought to them. It was apparent that an element of licentiousness was still connected to them. Moshe was angry at the officers, for it was their responsibility to combine the people as a community, which is more resistant to such inclinations, and protects even the individuals. Indeed Moshe had reason for concern that the people reverted to their previous moral lapse stemming from their bad inclination.
The answer, though, was clear. They declared that they had remained connected to the force of the community, and the joint act of war against those who had caused sin was morally successful. "There was no man who was missing." This was the assurance that no individuals had been negatively affected by that which the war brought to the fore because they remained as one holy unit.
Thought of Sin Even for those Fortified against Actions of Sin
(condensed from Ein Ayah, Shabbat 6:77)
Gemara: [The gemara continues:] Moshe said: If so, why do you need atonement? They answered: Although we escaped without sin, we did not escape without thoughts of sin. Right away, they said: "We shall bring a sacrifice to Hashem."
Ein Ayah: The community embraces within its midst the individual, whenever there is a direct connection between the individual and the community. The communal elements are more related to the actions that are taken. Actions are included in the life of the community, and individuals are set within this.
Thought, on the other hand, always goes along with one’s internal life, in which the individual is neither set within nor swept along by the community. Therefore, while the strength of the connection between people can protect every single person from actually sinning, even though his heart is not pure, it cannot prevent him from having sinful thoughts. Because these thoughts came about through waging war against evil, they can be fixed, and things connected to it can come to the Heaven as a sacrifice, which connects an emotion of sanctity to the negative matter.
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.
