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Beit Midrash
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On the other hand, even if you succeeded yesterday and you climbed rung after rung on the ladder of becoming a complete human being, you should not fall asleep on your watch. Do not rely on the beat to keep playing. Do not be satisfied by the past, as wonderful as it may have been, because today there is a curse standing there before you.
How does one measure blessing and curses? Is it based on what one sees during his lifetime, whether it be 70 or 80 years? That is hard to claim, because Hashem has His ways of running the world. There are times that one goes through a rough but worthwhile cleansing of his sins. There are all sorts of forms through which one is punished for his actions. This is thus not the way to measure true blessing and curses. It is as it says in the Sifrei (R’ei 53) about our question: There is a parable of two paths. One has thorns in the beginning and is straight and clear at the end. The other is the opposite. Since life is eternal, the years of life that we see in this world, are like the equivalent of two or three days. On any given day, one could experience this path or that path or both.
There is an old disagreement among philosophers. Some look at the world and see everything in rosy colors; they also see man as a being who is naturally all good. They claim that if we would allow a person to develop according to his natural characteristics, the perfect person would emerge. The whole tragedy of our imperfect world is that the conditions of life get a person used to doing bad things.
There is another outlook that is diametrically opposed. "The nature of a person’s heart is bad from his youth"; "There is no one who does good." Such observers always push themselves to find that which is negative.
The Torah goes in the middle between these outlooks. It views man as harboring both elements within his midst. Whether he clasps onto good or evil is for him to choose. True, the Torah does say "The nature of a person’s heart is bad from his youth" (Bereishit 8:21). But it also says that "man was created in the image of Hashem" (ibid. 9:6). Therefore, we never give up on a person. We believe that he has great moral and spiritual powers. "Today, there is blessing." On the other hand, we are always suspicious of a person’s prospects and must always be morally vigilant – "Do not believe in yourself until the day that you die" (Avot 2:4).
Between these two extremes, good and bad, a person’s life is a perpetual battle to maintain his level. He needs to see this and know this … and come to the right conclusions.
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.
