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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.
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.
