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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Nitzavim
The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
Hana Bat Haim
The Torah seems to be telling us that success in proper service of Hashem is very easy. It’s close; it’s accessible; it’s within us. So why have so many of us, personally, and all of us, nationally, failed to reach the level that the Torah demands of us?
The gemara (Eruvin 54a) brings R. Yitzchak’s explanation of the last pasuk we quoted. It’s not that it is close to us and also in our mouth and our heart, all indications that Torah observance is easy. Rather R. Yitzchak tells us that it is close to us only when it is in our mouth and our heart. In other words, we have to do our part in order for spiritual success to be close to us.
Actually, the Torah does not say that teshuva or Torah is easy. It says that we do not require anyone to go to a distant place to bring it. It is accessible, but it requires skill to access it. The Me’am Loez illustrates this point with a parable. A king built a large tower and commanded one of his subjects to climb to its top. However, he locked all of the tower’s entrances. A wise man told the distraught subject as follows. "If the king told you to climb the tower, he must have given you the tools to do so. Use your head to figure out how to do it." The subject noticed a long ladder near the tower, with which he climbed into the tower and succeeded in his task. Indeed everything was close, but without the right approach, the job seemed undoable.
The gemara says that the mouth in the last pasuk refers to speaking the words of Torah. "... to do it" indicates that it is discussing practical mitzvot that need to be fulfilled. The order of the approach to the task is notable. Before one gets to "in your heart," one first needs to go through the mouth. In the first section of Shema, discussing love of Hashem, the Torah starts with the heart. Indeed, one can motivate himself to love Hashem directly through the heart. However, to be inspired to follow Hashem’s commandments, continuous study is a prerequisite.
So, as we use these crucial days to get closer to Hashem, we should realize that Hashem and his Torah are close. But we still need to plan our entrance to His palace and to obtain special "glasses" to see that which is right under our noses.
May we all find the inner strength to succeed individually and collectively and merit a successful new year.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
