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Beit Midrash
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- Shmot
- Shmot
The names of Yakov’s children? We covered that before, way back in Vayishlach (35:23-27). The number of people who came down to Egypt? Learned that in Vayigash 46:8-27). And the death of Yosef? You remember that – it was just last week that we read it in Parshat Vayechi (50:26)! So why is all this information being repeated?! I’d have thought that Parshat Shmot should begin with pasuk 8, "And a new king arose in Egypt that did not know Yosef."Why would the Torah uncharacteristically repeat itself in these first 7 verses? What message is being sent to us?
The Book of Shmot is truly a new chapter in Jewish history. After centuries of focusing Am Yisrael around powerful personalities – Avraham, Sara, Yitzchak, Rivka, Yakov, Rachel, Leah & Yosef – we now are moving away from the individual & entering Nation-mode, where the collective will take precedence over the individual. Indeed, the first 8 1/2 p’sukim in chapter 2, describing the birth of Moshe & his adoption by Paro’s daughter, will be conspicuously marked by a lack of names. No less than 8 pronouns are used in order to mask the characters: Man, woman, daughter, sister, son, mother, nurse & child, instead of Amram, Yocheved, Miriam, Batya & Moshe.
But, I suggest, that puzzling preamble to the story - those first 7 p’sukim that names names - is the Torah’s way of telling us that before we can make that necessary, inevitable move into Peoplehood, we must remember from where we came & who we are. We must never allow our identities to vanish into oblivion; our names represent both the greatness of our past – that is why we are called to the Torah or blessed with health using both our own name & that of a parent – as well as our own personal, intrinsic nature & essence.
Our name defines our soul, & that is why the word Shem-name is the center of the word Neshama-soul.
Governments, especially tyrannical ones, often seek to de-humanize its subjects by replacing their names with a number, or a catch-word. The Nazis, of course, assigned numbers to their victims; the Communists called everyone"Comrade;" even the British Secret Service hid their agents’ identities behind code-words like "M" or "007." But our Bond (pun intended) with our history & forebears is not only what led us to this point – whatever point we are currently at – it defines our Mesora & our mission.
Want to know what brings Redemption? Just name it.
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.
