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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
The Purity of a Bed
(condensed from Ein Ayah, Shabbat 8:33)
Gemara: Puria (a bed) relates to the place where peru u’revu (having children) is performed.
Ein Ayah: The ideal of increasing life, which is equivalent to bringing in the light of life, is the main foundation which gives the pure value to a life of sanctity (i.e., avoiding promiscuous activities). It is the matter of life that distinguishes between sanctity and impurity and between the purity of life and its defilement.
Spiritual pleasantness emanates from a lofty holy source, from the source of the light of life. This pleasantness is revealed in a holy soul according to its level of sanctity. This level of sanctity corresponds to the degree to which the ideal divine foundation is able to purify the coarseness of animalistic tendencies. The lofty goal of building the world in a light of benevolent giving (i.e., through procreation) draws along the fundamental force of the inclination toward sexuality, and this goal is able to sanctify the inclination.
Due to the above, a bed is given the association of the place where one is focused on the goal of procreating, not on his animalistic feelings.
Looking at the Full Empty Whole of the Hole
(condensed from Ein Ayah, Shabbat 8:34)
Gemara: A bor zinka (dried out water pit) represents the idea of bor zeh naki (this pit is clean).
Ein Ayah: Not always are lackings necessarily bad things. There are times that a lacking actually brings along higher levels or at least saves one from other lackings, and one should be aware of this.
One should always look with this type of positive outlook, which penetrates reality in the constant search for that which is good, even when a lacking is clear. When one expresses himself in a manner of taking this positive approach, he impacts the very concept of the search for goodness, as good speech translates into good thinking.
When a water pit is dry, it is basically a situation of lacking, and it is very understandable to just call it empty. However, a water pit is often very dear to people, as people enjoy it and drink its water. Therefore, when it ceases to pour forth its blessing, as its water has left it, we describe it in a manner that preserves its honor. We do this by finding something positive about the fact that it is empty.
Therefore, we say that the pit is clean. After all, when a water hole is full with water, there are also going to be muddiness and murkiness, and unhealthy things are likely to grow there. These things disappear when it is empty, as it can now be clean. That is an example of how the lacking can be positive, and can conjure up the idea of honor. This is appropriate according to the concept that one "should not throw unwanted things into the pit from which he drank."
This approach need not be limited to water holes. Rather, in all parallel matters in the course of life and morality, we should see the positive impact of things that have been emptied out. When the matter was beneficial at some time in the past, we should still refer to it in positive terms.
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.
