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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.
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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.
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.
