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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: There are sometimes thoughts, feelings, and inclinations of the heart that emanate from holiness, from a person’s connection to the true G-d who created us all and is Master of our soul and our body, but they are taken to foreign places. When this happens, these thoughts spread all over the place, exploding in the light of every fleeting inclination, in a manner that is no longer connected to holy purposes. This spreading out to all places makes the original root of the inclinations foreign to their original nature and ultimately destructive. It turns light into darkness and the words of the living G-d into words of emptiness and of a negative spirit, of evil, and even of the roots of murder, with one person taking dominion over another to cause damage.
When the possessors of such ruined ideas feel that they have trouble fitting into the Jewish community and separate themselves, one should not close the door on them. It may be enough for them to have the impurities removed from them. However, as long as they have left and are on the outside and oppose matters of sanctity that are part and parcel of the purity and sanctity of Israel, they should not yet be invited in. They have been deemed defiled by leaving the sanctums of Israel. Were they to come in, they would defile the encampment and desecrate that which is holy.
This is what happens in regard to idol worship, which is always rooted in people seeking sanctity but is greatly lowered when they encounter the evil inclinations of people who join together to spread matters of imagination and coarse materialism. They become so unrefined and dark that the once adorned part becomes an unseemly matter. That which appears fit to be sent away indeed should be sent away. Once it leaves, it becomes even more disqualified and loses its connection to the sacred.
On the other hand, the general power of sanctity has the ability to return he who has been cast away, as he retains a kernel of goodness deep within him. He will be able to return at the time of the ideal future, when the spirit of impurity will disperse like smoke. We say about this time: "I will remove the blood from his mouth and the disgusting matters from between his teeth, and he will remain for our G-d" (Zecharia 9:7). Chazal tell us that the theatres and circuses in the Diaspora will turn into venues for the noblemen of Israel to teach Torah publicly (Megilla 6a).
All of this light and elevation will come about due to the care at the time of unsettledness that no corrupt thought within Israel should make its way inside. This is as the gemara said that we tell him to leave and not to come in. The initial closeness to spirituality will make its mark in the ideal future, but this should not allow us to let him in prematurely. For the process of becoming foreign will make the person like a "distant brother," and his estrangement is profound and is actually compounded by the original spiritual brotherhood. "Indeed Eisav is a brother to Yaakov; I loved Yaakov and I hated Eisav" (Malachi 1:2-3). Since he is like a foreign person, we tell him to leave, and we do not tell him to come in.
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.
