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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Noach
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Inbal Bat Alon
Alshikh notes that the structure of this verse is problematic. At first glance, neither the information that Terach had left from Ur nor that his destination was the Land of Canaan seems relevant. The verse should simply have stated that "they reached Charan and dwelled there". To Alshikh's comment we can add our own fascination with the fact that Avram's father chose as his destination the land to which God would later guide Avram.
Alshikh explains that our verse comes to stress the difference between Terach's journey and that of his son. Terach's motivation was to escape Ur, rather than to reach Canaan. The verse teaches us that in order to merit reaching and staying in Israel, one must journey to it for its own sake. Because Terach had an external motive, he did not reach Canaan; rather, he ended up staying in Charan. Avram, on the other hand, set out for the Land of Canaan "through love of the land" [Alshikh's words], and therefore merited reaching the Land, as the verse in next week's Parasha states: And they departed to go into the Land of Canaan and they came into the Land of Canaan (Bereishit 12:5). A Jew must be able to appreciate the Land of Israel for its intrinsic value, not for any tangible reason.
Rabbis in Midrash
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Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
