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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Passover - Pesach
- Shabbat Hagadol
Really? Is that true? Does anyone believe that today, in the "modern" era of freedom & independence, we Jews could still be languishing as hapless, helpless slaves?
There are two responses to this question. The first is, "Who knows?!" Had Hashem & the Jewish People not pioneered this revolutionary, unparalleled act of breaking free from a despotic dictator, perhaps the long-standing system of slavery would have endured forever! But it was our dramatic breakthrough that sent a universal, timeless message that slavery is wrong, & must be fought. That is why the rallying cry of the black slaves in the South was: "When Israel was in Egypt’s land, Let My people go! Oppressed so hard they could not stand, Let My people go!" As in so many cases of social justice, we Jews have led the way. Indeed, the Lubavitcher Rebbe said that it was the struggle for Soviet Jews to achieve the freedom to emigrate that ultimately caused Communism to fall & tens of millions of people to be freed from oppression!
There is yet another slant on freedom. A person can be physically enslaved, yet he can still remain free. Though we were subject to Paro’s dictates, in our hearts we knew that we were destined for greater things, that we carried the legacy of the Avot & Imahot in us & would eventually pursue our rightful destiny & place in history. Chazal say Moshe understood this from the Burning Bush. From the outside, it looked just like any other bush, but internally it burned with fire, just as the Jews had a burning desire to be free to again worship Hashem.
When Natan Sharansky was in prison in Russia, he was visited by his brother, who was searched by the guards to be sure he was not carrying any "subversive" material. But at some point, the brother took off his shirt to reveal aT-shirt with the slogan, "Anatoly will be free!" The guards then evicted the brother, & told Natan that as punishment, he would now be denied family visits for a long time. Sharansky told the guards: "Rest assured that someday, I will be freed. But YOU - & all those who live under the Communist regime – will remain prisoners!"
This Shabbat is BIG because we Jews are always involved in BIG events & big causes that rattle the establishment & prod the world onwards towards a better way of life. And it begins by recognizing the bigness, the greatness, inside each & every one of us.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
