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We will soon commemorate Lag Ba’omer, which according to many, highlights the bravery of the talmidim of Rabbi Akiva – who were the fighters of Bar Kochva – who were apparently killed in their battle against the Roman Empire (because they did not treat each other with respect). Their fight was done as part of a heroic effort to restore independence to Israel. Lag Ba’omer also commemorates the sanctity of the Torah, especially in light of the revealing of its inner elements by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and his disciples over the generations. The flame of sanctity of Bar Yochai, commemorated with the symbolic lighting in Meiron, has only a weak connection to the "culture" of pollution and dangerous bonfires that are lit throughout the country.
The revealing of secrets of the Torah was strengthened tremendously from the time that Rav Yosef Karo and his colleagues, and finally the Arizal and his students, returned to Eretz Yisrael and settled in Safed. Rav Shlomo Alkabetz, the student and friend of Rav Yosef Karo regarding matters of Torah secrets, left for the Jewish people his beautiful poem, "Lecha Dodi," which deals with longings for liberation from both a political and internal, spiritual perspective. This combination is based on the idea that the book and the sword came down together.
The pioneer "sword-holders" of our times (most of whom had little to do with our holy books), came to Israel as part of an attempt to build an independent Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael. They adopted the theme of bonfires with a feeling of connection to Bar Kochva’s fighters, but without a connection to Bar Yochai and his disciples.
We have to look at the connection between the bonfires and kumzitzes of the Israeli pioneers, captured in the famous poem by Chaim Cheffer, "Dudu," and between the holy fire of the study of Torah. We will continue next week. In the meantime we will try to strengthen our approach of connecting the sword and the book – which represents our attempt to strengthen the State of Israel from both a national and a spiritual, Torah-based perspective.
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Hosha'ana Rabba FLYDUBAI & HOSHANA RABBA- ANI VAHU HOSHIA NA- I & HIM SAVE US
"Ani vaHu Hoshia Na", "I and Him, Save Us". We don't just pray to Him, but we also pray to and for ourselves that we should emulate and educate our children to have that instinctive altruism with which He created the world. President Trump seemed amused about Yaniv Hayon, our PLUMBER who confidently worked with G-d like Superman (he learned from a pilot on a TV show!) to save 174 lives on the Dubai hijacking, but we in Israel are totally accustomed already 78 years to our plumbers, teachers, garbage-men, rabbis, farmers & doctors being Hashem's shlichim! This is what Zionism is about.
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part I
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Our King on Rosh Hashana, Our Father on Yom Kippur.
Based on Aroch Siach, p. 221 (Rav Shaul Yisraeli)
