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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Bamidbar
The haftara of Bamidbar contains an apparent internal contradiction: "The number of Bnei Yisrael will be like the sand of the sea" (Hoshea 2:1); "they will be unmeasurable and uncountable." Can they be counted or not? It depends if they do that which Hashem wants or not (Yoma 22b).
It is prohibited to count people unless one does it by counting objects, such as coins or animals, that correspond to them. Why?
There is a dispute between Israel and the nations. Which has precedence: the material or the spiritual? quantity or quality? that which can be counted or that which cannot be counted? "For you are the smallest among all of the nations" (Devarim 7:7). "Whoever saves one life is like he saved an entire world" (mishna, Sanhedrin 4:5). There is even a practical halacha: if bandits threaten a group and there is a choice to save the group by giving up one person, we do not do so (tosefta, Terumot 7:20). There is no way to weigh the individual in contrast to a group; we cannot determine whose blood is redder (see Pesachim 25b). While the nations are interested in numbers, we are not. When the navi says that some 36 people were killed (Yehoshua 7:5), the gemara says it was talking about one tzaddik, who counted like 36.
When one counts with a number, he, by necessity, ignores the people counted. Sometimes an inmate is referred to by number; his name does not appear. The number, which connects between the previous and the next members of the series, is what interests observers. Sometimes you see the picture in an army with the face of the soldier distorted – he is one of a number of people who are to be "fed" to the weapons of destruction.
We remember the days of horror – when we saw the survivors of the atrocities from Europe, who arrived with numbers on their arms. Such horrible numbers, tattooed into their skin! The number killed the person; what happened afterward was just a result.
This is why there must be special care in counting Jews. We count "the number of names" (Bamidbar 1:2) – not just a number, but one that does not blur his name, identity, and uniqueness. It must be made clear that the count is external. It comes to connect the "full worlds" to reach a higher level of community, one that is fit for the dwelling of the Divine Presence. That is why we count with an object – to show that we are not counting the people but the qualitative merging. Perhaps this is why Israelites are called "adam" (Yevamot 61a), as we believe in the individual counting as if he were Adam, who existed on his own. It is different from the approach of others, who ignore the individual.
We are before the giving of the Torah. When we are "His servants," we lose the status of "servants to servants" (Kiddushin 22b). Each one is equivalent to Moshe Rabbeinu. We should not be discouraged when we see how few of us there are. When we accept the yoke of the Divine King, we receive true freedom
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
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.
