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Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Balak
What is the message behind the presence and demise of the giants? How does it connect to how Hashem looked out for His nation? The struggle between Avraham and Nimrod-Amrafel started in Ur Kasdim. Avraham escaped miraculously from the furnace and then began his trek to and around Eretz Yisrael. Although his main focus was on forming a nation that would change Eretz C’na’an into Eretz Yisrael, he also hoped to rid himself of Nimrod. Avraham’s nation would be dedicated to pursuing charity and justice (see Bereishit 18:19), the opposite of Nimrod’s "values." But Nimrod made it to Avraham’s Eretz C’na’an with other regional kings and conquered the land. This included a political statement that the land belonged to the descendants of Cham, not Shem.
Let us look back in history at the real purpose of Nimrod’s battles – to remove most of the giants from the Land, so that hundreds of years later it would be easier for Bnei Yisrael to enter Eretz Yisrael from the east. Moshe finished off the job by defeating Sichon and Og. Kalev removed giants from Chevron, but they still remained in the Plishti area. Why did they remain?
The Egyptians viewed Eretz C’ana’an as part of their sphere of influence. It provided them with a path to Mesopotamia. When the new Phlishtim, with a set of giants, arrived on its western coast, the Egyptians lost their free route. While this deterred Bnei Yisrael from taking the coastal path to the Land (Shemot 13:17), it also prevented the Egyptians from attacking. Only when David established a strong government in Jerusalem, with an army feared throughout the region, was there no longer a need for the giants to protect the coastal route. We see in the Torah (see Vayikra 26:32) the advantage at times of removing other inhabitants from the Land only at the right time from the perspective of Bnei Yisrael. Eventually, the sons of Avraham would set up a nation in the Holy Land dedicated to charity and justice. But the giants are just one example of something that was understandable only in historical retrospective, not at the time.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
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.
