YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Va'etchanan
The revelation at Mount Sinai seems paradoxical. On the one hand, the One giving the Torah is the Creator of the world, who Himself is beyond anything in the physical world. He cannot even be accurately described with words like "present" or "outside," for it is clear that He is fundamentally out of the physical world.
On the other hand, the receivers of the Torah are mortal human beings, who are created from materials that Hashem created. They live in a world that is governed by nature and are affected by its rules. If a person tries to leave the world of nature, that basically means that he ceases to exist in the physical world. But here, in this one-time revelation, Bnei Yisrael received devarim (words, speech) from within fire, with fire representing the destruction of physical matter.
Bnei Yisrael were afraid that this close connection to the totally spiritual would take them beyond the realm of the physical world, i.e., death. But the idea was actually different – to turn the nation into a nation of medabrim, prophets who are able to receive and then transmit the word of Hashem to others.
Ostensibly, every human being has the status of a "speaker," which is above the status of a living being that other members of the animal world have. We see this from Unkelos who says that the pasuk (Bereishit 2:7) that Adam was created as a "living spirit" means that he was a "spirit that speaks." Rashi explains there that Adam and his descendants received wisdom and speech." Thus the ability to speak about abstract concepts is that which raises mankind to its special status.
Our parasha hints at a much higher level of life and speech than that described in Bereishit. At Sinai, Am Yisrael received a special present – the ability to hear the "speech" of Hashem, through prophecy, and to be connected to the eternal spiritual world, even while we live and operate in a material world. Sefer Devarim is a book of prophecy, which Moshe Rabbeinu brought down to us at Sinai from the Higher Worlds, turning us into prophets and sons of prophets.
As long as we are able to think abstractly in the study of Torah, we can return every day to Sinai, and thus be united with the Giver of the Torah. This is the most profound way to use our abilities to speak, although we are also able to use them to develop the material world. If we keep our thoughts pure, we will be able to preserve "true life." May the words that we speak receive divine approbation, as Hashem said about Bnei Yisrael at Sinai: "That which they said was good."
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
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.
