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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: Freedom of choice has special value in enabling the enhancement of man’s moral level. Therefore, it has special dominion in the areas to which it applies. However, the essence of a person’s set of desires is what defines him as a person. In that regard, one cannot fundamentally give any standing to freedom. We do not have freedom to desire or not desire. Desire is part of a person’s very life, and life is something that we have that is not based on our choice. What we control is how we push our desires to one side or the other, to the right or to the left. This is where the hand of choice comes into play.
If the Torah only applied to a person’s moral standing, it would make sense for it to have been given with full free will. But actually, the Torah is an expression of a person’s essence. If a person violates the Torah, he is betraying his own identity and changing his nature for the worse. It is as the pasuk says (about Adam’s sin – Bereishit Rabba 11:2): "He changed his face and was sent away" (Iyov 14:20). It is, therefore, appropriate that the Torah will be revealed in a manner that is of essence [and by necessity], in a manner that the root of desire is revealed and not the revelation of the branches of desire (i.e., what he decides given his desires).
A byproduct of this fact is that the Torah does not relate only to Israel, and it follows that Israel does not exist on its own in the world. Rather, everything is interwoven within the broad existence of everything in the world. All of existence necessitates that the Torah must exist, that it be mandated to mankind, and that Israel must accept it.
Mt. Sinai, the mountain that merited being the site of the giving of the Torah became the center of the world. This did not happen by chance, as there must be a reason that the Light of the World shone His light in a way that made Sinai so central. It thereby was saturated with the power of inclusiveness. Once all of this was decided, it became impossible to have a world in which Israel would exist without accepting the Torah. Israel’s status then was lined up to be a basis for all the centrality that developed upon the mountain. That is what is hinted at by the words, "They stood at the bottom of the mountain." Within the power of the mountain upon which Hashem descended with fire was a hidden power that was able to coerce. In this context, Hashem said: "If you accept the Torah, that is good, and if you do not, this will be your burial place." Only by accepting the Torah would Israel reveal their intrinsic existence in its true form. If not, all of existence would turn against Israel, as it would be turning against its true essence if they rejected the Torah.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
