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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
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- Ki Tetze
For example, the Mitzva of returning a lost article. The Torah says, "You shall not see the wandering oxen of your fellow Jew, v’hit’a’lamta mey’hem," & hide from them. Yes, it’s a hassle to concern yourself with someone else’s property – why should you have to deal with it; the owner should have been more careful watching it! But Hashem says, "go out" – help him, even if it puts you out for a bit.
Then there is the slave who escapes from a (harsh) master & runs to you when you liberate a city. You neither need nor want a slave; you already have all the mouths to feed that you can handle. You’d much rather send him back to where he came from & attend to your own affairs. "No," says Hashem; "go out" of that comfort zone & give him refuge & asylum.
Our Sedra also talks about the prohibition of charging a fellow Jew interest on a loan. Yes, he might be more than happy to pay the interest; & why should you lose that interest when you could make money elsewhere from it? But, says G-d, "he’s your brother," so go the extra mile, go out of that comfort zone & waive the interest, because that is what we do for family.
You see your workers in the field eating your grapes; your inclination is to tell them to stop – these are my grapes, not his! You lend someone money, & they give you their coat as a security deposit, & then they want it back when the weather gets cold. But hold on a second - they haven’t yet repaid the loan! Your instinct says, "be strict, be tough, I have the right!" But Hashem says, "True, you do have the right; but I want you to "go out" – give them the grapes to eat & the coat to wear."
Finally, our Sedra ends with the command to wipe out Amalek, our arch-enemies & the epitome of evil in this world. Destroy them, eradicate them – no mercy, no exceptions. But you waver; you’re not "hard-wired " for violence, you believe in the goodness of Man. And, after all, these are people, too; "it’s just not in my nature to be brutal, I’m a man of mercy," you protest. But Hashem says, "I realize that. But these terrorists are the scourge of Mankind; your 'mercy,' in actuality, is cruelty, for they will kill others mercilessly unless you kill them first. Go out of your comfort zone, show them no kindness or reprieve. It is hard, but it is necessary."
"Go out," says Hashem, and I will "go in" to your Neshamot & make them pure.
Ki Tetze FALSE MORALITY IS IMMORALITY
Why R. Yosef Blau & American Jewish Liberals' Critique Misses the Mark
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
