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Beit Midrash
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The righteous person in Judaism does not suffice with someone staying in his "comfort zone" and saving himself. Moshe said: "Moshe and a hundred like him can die, and let not one person from Israel be hurt in his fingernail" (Devarim Rabba Ki Tavo 10). Moshe knew his worth and importance to Bnei Yisrael and still was not concerned about his own safety, spiritual or physical, if he had the opportunity to help others.
There was a horrible occurrence recently that shakes one who hears about it. In one of the agricultural communities in the Sharon region, a sefer Torah was brazenly defiled. It makes us think: how is it possible for a Jew to stoop so low? On second thought, it makes one think if we are not also to blame. Maybe we also do not respect a sefer Torah sufficiently, which is what allows someone else to take the matter so far as to do what this person did.
Life is made up of introduction after introduction. Even Simchat Torah, with all of its varieties of excitement, is a preparation for the days of action – the days of learning in yeshiva, with the hope of elevating ourselves. "They shall draw water in happiness" (Yeshayahu 12:3). We should not be satisfied with what we have. Rather, we should always strive for further elevation. If one does not go up, he goes down, and, in fact, even remaining stationary is a fall, considering one’s potential.
We are standing before the "days of actions" of your second year in yeshiva. You achieved a lot in your first year, but you can achieve even more in this second year. After all, you have grown and have more of a basis of knowledge. You are no longer those youngsters who had trouble with the gemara’s text. There are greater demands, because there is greater responsibility.
An individual who learns not only impacts himself, which is also something of great value, but rather the whole world benefits from him. The influence of those who learn Torah on their friends is great, and you have responsibility to provide that influence.
There is Torah, and there is the approach to Torah. Greater is one who serves a Torah scholar than one who learns Torah (Berachot 7b) [because he can learn from the scholar’s actions]. Therefore everyone has to be careful about his behavior toward others and strengthen the social fabric of the yeshiva. Help, encourage each other, etc. This is your task now.
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.
