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Beit Midrash
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Yeravam ben Nevat, the first king of the Northern (Israelite) Kingdom of the Ten Tribes and a notorious sinner, who caused others to sin, championed the cause of the Beit El devotees. He built a major altar and also erected a statue of a calf, all too reminiscent of the Sin of the Golden Calf at Sinai. Yeravam apparently felt that the calf was a good mitzva, as is hinted at by the fact that he named his sons Nadav and Aviya, reminiscent of the first sons of the builder of the first calf (albeit, reluctantly), Aharon.
The first one who tried to stop Yeravam’s sin was the prophet from Yehuda (Melachim I, 13:1). Chazal identify him as Ido, one of the important prophets of the time. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful in having Yeravam do teshuva because of the old false prophet from Beit El, part of the city’s religious apparatus.
More than 150 years later, we find out indirectly that the prophet Amos also was involved in a struggle against the distorters of Hashem’s word in Beit El. Amos was a prophet who came from the Judean town of Tekoa. His main activity was with the Northern Kingdom, whose capital was Shomron, and the king in his time was Yeravam ben Yoash, or Yeravam II. Amos prophesied about the execution of members of the House of Yeravam and the destruction of the temples of the Israelites (Amos 7:9). These temples were situated in Beit El, and their priest, Amatzia, felt threatened and turned to Yeravam with the claim that Amos was rebelling against him (ibid. 7:10-11). We should point out that Yeravam refused to accept the lashon hara against Amos.
Amatzia urged Amos to return to Judea, join the religious apparatus there, and receive a salary from them (ibid. 12). Amos responded: "I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I am a cattle breeder and a tender of sycamore figs." In other words, Amos rejected the idea that he become a salaried member of the religious establishment (see Avot 4:5, which speaks against using Torah as a "spade with which to dig"). A true prophet does not take money for his prophetic activity, and he does not allow anyone to impact the way he thinks or expresses himself based on financial considerations. His prophecy is given by Hashem, and the prophet answers only to Him. Amos was a laborer with his hands and maintained his independence.
This type of language reminds us of what Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Nissim did when he thought that the State of Israel gave too much leeway to the pope, who visited Israel during his time. Rav Nissim refused to take part in a ceremony that he considered disgraceful. When someone threatened to fire him, Rav Nissim said that he was not dependent on his salary and refused to be programmed by others.
Let us pray that we will succeed in avoiding having the Torah become a "spade with which to dig" and follow instead the lead of Amos and Rav Yitzchak Nissim.
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
