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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Yitro
Ok, but just what did he hear? Rashi comments that Yitro heard both about Kriat Yam Suf, as well as the stunning military victory over Amalek. Fair enough. But when Yitro speaks to Moshe, he makes a rather curious statement:
"Now I know that Hashem is greater than all the gods, by virtue of the thing which had been conspired against them (ba’davar asher zadu aleyhem)."
Rashi picks up on this unusual word "zadu" & connects it to the story of Yakov & Esav, when Yakov made a bowl of lentils for Esav & "traded" it for the Birthright. There the pasuk (BR. 25:29) says, "Vayazed Yakov nazid," using that very same word that’s used here. Rashi adds the saying of the Gemara (Sota 11): "In the pot where the (lentils) were cooked, there he (Esav) was cooked."
Let’s try to make some sense of these cryptic remarks, & better understand better just what Yakov & Esav’s story has to do with Yitro & the Yam Suf.
Yitro, clearly, was impressed by the attribute of justice which Hashem had meted out, both to Mitzrayim & to Amalek. Both had severely mistreated Hashem’s first-born children, the Jews, & now it was payback time. Fair enough. But what most caught Yitro’s attention was the manner in which G-d reacted; He dispensed that justice in a precise & calculated measure for measure, mida k’neged mida fashion. Egypt had begun its genocidal campaign against the Jews by throwing the males into the water, & so the plagues began with the water "rebelling" against Paro & turning into blood. The final blow, fittingly, saw the drowning of the Egyptian army in the waters of Yam Suf.
As for Amalek, they had proclaimed that there was no G-d fighting for Israel; that Egypt’s demise was random, a fluke. And so Moshe raised his hands to the sky as the battle raged, indicating that it was Hashem alone who would act on Israel’s behalf & demolish Amalek.
And as for Esav? He deemed his status of first-born to be worth no more than a hill of beans, & so when he later cried out to his father that he was being denied the primary blessing, his complaint was dismissed. Like Egypt and Amalek, he was, to paraphrase the Gemara, the victim of his own actions.
In similar fashion, the Arabs & Palestinians have rejected every possible offer Israel (& the U.S.) have presented to them for 3 generations. And so it is only measure-for-measure that there finally comes a proposal that rightfully rewards Israel for our having taken the high road & conducted ourselves with decency & integrity in the face of unbridled hostility.
In life, you see, when you do the right thing, you will eat your just desserts, rather than cook your own goose.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
