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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Jewish Holidays
- Yom Haatzmaut
- Shabbat and Holidays
- The Tenth of Tevet
- Yom Hakaddish Haklali
The other 3 "Yoms" are Yom HaZikaron on 4 Iyar, when we pay tribute to Israel's fallen soldiers and victims of terror; Yom Ha'atzmaut on 5 Iyar, when we celebrate Israel's independence (on this date the State was declared, 8 hours before the British Mandate ceased); and Yom Yerushalayim, 28 Iyar, the date on which Israel took control of Jerusalem and re-united the city as our eternal capital.
Now, I understand the last 3 of these holidays; they relate strictly to the modern State of Israel, and so it is fitting to group them in the same time period. But I often wondered why Yom HaShoa is included; indeed, Israel initially designated the Fast of the 10th of Tevet as the appropriate occasion to commemorate the Holocaust, and that date remains the opportunity to remember all those whose burial places are unknown. Why not keep that as Yom HaShoa?
But now I think I understand. Yom HaShoa immediately precedes the other "Yoms" for two main reasons: It shows us what can happen to Jews all over the world when there is no State of Israel, and it fortifies our belief that such a horror can never happen again, as long as Israel remains strong.
Because there was no State from 1939-1945 - the British, and others, made sure that didn't happen - there was essentially no safe place to where Jews could escape. Quotas and White Papers and anti-Semitism put roadblocks on almost every avenue of refuge. Had there been a State, the efforts to smuggle Jews out of Europe - valiant though they were - would have increased a thousand-fold. In addition, weapons might have been sent to Jewish partisans, and diplomatic pressure might have been brought to bear in order to slow, if not stop, the Nazi's genocidal obsession. But the fledgling Yishuv in Eretz Yisrael was fighting its own battle to survive against the Arabs and had few resources to stop a global phenomenon.
But now there is a State, Baruch Hashem. Now, there will always be a loud voice, and a strong arm that can reach anywhere in the world in order to protect Jews. First and foremost, we bring them here, where every Jew belongs, in our one and only true home. But even if they tarry, we can use the might and mind of the Jewish State to guard them. The specter of the Shoa is never far from our minds and hearts; it screams out "Never Again!" to a national entity that has the power to enforce that mandate.
Pesach, our Festival of Freedom, is built around "fours:" 4 Questions, 4 Children, 4 Cups of Wine. But our eternal freedom is secured via the "four" that follow: Yom HaShoa, Yom HaZikaron, Yom Ha'atzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim. One of these will never be "four"gotten; the other 3 are "four"ever.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
Jewish Laws and Thoughts Shul “etiquette:” can we honor Hashem while respecting our fellow congregants?
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.
