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Beit Midrash
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The giving of the Torah was a powerful one-time event, when the Heavens and earth drew amazingly close together. Rabbi Yossi said that the Shechina (Divine Presence) never came down to the ground and Moshe and Eliyahu did not go up to the Heavens. P’sukim seem to contradict these claims, as Hashem came down on Sinai (Shemot 19:20) and Moshe went up to Hashem (ibid. 19:3). The gemara answers that there were still 10 tefachim between them.
Moshe and Eliyahu were very unique people, who shared distinctions. They both refrained from eating and drinking for 40 days, had a Divine encounter at Har Chorev, and showed that it is possible to break free from the shackles of time and place by finding the point of encounter between Heaven and earth.
However, neither one of them made it fully to the other side – to the Heavens. Absolute freedom is found in the Heavens, and Bnei Yisrael experienced absolute enslavement in Egypt. When Moshe ascended Har Sinai and the Shechina descended, he came just short of absolute freedom. The entire nation was in some ways on the cusp of touching that point of freedom.
Chazal tell us that at the time of the revelation, "the souls of Israel flew off" when they saw Hashem’s glory and heard his "voice," as it is normally impossible to survive such an encounter (see Devarim 5:22). It was as is described in Shir Hashirim, "My spirit left as he spoke" (5:6). Their souls were returned only after "the Torah asked for mercy" on their behalf (Shemot Rabba 29:4).
What does it mean that "the Torah asked for mercy"? Torah study is that which gives life to those who partake in it. This is the closest we can come to actually going up to the Heavens. This is the secret of the "path to the Tree of Life." The more one is connected to Torah the more he eats from the Tree of Life. The freedom to live as free men is not just a result of the Exodus but of receiving the Torah.
The preparations for the Exodus began with brit mila. This mitzva represents the idea of putting up boundaries to combat the strongest urges in the physical world, which keep people grounded and unable to reach for the sky. The boundaries that the Torah places allow one to return to the wonderful moment of receiving the Torah, when the ground and Heaven were close.
Rashi and the Ramban disagree as to what it means to "be holy" (Vayikra 19:2). Rashi says it is to distance oneself from illicit relations. He views sanctity as starting from brit mila. The Ramban says it is to emulate Hashem, who is the source of holiness and separation from the physical world. He focuses on connecting to Hashem as happened at Sinai.
We are now in the period between Pesach, with its Korban Pesach and related brit mila, and between the holiday of the giving of the Torah. We are elevated through the count. We pray that we will be an ever-increasingly "free nation in our Land."
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.
