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Beit Midrash
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- Rut
Among them many reasons given are that 1) the story takes places in the same season as Shavuot; i.e. the harvest season and 2) Ruth took upon herself all the Mitzvot of the Torah, just as we, as a nation, accepted the Mitzvot at Matan Torah at Har Sinai. This is hinted to by the Gematria of the name Ruth; it equals 606, the number of Mitzot - beyond the 7 Noachide Mitzvot applicable to all people - that Ruth accepted at her conversion.
But I want to suggest another idea: This is the story par excellence of Redemption. Ruth will become the ancestress of David HaMelech, who will begin the monarchy of Yehuda, leading to the ultimate king, Moshiach ben David, who will preside over the Geula Shlema. Ruth herself, as a "ba'alat chesed" who accompanies and cares for Naomi over many years, will redeem her nation of Moav, who were ostracized from becoming part of Israel due to their extreme lack of chesed towards Am Yisrael.
Perhaps, most of all, it is Naomi who is redeemed - literally and figuratively. She left Israel with her husband Elimelech at a time when they were needed most. She then suffered every indignity: her husband died; her sons intermarried and then they, too, died; she went from riches to rags and had to literally crawl back, poverty-stricken to Israel, where she knew she would be looked down upon by the people she had deserted. Yet when she her family lineage is redeemed by Boaz, who marries Ruth, Naomi regains her sense of pride and self-worth.
Fascinatingly, Megilat Rut brings this point home through a unique use of the "k'ri and k'tav" at a critical place in the story (chapter 3). While it is Ruth who has a rendezvous with Boaz at the threshing floor, the text - written in one form yet read in another - quotes Naomi as saying, "I will go down there," and "I will lie down" (next to Boaz). And later, when Ruth has a child, the women of the city declare, "A son has been born to Naomi!" Via her surrogate Ruth, Naomi has come full-circle and regained her place in Jewish society, and in Jewish history.
Redemption is not only a collective, far-in-the-future ideal. It happens to each one of us when we retake our vows ("Shavuot") and recommit to live a Torah way of life; and it is happening on a grand scale in our own generation, as Israel is re-established and rises to greater and greater heights among the family of nations. The Ruts - and branches - are magnificently sprouting.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
