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Beit Midrash
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From the time of King David until the days of King Yehoshafat, Moav and Edom were nations that were under the sovereignty of Bnei Yisrael. (After the latter’s division into two kingdoms, Moav paid taxes to Israel, and Edom paid taxes to Judea). During the days of Yehoram ben Yehoshafat, Judea suffered a bad spiritual deterioration and the punishment came quickly: "In his days, Edom rebelled from under the hands of Judea, and they coroneted a king upon them" (Melachim II, 8:20).
Years later, after a severe spiritual fall, Judea was blessed with a righteous king named Amatzia. Amatzia was the brother of Amotz, the prophet who was the father of the famous prophet, Yeshayahu (Megilla 10b). Amatzia decided to return the state of affairs to its former situation and to attack Edom in perhaps an attempt to recapture Rivka’s prophecy: "One nation will grow stronger from the other nation, and the older one will serve the younger one (Yaakov)" (Bereishit 25:23). Before battle, Amatzia listened to the prophetic guidance he received from Amotz (see Divrei Hayamim II, 25:7-10 with Radak).
Amatzia had great success in this battle, as the pasuk says: "Amatzyahu was strengthened, and he led his nation and went to Gei Hamelech and smote 10,000 of the sons of Se’ir, and 10,000 [of them] they captured alive and took captive to the Sons of Yehuda" (ibid. 11-12). To our great dismay, Amatzia’s treatment of the captives was horrible: "They threw them off from the top of the rock, and they were all split open" (ibid. 12).
The deterioration that resulted from this action came quickly: 1. The Israelite kingdom defeated the Judean kingdom in battle (ibid. 13). 2. Amatzia worshipped an idol of Se’ir (ibid. 14). 3. Amatzia threatened to harm his brother the prophet. 4. Amatzia initiated a civil war against the Israelite kingdom (ibid. 17). 5. Jerusalem was defiled by Yoash, King of Israel (ibid. 23-24). (See more in Tzofnat Yeshayahu, pp. 12-13). In fact, Chazal attributed, in one place, the destruction of the First Temple and the exile to Bavel to the cruelty toward the Edomite captives. (Eicha Rabba 14).
The lesson for generations is that Hashem hates acts of cruelty. The lesson for our generation is that when an army fights its enemy, they must follow rules of morality. Then they will be granted Divine Assistance. Thousands of years before the Geneva Accords were written, the Torah forbade harming enemy POWs. We should be proud that the heritage of the Jewish people is alive and well in the world, as we are a light onto the nation, and the IDF is the most moral army in the world.
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.
