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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Ein Ayah
Ein Ayah: We should understand that the value of philanthropy in the world is not just when it comes from the churnings of the heart when one is agitated by the suffering of the poor person and empathizes with him. If that were the case, the philanthropist’s help is in effect to calm his own pain. Nor is the value of philanthropy a mere result of the intellectual realization that it is correct to have mercy on one’s counterpart.
Rather, Hashem created an order in the world that includes the poor and the rich. The poor have a known function to play in the world, for if they were missing, the world would be incomplete, missing part of its character. It would not be able to reach the lofty goal that its Creator set for it.
It turns out, then, that the needy, whose poverty enables the world to be complete and put up with painful lives, receive their donations as an earned portion. This secret is the most internal part of the mitzva of tzedaka in its highest form and removes from the recipient the lowliness of spirit that people mistakenly attribute to one who might be seen as receiving that which he does not deserve.
The philanthropist who already reached the level of recognizing that he should not give because he is squeamish about the suffering of the poor has an advantage in his philanthropy. If it were a reaction, then he would not give when he was not witness to the great suffering of the needy. But if he knows the great purpose that philanthropy has in the world and the holy satisfaction that the community and the individual are blessed with through tzedaka and acts of kindness, then he will always seek opportunities to expand his philanthropic activities. This is represented by the leg of the gimmel facing toward the dalet.
The idea of tzedaka in the Jewish world stands above the difficulties of life; it transcends the necessity to fill the needs. The great role that philanthropy plays in the world influences not only the moral standing of the philanthropists, who provide the tzedaka, but spiritually impacts the recipients. The Jewish destitute person, who is forced to receive donations, can be uplifted by the notion of his spiritual role to the point that it removes the pain of his physical lacking. He can revel in his part in improving the world and the souls of those who are involved in philanthropy.
Then he can request donations, but not to solve his physical tribulations. He will not need to be pushed by need to present himself to eager philanthropists. Rather, he will come himself like the letter dalet reminds us. He needs to come forward to facilitate bringing the goodness of acts of kindness from the potential to the actual. In this way, he enriches with the gifts of generosity and love, in which both sides of the philanthropic process are equal. The feeling of pain can then be absent even when the need is great, because "the blessing of Hashem is enriching, and sadness will not continue to exist with it" (Mishlei 10:22).
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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.
