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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
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In almost all Jewish communities, as Shabbat is about to enter, we sing Lecha Dodi, written by Rav Shlomo Alkabetz. A couple of passages are based on p’sukim in Yirmiyahu (30:16-18): "All who consume you will be consumed, and all your oppressors will all go into captivity. Those who attack you will be smitten (v’hayu limeshisa shosayich), and those who plunder you will be taken as spoils… for I will bring healing to you (ki a’aleh arucha lach) and from your wounds I will heal you (erpa’ech) … and the city will be built on its ruins…" We see from these p’sukim that arucha means to heal. Thus, chayim aruchim means life of health. With this under our belt, we can understand another section of Tanach as explained by Chazal.
After David was told that his brilliant advisor Achitofel was among the supporters of the rebellion of Avshalom, David did not break, but he turned in prayer to Hashem to cause Achitofel’s plan to fail. As part of Hashem’s mode of helping David, David was approached by Chushay Ha’arki, who volunteered to undermine Achitofel’s plan.
The midrash (Shocher Tov, Tehillim 3:3) cites various opinions about Chushay’s second name, Ha’arki. One opinion is that it means that he was an important officer in David’s court, as he is called a rei’ah of the king in Divrei Hayamim (I:27:33). Another opinion is that it means that he caused David’s dynasty to be firmly established, as Avshalom’s rebellion had put it in jeopardy. A third opinion is that Ha’arki refers to Chushay’s hometown. The Radak, following the latter approach, identifies a place called Arki in the region of the Tribe of the Sons of Yosef (Yehoshua 16:2).
Abarbanel brings a different midrash (Shocher Tov 55) – when David saw Chushay, he exclaimed: "There is arucha for my wound." One can propose a similar approach – that it brought healing to the state of the kingdom after the great trauma of Avshalom’s rebellion. According to all explanations, Chushay certainly played a crucial role in extricating David from a dangerous situation. When an important officer lends a hand, it is a matter of healing. Even if Ha’arki just refers to a place, the fact that it was in the region of the Sons of Yosef, who are not the natural allies of the Tribe of Yehuda, also represents a great accomplishment that bodes well for the survival of the dynasty. (We will develop that point in the upcoming sefer, "Tzofnat Shmuel, the Kingdom of David.")
Let us pray that we will continue to see with our own eyes the realization of the longings of the great tzaddikim of Tzefat, who, over 500 years ago, saw Hashem bringing arucha to the pain of our nation.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
