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Beit Midrash
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1) When seeking justice or truth, one must strive to find the highest, most competent & knowledgeable sources; 2) Justice must be obtained only through just means; 3) Justice is sometimes administered on a human level, but at other times it is dispensed at the hands of Heaven.
There is yet another fascinating slant on Tsedek, Tsedek. The Gemara in Sanhedrin explains that one approach to justice is to be strict, with no quarter or compromise given; while another type of justice is to be flexible, with healthy amounts of compromise & compassion. Both have their place in a just society.
There are times when society & its judges must be strict & rigidly unbending. At those times, even Torah law may be superseded or magnified, if the authorities see fit. For example, the Sanhedrin could (& did, though rarely) impose the death penalty on people who rode horses on Shabbat, which at most is a Rabbinic prohibition & certainly not a capital offense. And we know that Chazal, to protect the sanctity of Shabbat, forbade sounding the Shofar on Shabbat Rosh Hashana (like this year!), despite it being mandated by the Torah & actually done in the days of the Bet HaMikdash.
And yet, we also see amazing lenience regarding the laws of Shabbat, when necessary. For instance, the Gemara suspends certain restrictions (e.g. muktze) when Kavod HaBriyut - human dignity - is involved. And so, the posek Rav Dovid Cohen told me there is a heter for opening a light in a totally-dark bathroom with a shinui on Shabbat, if it is necessary to use the facilities. And one is permitted to light a lamp on Shabbat, says the Shulchan Aruch, in a room with a pregnant woman, even if that woman is blind, if it enhances her peace of mind that others can see in case she goes into labor.
I humbly suggest that, all too often, we tend to take the strict approach to judgment, both in how we judge others as well as how we treat them. But perhaps, in these crucial days leading up to Yom Kippur, we can try to err on the lenient side and give people the benefit of the doubt, shrug off an insult, demand less than our fair share. After all, the way we judge others may be exactly the way Hashem judges us!
The Gemara says that going beyond the measure of the law is the key to Redemption. Do we measure up?
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
