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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Yom Kippur
- Yom Kippur Prayers
That classic Country & Western song seems to perfectly sum up the contrasting moods of Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur. We gravitate between feeling very confident of ourselves – indeed, we are said to approximate angels, dressed in pure white - & yet we are fearful of our future, pleading with G-d to please forgive us & let us go on living.
We are, as the Tefila so aptly says, both "favored children ("banim"), as well as lowly servants ("avadim").
Rav Yehoshua Goodman zt"l, the sainted rav of my shul in Chicago, was one of the leaders of Chabad in the city; it was he who first instilled in me the desire to do kiruv. He took me under his wing & trained me. ("If you want to lead ‘em, you have to feed ‘em!" was one of the lessons he taught us).
In my mind’s eye, I can still see him in shul on Yom Kippur, as he stood majestically wrapped in his Talit, intensely reciting the prayer, "L’kel Orech Din." It is a Tefila which places us, as it were, in the docket, in court, being tried by the Heavenly Tribunal. When he reached the line that says "To He who legally acquires His servants," ("L’koneh avadav ba-din") he would break down crying, vigorously nodding his head up & down in agreement.
I approached him when shul was over and I asked him why this line was so special, so crucial, & he explained it to me:
"We mortals think we are so powerful, so independent, so much in control of our fate. But the truth is, try as we might, we really have little or no control at all over the vicissitudes of life. Danger is everywhere, & problems lurk around every corner. At some point – if we are humble & wise – we learn that our only real safety lies in coming under Hashem’s saving power and protection."
"And so, we acknowledge to G-d that we truly, literally ARE His servants. For you see, we know that the Torah commands the master to protect his servants, to see to their needs, to feed, shelter & safeguard them from harm. And since even Hashem is bound to abide by His own Torah, we declare that he is the Master & we are the servant. In that way, we can actually ‘force’ Him to take care of us! That is the power of this prayer, & that is why I focus so passionately on it."
I am a great believer in the partnership between Man & G-d. I hold that we must not be passive spectators; Hashem wants us to actively work in tandem with Him to move this world along towards complete Geula. And so - in the midst of this epic struggle with Corona - we must of course do everything in our power to stay safe, and to search for a vaccine. But we should never let our confidence go to our heads; we must remember that we are the junior partner in this team, while G-d is the Corporation! There is no greater goal, no better security, than being "acquired" by Hashem. When that happens – just like in the world of business - everyone gains. So let us pray that all of us achieve a quick and successful "exit" to a place of health, reunion with our families and the ability to impact the world at large.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
Jewish Laws and Thoughts Shul “etiquette:” can we honor Hashem while respecting our fellow congregants?
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.
