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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Bereshit
In these few eternal, magnificent words we begin anew the cycle of reading the Torah. Volumes of commentary have been written, and oceans of ink spilled, just to try to grasp the enormity of this one cosmic pasuk. Indeed, we are told that essentially all of the world's truths can be found within these 7 words; or even in the first word; or even in the first letter!
Bereisheit, for example, can be read as "Bara shayt," He created six, already presaging the institution of Shabbat, a revolutionary concept, when creative M'lacha will pause for a day to recharge our spiritual batteries. The letters can also be re-arranged to spell, "Alef b'Tishrei," the 1st of Tishrei, when the world (or the first man) was created.
But what of that first letter, the Bet? What crucial lessons does it teach us?
Note the physical form of the Bet; it is closed on 3 sides - from above, below and behind. But going forward, it is open. In fact, it "opens up" to every other letter in the entire Torah, and thus to all the Mitzvot and moral lessons contained therein. The Kli Yakar comments that "Bet" is akin to "Bayit," a house; that is, this letter "houses" all the wisdom that is to follow. It is the "house" in which all Jews forever will live, the house of Halacha that will guard and guide us for all of eternity.
But a question should seem obvious: Why does the Torah not begin with the letter Alef, the letter that stands for Ad-nai or Elokim, the names of G-d? Isn't Hashem primary and superior? Why shouldn't He get "top billing?"
Of course, G-d reigns supreme. But I want to suggest that perhaps we are being taught a crucial lesson here: There is G-d, and there is Torah, and the two are not exactly synonymous. For although we love the Torah, we cherish the Torah, we study and follow the Torah - we worship Hashem and only Hashem. He is at the same time a part of the Torah, but also apart from the Torah. We need to constantly ask ourselves, "Yes, we have observed the Torah as commanded, but have we also acted as Hashem would have wanted us to act? Deep down, are we the kind of person that we know G-d would want us to be - above and beyond our performance of the Mitzvot? Do we also meet the standards of the Avot and Imahot, who lived before the Torah was even given?
If we can honestly answer that question in the affirmative, then and only then we can perhaps consider ourselves "Sug-ALEF," grade-A material.
Parashat Hashavua The Strength of His Actions He Told to His Nation
Harav Shaul Yisraeli – from Siach Shaul, pp. 6-8
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
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.
