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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Noach
Over the coming weeks, we want to deal with the following questions: Who, in Tanach, do we find building towers, what did they have in common, and why does it seem to be so antithetical to the Torah? Also, who in the Jewish people fought the trend?
The motivation of the builders of the Tower of Bavel was to "make for ourselves a name lest we scatter upon the face of the earth" (Bereishit 11:4). "Men of name" and "gibborim" were already mentioned last parasha, in the context of the powerful men who took wives as they pleased. This is certainly a negative social situation, which the Torah frowns upon (see ibid. 6:2,4), and it was part of Hashem’s decision to destroy the world with the flood.
Despite this fact, a few generations after the flood, there were people who started sinning in connection to the tower. Nimrod was described as a gibbor (ibid. 10:8-9). Chazal identified him as the leader of the tower builders (see Rashi ad loc.). He too, then, was a gibbor who wanted to "make a name." We will discuss later why he failed.
The next tower builder in Tanach was the King of Ashur (Assyria) at the time of King Chizkiyahu, who we know to be Sargon II, who exiled the Ten Tribes. Yeshayahu actually refers to him as the King of Bavel, who said: "I will raise my throne and will sit on the mountain … I will go up to the clouds and will be like a deity" (Yeshayahu 14:12-14). We see from here that Sargon II built a tower that reached the clouds and compared himself to a god.
The third tower builder was Nevuchadnetzar, who destroyed the First Temple and exiled the Judeans to Bavel. He built a massive idol 60 amot high, gathered a huge crowd of nobleman under the dominion of his empire, had many musicians play music, and then forced everyone to bow down to the idol (Daniel 3:1-5). Chazal understood that he imitated Sargon II in sitting on top of the idol/tower at that time (see Pesachim 94a). As opposed to Nimrod, Nevuchadnetzar seemed to have learned a lesson and did not try to force everyone to speak one language. Rather he understood that music could serve as a single international language of sorts, which is why he ordered in the orchestras of different rulers.
Next week we will see who ruined the plans of these mighty leaders, and what the Jewish response is to tower builders. We pray that we will be able to unite the Jewish Nation, in Israel and the Diaspora, and to strengthen the State of Israel, so that it will be a tower of light, spreading the light of kindness and justice to peoples all over the world.
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.
