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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
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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.
