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Beit Midrash
- Family and Society
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- Wedding and Sheva Berachot
My wife in her wisdom decided not to accompany me since she would be in a separate room and amongst women who did not speak English and not one of whom was known or recognizable to her. So, I embarked on this journey to Bnei Brak alone to attend the ceremony.
The venue for the wedding was a multi-storied building that contained eight different wedding halls, with weddings scheduled for each of the halls that night. I did not know in which hall my wedding was supposed to have taken place. I asked around and was directed to one of the halls. The wedding ceremony was about to start, and as I looked around the hall, I recognized no one and no one came up to me, nevertheless I stayed for the entire ceremony and when the names of the bride and groom were pronounced I realized somewhat to my dismay that I was in the wrong hall.
I left the hall and after fruitless inquiries finally found the correct hall. The wedding that I was supposed to attend was now about to take place, since no matter how late you come you never seem to be too late. I was able to hear the entire ceremony, congratulate my distant relatives, deposit my envelope in the little vault and returned to my home in Jerusalem. When I related this story to my wife, she gave me the’ I told you so’ look that wives always reserve for such occasions.
Last week a dear friend of mine – really one of my closest friends here in Israel, invited me to the wedding of his youngest son. Because of the coronavirus my children do not allow me to attend weddings here in Israel personally. It is interesting how life turns. I remember when my children had to listen to what I had to say and now apparently our roles are reversed.
Since I was not able to attend this wedding, my friends sent me a link so that I would be able to see and participate in this happy occasion. At the appointed hour I received the Zoom link, I clicked on it and it ushered me into a wedding that was taking place in a beautiful location somewhere here in Israel, with an attendance of about 50 people. I naturally assumed that this was the wedding that I was supposed to be observing and thereby participating in. I thought it strange that I did not recognize anyone at the wedding but then my eyesight is such that I have a difficult time identifying facial features. As the wedding progressed and the rabbi performing the ceremony read out the names of the bride and groom, it became apparent to me that again I was at the wrong wedding, this time courtesy of some mix-up with the Zoom link that I clicked upon.
But, I stayed on the link for the whole wedding ceremony. Though complete strangers to me, including the bride and groom, I was amazed that I was emotionally touched by the wedding itself and that I even shed tears at its conclusion. I was truly struck by this reaction of mine since I am not usually given to such outward emotion.
I thought about this matter afterwards and I realized it's that I was emotionally touched by the fact that Jewish weddings performed according to Jewish law and tradition according to the religion of Moses and Israel are generically worthy of emotion and tears of joy. In an age where the general society has degraded the holiness of marriage and of physical intimacy, where marriage itself is deemed to be a burden and not necessarily a positive accomplishment, the fact that there still are young people who are willing to undertake this adventure and build homes and families that will be loyal to tradition and Jewish values, is itself most heartening and joyful.
I am sorry that I missed the right wedding but I am happy that I wished good fortune to the couple that was being wedded before my eyes on the wrong Zoom.
Shabbat shalom
Berel Wein
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
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.
