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Beit Midrash
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
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- Davening in a Minyan
"Iriya – City Hall" the mechanical sounding voice announced. As soon as the double doors opened, David raced off the train, and headed off in the direction of the Wall. As he stood before the awesome stones, he surveyed the situation. All the groups that had formed to make a minyan were well into mincha, and there was no way he could join them. Overcoming his natural reticence, he walked through the crowd of men, calling out to them that he urgently needed to form a minyan. Finally, he had ten men assembled.
David was about to begin leading the prayers, when one of the other nine men walked toward the front of the group. "Obviously, given that today is my mother’s yahrtzeit, I will be the one to lead the prayers."
David’s jaw dropped. Here, he had put so much effort into gathering together a minyan, so that he could lead the prayers. "I understand that you have a yahrtzeit today, but I assembled this minyan specifically so that I would be able to lead the prayers, because I’m a mourner, still within the year of my father’s death."
"Thank you for organizing the minyan, but the fact of the matter is that Jewish law states that someone who has yahrtzeit takes precedence over someone who is in the first year of mourning, when it comes to leading the prayers," the man countered.
Who is right? Should David lead the prayers, because he organized the minyan, or does the other man take precedence, because he is observing a yahrtzeit?
Answer of the Aderet, zt"l (Rabbi Eliyahu David Rabinovich Te’umim, father-in-law of Rabbi Kook):
The one who organized the minyan gets priority.
A similar concept is found in Rashi, based on the midrash. Moshe Rabeinu requested that his sons be allowed to lead the Jewish people, following Moshe’s death. G-d responded that Yehoshua was more fitting to be the leader, because he had remained devotedly next to Moshe, throughout the Jewish people’s forty year trek in the desert. (See Rashi to Bamidbar 27:16)
Similarly, in our case, because David exerted himself to form a minyan, he takes priority.
Answer of Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl, shlita:
The man who has a yahrtzeit takes priority, even though he did not organize the minyan. However, if it will cause an argument, it is preferable for him to forgo the opportunity to lead the prayers, and allow David to do so.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.
