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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Purim & The Month of Adar
- The Essence of Purim
At this same meal, the Jews watch aghast as Achashverosh appears dressed in the clothes of the Kohen Gadol, and then brings out the holy vessels of the Bet HaMikdash from which to drink and eat.
What is going on here? What message is Achashverosh trying to convey, by both inviting the Jews to his banquet and then doing some-thing that shocks them to the very core? And what happens to make both Achashverosh and Haman decide to solve their "Jewish question" once and for all? The answer to these questions go the essence of what Megilat Esther is REALLY about.
Like many rulers in history, Achashverosh is willing to tolerate the Jews, to welcome them even, because he knows how "clever" Jews are, how good they are for business, what excellent advisors they make. Mordechai joins the ranks of Joseph, Abravanel, Daniel, et al, as expert counsel to the royal court. Achashverosh is even willing to accommodate the special needs of the Jews, their meals and minhagim, because that represents no threat to him. But one thing he cannot abide: He cannot permit us to fulfill our ultimate destiny of living in our own land, under our own rule, with our own Bet HaMikdash. By wearing the garments of the Kohen Gadol he sends the message: "You Jews can practice your faith here as a minority, but you are NOT going back to Jerusalem, you will NOT rebuild your Bet HaMikdash and re-establish the Avoda; you are confined to the Diaspora." He will tell Esther more than once, "Up to the half of the kingdom, and it shall be granted to you." What is the half he will NOT grant? The restoration of Jewish sovereignty - that alone is not up for discussion.
What changes his disposition and turns him into a partner to genocide? Mordechai! For Mordechai is a proud, uncompromisingly courageous Jew, a member of the Sanhedrin that is a major component of our national identity, a potent symbol of our nationhood and spiritual supremacy. When Achashverosh is confronted by Mordechai - who will have none of the "Diaspora mentality" practiced by his co-religionists - he accedes to the urgings of Haman and seals the edict of our destruction.
But Hashem hears our cry and sees our Fast; He answers our prayers and reverses Achashverosh's mindset. Haman is executed & Achashverosh becomes the very instrument for the Bet HaMikdash to be rebuilt, through his and Esther's son Darius II, who renews the decree of Cyrus to allow the Temple to be restored. This is the crucial post-script which permits us to celebrate Purim at all, for while only events which occur in Israel can become national celebrations, Purim is accepted because it's ultimate purpose is the restoration of the Temple.
The message of all this is obvious: We may enjoy periods of prosperity and popularity in the Diaspora; we may get oodles of kosher noodles and the accoutrements of Yiddishkeit in countries around the globe. But the focal point of Jewish life must be to re-establish ourselves in our own Land, operating under our own rule, fulfilling the Torah to its fullest. When that becomes our collective mandate and our mission, we have a fighting chance to restore the Sanhedrin, bring Moshiach, and usher in the Geula.
Anything else is just a mask.
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.
