YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Terumah
Of Betzalel’s prodigious intellect the Talmud of Eretz Yisrael teaches us: "Rabbi Tanhuma in the name of R. Huna said: it does not say ‘and Betzalel did like all that Moses commanded him’ but ‘like all that God Commanded Moses’ – his thinking coincided even with those things that he did not hear from his master (Moses)" (Peah 1:2)
The Torah gives a subtle hint that Bezalel’s own human cognition was independent of God’s revelation to Moses: "and Betzalel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Yehudah did all that God commanded Moses" (38:22).
The Torah does not state that Betzalel built the Mishkan according to the specifications which Moses gave him, but according to those that God gave Moses. In other words, Betzalel divined the specifications on his own and these specifications coincided with those that God gave Moses.
While Man’s intellect may have its limitations, Betzalel’s example teaches us that the same intellect has the capacity to divine God’s will, to understand God’s world and to reason out God’s ideals without a direct revelation from God Himself.
However, in seeking out truths one must always acknowledge one’s limitations. The Talmud of Eretz Yisrael teaches us: "Rabbi Hiyya the son of Ba came to Rabbi Le’ezer. He said to him: Persuade Rabbi Judah the Prince to write me a letter of recommendation so that I can go out to another country for sustenance. He persuaded him and wrote: Behold we sent you a great man. What is his greatness? That he is not embarrassed to say ‘I have not heard’ [the law]" (Hag. 1:8).
A man’s true greatness lies not his ability to know but in his ability to say "I do not know". It is not mental aptitude alone that enables him to reach truths, but a predisposition to intellectual honesty and an awareness of one’s human limitations.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
