Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Sefirat Haomer
- The Meaning Sefirat Ha'omer
The Rabbis’ explain why these Talmidei Chachamim perished: "They did not afford sufficient respect to one another." But this is very hard to fathom, considering that Rabbi Akiva’s prime forte was promoting the love of each Jew for another. As we sang as kids in Bnei Akiva: "Amar Rabi Akiva: V’Ahavta L’Ray’acha Kamocha – Zeh Klal Gadol Ba’Torah. - Love your fellow Jew as you love yourself; this is a basic principle of the Torah." So what happened?
Rabbi Akiva was arguably the greatest Jewish leader since Moshe. Baal Teshuva, patriot, scholar par excellence – the Gemara relates that Moshe himself was transported to Akiba’s Bet Midrash to learn from him! – Akiba was a role model for the ages. He was the leader of his generation; the acknowledged master of Torah as well as the guiding force behind the military effort to overcome Roman domination of Israel. But his life, so noble & holy, would have the most tragic consequences. His students would die; he himself would be tortured by the Romans & executed at age 120.
I think Rabbi Akiva was bemoaning the fact that the various elements in the Jewish society of his generation did not respect each other enough, & that is what caused the calamity. And I fear his words ring truer now more than ever – we all suffer from a similar lack of Kavod.
One camp in Israel does not respect the very religious, who spend their days learning & are immersed in Mitzva-observance. But where would we all be if there hadn’t been those devoted Jews who kept alive the spirit of Judaism through the millennia, who held our faith together in the most difficult of circumstances through their unswerving devotion to G-d, who prayed fervently to return to Zion, even when that was a far-off dream?
At the same time, another camp disrespects those who identify with Israel, who helped build it & bravely defend it, even at the cost of their lives. They will not even stand in honor of the fallen, or say a prayer for our soldiers’ safety! But where would we be – all of us – if not for the pioneers who braved every hardship to found the State, if not for the young men and women who form a holy barrier between us & our cruel enemies?
You want to climb the mountain to G-d, to stand as we once did, at Har Sinai, "As one person, with one heart?" Then remember: Sefira – every one counts, everyone deserves Respect.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Hosha'ana Rabba FLYDUBAI & HOSHANA RABBA- ANI VAHU HOSHIA NA- I & HIM SAVE US
"Ani vaHu Hoshia Na", "I and Him, Save Us". We don't just pray to Him, but we also pray to and for ourselves that we should emulate and educate our children to have that instinctive altruism with which He created the world. President Trump seemed amused about Yaniv Hayon, our PLUMBER who confidently worked with G-d like Superman (he learned from a pilot on a TV show!) to save 174 lives on the Dubai hijacking, but we in Israel are totally accustomed already 78 years to our plumbers, teachers, garbage-men, rabbis, farmers & doctors being Hashem's shlichim! This is what Zionism is about.
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part I
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Our King on Rosh Hashana, Our Father on Yom Kippur.
Based on Aroch Siach, p. 221 (Rav Shaul Yisraeli)
