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Beit Midrash
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At Sinai, a one-time event occurred – a point of connection was made between Heaven and earth. Rabbi Yossi said: "Never did the Divine Presence come down nor did Moshe and Eliyahu go to the Heavens." While the Torah writes that "Hashem descended onto Har Sinai," that was only 10 handbreadths above the mountain (Sukka 5a).
Moshe Rabbeinu and Elyahu Hanavi were very unique people, and they also had a lot in common. They both went 40 days without eating or drinking, and they both had special divine revelations at Sinai/Horeb. They both taught us that it is possible to free oneself from the bonds of time and place by finding the point of contact between Heaven and earth.
But again, there was still at least a minimal separation between Heaven and earth. Total freedom is found in Heaven, and total slavery was found in Egypt. Moshe came as close as man can to the freedom of the Heaven when he went up to Mt. Sinai, and along with him, Bnei Yisrael also did to an extent. Chazal (Shemot Rabba 29:4) tell us that "their souls flew off" at that time. This happened when Hashem granted their wish to see His glory and hear His voice. Since man cannot live through such an event, they lost control of their souls, along the lines of Shir Hashirim (5:6): "My spirit left me when I spoke to him." They were restored to life "when the Torah asked for mercy for them."
What does it mean that the Torah asked for mercy? The answer is that Torah study gives life to those who engage in it. While we cannot actually go up to the Heaven, we can have a taste of it in this world by learning Torah. This is the secret to the "path to the tree of life" (see Bereishit 3:24). The more one learns, the more he "eats from the fruit of the tree of life" and becomes a freer man. Thus, true freedom was not achieved from the Exodus but required the giving of the Torah.
For that reason, leaving Egypt started with the mitzva of brit mila. One has to set boundaries for the strongest human instinct, which draws man to overly stress his material side and does not allow him to strive for Heaven. The boundaries that the Torah sets allow one to return to that great moment of the giving of the Torah, and the meeting of Heaven and earth.
Therefore, the famous machloket between Rashi and the Ramban in Parashat Kedoshim is not one "of the root" but of stress. Rashi stresses that we sanctify ourselves by means of the mila, which happened in preparation for the Exodus; therefore he says that being sacred means staying far away from illicit relations. The Ramban stresses what happened at Sinai, when we tried to resemble Hashem by separating from permitted material matters ("sanctify yourselves by [refraining from] that which is permitted to you"). That allows one to "return to Sinai" as much as he can.
We are between Pesach, Korban Pesach, and the creating of the covenant, and the holiday of the giving of the Torah, and we are elevating ourselves throughout the sefira. Amidst all of this, may we help all of Am Yisrael join this great process, and thereby become an ever-increasing "free nation in our land."
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.