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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Shlach Lecha
The tragic tale of the Meraglim – the spies sent to scout out the Land of Israel for conquest – not only ends bad, it reverberates eternally throughout our history. Our lack of faith in Hashem - & our own low self-esteem – result not only in our wandering for 40 years in the desert until that generation died out, it "replays" every year on Tisha B’Av. As we mourn the loss of both Batei Mikdash – on the very date the spies gave their report, 9 Av – we sit low in semi-darkness to simulate that low self-esteem.
But there is some light in this dark story, too. Calev & Yehoshua courageously attempt to rally the nation & restore their confidence with a memorable double-set of words, "Aloh-Na’aleh" & "Yachol-Nuchal, we can ascend, we can succeed."
Now, most commentators see the double-phraseology as a form of accentuation, indicating power & certainty, as if to say, "we surely can go up; we definitely can do it!" But I have another thought about these words.
When a rabbi receives his Semicha, the degree is usually called "Yoreh-Yoreh." This is a kind of question & answer: "Can he teach? Yes, he can teach!" I suggest that Calev is also posing this question to the nation, but with a twist. He asks the question in the singular, "can he go up?" but he answers it in the plural, "yes, we can go up!" "Can he do it?" "Yes, we can do it!"
Calev, I suggest, is admonishing the people that perhaps as individuals, these tasks are formidable – a former slave people dislodging 7 large, indigenous nations. But as a people, united, when we – both man & Hashem work together - there is no limit to what we can achieve.
Israel is the most challenging of nations. We are surrounded by enemies, & it often seems as if the whole world is breathing down our necks. We wonder, "how can we survive; how can we meet these challenges?" The answer is by doing it together, as one unit. Because when we operate in unison, we skew all the graphs, we beat all the odds, we confound all the experts.
True, I cannot always succeed; but we will always find a way. I alone cannot always bring miracles down from Heaven, but we have the ability to move Heaven & Earth.
So next time you ask yourself the question, "Can I do this?" be sure to answer, "Yes, we can do this!"
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.
