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Beit Midrash
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- Rosh Hashana
Every Jewish holiday has a representative color: Yom Kippur is white, of course; Pesach is blue or t’chelet, etc. And every Chag also has a unique icon associated with it: Matza, the Menora, a Sukka, the Shofar, etc.
Each Yom Tov also connects to one of the senses: Pesach is all about speech ("peh-sach," the mouth talks; reading the Hagada, etc). Shavuot is about sight ("the people saw the thunder & the lightening" at Har Sinai). Sukkot relates to touch (holding the Arba Minim, building the Sukka). What sense connects to Rosh Hashana?
I suggest that Rosh Hashana’s essential focus – perhaps along with Yom Kippur - is on hearing: The many tefilot that we hear ourselves saying, the booming voice of the Chazan, the appeal to G-d to listen to our prayers (as in "Sh’ma Koleynu") and, of course, hearing the Shofar. In fact, the unusual bracha that the Bal Tokaya will make before performing the Mitzva of shofar is "lish’moa kol shofar," to hear the various sounds of the shofar, rather than produce them. And the responsive prayer we say just before shofar-blowing includes the petition:
"You can hear my voice, Hashem; please do not close your ears to my plea for salvation."
People always ask: "How do I know that Hashem hears me when I pray? After all, I do all the talking, & He never says a word!" But in a world where we so often talk over each other (have you ever heard a TV interview in Israel, or worse, a debate in the Knesset, where the participants all scream & yell, & no one listens?!) isn’t it comforting that G-d is letting us speak without any interruption?
In the Selichot prayers that start (for Ashkenazim) this Motzei Shabbat, we begin to voice our confession to G-d, a vidui that we’ll continue through Yom Kippur. But we also recite a beautiful piyut that contains the phrase:
"G-d, You who dwells in a place on high: bend your ear to listen el ha-rina, v’el ha’t’fila."
The word or name "Rina" means "a joyful song;" it has the gematriya of 265, which equals "al ha-nisim." When we put our heart & soul into our prayers, we create a marvelous melody to G-d that fills the halls of Heaven. We can be assured, without a doubt, Hashem will hear that song & perform miracles on our behalf. You hear?
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.
