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The Mishnah (Bava Metsi’ah 4:2) teaches that if one pays for fruit but does not actually have the chance to take it from the seller, the seller has the ability to change his mind and return the money. Nevertheless, the Rabbis maintained that there is an impropriety in going back on one’s word and that for doing so a person will incur Divine Retribution similar to the People of the Generation of the Flood.
נתן לו מעות ולא משך לו פירות יכול לחזור בו אבל אמרו מי שפרע מאנשי דור המבול עתיד להפרע ממי שאינו עומד בדבורו
What does the case of the Mishnah, going back on one’s word have to do with the Flood? An insight may be found in the Talmud Yerushalmi.
Rabbi Aha explains that the sin of the People of the Generation of the Flood was that they systematically stole less than the value of a perutah, an amount which can not be claimed in court. When a person would leave his house with merchandise, the people around him would swipe small amounts from him. Although the amounts taken by each individual were too small to be brought to justice, the people would end up practically robbing him of all of his possessions.
The connection would appear to be that one who goes back on his word and one who steals less than the value of a perutah both commit a crime for which their is no legal recourse. When the courts can not bring a people to justice, God does.
Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba likens the sins of the People of the Generation of the Flood with that of the People of Sodom. "Before they had a chance to lie down the people of Sodom surrounded the house from the young to the elderly, all of the people who were at a distance" (Gen. 19:5). The Scripture paints a picture of a thoroughly corrupt Sodom. The young, like the elderly, the far like the close banded together against Lot’s guests in their common endeavor of acting out their immoral desires.
The People of the Flood, like the People of Sodom were corrupt through and through. The manner in which the people of the Flood banded together against their culprit presumes a state of corruption like that which existed in the Generation of the People of Sodom.
Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba focuses on the state of lawlessness in the two generations. It would seem that in his opinion the idea in the case of our Mishnah is God’s extreme sensitivity to anything that smacks of lawlessness.
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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.
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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.
