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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Noach
Buy a new computer or hit "restart"?
In Parshat Noach the world was destroyed and everyone (except Noah and family) was killed as a punishment for their immorality and bad deeds. It would seem that this flood and destruction is analogous to doing a "restart" to a computer and trying to renew the world all over again, as if nothing happened. In actuality, if one looks closer, the world before and after the 'Mabul' (flood) is not the same place at all. It had changed and has a new format.
Before and After
Before the Deluge, the Mabul, man was not allowed to eat animal meat. After the Mabul, he was promised that he could. Human beings and animals were somewhat equal before the Mabul occurred because animals and all creations were on a higher level. After the Mabul, the world became more spiritual for humanity and the level of the wildlife declined.
Before the Mabul, the land was punished for not obeying Hashem's commandment to the letter (Rashi Bereshit 1: 12). Hashem commanded the land to grow "fruit trees" and the land created instead "trees that only grow fruit". After the Mabul, the land became part of the permanent nature of the four seasons and thus no range of free will (Bereshit 8: 22).
The world had too many forces which eventually got out of control, therefore G-d needed to change the character and nature of the world.
A "Nature Reserve" of an Ancient World
Rabbi Yochanan relates in the Talmud that the Mabul didn't occur in Eretz Yisrael (Zvachim 113).
Maybe what he is trying to teach us is that we have a chance to fix the world. We have a remaining "nature reserve" of an ancient and unique world that has already been extinct (Jurassic Park?). The Talmud states that in the future the barren trees will give fruit (Ketubot 112). This can be understood as a tikkun (fixing) of the natural law during the time of the creation of the world.
In summary, we are surely heading towards a better world. As the world changes, we must decide what to salvage and what we need to give up on. What's for sure, though, is that there is great hope to the world.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Rabbis in Midrash
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
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.
