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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
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- Bereshit
The second description of the creation of man tells how he was created from earth, which sounds less like being in Hashem’s image (of course, these represent different elements of one creation, whose description is spread over more than one place). When he later sinned, Hashem connected his punishment of working hard until he died to "until you return to the ground from which you were taken, for you are earth and you will return to earth" (Bereishit 3:19). From that time, man has yearned to repent and return to his more ideal state.
The mixture of animal, vegetable, and mineral life, as found in the second presentation of creation, transpires in an ideal location called the Garden of Eden. There is no need to fix or improve it, just to "work it and preserve it" (ibid. 2:15). The source of evil in that setting is found in the snake or serpent, found in the first presentation under the name tanin. This evil had the potential to step forward as it does here.
We see that in the first presentation, creation screams out for fixing, and man is eminently capable of doing that. In the second presentation, creation is complete, and the one that needs fixing is man, as he is a mixture of a body of earth and a spirit of divine origin, and the question is constantly: which of these wildly different sources will prove dominant?
What happens if man sins? If a perfect man in an imperfect world sins, then he does not have what to rely on for help. Man of the second story has what to rely on even if he falls. His greatness is in his ability to fix himself through teshuva.
Mishlei also speaks about two such people who are called tzaddikim. About one, it says, "a tzaddik is the foundation of the world" (Mishlei 10:25). About the other, it says, "Seven times will a tzaddik fall and get up" (ibid. 24:16). One of them was created on the sixth day, in his natural juncture. The other has him appear after the description of Shabbat, which powered him.
The sons of Yaakov, Yosef and Yehuda, are the prototypes of these tzaddikim. The essence of Yosef is to remain spiritually unscathed despite the difficulties (see Bereishit Rabba 94). Yehuda, on the other hand, sinned, but earned a special place in history for his ability to repent, by admitting his sin, and return.
In kabalistic thought, Yosef represents yesod (foundation), the sixth sefira, putting him higher than the representative of the seventh sefira of malchut, David from the tribe of Yehuda. We will see next week how David relates to number 7.
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
Lessons
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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.
