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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Vayigash
Now, Hashem comes to Yaakov – for the first time in 22 years – in a "vision of the night," & promises him, "Anochi eyred imcha Mitzrayma, v’anochi a’alcha gam aloh;" I will both descend with you into Egypt, & also raise you back up (to Israel). Yaakov must balance two most conflicting emotions: on the one hand, he does not want to leave Israel - perhaps he prophetically senses that, despite Hashem’s pledge to him, he will live out the rest of his days in Egypt, & only return to the Holy Land in a casket.
On the other hand, he is desperate to be reunited with Yosef, not only to see his beloved son alive – a miracle come true! – but also to know that at long last his family will again be complete & whole. Fittingly, the Torah’s narrative at this point pauses to list Yaakov’s genealogy & name all seventy of his family members who will be accompanying him to Egypt – kal nefesh banav u’v’notav.
This desire for family unity drives Yaakov forward & gives him the strength, at the advanced age of 130, to make the grueling journey to Egypt, where he will spend the remaining 17 years of his life with his entire family.
A bit of gematriya reinforces how special this time was for Yaakov. The combined numerical value of the two Parshiyot in which Yakov is together with all his loved ones, Vayigash & Vayechi, totals 353. This is the same number as the word "Goshen," the place where the family lived during all those years, as well as the word, "simcha, happiness." Living together in Goshen, it would seem, was a great joy for patriarch Yaakov.
Yaakov’s predicament & mixed emotions are so relevant to the world we Jews live in today. For many of us, our burning desire to accept Hashem’s gift to us & enjoy the blessing of living in Israel – not to mention fulfilling a fundamental Mitzva of the Torah – is tinged by sadness & regret that many of our family, personal as well as universal, are not here to share in this miracle together with us.
Perhaps that is why, when asked by Paro how old he was, Yakov replies, "few & bad have been the days of the years of my life." Yaakov, I suggest, understood that true happiness can only come when all our extended family finally lives together in the redeemed Land of Israel b’b’a’.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
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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.
