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Beit Midrash
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- Understanding Circumstances
Translated by Hillel Fendel
What can I say during these crazy days? [The year was 2003, during a stormy election campaign, which was ultimately decisively won by the Likud party headed by Ariel Sharon; it received 38 Knesset seats. The runner-up was Labor, headed by Amram Mitzna, which received only 19. The Arab Ra'am party received 2 seats.]
I believe in our nation. It is a good nation, a strong nation; large, healthy, pure and holy. I'm not trying to comfort with platitudes those who are in despair. I wish rather to point out a way to extricate ourselves from the political whirlpool in which we are spinning – for this entire storm upon us is just foam upon the water, and nothing substantial. This whole crisis is merely external, and all the weaknesses and problems we see and experience are superficial. But deep down within, everything is different. The unreliability and lack of integrity of some of our politicians are merely an outer garment that conceals the strength of the faith and credibility that are deeply rooted in the nature of our being.
The division and discord tearing us to shreds conceal the inner essential unity that unites us, the Jewish People, more than any other nation is united. The weakness we see hides our strength and might, and the heresy blocks the depth of our faith. And since in our inner being we are healthy and strong, believing and trusting – all that must be done is to remove the mask hiding our virtues. Just as the Prophet said (Zecharia 3,4): "Remove the soiled clothing from him."
How can this contradiction be explained, between what is seen on the outside and what we really are on the inside? How can there be such an acute contrast between our inner essence, so complete and perfect, and our external trappings which appear to be the exact opposite?
And furthermore, how can we be so sure that all these great strengths are concealed within us, when the reality appears totally different?
The answer was revealed to us by our Sages, who taught that this situation is precisely the opposite of what we think. It is specifically because of Israel's high level, every little weakness shows up more blatantly and seems particularly severe and grave.
HaRav Kook, of saintly blessed memory, expressed this point in one of his Orot books – Orot HaT'chiyah, the Lights of the Revival – as follows: "Great are we, and great are our errors - and therefore great are our tribulations and great also are our consolations."
The Rav also wrote: "Just before the time of the Footsteps of the Messiah, the segula [special quality] of unity increases in the nation. The good deeds and outlooks, and the Divine light, that are found among the righteous, act upon the sanctity of Clal Yisrael more than at other times. This segula is hidden within the fighting and dissent, but deep inside, it is lined with wondrous love and unity that arouse an all-around feeling of anticipation of salvation for the entire nation."
That is: In this generation, our unity escalates and spreads, but it is hidden amidst dissent and conflict. What must be done, therefore, is simply to remove the cover. There is no need to create new positive forces; all the forces are already present. All that must be done is to remove the disguise. It can happen all at once. There's no doubt that we are very close to the great hour of our complete redemption. And whoever acts alongside the Master of the Universe, and engages in bringing the redemption closer, in building the Land and the Torah, in preserving the entirety of the Land – fortunate is he and fortunate is his lot, and his reward is assured.
What can I say during these crazy days? [The year was 2003, during a stormy election campaign, which was ultimately decisively won by the Likud party headed by Ariel Sharon; it received 38 Knesset seats. The runner-up was Labor, headed by Amram Mitzna, which received only 19. The Arab Ra'am party received 2 seats.]
I believe in our nation. It is a good nation, a strong nation; large, healthy, pure and holy. I'm not trying to comfort with platitudes those who are in despair. I wish rather to point out a way to extricate ourselves from the political whirlpool in which we are spinning – for this entire storm upon us is just foam upon the water, and nothing substantial. This whole crisis is merely external, and all the weaknesses and problems we see and experience are superficial. But deep down within, everything is different. The unreliability and lack of integrity of some of our politicians are merely an outer garment that conceals the strength of the faith and credibility that are deeply rooted in the nature of our being.
The division and discord tearing us to shreds conceal the inner essential unity that unites us, the Jewish People, more than any other nation is united. The weakness we see hides our strength and might, and the heresy blocks the depth of our faith. And since in our inner being we are healthy and strong, believing and trusting – all that must be done is to remove the mask hiding our virtues. Just as the Prophet said (Zecharia 3,4): "Remove the soiled clothing from him."
How can this contradiction be explained, between what is seen on the outside and what we really are on the inside? How can there be such an acute contrast between our inner essence, so complete and perfect, and our external trappings which appear to be the exact opposite?
And furthermore, how can we be so sure that all these great strengths are concealed within us, when the reality appears totally different?
The answer was revealed to us by our Sages, who taught that this situation is precisely the opposite of what we think. It is specifically because of Israel's high level, every little weakness shows up more blatantly and seems particularly severe and grave.
HaRav Kook, of saintly blessed memory, expressed this point in one of his Orot books – Orot HaT'chiyah, the Lights of the Revival – as follows: "Great are we, and great are our errors - and therefore great are our tribulations and great also are our consolations."
The Rav also wrote: "Just before the time of the Footsteps of the Messiah, the segula [special quality] of unity increases in the nation. The good deeds and outlooks, and the Divine light, that are found among the righteous, act upon the sanctity of Clal Yisrael more than at other times. This segula is hidden within the fighting and dissent, but deep inside, it is lined with wondrous love and unity that arouse an all-around feeling of anticipation of salvation for the entire nation."
That is: In this generation, our unity escalates and spreads, but it is hidden amidst dissent and conflict. What must be done, therefore, is simply to remove the cover. There is no need to create new positive forces; all the forces are already present. All that must be done is to remove the disguise. It can happen all at once. There's no doubt that we are very close to the great hour of our complete redemption. And whoever acts alongside the Master of the Universe, and engages in bringing the redemption closer, in building the Land and the Torah, in preserving the entirety of the Land – fortunate is he and fortunate is his lot, and his reward is assured.
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.
