YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- The Haggadah
- Additional Lessons
The Jewish People languished in slavery & degradation for more than a century. Coming as it did, following a long period of comfortable living in Goshen, Avdut Mitzrayim must surely have been unbearable for them. At some point, no doubt, the Israelites must have had one of two rather depressing thoughts about G-d: Either He is powerless – if He exists at all; or He is cruel, & He wants us to suffer.
And yet, we still cried out to Hashem. Somehow, rather than blame Hashem for our sad state of affairs, we reached out to Him & looked to Him to save us. This tremendous reservoir of faith was surprising even to Moshe, who had doubts that we would believe G-d when He said He would free us. How can we explain this unshakeable quality of trust & faith that is embedded in our DNA?
The late Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski relates that he once had an epiphany while watching a mother bring her young child to the doctor. The moment that the child saw the doctor’s familiar white coat, he remembered past experiences and started to scream & run away. He was even more panic-stricken when the doctor took out a syringe. As his mother held him down, he kicked & clawed at her, desperately trying to get loose.
But when the shot was over, the child instinctively hugged his mother & even thanked the doctor for helping him to feel better. Deep down, instinctively, he knew that they both were there to help him, & not to hurt him.
So it is with us & G-d. We can’t understand why we sometimes suffer, any more than that child could understand. But our faith is such that even when we angrily protest, we are innately aware that Hashem is a loving mother & a healing doctor. And so we cry & cling to Him.
Last week, I lost a dear friend of mine. My first reaction was to question Hashem & to ask, "Why? What was the point in taking such a wonderful person, who helped so many others throughout his too-short life?" But when some of the grief subsided, my faith system kicked in, & I thanked Hashem for having given life to someone so special. And I asked Hashem to receive him in Gan Eden.
The Hagada graphically details the horrendous suffering we endured in Egypt, but boldly declares, "Blessed is He who keeps His promise to Israel." Yes, the Maror, with its bitterness, is part & parcel of our Seder, & we fully acknowledge it. But in the end, we pray & we praise G-d with Hallel & declare these undying words of complete faith: L’Shana Haba’a B’Yerushalayim!
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)
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
