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The Jewish People declared at Sinai "We will do and hear," and they also had the mountain held over their head. There is no contradiction between the two. There are two forces in man – the good part of his nature and the destructive part of his nature. Along with the positive action ("We will do and hear"), they had to accept upon themselves the concept of "Remove oneself from evil" (the weeding of the garden). They must not deny or cover up the problems but accept the holding of the mountain over their heads. Only then will the positive be something that one can really be happy with.
Therefore, in every generation it is necessary to really accept the Torah anew. Actually, in every year, we must accept it anew, and every day it should appear to us as new.
It is the way of man to work on refining his nature. The corrections can bring on the repair of all of the natural world, as all of existence depends on mankind. It goes up and goes down along with him. "If not for My covenant day and night, the rules of the Heavens and the earth I would not have placed" (Yirmiyahu 33:25). If they would not have accepted the Torah, the morally destructive elements would grow stronger until, "… this will be your place of burial"
The mishna (Kiddushin 4:14) says that neither poverty nor wealth are a product of one’s profession, but everything depends on his merit. Tosafot (Kiddushin 82a) asks from the statement of Chazal that livelihood, life, and children depend on mazal (ostensibly, rather than merit). On the other hand, Bnei Yisrael are not governed by mazal (Shabbat 156a).
The explanation is that mazal is not a combination of natural factors. There is a possibility of things that are beyond nature, and this depends on a realization that wealth is not a function of one’s profession. While livelihood, life, and children depend on mazal, merit impacts the mazal. When nature is repaired, so too, mazal, which is a foundation of blind nature in the world, also changes.
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
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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.
