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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- The Three Weeks
- The 17th of Tamuz
At first glance, it seems that the purpose of the month of Tamuz is to make us depressed. Although this month opens the summer vacation (a point to its credit), it contains all the components that create a sense of 'bummer': the start of the Three Weeks, scorching weather, and the fatigue that comes with the end of the year. In the book of Ezekiel, Tamuz was the name of an idol with lead eyes, which was worshipped by the burning of a near-by fire, which caused the illusion of tears flowing from its eyes. This spectacle provoked a cult of collective crying by all those present.
What is crying? When there is an encounter with a 'great' reality like the bright light of the sun - a curtain goes down, the eyes tear up and are covered with fog, an opportunity for introspection that helps absorption of the immense light is created. When one encounters an emotional reality beyond his ability of absorption – either tremendous joy or contrastingly, great sorrow - the tears accumulate. God has embedded a biological mechanism in us that helps to face extreme emotional feelings, which helps to absorb, precisely because of the limitation, the visible light in good news or what is hidden in bad news.
There are two Tamuz-like ways of dealing with life. Two worldviews that confront the infinite magnitude of the (sometimes negative) reality that is exposed to our eyes. One is the pagan way reflected in the cult of Tamuz: helplessness, an evil eye, despair, pessimism, crying as a goal in itself, crying for the sake of crying - "And most nations in their riddles and songs say that the evils of time are many and constant" (Malbim on Job 2:11). The second way is the Israeli way: crying as a means, the understanding that "God saw the light that it was good" (Genesis 1:4) - reality as a whole is full of light, while the moments of darkness, the moments of crying, are only a means of revealing the hidden inner goodness.
It is precisely in the month of Tamuz, when the sun shines strongly and the pagans found an outlet for their sense of frustration - the people of Israel are wise enough to deal with the reality of destruction. Coping with the understanding that sometimes, in order to reach the hidden light, one has to go through a dark period. " So said God of Hosts, the fourth fast…will become joy and happiness and good holidays for the House of Judea" (Zechariya 8, 19). Amen.
May this be a good month!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
