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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!
Rabbi Haggai Lundin
Family and Society There Will Not Be A Civil War!
(Told to the students of the Hesder Yeshiva in Holon)
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
