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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Ekev
This is Moshe’s challenge as he addresses the nation; the entire last book of the Torah comprises his farewell speech. He must choose his words carefully & emphasize the truly important points & principles that the nation can take with them as they march into the future.
I’m intrigued by one particular comment Moshe makes: "He afflicted you, & He made you hungry, & He fed you the Mahn that neither you nor your forefathers knew."
Why, how did Hashem "afflict" us? G-d is a giving, loving G-d; why would he possibly want to afflict us? Indeed, this same section is filled with all the wonderful things G-d did for us in the desert, & ends by promising us a beautiful, verdant Land that will satisfy our every need. So what was this affliction, & what is its connection to the Mahn & to Israel?
I suggest that the Mahn is perfectly emblematic both of Israel & the Jewish condition.
Among the many (or is it Mahn-y?!) miracles contained within the Mahn, its most famous feature was that it could taste like (almost) any food one could imagine! Yet at the same time, the Mahn had a catch: it only lasted for a day (except for Shabbat) & then it rotted & melted away. Thus, one held in his hands something truly unique & precious, but at the same time fragile & fleeting.
This combination was what was so "afflicting." To have something so amazing, yet know it would soon disappear, must have been terribly frustrating. But, of course, this was all by design; there was a powerful method to Hashem’s "mahn-ness." He wants us to acknowledge all the manifold gifts He gives us, & human nature dictates that we don’t know what we have until we lose it. And so, ironically, it was only by watching the Mahn vanish before our very eyes that we came to fully appreciate its value.
And so it is with Israel. Whether we are talking about the first 2 Batei Mikdash, or the fantastic country we live in today, we are always in danger of taking it for granted. It is more miraculous than Mahn, & yet we often lose sight of the blessing that greets us the moment we open our eyes each morning. And that is precisely why our very existence here is so fragile, our future so worrisome, our security so tenuous. It is all meant to conquer our complacency, to amplify our appreciation, & to insure our eternal gratitude to, and dependence upon the Almighty.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
Jewish Laws and Thoughts Shul “etiquette:” can we honor Hashem while respecting our fellow congregants?
The Rediscovery of Tekhelet: A Century of Research Tekhelet and Life's Temptaions
The Rediscovery of Tekhelet: A Century of Research
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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.
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.
