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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.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
