YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Shoftim
Translated by Hillel Fendel
A wise man once said: "The history of the world is actually the history of the great men of the world." He meant, of course, that the great people are those who move the historic processes and determine their countries' agenda.
There is much truth to this saying, but it must be understood correctly – and if it is, that will determine whether we will end up as one of these "great men," or rather trail far behind them.
Most of the world believes that the "great" people are those with power and authority: heads of state, multi-millionaires, and the like. Generally, these "leaders" truly think that they are guiding the historic processes. In fact, many times one diplomatic plan or another will be named after one of them, such as the Trump Peace Plan, or the Monroe Doctrine – as if these people truly move international processes.
But in reality, good historians know that these people simply bring to the fore in-depth processes that had long been taking place beneath the surface. These processes were initiated by the really great people: people who wish to rectify the world, people who think, people who truly leave their imprint on history.
This week's Torah portion is Shoftim, which means "judges," because its first verse is: "Judges and police you shall place in your gates [cities]." In truth, while the policemen deal with problems that arise in the day-to-day, the judges are those who truly determine what must be done.
And what is the essential quality necessary for one who wants to be among those who generate deep internal processes, those who truly determine reality?
A few stories about the great tzaddik, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook (1865-1935), whose yahrtzeit we commemorated this week on the 3rd day of Elul, can paint a picture of one who truly makes an imprint on history.
He was only 23 when he became Rabbi of the small Eastern Europe town of Zoimel. As his renown as one of the greatest Torah leaders of his generation grew, he received offers to become Rabbi in larger cities and to head important Yeshivot. After a while, when he was already Rabbi of the city of Boisk, he received the following interesting offer: to make Aliyah to the Holy Land and become Rabbi of the small Jewish community of Jaffa.
You have to understand: At that time, in the early 1900's, there were only some 5,000 Jews in Jaffa. Altogether in the Land of Israel, the Jewish population was only some 80,000 – compared to the millions of Jews in the lands where Rav Kook was active. True, hundreds of thousands of Jews were leaving Eastern Europe because of worsening anti-Semitism and pogroms, but they were going mainly to the United States and the West, while only a few thousand were heading to Eretz Yisrael.
At first glance, then, the offer from Jaffa seemed to be a bit insulting. Many rabbis advised the Rav not to accept it, as it would mean leaving the center of influence within the Jewish world. But Rav Kook felt differently. Beyond his love for the Holy Land, he sensed that the Jewish center of gravity was about to gradually shift to the Land of Israel. And so he immigrated to the Land, and began to act.
He first established a Yeshiva in Jaffa, and later another one in Jerusalem, which became the famous Merkaz HaRav – the Central Universal Yeshiva, for he truly envisioned it as becoming exactly that. This vision at first appeared detached from reality; there were only a few dozen students at first, and money for room and board and teachers in those days of poverty in the Land of Israel was not amply available.
{Very interestingly, around the same time there was another great Torah leader who was also building a Yeshiva – but this one was in Europe. It was one that this rabbi, just like Rav Kook, planned to be a great institution in the Torah world. Money and students flowed into it from all over the world – but it lasted only a few years until the Nazis put a cruel end to it. It is told that, towards the end of the Yeshiva's construction, this rabbi was asked, "Wouldn't it be better to build this Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael?" He answered, "Now you tell me, when I'm almost finished? But yes, it would have been better."}
Years passed, and despite the difficult conditions, the Central Universal Yeshiva, Merkaz HaRav Kook, did indeed become a great Torah center, and the Land of Israel became the center of the Torah world in particular and the Jewish world in general.
That which turns people into the "great people" who determine the historic agenda is that they look forward with special vision towards the future. The way of the world is that one who has that vision and believes that he can make changes, will have few followers at first – but in the end, he will be a great light to the world.
And we too, all the "regular" people – let us come together and be "great" people and look far ahead and work to change the world!
In order to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox every week, subscribe to the Israel National Torah newsletter here.
A wise man once said: "The history of the world is actually the history of the great men of the world." He meant, of course, that the great people are those who move the historic processes and determine their countries' agenda.
There is much truth to this saying, but it must be understood correctly – and if it is, that will determine whether we will end up as one of these "great men," or rather trail far behind them.
Most of the world believes that the "great" people are those with power and authority: heads of state, multi-millionaires, and the like. Generally, these "leaders" truly think that they are guiding the historic processes. In fact, many times one diplomatic plan or another will be named after one of them, such as the Trump Peace Plan, or the Monroe Doctrine – as if these people truly move international processes.
But in reality, good historians know that these people simply bring to the fore in-depth processes that had long been taking place beneath the surface. These processes were initiated by the really great people: people who wish to rectify the world, people who think, people who truly leave their imprint on history.
This week's Torah portion is Shoftim, which means "judges," because its first verse is: "Judges and police you shall place in your gates [cities]." In truth, while the policemen deal with problems that arise in the day-to-day, the judges are those who truly determine what must be done.
And what is the essential quality necessary for one who wants to be among those who generate deep internal processes, those who truly determine reality?
A few stories about the great tzaddik, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook (1865-1935), whose yahrtzeit we commemorated this week on the 3rd day of Elul, can paint a picture of one who truly makes an imprint on history.
He was only 23 when he became Rabbi of the small Eastern Europe town of Zoimel. As his renown as one of the greatest Torah leaders of his generation grew, he received offers to become Rabbi in larger cities and to head important Yeshivot. After a while, when he was already Rabbi of the city of Boisk, he received the following interesting offer: to make Aliyah to the Holy Land and become Rabbi of the small Jewish community of Jaffa.
You have to understand: At that time, in the early 1900's, there were only some 5,000 Jews in Jaffa. Altogether in the Land of Israel, the Jewish population was only some 80,000 – compared to the millions of Jews in the lands where Rav Kook was active. True, hundreds of thousands of Jews were leaving Eastern Europe because of worsening anti-Semitism and pogroms, but they were going mainly to the United States and the West, while only a few thousand were heading to Eretz Yisrael.
At first glance, then, the offer from Jaffa seemed to be a bit insulting. Many rabbis advised the Rav not to accept it, as it would mean leaving the center of influence within the Jewish world. But Rav Kook felt differently. Beyond his love for the Holy Land, he sensed that the Jewish center of gravity was about to gradually shift to the Land of Israel. And so he immigrated to the Land, and began to act.
He first established a Yeshiva in Jaffa, and later another one in Jerusalem, which became the famous Merkaz HaRav – the Central Universal Yeshiva, for he truly envisioned it as becoming exactly that. This vision at first appeared detached from reality; there were only a few dozen students at first, and money for room and board and teachers in those days of poverty in the Land of Israel was not amply available.
{Very interestingly, around the same time there was another great Torah leader who was also building a Yeshiva – but this one was in Europe. It was one that this rabbi, just like Rav Kook, planned to be a great institution in the Torah world. Money and students flowed into it from all over the world – but it lasted only a few years until the Nazis put a cruel end to it. It is told that, towards the end of the Yeshiva's construction, this rabbi was asked, "Wouldn't it be better to build this Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael?" He answered, "Now you tell me, when I'm almost finished? But yes, it would have been better."}
Years passed, and despite the difficult conditions, the Central Universal Yeshiva, Merkaz HaRav Kook, did indeed become a great Torah center, and the Land of Israel became the center of the Torah world in particular and the Jewish world in general.
That which turns people into the "great people" who determine the historic agenda is that they look forward with special vision towards the future. The way of the world is that one who has that vision and believes that he can make changes, will have few followers at first – but in the end, he will be a great light to the world.
And we too, all the "regular" people – let us come together and be "great" people and look far ahead and work to change the world!
In order to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox every week, subscribe to the Israel National Torah newsletter here.
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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.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 2
The King of the Kazars, in his search for truth, starts by inviting the philosopher. This is a "crash-course" on Aristotelian philosophy and the reasons why the king is not convinced. Through this dialogue, R. Yehuda HaLevi already foreshadows some of his central ideas that will appear later.
Shavuot "Love of Torah = Love of Israel"- for Shavuot
People often identify Judaism as just a religion, but upon examination, we see, even halachically and explicitly in the siddur, that the Torah is dependent upon Am Yisrael, Jewish nationalism.
Ein Aya The Middle-Child & Anti-Tzni'ut Syndrome- Negative Attention
Although tzni'ut is for men just like women, Rav Kook deals here with the sources in Yishayahu and the Talmud which deals with the special problem of lack of tzni'ut in women's dress and actions, where it's not just a problem of midot and character traits, but also can include practical, social and national ramifications, as well, which caused the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash and exile from Israel. The class continues the previous one (Ayn Aya Shabbat vi, 29), and is a must for all educators and parents of high-school aged and young adults.
P'ninat Mishpat P'NINAT MISHPAT: A Mess of Loans, Repayments and Grievances – part II
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts