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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Nitzavim
On his way to the shul, the rabbi bumped into one of his congregants, who said he urgently needed to talk about the dire difficulties he was having with one of his children. The rabbi nervously glanced at his watch, but stopped to hear the man’s tale & offer some wise advice. Thought the rabbi: "He who sits in glory directs His attention "lishmo’a el ha-rina v’el ha-t’fila," to listen to the song & the prayer, as the key piyut of S’lichot goes. "And is this man’s "song," sad as it may be, not worth listening to?!"
Meanwhile, at the synagogue, the assembled were buzzing about the rabbi’s absence. "How can he be late on such an important night, the "opening" of the High Holiday season?!" said one. "Maybe he’s in Heaven, having a chat with the Almighty!" said another. The Chazan carried on, hoping nothing serious had occurred.
As the rabbi now hurriedly ran to the service, he passed an elderly lady struggling with her packages, one of which had fallen to the ground. "Should I stop to help her?" he said to himself. "But I’m so late already!" Shrugging his shoulders, he picked up the fallen package & walked the woman to her nearby house. On the way, he recited: "Please, G-d; do not cast us out in our old age;" echoing the Sh’ma Koleynu prayer, "when our strength falters, do not forsake us!"
Now hopelessly late, the rabbi hoped that he would still be able to get to shul before the service was over, & that he would have a moment to offer words of inspiration to the community, words that would help to secure G-d’s positive response on Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur.
"Hashem, do it for Your glory;" he prayed as he ran."Do it for Your honor; Your righteousness; do it for Your great kindness, for Your love, for the great ones who sacrificed everything for You. Do it - if not for me - then for You, so Your name will be sanctified & You will save us."
The rabbi entered the sanctuary just as the Chazan was saying the final Kaddish. Huffing & puffing, he tried to explain why he had come so late, & then he begged the crowd to be dan l’kaf z’chut, to give him the benefit of the doubt, just as they, too, would soon request the same of Hashem.
"I think the rabbi was late because he was in Heaven," repeated a man. "Perhaps even higher," smiled his friend.
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.
