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Beit Midrash
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- 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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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
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.
