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Beit Midrash
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A major issue in the parsha that touches on the lives of our young people, now and then, is Identity Crisis.
"And the children ‘struggled - vayit’rotz’ztu’ inside of (Rivka)." She said, ‘Why is this happening?' & she inquired of Hashem. G-d then revealed to her, ‘Two nations are inside you, two entities; they will vie for supremacy & the elder will serve the younger." (25:22/3)
We know the famous Medrash that Rivka would pass a house of idolatry & Esav would try to emerge from the womb; she’d then pass a house of study & Yakov would try to get out. Aside from advising us to avoid idolatrous hang-outs, let’s see this Medrash in a different light:
The children inside Rivka, even as unborn fetuses, were already expressing a will & identity of their own. Though they were twin brothers, their characters were decidedly disparate. Each had a distinct "answer" (the word teretz/answer is a root of the word vayit’rotz’ztu) that expressed their own particular world-view.
This totally confounded Rivka: "If my child already behaves in a certain way," she thought, "then "lama zeh Anochi?" why do I need G-d (Anochi)? What place does He have in their development? If their life’s direction is already decided, what role does He play in their destiny?"
G-d answers Rivka: There are 2 entities inside you – in effect, inside every child. The diverse forces compelling & controlling us, the identities which define us, compete against one another in a battle for supremacy. Will we be selfish or compassionate, stingy or charitable? Will we care for others, or only for ourselves? Are we driven by greed, or a desire to do good? While our responsibility is to introduce our children to a G-dly path in life, in the end they alone who choose whether or not to walk down it.
Interestingly, both Esav & Yakov experience a name-change. Yakov – the meek & mild "follower" out of the womb, who hangs on to his brother, will become Yisrael, the leader of the nation whose new name embodies nobility & decisiveness. Esav – who came into the world "asuy," ready-made, with amazing strength & the potential to build the world - becomes Edom, a bloody & barbaric predator who will terrorize & destroy the planet.
Life is all about choices – from the womb to the tomb.
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.
