YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Rosh Hashana
- Shofar Blowing
The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
Revital Bat Lea
Some rabbinic authorities (the Rosh and the Tur) explain that this is also the reason that we blow the Shofar during the entire month of Elul. Throughout the year, the Satan confuses our opinions, thoughts, and beliefs. Our task during the month of Elul is to make sense of this confusion.
Confusion is one of the consequences of the destruction of the Holy Temple, as the sages say, "Ever since the destruction of the Holy Temple, the sages began to be like school teachers, school teachers like synagogue attendants, synagogue attendants like common people, and the common people became more and more debased" (Sotah 49a). Everything was shaken up. Even the common people lost there status. The goal of Elul is to resolve this confusion, and this is why we blow the Shofar.
During the month of Elul we recite twice daily the words "One thing I asked of God, this shall I seek - that I dwell in the House of God all the days of my life, to behold the sweetness of God and to contemplate His Sanctuary" (Psalms 27:4). One thing I asked and no more - no confusion. There must be a single desire, and no more. One must be as decisive in his desire to dwell in the House of God as our ancestors were to receive the Tablets of the Covenant in the month of Elul.
We learn this idea from the words of the Torah, "See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil . . . therefore choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:15, 19). We must choose life and not fluctuate indecisively. Only where there is a foundation of "one" is there the sweetness of Torah.
Each one of us senses this confusion, and the task of the month Elul is to wage war upon it. The verse "One thing I asked of God, etc." represents the essence of our spiritual task. "That I dwell in the House of God all the days of my life," this alone and nothing else. No confusion. When this is the case, Divine assistance is granted, and it is in this sense that Elul is considered a time of Divine favor.
At the beginning of the same Psalm 27, it is written, "Though war would arise against me, in this I trust." The commentator R' Avraham Ibn Ezra explains that the words "in this" refer to the continuation the following verse - "One thing I asked of God." This single request is what provides us with trust and security.
May it be God's will that our prayers become the desire of the entire Jewish people for the coming year.
-------
Some of the translated Psalms in the above article were taken from or based upon the Artscroll Psalms. Other verses and Talmudic sources were taken from or based upon Davka's Soncino Judaic Classics Library (CD-Rom).
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
