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Beit Midrash
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- Chassidish Stories and Great Rabbis
The Jewish approach is opposite and optimistic. Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook writes an idea that can be called the "Law of Preservation of the Spirit": despite dwindling of spiritual giants ("the decline of the generations"), their "spiritual energy" is transferred to the general public, which simultaneously is increasingly improving ("the rise of the generations"). Today we do not have figures like Maimonides, but the average person possesses an intelligence and spiritual potential immeasurably greater than Maimonides' neighbor, who could barely read or write. In contrast, we do not currently have leaders of stature such as Ben Gurion, but the bottom line is that the situation of the State of Israel is infinitely better than in 1948. The rise in the quality level of the public is also the reason why social regimes in today's world are democratic and not royalist.
Just as decades ago, the great rabbis of Israel, such as Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, left the world, and the leadership passed on to Rabbi Druckman's contemporaries; this is also the case now – there is still hope – the leadership will pass on to the next generation. Naturally, there will be some decline, but the bottom line is that the broader reality will progress. Quantity will generate quality: strengths that until now have been less expressed will now take the stage. Religious Zionism is not falling apart nor disappearing; on the contrary, it has never been greater and more diverse; and it is precisely the quantity and diversity that grow the leadership of different righteous people who complement each other. Our Sages expressed this in the words: "the sun rises and the sun sets" – " the Creator does not let the sun of a righteous person set, until He already lets the sun of another righteous person rise."
Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu Controlling Flights, Directing Journeys
stories from 'Father of Israel' in English
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
