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Beit Midrash
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- Igrot Hare’aya
Recipient : Rabbi Shmuel Alexandrov. Alexandrov was a yeshiva-trained scholar, who was an autodidact in languages, philosophy, and science. He was a very independent thinker who at times angered the Maskilim and at times angered traditional rabbis. He was a member of the Mizrachi movement and tried, over the years, to recruit Rav Kook to take a leadership role within that movement. This is one of many correspondences between the two on matters of Jewish philosophy.
Body : About the yeiush (despair; apparently, Alexandrov complained that the Jewish people’s outlook was overly gloomy), you have exaggerated the matter. It is true that our stature is diminished by a large measure, whether it be regarding the masses or the elite in the nation. However, when we look well at the matter, we will see that the solution to the diminishment is in the renewal of the loftiest life that our nation can look forward to.
The state of sleep in a living organism, especially in humans, causes the powers of the body to focus on the inside. In that state, logic and the senses do not work. What does work, and in a diligent manner, is the lower physical functions, and imagination works unimpeded. Wise and righteous people are exposed to spiritually elevated dreams, with visions of great importance, which excite the heart. This is on a level that is beyond what a person can sense awake. When a person starts to awaken, the imagination diminishes as does the more spiritual attainments, and powers of lower physicality weaken before the abilities of logic and full control of his senses and body return to function. At this time a person is groggy and is full of emotions that are similar to being burdened and in despair. One who is diligent will awaken like a lion when it is still very early, but even a brave man will not be able to escape from moments of weakness.
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
119 - Is Israel So Different from the Nations?
120 - Our National Sleep
121 - Why Moshavot Do Not Appoint Rabbis
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Among the masses, the imagination played tricks, providing both pleasant and bitter dreams. Uniquely wonderful people saw lofty visions, based on eternal truths that lead in all matters. This is the way hundreds of years of slumber have transpired, and now the approaching of the end of days has but begun the process of reawakening. The eyes have opened, and we have begun to see clearly the world that surrounds us. The power of the "lower life," which is represented by sleep, has for the most part stopped. The period of widespread imagination has passed, as have the lofty, holy people. At this moment in history, we are in a state of weakness.
However, everyone should be able to see that this situation will not last for too long, but rather there will be a process of increasing light. Other nations did not require a period of sleep because they did not have such a long national life, which would weigh them down to that extent. Rather, when they became tired, they slept forever.
In contrast, about us it says: "I have lied down and slept; I have woken up because Hashem has supported me" (Tehillim 3:6). After a lot of toil, in the war of a life of materialism and spirituality, we slept, and it was an unpleasant sleep. However, on the inside, the storehouse of great life, which is the source of our national life, unique and of importance, remains.
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
P'ninat Mishpat Limits of Interest Rate for Loan with Heter Iska – part I
based on ruling 80033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
P'ninat Mishpat Repercussions of a Sale That Turned Out Not Happening – part II
(based on ruling 83045 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
P'ninat Mishpat Profits from Formerly Joint Swimming Pool – part
(based on ruling 81110 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
P'ninat Mishpat A Commercial Rental for a Closed Business – part II
based on ruling 80047 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Igrot Hare’aya Excitement over a Friend’s New Newspaper – #319
Date and Place: 4 Menachem Av 5670 (1910), Rechovot
Igrot Hare’aya Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part IV
Date and Place: 19 Sivan 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya The Need for a Broader Education – #274
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook Date and Place: 8 Adar I 5670, Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Description of New Yeshiva’s Goals to a Supporter – #328
Date and Place: 12 Elul 5670 (1910), Yafo
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.
