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So what does kohanim mean for those who do not descend from Aharon? In the parallel pasuk in Divrei Hayamim (I:18:17), it says that "the sons of David were the first ones, next to the king." In fact, the Targum Yonatan to Shmuel says that the sons of David "were powerful officers," and Rashi, Mahari Kara, the Radak, and the Ralbag follow this approach. Interestingly, Rashi and the Rashbam (his grandson) explained the reference to Bnei Yisrael as "a nation of kohanim" (Shemot 19:6) as sarim (officers); they invoke the pasuk in Shmuel as corroboration. The Ralbag adds an educational, ethical lesson. The fact that David made his sons powerful was a contributing factor to Avshalom’s decision to rebel and to the killing of Amnon and Adoniyahu. In general, he claimed that David was not sufficiently successful in his moral supervision of his sons.
The Ri of Trani explains that generally kohanim refers to a governmental position more than a religious one. He brings as support the fact that Yitro was called the kohen of Midian (Shemot 18:1). [Of course, there is a strong current in Chazal that Yitro was a religious figure in Midian and that contributed to the fact that Moshe’s descendant was a priest for idol worship (see Shoftim 18:30).
The Radak explains that kohanim can refer to Torah scholars, based on the following statement of Chazal. Rava says that a Torah scholar can ask to have his monetary case adjudicated ahead of his position on line in honor of his status (Nedarim 62a). The source that this is reasonable is the pasuk about the sons of David being kohanim, from which they derive that just as a kohen receives the first portion, so too a Torah scholar deserves to be prioritized. (We caution that in our days, such a request is liable to cause a desecration of Hashem’s Name. We strengthen this with a story about our mentor, Rav Shaul Yisraeli, an outstanding Torah scholar by any measure. When assuming the shopping duties when his wife was sick, he would not agree when people offered him to skip their place on line.)
We also suggest that those of David’s sons who were the firstborn of their mothers had leading roles in the service of Hashem in public altars (after the Mishkan was destroyed and before the Beit Hamikdash was built). In that way, they could have been like kohanim in terms of their work. We can also take a step forward and suggest that when David was described as "being fastened with an apron of fabric" (Shmuel II:6:14), when he was bringing the ark to Yerushalayim, it was referring to him acting in preparation for the eventual building of the Mikdash (by his son). Only after the Beit Hamikdash was built, did wearing a kohen-like garment become problematic in a service-promoting context.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Rabbis in Midrash
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
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.
