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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Pinchas
It began in last week’s Sedra, when twin terrorists Balak & Bilaam conspired to send Midianite prostitutes among Bnei Yisrael. After failing at their other evil plans, they reasoned – correctly - that if they could somehow get the Jews to compromise our sexual morality, we would be vulnerable to the anger Bilaam knew that G-d possesses.
This is the same Bilaam who ironically gave to us the famous compliment, "Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov," how good are the tents of Am Yisrael, praising our admirable quality of tzniut, modesty, exemplified by the fact that our tent openings did not face those of our neighbors, so that no one could see into the next person’s private domain.
The Midianite women not only seduce the Jewish men, they lead them to engage in one of the sickest forms of idolatry, an eschatological, excrement-linked ritual that truly inflames Hashem. To make matters worse, even after many of the guilty men had been executed for their sin, one of Israel’s tribal leaders - later revealed as Zimri of Shevet Shimon - chooses to consort with a Midianite in the full presence of Moshe & the nation’s leaders.
It may be that because Moshe was himself married to a Midianite women – albeit not a depraved one – he is slow to act in the face of this abomination. In fact, he cries, the only time we know of, perhaps because his leadership has now been truly challenged & publicly repudiated.
Enter Pinchas. He doesn’t wait for any court to convene, or trial to be held. He acts. He picks up a spear, which the Torah calls a "romach," a very unusual word that is rarely used in Tanach. Yet we’re quite familiar with this word; its numerical value is 248 – the number of organs Chazal ascribe to the body - & is part of the misheberach we say for the sick. I suggest the Torah is hinting, via this word, "you sinned with your body; now your body, & that of your paramour Cozbi, will be violated." So ends this luscivious episode of the Cozbi Show (the Torah is prophetic, is it not?!)
This story is spread over two separate parshiyot, rather than dealt with all at once in a single sedra, in order to give us pause, I suggest. It seems that Pinchas’ act – though it saves the nation from destruction & is labeled a "Brit Shalom, a Covenant of Peace" - comes at a high price. The Yud in Pinchas’ name & the Vav in the word "Shalom" – the first 2 letters of Hashem’s name – are made small in the written Torah parchment. The implication is that while vigilantism & righteous zealotry may be necessary in times of acute crisis, G-d "shrinks" when we solve our problems with animosity, rather than amicably.
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.
