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Beit Midrash
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By tradition, Og lived for a very long time. The Medrash says he survived the Great Flood by hanging on to the Teyva, & that happened 10 generations before Avraham was born & another 400 years before Moshe was born! Og was the last survivor of an extinct race of antediluvian giants, & his stature & power was legendary.
The Torah describes the size of his immense brass bed (9 X 4 amot; an amah being 1.5 feet) in order to show how big Og was, & the Medrash says (perhaps fancifully) that Moshe jumped 10 amot in the air, stretched out a 10-amah spear & stabbed Og in the ankle!
Og’s survival & longevity may derive from the fact that by tradition, he was the one who reported to Avraham that his nephew Lot had been taken captive. While Chazal say Og hoped Avraham would be killed in battle, leaving the beautiful Sara free for Og to marry, this shows that even a chesed done for the wrong reasons is rewarded.
But it’s fair to ask, "what is all this hyperbole about?" Do we really care how huge Og was? It almost sounds like the Torah is entering "fairy-tale" territory with this whimsical "tall-tale" (pun intended). Since we know the Torah never wastes words, there must be something much deeper & relevant for the ages to transmit to us.
I suggest Moshe is not bragging about his own physical prowess, though it was indeed impressive. Moshe is reminding us that no entity on earth, no matter how powerful it may appear, can vanquish us – if Hashem is at our side. Giant empires & empires of giants come & go, but we, Israel, remain eternal. Our primary task is to incur the love & support of Hashem, & then we will overcome these seemingly-invincible enemies.
A favorite Twilight Zone episode has a malevolent giant from another planet ravaging a town, until a young boy (David?) takes out his slingshot & hits him with a rock. Suddenly, there is a strong wind as the giant’s costume deflates, leaving a tiny little alien who runs away in fear.
As we approach Tisha B’Av, we recall the mighty nations of Babylonia & Rome that warred against us & destroyed Yerushalayim & the Bet HaMikdash. But Chazal (Gittin 53) tell us that they had no real power of their own. They were merely "grinding already-ground flour." It was our actions that determine our fate, not theirs. That which led to our disaster, you see, is also the key to our deliverance.
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.