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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Va'etchanan
"Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and laws that I am teaching you to do so that you will live and come to and acquire the Land that Hashem is giving you" (Devarim 4:1). Toward the perek’s end (ibid. 40), it says: "You shall guard the statutes and laws I am commanding you today so that it will be good for you and your sons after you, and so that your days will be long on the Land Hashem is giving you all of the days."
These p’sukim teach us the formula of life and arichut yamim (lit., long days). Towards the beginning of this section, Moshe demonstrated what shortens life and what enables eternal life. "… for every man who followed Ba’al Pe’or, Hashem destroyed him from your midst" (ibid. 3). This means that when life follows only the material side, certainly in its lowest form, with illicit relations with the daughters of Moav and following their idols, their lives were greatly shortened (see Bamidbar 25:1-3). In contrast, the next pasuk in Devarim 4 says: "You are those who cling to Hashem; you are all living today."
Part of Moshe’s words focus on distancing people from anthropomorphism (attributing human physical traits to Hashem). The problem is not in limiting Hashem’s specialness. It comes to teach something else – Hashem is not part of the material world and His revelation to the nation at Sinai was in many ways a one-time event. Our conclusion should be to not relate anything physical to Hashem, who is the source of life. The only way to merit life is to connect oneself to Him, which requires following His attributes and being involved in Torah, both in study and in actions. When acting as the Torah prescribes, our use of the material world is not involvement in it but in the spiritual world, for which the material is an instrument.
Moshe also pointed out (ibid. 8-15) that Bnei Yisrael’s distinction as a great nation is due to the correct laws we follow, which teach us to fear Hashem as we live in the Land. We heard Hashem but did not see Him. Finally we should "be very careful for our souls, for we did not see any picture on the day Hashem spoke to us at Horeb from amidst the fire." This is not to protect Hashem but to teach us that realizing the limitations of the material world enables long life, in this world and the world to come.
The Rabbis took this last pasuk out of its simple context, teaching: we must protect our physical lives from danger (see Levush, Yoreh Deah 116:1). Then Moshe warned that following false gods will shorten our lives in the Land (Devarim 4:25-27). Even if Bnei Yisrael must undergo the national tragedy of exile, Hashem will uphold his covenant with them (ibid. 28-30).
Nationally, the physical world can be appropriate if it is in Eretz Yisrael, the holiest land. There we can be an eternal nation because the Torah finds ideal expression to the connection to spiritual world. At the end of the sefer, Moshe Rabbeinu promised a process of repentance and liberation at the end of days. That will ensure a return to Eretz Yisrael and, afterward, full repentance.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.