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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Ha'azinu
The liturgy for Yamim Noraim contains a lot about how lowly man is, which seems at odds with the potential for greatness, which we celebrate at this time. We say that Rosh Hashana is the time when Hashem is our light, and Yom Kippur is the time when He is our salvation (Vayikra Rabba 21:4, based on Tehillim 27:1). The former relates to the creation of the world and the latter to Hashem’s forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf, represented by the giving of the second Tablets.
When Adam sinned, the light of Hashem disappeared, being replaced by "knowledge of good and bad." The sin included not just a momentary loss to the evil inclination but the creation of a philosophy that his sin was justified. This is what the gemara (Sanhedrin 38b) describes as Adam being one who denied basic religious beliefs and one who pulled on his foreskin to hide the fact that he was circumcised (including, spiritually circumcised). Adam explained the interest in fulfilling desires as a fact to accept and not a lack of perfection that one needs to try to overcome in reaching shleimut (spiritual completeness).
Judaism looks at matters very differently. Mila represents for us that we need to try to rein in the impurity with which we were born. Tehillim 92 says that evil will grow like grass, in order for it to be destroyed (ibid. 8).
Sin brought a positive result. Kayin’s sin (fratricide) was so severe that he could not justify it. Kayin recognized his sin and repented, which revealed two things about the world: sin is not natural; sin can awaken one, which Kayin had not previously realized. It was his task to improve himself. When he taught this to Adam, Adam called out "Mizmor shir l’yom HaShabbat," which declares the shleimut of the world after our efforts are successful.
Kayin was only able to "compromise" with Hashem and not totally erase the sin. The idea is that as long as man can justify his sin, he will not repent. The motivation to repent comes from seeing the light of Hashem represented by Rosh Hashana, as explained in Tehillim 92, the song of Shabbat, the song of shleimut in the created world.
In the sin of the Golden Calf, the people felt the need to explain why they could prefer the image of a calf to Moshe. Moshe had to show them that their attitude could not continue, and he therefore broke the tablets. When the nation fully repented, they were ready for a new set of tablets, which they received on Yom Kippur. That is the salvation of Yom Kippur. When during these days it is necessary to speak about man’s lacking, it is not in order to cause us resignation, but to make us realize we have a job – to not accept our weaknesses but strive towards shleimut, as Adam learned from Kayin.
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
Igrot Hare’aya Trying to Arrange Purchase of Land in Eretz Yisrael
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P'ninat Mishpat Limits of Interest Rate for Loan with Heter Iska – part II
based on ruling 80033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Igrot Hare’aya Connecting Disciplines in Torah Study
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook 103 – part III
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
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.
