YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Jewish Holidays
- Rosh Chodesh
As we enter the new month of Shvat, it is appropriate to take a look at a verse from Isaiah 66 - the haftarah reading when Sabbath and the New Month coincide – which refers indirectly to this month's holiday: Tu B'Shvat, the New Year for Trees.
The verse, at first glance, is tremendously puzzling: "For, as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making, stand before Me, says the Lord, so shall your seed and your name stand" (66,22). One who read this verse understands that G-d will expand the world, will build a new heaven and a new earth, and Israel's generations will never cease forever.
How is such a thing conceivable? Will there then be a new world, with new heavens and a new earth, to which Israel will be relocated and then last forever?!
Many commentaries have been written on this verse, and the Medrash Yalkut Shimoni cites several of them. However, the Radak (R. David ben Kimchi, France, d. 1235), ignored all the other explanations and provided his own. To understand it, let us begin with the following story. A nice and gentle man got married and had a son, whom he loved mightily with all his heart. When he would leave every day for morning prayers, he would look at the boy with overpowering love, and would say, "My son! How cute you are, how beloved!" He would then embrace and kiss him. Upon his return from the synagogue, he would see him and again exclaim, "My child, how I love you!" while kissing and hugging him. And so he would do every day.
One day his father-in-law came to visit, saw how his son-in-law behaved to the child, and asked, "What's this?" The young father answered, "For me it's as if he was just born today; my love for him is renewed each day as if it were totally new, and that's why I love him so much." The father-in-law said, "I see. OK, we'll give it another year or two, and then you'll be over it…" But of course the young father continued along the same path.
We recite about G-d in our morning prayers, "He renews in His goodness every day, always, the act of Creation." G-d created His world, as we see – but we don't really look. Today's sky is not the same as yesterday's. We arise in the morning, look around outside, and see the earth flowering and the trees growing – but every day is different. You can go out each day and see a new growth, as if it were Tu B'Shvat each day!
We should know that when we speak of G-d's renewing "in His goodness every day, always, the act of Creation," we mean that it is as if He constantly fashions a new heaven and a new earth; He will not destroy the old world, but it will rather look as if it is new. And this is how our children will be forever to Him – as beloved as if we were just now born to Him! G-d's love for us will always remain before Him; everything is new, nothing is the same old thing as it was before. O Nation of Israel: your descendants and name will last forever and ever.
Another explanation of this verse – it is cited in the Yalkut Shimoni – is that when G-d created His world, He considered that, in fact, He would create new heavens and a new earth, and that Israel would remain as it is. And the Medrash states there that if the heavens and earth, which were created for Israel's honor, last forever, how much more so is this true for the tzaddikim [and Israel], for whom the world was created, that they will last forever.
In any event, the Nation of Israel will be in existence for all time. As the verse states: As the new heavens and the new earth that I make stand before Me, so shall your seed and your name stand."
Translated by Hillel Fendel
Translated by Hillel Fendel
Peninei Halakha 11. Shaving One’s Beard During the Three Weeks
Chapter 8: The Customs of the Three Weeks
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
