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Beit Midrash
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In some cases, the answer is quite clear. We can presume that the famine at the time of Yaakov and his sons, which caused the family to go down to Egypt, was a punishment for the sale of Yosef as a slave to Egypt.
The famine in the beginning of Megillat Rut was apparently the outcome of a national sin at that time. We have discussed in the past that under the leadership of Elimelech and his sons, Bnei Yisrael gave up hope of completing the acquisition of the Land and the establishment of a united Jewish state. Thus, they lost hope of liberation and encouraged intermarriage, which endangered the continued existence of Am Yisrael.
What was behind the famine at the beginning of Avraham’s attempt to establish his home in the Land of C’na’an? A few opinions in the midrash posit that it was in order to test Avraham’s belief in Hashem. The Radak (to Bereishit 12:10) points out how easy it could have been for Avraham to have questioned Hashem based on His promise – "The families of the Land will be blessed in you" (ibid. 3). Here, after all, as soon as Avraham came to the Land, its inhabitants started suffering tremendously!
Da’at Zekeinim MiBaalei HaTosafot takes a totally different approach. Hashem told Avraham: "You shall be a blessing" (ibid. 2). Da’at Zekeinim saw this as a commandment. Avraham’s task was to get people everywhere he went to recognize Hashem and bless Him. Indeed, the Torah tells us that Avraham did this, as it says: "He called out in the Name of Hashem" (ibid. 8). According to this approach, the famine was a punishment to the people of the Land who did not sufficiently adopt Avraham as their mentor, despite Hashem’s commandment.
We will take a new approach based on the direction of the Radak and midrashim, connecting it all to the divine command in the beginning of the parasha: "Leave your land, your birthplace, and your father’s house, and go to the land I will show you" (ibid. 1). Rashi (Bereishit 11:28) says that Avraham’s brother, Haran, died because of his father. Terach complained to Nimrod about the destruction of his idols, Avraham was defiant, and Haran "sat on the fence," waiting to see if Avraham would survive. When Avraham did, Haran supported him, but he was not deserving of a miracle to save him. When the crisis between Avraham and Nimrod boiled over, Hashem commanded Avraham to leave his father’s house and go to a new land, the Land of C’na’an, named for the fourth son of Cham, who was a relative of Nimrod.
The famine, which forced Avraham to Egypt, was a further test for Avraham. Nimrod was the firstborn of Cham’s firstborn, Kush. Nimrod, a heretic, was born and bred in Egypt, before moving to Mesopotamia and conquering many lands. Leaving Eretz C’na’an and going to the more pagan land of Egypt, made things more difficult for Avraham’s attempt to build a community of believers, but he succeeded anyway.
We pray that Hashem will not give us difficult tests. May we fully follow the path of our patriarch Avraham, the father of the believers.
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
