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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
In Vayeishev, Tamar demanded of Yehuda to give an eiravon (collateral), his staff and signet, to get what he asked her for (Bereishit 38:17-20). Tamar used these identifiers of Yehuda to make him confront the truth. She used the phrase "haker na" (recognize this), which the brothers had used when presenting Yosef’s blood-stained cloak to Yaakov, and thereby facilitated Yehuda’s teshuva. Through Yehuda’s admission of responsibility, he merited to have Tamar’s babies, including Peretz, father of David and Mashiach. The Torah writes about the promise of Yehuda’s leadership, "Your brothers will admit (=cede leadership) to you" (see ibid. 49:8-9).
Yehuda continued to use the concept of arvut to further his leadership in Miketz and Vayigash. As the famine worsened and Yehuda tried to convince his father to send Binyamin with his brothers to Egypt, as the disguised Yosef had decreed, Yehuda said "Anochi e’ervenu" (I will be your guarantor) [for Binyamin’s safety] (ibid. 43:9).
In this week’s parasha, Yehuda used the account of his guaranteeing Binyamin’s welfare in his attempt to convince Yosef to free Binyamin (ibid. 44:32). At that time, Yehuda let the whole family know that the building of Klal Yisrael requires mutual responsibility from one Jew to another. This signals an about-face from the path the brothers took by selling Yosef as a slave. Yehuda’s full repentance ensured that there could be a unified leadership in the developing nation. The leadership must internalize that its task is to strengthen this mutual responsibility and avoid disunity. This entails Yehuda working in partnership with Yosef (see our last two articles).
If we are correct, we can uncover another related example of arvut. As David’s father, Yishai, sent him to what turned out to be his encounter with Goliat, Yishai told him to inquire about his brothers’ welfare and take "aruvatam" (Shmuel I, 17:17-18). In requesting this visit to the front, Yishai used the language Yaakov used to ask Yosef to visit his brothers and that his ancestor Yehuda used in showing his correct approach to his brothers. The midrash (Tanchuma, Vayigash 8) indeed says that Yishai told David that the time had come to use the guarantor status that Yehuda had adopted. The midrash continues that David took ultimate responsibility by challenging and killing Goliat. The midrash posits that since David did this to remove disgrace from the kingdom of Shaul, who came from the tribe of Binyamin, who Yehuda guaranteed and was willing to switch in Egyptian jail, David was given the Beit Hamikdash that was on the border of Yehuda and Binyamin. David, like his ancestor Yehuda, received the throne because he used Yehuda’s affinity toward arvut.
For us, we must remember that mutual responsibility is the way forward to the days in which Yehuda will reclaim its days of glory as the "lion" within the nation (see Bereishit 49:8-11). Those who do so deserve to see the return of Hashem to Zion and the rebuilding of Jerusalem as in days of old.
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.
