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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Vayeshev
Chazal say her name was Zulaicha. Her husband
Potifar, who bought Yosef from the Ishamelites,
was a eunuch (perhaps castrated by the angel
Michael when he cast his eyes on the handsome
Yosef). Zulaicha lusted for Yosef & waited until
an Egyptian holiday took everyone out of the
house, so that the two of them were alone. Yosef
wavers (note the back-and-forth shalshelet trop
note on the word "va’y’maen, and he refused.").
At the last moment, Yosef has a vision of father
Yakov who warns Yosef that his name will be
missing from the stones of the breastplate if he
succumbs to Zulaicha’s advances. He flees,
leaving his "beged, clothes" behind (note "beged"
can also mean "ba-gad, betrayal"). Yosef is then
thrown into prison rather than executed (Potifar
suspects his wife’s claim of rape is false). By
tradition, Zulaicha was the adopted mother of
Osnat, who would later marry Yosef, & so she
sensed that she and Yosef had some connection, but misread the "fine print."
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.
