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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Mishpatim
- Family and Society
- The Land of Israel
- Army and War
shows Judaism’s "sensitive side." 53 diverse
Mitzvot instruct us as to how we must be
responsive to the needs of the poor, the widow,
the orphan, the disenfranchised, the indentured
slave; even members of the animal kingdom.
But the Sedra’s closing section seems at first
reading to be something completely different. It
contains several mysterious episodes: First, G-d
says, "I am sending an Angel to protect you;
respect him, for My name is in him."
Then Moshe sends the youth of Israel to bring
offerings; the blood of their sacrifice is
sprinkled over the people as Moshe declares,
"With this blood, the covenant is now sealed between you & Hashem."
Finally, Moshe, Ahron & the elders see a vision
of G-d: "Under His feet was a sapphire brick,
whose essence was as pure & bright as Heaven." What does it all mean?
To me, the message is as clear as day; do you not
see it? Who are the Angels among us? Who are the
youth of Israel who protect us, who embody the
finest attributes of Hashem – Midot such as
courage & Mesirat Nefesh - whose blood is sprinkled on the nation at large?
These can be no other than the proud young men &
women who wear the uniform of the Israel Defense
Forces, who selflessly place their lives on the
line every day to defend Am Yisrael. G-d’s name
is in each of these children, & it is in their
merit, I am absolutely convinced, that we
continue to frustrate the evil designs of
millions of enemies who would destroy us. In
their z’chut the Yeshivot may flourish, the
tourists may visit, the land may bloom. These
angels in green, these green kids who traded
their school bags for M-16s, are a source of
great pride in Klal Yisrael and in this generation.
Chazal comment that the sparkling blue brick
under Hashem’s throne was there to remind Him of
the pain & suffering we endured in Egypt, when
the cruel Egyptians would place Jewish babies in
the wall when their parents’ quota of bricks was
not fulfilled. Each time G-d started to lose
patience with Bnei Yisrael, He would take out
that brick. Remembering our great self-sacrifice,
His attribute of Mercy would take hold & He would forgive us.
So the end of the Parsha, you see, isn’t really
so different in essence from the 53
Mitzvot enumerated earlier. It continues the
same theme: Be sensitive & appreciative of those
who serve us & risk their lives for us, such as
the heroic Chayalim in Gaza and throughout. They
and those like them are the Heavenly bricks from
which this great nation is built.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
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.
