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Beit Midrash
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the time when monies would be collected for the
upkeep of the Bet HaMikdash. It also connects to
the upcoming Chag of Purim; the funds we donated
were an "antidote" to the bribe that Haman
offered Achashverosh to murder the Jews of Persia
(which Achashverosh actually refused!).
Buy why a half shekel? We Jews are generally
makpid on "shleimot" – full portions. For
example, we don’t make a Motzi on half a Challa!
And when saying brachot on food, a full, whole
item takes precedence over a partial portion. So
why does the Torah specifically require that this
donation be a half, & only a half?
There is no shortage of answers to this question.
One famous approach is that two Jews need to
unite in order to arrive at one whole shekel.
Another idea is that giving money is certainly
admirable, but it’s only "half the battle;" one
must also give of oneself in any project or cause.
I have a different thought. The concept of a
half, or an "unfinished" shekel tell us that we
do not always have to adopt an "all or nothing"
approach to life. We look at a goal, at the way
our life should be, and its very enormity
frightens & dissuades us. "I could never
accomplish all that!" we tell ourselves, & so, sadly, we never start at all.
But we don’t have to swallow life in one whole
bite! All we have to do is start & do what we
can, & then have faith that we’ll eventually
reach our goal. Like the famous Rabi Akiva
legend, every drop makes an impression, every act
has value, and the "halves" eventually becomes wholes.
Hashem sends us this message loud & clear. "Just
open the door a tiny bit," says G-d, "and I will
open it the rest of the way." As the song goes,
"It is not up to you to finish the job – though
you are not free to absent yourself from it."
G-d, our silent partner, rewards our efforts by
"filling in the blanks" & making up the deficit.
Our job is to take that first (half) step, & then put our trust in Hashem.
The fuel gauge broken, the shocked pilot suddenly
sees that his plane is out of gas. As it spirals
down towards the sea, he quickly puts on his
parachute & thinks to himself, "I’ll never
survive this! I don’t have the strength to swim
all the way to shore!" As he lands in the ocean,
the pilot immediately begins to tread water. But
after a couple of hours, exhausted & out of
breath, he says Shema, & is ready to give up. But
when he stops moving & extends his legs, his feet
touch bottom! He had actually come down on a
sandbar, & eventually he was seen, & rescued.
Never give up, never lose hope. Just do your half of the job.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
