YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Vayakhel
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
fast navigation
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.
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.
