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Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Vayikra
- Emor
Our mentor, Rav Shaul Yisraeli, zt"l, was one the Jewish leaders, who immediately understood the events’ great significance. He wrote about why it is so important to commemorate, celebrate, and thank Hashem on a day that was to be set aside for the re-establishment of a Jewish state, and why 5 Iyar, the day we declared our independence is important. (See Eretz Hemdah, vol. I, 1:6.)
The Chief Rabbinate at the time of Rav Herzog and Rav Uziel set the order of prayers for this occasion. At the evening prayers, we recite two mizmorei Tehillim that refer to the time of the coming of Mashiach and are part of Kabbalat Shabbat (97-98), along with three stanzas from "Lecha Dodi," written by Rav Shlomo Alkebetz, a student and friend of Rav Yosef Karo. Why did the initiators of Kabbalat Shabbat (16th century Safed) choose these psalms, and what messages are embedded in Lecha Dodi?
After the tragedy of the Expulsion from Spain, there was a spirit of anticipating liberation in the community led by Rav Yaakov Beirav, and Safed became a center of "revealed" and "hidden" Torah. Practical steps toward creating an independent state to be led by Mashiach were still just a dream, as any actions in this direction could have caused harsh reactions by the new rulers of the Land, the Ottomans. The psalms that Rav Moshe Kordavero chose for Kabbalat Shabbat deal with the coming of Mashiach, along with references to the past liberation, from Egypt. While these songs did not openly call for steps toward liberation, they safely hinted at increasing the yearnings. Shabbat was the "cover" for the feelings, with a double meaning that the Times to Come are "the times that are all Shabbat and rest forever." Lecha Dodi went further in mixing between Shabbat and liberation, using the motif of the marriage between the beloved and his/His bride, as described in Shir Hashirim. This wedding is to occur in a flourishing Land of Israel, as described there. So we can call Lecha Dodi a song about Shabbat and an "underground song" about the coming of Mashiach.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
