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Beit Midrash
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Those who don't understand how the entire country is united together in our war against Hamas, is really missing out on a unique experience of Achdut! When Edan Amedi, the super-popular singer and international TV star of "Fauda", first delivered pep-talks in uniform at the beginning of the war from the front, and afterwards was seriously wounded (BH he's better!), I said to my wife, "אשרינו מה טוב חלקנו", how fortunate we are to live in a country with more Jewish and less western self-centered values.
As most countries prepare for the upcoming Summer Olympics, it's worth remembering that 6 of the 13 Israeli medals have been in judo, almost all of them connected with Oren Smadja, the national coach of that field. I can't imagine in western countries having such a VIP, not using his "pull" to get his son out of a dangerous combat unit, if not totally out of the military. Today Smadja will don a kipa, and say kaddish for his son, in the presence of many national super-stars, because that's what is preoccupying Israel at this time. Priorities.
Our very name "Yisrael" is because "we have wrestled (sarita) with angels and man and have succeeded" (Breishit 32, 29). Rav Kook praised the sports that the youth of Israel do (Orot HaTchiya, 34), not so much to win gold in the Olympics, but because in Galut, we forgot that "just as we have holy souls, we also have holy bodies" (ibid, 33)! Just as in Tanachic times (Orot haMilchama, 2), we once again need to develop our muscles to be "healthy souls in healthy bodies" (Orot HaTeshuva 5, 1), showing the unity/monotheism of creation/Creator, but even more so, to enable fulfilling the ideal of altruism, imitating the Creator (who didn’t need to make this world for Himself, Tanchuma Kedoshim, 8), in "freeing the Jews from bondage", even at the ultimate altruistic sacrifice.
Just as it's the religious-Zionists who lead the charge in Gaza, it's also no surprise that we have by far the highest rate in the world of life-giving (!) altruistic kidney donors to strangers, overcoming instinctive & animalistic self-centeredness to be that much more Godly and altruistic. Ashreichem "Yisrael"!
In having to comfort so many students who lost their husbands and sons over the past 8 months, not even once did I hear even one word of remorse or regret for having made aliya or educating our youth to be altruistic for the sake of Am Yisrael. To the contrary, I hear words of idealism, encouragement and love of children and nation, clarifying where this unbelievable youth grew up. Yes, war is painful, but I truly feel sorry for the Haredim as well as my friends who didn't make aliya, and are missing out on being "Yisrael" in this most serious of our eternal wrestling matches with our enemies, missing out on this beautiful period of solidarity and idealism, of really being Jewish.
Rabbi Ari Shvat
Lectures at various yeshivot, michlalot and midrashot. Has published many books & Torani articles and is in charge of Rav Kook’s archives.
Ein Aya Practical Tricks How Not to Accept Gossip by Giving the Benefit of the Doubt
Ayn Aya, Shabbat v, 65
The Giving of the Torah When Should We Use Facts, Logic or Kabbala in Learning Torah?
Ein Aya Shabbat 4 7
Orot Hamilchama War Reveals our Essence - Israel Reveals Mankind
Rav Kook's Orot HaMilchama (part viii)-ch. 6
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.
