YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Chukat
Para Aduma! The ritual of the Red Heifer is so
mystifying that even the wise King Solomon was
stumped. Particularly puzzling is the fact that
the Kohen who administers this elaborate rite -
which helps to make others Tahor, spiritually
pure – will himself become tamei, spiritually
impure, at least until evening. Why is this?
Far be it from me to try to understand what
Shlomo haMelech could not. But – one lesson
clearly emerges from this Mitzva: If you want to
purify someone else, you had better be prepared
to endure some "tuma" yourself.
Wow, what a message for our times!
How often do we encounter so-called "righteous"
people who refuse to "dirty their hands" by
associating with those whom they deem less
learned, less observant, less pure than they are?
Barricaded either socially or spiritually, they
shield themselves from the masses, fearing that
they will be "contaminated" by others if they get
too close. Alas, they just don't get it.
I suggest that the Red Cow's enigma helps to
explain the strange behavior exhibited in the
last two Sedrot. In Shlach, the Meraglim - Spies
reject Hashem's promise & spurn Eretz Yisrael.
How could such noble people, who had seen
G-d in all His glory, do this? I suggest it is
because these people had lived a 100% pristine
spiritual existence: they were fed Manna from
heaven; protected by Divine clouds; taught by
Moshe himself, treated to a daily dose of
miracles. And now, they should get their hands
filthy by engaging in politics, commerce,
military service & the everyday trappings of national life? No way!
Korach, for his part, suffered from the very same
type of paranoia. He could not bear to think of
himself as anything but the leader. "After all,"
he proudly boasts, "look at the high-class stock
I come from! I am royalty! Should I be treated
like some common commoner?! The cheek of it all!" Oy, what a tzadik!
To be a Jewish leader & purify the nation, one
has to be prepared to go, literally, into the
trenches with "amcha," as Avraham, Moshe & Rabbi
Akiva did, & as Moshiach will do. The tragic
approach of so many "so-called "leaders" in high
places who look down (both literally &
figuratively) upon others & say, "Come up here,
to me!" will never succeed. They need to climb
down from their ivory towers & pull the people up to them.
Yes, it does indeed takes guts to get down &
dirty, but then, Geula-Redemption is not for COW-ards.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.