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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Pinchas
Humility. The great ones are always humble; &
this humility is most severely tested when one
experiences pain, rejection & disappointment &
yet still maintains complete faith in G-d.
Moshe Rabbeinu pleads to Hashem - whom he refers
to here as "Elokay HaRuchot, the G-d of spirits"
- to choose a leader to replace him. This strange
name for Hashem implies that a leader should be
tolerant, & inclusive of all types &
temperaments. This was clearly a hint to Hashem
that Pinchas, despite his brave act of zealotry
when he killed Zimri, was not the right person to lead the nation.
Moshe is told to place his hand upon Yehoshua &
declare him as successor. But when Moshe performs
this act, he slightly deviates from G-d’s command
& places both his hands on Yehoshua! A subtle,
but significant change from the original command. What happened here?
Moshe, like any good father - he was human, after
all! - would have preferred that his own son
succeed him. But G-d chose Yehoshua, who was a
great scholar in his own right. So Moshe thought,
"OK, fine, let Yehoshua be the Torah leader; but
let my son be the military leader, the king, or
the community benefactor." Moshe thought that
perhaps, by being ordered to place just one hand
on Yehoshua, G-d was hinting this could actually happen.
But G-d rejected this idea; He wanted a person
who had it all, who embodied all the diverse
qualities needed to lead a people as challenging
as Israel. And so Moshe placed both his hands on
Yehoshua’s head, indicating that Yehoshua would be Tzadik, King & General.
This valiant yet bittersweet act speaks volumes
about Moshe’s devotion to G-d, & to the nation,
which he placed before any personal ambition or
desire he might have harbored. It also sends
another crucial message: The future, ultimate
hero of Am Yisrael will be someone who excels not
only in Tosfot, but in tanks; not only Medrash,
but also military strategy; an expert in commerce
no less than Kedusha. Like David HaMelech. Like
Moshiach, the future, heralded scholar-teacher-warrior.
This elusive goal can only take place in Israel,
where all the disparate elements of society - the
military, political, economic & educational – can
merge into one entity. Only here can a leader
emerge who will contain within a single body, a
single perfected soul, all the holy components of
redemption, who will carry a Tanach into battle
while defeating our enemies & energize our Neshamot.
That’s what & who we are waiting for: Please come soon!
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
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.