YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
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!
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
Jewish Laws and Thoughts Shul “etiquette:” can we honor Hashem while respecting our fellow congregants?
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
