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We are finishing the year of the 50 th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. Was the victory miraculous or can we explain it within the realm of the natural?
In this war, the enemy fell into the IDF’s hands (as our pasuk concludes). Many Egyptians and Syrian soldiers were literal captives, and around 30,000 soldiers of the Egyptian 3 rd army were totally surrounded, which forced a cease fire on Egypt, at a time that IDF forces were 100 kilometers from Cairo and 30 kilometers from Damascus.
The prophet Micha exclaimed: "Arise, Daughter of Zion, and trample, for your horn I will turn into iron, and your hooves I will make bronze, and you will trample many nations" (Micha 4:13). This pasuk epitomizes what Israel’s armored corps did in this great victory.
I will tell a personal story. At the end of the war, some of the rabbis of the Hesder yeshiva students who fought in tank units in the south (I was one of them), on both sides of the Suez Canal, came to visit and give classes to the soldiers who had fought a tough war and lost many friends. They also met with commanders. One of the important visitors was Rav Yehuda Amital, founder and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion. When he met our battalion commander, Micha Kugel, from Kibbutz Yagur, Rav Amital gave him a present – a complete Tanach, inscribed with the above quote from Micha . One could have not picked a better pasuk for him, and our commander’s regard for Torah grew further.
Micha also promised that in the days of the future liberation, the Jewish People will see miracles on the level of those of the Exodus from Egypt. "I will show you miracles like the days that you left the Land of Egypt" (Micha 7:15).
We will now review the atmosphere in Israel prior to the Yom Kippur War. The State of Israel was still in euphoria, resting on its laurels after the incredible victory of the Six Day War. Because of this overconfidence, the Egyptians’ and Syrians’ deception ploys to hide their mobilization succeeded beyond expectation. The opening artillery assault totally surprised the IDF. Within 24 hours, important brigades in Sinai and the Golan Heights all but disappeared. The vaunted IDF air force had trouble with anti-aircraft fire; tank units initially had no answer for the impenetrable wall of anti-tank missiles they encountered. Infantry was of limited help. The first two days saw more than 1,000 soldiers killed and thousands more injured.
Only after 10 days, toward the end of Sukkot, did the plan to turn the momentum by crossing the Suez Canal starting taking form. A great miracle enabled our forces to build a beach head in between two Egyptian armies, unnoticed. The Egyptians were in the dark; Israel had great light.
This was an event in the mold of the prophet Micha’s prophecy – miracles like in Egypt of old. The dedication and sacrifice of IDF soldiers caused divine assistance. This has been the last war we have fought against Egypt, the biggest and strongest Arab country. We must thank Hashem for the miracles and guard the wonderful present we received 76 years ago. The success of the new Jewish State, populated by Jews from all over the globe, is a great story of a miracle, maybe rivaling the Exodus. We can show our concern by supporting each other and avoiding divisive speech.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
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.
