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Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Chayei Sara
The Torah section begins with the impressive titles for the servant – "the elder of his house" and "who controls everything that [Avraham] had" (ibid. 2). Chazal (including in Yoma 28b) are confident that this is Eliezer, who they call "an elder who sat in the academy." His name comes up in Lech Lecha (15:2), where he is described as "ben meshek of my house" and "of Damasek," which Chazal interpret with the Hebrew words for "draw and give to drink" from the Torah of his master to others. Thus, they connected the accounts written two parshiyot away from one another, and especially the descriptions of him, to claim that they refer to one person.
Chazal also attribute to him the pasuk in Mishlei (13:25), "The righteous eat so that their spirit is satiated." The midrash (Bamidbar 21:20) says that this refers to Eliezer, as he asked Rivka for a little to drink, as the righteous person did not need to ask for more.
We will now look at some principles that Chazal used to explain p’sukim of Tanach such as ours. Seder Olam Rabba taught us that "Scripture does not come to leave things unclear but to elucidate" (ch. 1). Talmud Yerushalmi expresses the idea as follows: "The words of Torah are poor in one place and rich in another" (Rosh Hashana 3:5). In other words, Tanach explains itself, as in one place the text will be poor and closed, but the information can come from a "richer" context. This gives a powerful tool of exegesis – finding connections between texts.
The fact that the word bayit (house), with similar conjugations, is found in both contexts, hints to connect the two and assume they are talking about the same "central character." When the use of the same word appears in a halachic context, it is called a gezeira shava, and that can be used for derivations only when an existing tradition calls for it. In a homiletic context, there are no such limitations.
The rules we have mentioned are based on the assumption that in the first stage, the entire Torah was given from the Heavens as one book. After that, in stages over a long period of time, the books of Nach were given and the process was completed when the Men of the Great Assembly, with powers of prophecy and/or Divine Spirit, sealed the group of books we know as Tanach. From that critical time, Tanach became one work that explains itself, one section from another.
Why would the information on one matter be split among different works? The prophet Yirmiyahu answers that question based on the principle that the one ultimate source for all of the sections of Tanach is Hashem. If so, the information got to us through the books’ "fall" from the highest of places, during which process they were "broken to bits." Only when the pieces are put together again do we receive the ability to understand matters in depth. Yirmiyahu sums up this phenomenon with the pasuk: "Indeed this is My word, which is like fire, says Hashem, and just as a hammer smashes a stone" (23:29).
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
