Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Tetzave
Why was there a need for another acceptance? What was missing before? Chazal answer that the earlier acceptance of Torah was coerced - "kafa aleihem har ke-gigit," G-d held the mountain over their heads and said that if they don't accept the Torah they will be buried under the mountain. Since their acceptance of the Torah at Sinai was forced upon them, they had to accept it once again of their own free will.
What did the acceptance of Torah on Purim add to our religious experience? It added the element of joy. We perform mitzvot and study Torah not only because we have to do so. We engage in Torah because it is a pleasure, because it is a joy, because it uplifts our lives and elevates our souls. Because being near to God is pure good. And when one accepts Torah out of joy and gladness one will keep Torah even when the mountain is not over our heads.
What is true regarding Torah is also true about Eretz Israel. One can come to Eretz Israel beacuse one is compelled to leave galut. One can, however, come to live in this beautiful and wonderful land beacuse of the sheer joy of contributing to the rebuilding of our people and our land. This kind of redefinition of the Zionist agenda can help us overcome these difficult days and inject true joy in our decision to come and live here.
Rabbis in Midrash
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Various Events FOR WHOM NOT TO VOTE
Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook stressed that Israeli politics is G-dly, so I have no problem answering this common question on a Torani blog. Also, Free-Will is a G-d-given right and obligation, to "destine one's fate" (R. Soloveichik, Kol Dodi Dofek, 67), so I obviously don't tell others how to vote. But once not a few (especially young) have already asked, a couple of personal words from experience and thoughts from chazal & Rav Kook which may be of help to others, mainly for whom NOT to vote.
P'ninat Mishpat Fallout from Failure to Install Elevator – part II
based on ruling 85007 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
