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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
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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
Lessons
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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.
