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Refael Ben Yosef
Pious behavior can be misleading. Though a certain act may appear virtuous at first glance, a paradigm of pious behavior, its ramifications may in fact be very undesirable.
For example, Gedaliah ben Achikam was invested with the responsibility of ruling over what remained of the Jewish community in the Land of Israel at the end of the Second Temple period. When people came and told him that Yishmael ben Netanya was scheming to assassinate him, Gedaliah refused to believe them because of his enormous piety. He would not listen to slander.
Pathways in Personality Development (52)
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
1 - 1. The Quality of "Zehirut" - that Man Contemplate His Actions
2 - 2. Introspection
3 - 3. "Zehirut"- Inhibiting and Contributing Factors
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The Maharal, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato, says that a person can only succeed in attaining the correct measure of piety if he possesses the following three traits:
a. that his heart be as pure as possible, that his one desire be to bring pleasure to God.
b. that he examine his deeds carefully and try to perfect them accordingly.
c. that he place his trust in God, for by doing this he merits divine assistance, as it is written, "Happy is the man whose strength is in You . . . Goodness will not be lacking for those who walk in purity." (Psalms 84:6, 12).
If one of these three conditions is missing a person will not attain perfection, and he is likely to stumble and fall. If a person's intentions are not pure, or if a person is derelict about examining his deeds and their ramifications, or if he fails to place his trust in his Creator, he will find it difficult to avoid falling.
But if a person harbors pure intentions, carefully examines his behavior, and trusts in God, he will be able to follow the true path and no evil will befall him. This idea was expressed by the prophetess Hannah when she said "He protects the feet of his pious." King David likewise said, "And He will not forsake his pious ones; they will forever be protected" (Psalms 37:28).
Hence, one must weigh the ramifications of every act. It was to this that R' Yochanan was referring when he said, "The humility of R' Zechariah destroyed our Temple, consumed our Sanctuary, and exiled us among the nations." This is what happened: Bar Kamtza went to the Roman authorities and spoke slanderously against the Jews claiming that they did not accept Roman rule. This could be proven, said Bar Kamtza, by sending an animal sacrifice as an offering to the Holy Temple. The Jews, he said, would refuse to offer it up.
So they sent an offering with bar Kamtza and he blemished the animal so that it be rendered unacceptable as a sacrifice according to Jewish law, yet acceptable in the eyes of the Romans. "The Rabbis thought to sacrifice the animal. R' Zechariah ben Avkulos said to them, 'People will say that animals with imperfections may be sacrificed upon the altar.' The Rabbis thought to kill him [Bar Kamtza]. R' Zachariah ben Avkulos said to them, 'They will say that one who causes an imperfection in sacrificial animals should be killed.' While all this was going on, the evildoer slandered the Jews to the emperor, who came and destroyed Jerusalem."
In sum, improper piety, piety which fails to take repercussions into account, is neither virtue nor piety. True piety calls for a scrupulous examination of one's deeds and their ramifications in addition to pure intentions.
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Some of the above article was taken from Feldheim's translation of The Path of the Just.
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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.
