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We should fully appreciate the loftiness of Yehoshua’s vision, some 3,500 years ago, when the world was at such a low spiritual level, to anticipate a perfected world, with all the nations joining us in service of Hashem. To the average person, this would have appeared unfathomable!
In our generation, that of the beginning of the ultimate liberation, we need to act on two planes:
1) We need to strengthen the already-existing movement of non-Jews who want to keep the seven Noahide mitzvot. (We commend Rav Uri Cherki’s exceptional work with Noahides.) These groups of good people use these mitzvot for doing their part in making the world a place of justice and respect for human rights. Such people also appreciate Am Yisrael, who accepted upon themselves 613 mitzvot.
2) We should encourage additional converts, who are truly and fully interested in joining Am Yisrael for the right reasons, not for benefits such as economic advantage in Israel. It is important to learn the halachic sources on this matter seriously. On the one hand, Chazal set as a rule that it was wrong to accept converts in the times of David and Shlomo, due to concern that people were motivated by fear and awe of the kingdom’s grandeur/success, respectively (see Yevamot 76a). Commentaries ask from a different gemara, which states that 150,000 converts joined Bnei Yisrael at the time of David. The Maggid Mishneh answers (see language of Rambam, Isurei Biah 13:15) that those converts were accepted by improperly trained courts. This is a difficult answer, as there is no hint to this distinction in the gemara.
What happened to all of those converts? In Shmuel II, the navi tells of a harsh famine, and David received a divine message that it was because of the complaints of the Givonim, some of whom Shaul had killed during his reign. When David tried to appease them, they demanded to take revenge through the killing of a number of Shaul’s family members. The gemara (Yevamot 79a) justifies the unusual steps taken against the royal family because the Givonim had joined Bnei Yisrael, albeit through trickery, after being impressed by the miracles Hashem did for them at the time of Yehoshua. It says that the reason the bodies were hung publicly for an extended amount of time was to demonstrate how seriously Bnei Yisrael took the responsibilities toward converts. We see that even at the time of David, converts existed and their concerns were addressed.
Regarding the contradiction, the Ritva says that while there was concern that people would convert for the wrong reasons, when one proved they were doing so for the right reasons, they were accepted. In our days as well, when candidates demonstrate their sincerity, they are to be warmly welcomed and protected.
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.
