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Beit Midrash
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Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are known as the "The Fearful Days," but the Rabbis also define them as days of light and salvation. They say "‘My light’ (Tehillim 27:1) refers to Rosh Hashana; ‘and my salvation" (ibid.) refers to Yom Kippur" (Vayikra Rabba 21:4).
Certainly, the days are fearful. When one knows he is standing, face-to-face, before the Creator of the world, and that there is nothing forgotten before His throne of glory and nothing is concealed from His "eyes," he naturally is seized by panic. One can explain his actions with 150 excuses, but he knows this will not work before He who knows man’s thoughts. There are even times when a person may succeed in fooling himself and quiet his conscience with various excuses. There are times he realizes he did something wrong, but he tries to make himself forget it. He may argue to himself – in the final analysis, that which happened is over; why should we dig it up and deal with outdated episodes? However, a person is required to be accountable for all of his actions. It is as if that which relates to the past is not in the past but the present. Actions are brought back to stand before him as if they are occurring now. A bad action is like an accusatory angel, which calls out: "Why would you do such a thing? Woe unto us because of the day of judgment! Woe unto us because of the day of rebuke!"
However, along with the feeling of fear, there is an awakening of regret, which is the "mother of repentance." While it is impossible to ignore the past, it is very possible to remedy what went wrong in the past. Every evil act can be viewed as a matter of darkness. It clouds your thoughts and overpowers your senses. It even instills a feeling of helplessness, making you feel that it is so strong that you are compelled to follow its dictates. You become like a robot without a will of your own. Actions are dictated to you, and you are not the master of your own decisions.
Suddenly, a ray of light bursts into the dark recesses of the spirit. At first, you try to avoid it and more efficiently keep yourself in the darkness. However, when you do not succeed and the light keeps on flowing in and penetrates deeply, then instead of avoiding it, there is a moment of recuperation and recognition that all we require is to align our actions with that which is appropriate.
It is good that it is impossible for us to ignore our mistakes. Fortunately, there is an "eye that sees" and observes us and a "hand" that guides us and assists us to shake off the dirt and the unseemly. If an act of evil is darkness, at least we know that the one day, Yom Kippur, comes to replace the darkness with light and make everything one unit. This is the "one day" to which the Rabbis referred.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
