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We will use two Talmudic accounts to understand another national change, almost 2,000 years ago, at the time of Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi and Rabbi Chiya (Hagadol) and his sons. R. Yehuda formed the Mishna, turning the Oral Law into a written law, which ensured the transmission of the Oral Law. This protected the world of scholarship from the effects of mass migration and periods of horrible persecution (e.g., Crusades, Inquisition, Holocaust, …) that could have destroyed the wholeness of the tradition. R. Chiya continued this effort by gathering important Tannaic teachings that did not make it into the Mishna and creating the complementary Tosefta. Reish Lakish was a great admirer of "R. Chiya and his sons," comparing R. Chiya’s contribution to the survival of Torah scholarship at perilous times to that of Ezra and Hillel (Sukka 20a).
Elsewhere (Bava Metzia 85a), we learn again of Reish Lakish, to whom Providence demonstrated he was no equal to R. Chiya. A heavenly voice told him that he was as erudite as R. Chiya but did not disseminate Torah to the degree that R. Chiya did. It goes on to describe a grass-roots approach to educating the masses, not just the intellectual/spiritual elite, that R. Chiya undertook. The gemara goes on to tell how Eliyahu Hanavi attributed incredible reverence in the World of the Souls to R. Chiya and to his sons, even seeing them as equivalent to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. In that way, they eclipsed the greatness of R. Chiya’s great colleagues, R. Yehuda Hanasi and Rabbi Chanina.
What was so special about R. Chiya’s approach is that they stressed connecting as many Jews as possible to Torah study on a consistent basis. Even if they would not become great scholars who could continue the greatness of R. Yehuda and R. Chanina, these simpler people would live their lives as complete Jews for whom the Torah is the center of their lives. They would not have to deal with the question of using the Torah as a "tool" – using it to justify neglecting the obligations of supporting their families or defending their nation. That level of connection to Torah is appropriate only for a tiny cadre who can reach the highest level of depth in Torah scholarship if given the opportunity. These great scholars, upon completing their rise to the desired level, go out to teach the Torah they learned and even defend Am Yisrael if the need arises. (In the soon-to-be-published Tzofnat Shmuel we will deal with other elements of the disagreement between R. Yehuda Hanasi and R. Chiya and his sons.)
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.
