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Beit Midrash
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Another poignant pasuk on water is, "You shall draw water with joy (b’sason) from the wellsprings of salvation" (Yeshayahu 12:3). A unique characteristic of a wellspring is that the water flows away from its source and is replenished. At times, the wellspring has a weak flow, and it can appear that it is drying up, but then soon thereafter a new flow appears and the spring is restored to its former state.
They would also say at the Simchat Beit Hashoeva: "Our fathers who were in this place (the Beit Hamikdash) had their backs to the Holies and their faces eastward, and they would bow down eastward toward the sun, but our eyes are toward Hashem." Rabbi Yehuda claimed that they would repeat the matter and say: "We are to Hashem, and our eyes are to Hashem" (Mishna, Sukka 5:4).
Along these lines, the "wellsprings of Israel" never dried up. Against all calculations, matters develop in a different direction. Many times, the wise men of the nations of the world "stood with their watches in their hands" to see the end of Am Yisrael, but it was they who disappeared. Many times, cynics within our nation stood up to see when the Torah of Israel would cease to be preserved, and they were proven wrong. At different times, we have seen those who see everything that has to do with Israel and its Torah as antiquated. They bow down to the sun in the east, representing that they see the "rising sun" among the nations, whereas they see the holy in Israel as something to turn one’s back on. This is not just incidental distancing of oneself, but purposely turning the head away. Nevertheless, that period was over [by the time of this declaration], and a new generation arose. The new generation had people who acted appropriately from the time of their youth, and others, as described in the gemara, who began acting properly later on, so that their older ages had to bring atonement for the sins of their youth. But one way or the other, both types came to the Beit Hamikdash to celebrate.
The explanation is that the Jewish spirit is not satiated by the vanities that the gentile world has to offer. At the end of the historical process, they became tired with the wild partying, which does not have any real content. Rather, it only incites people to acts of sin and causes the foundations of Jewish society to crumble.
The gemara (Sukka 48b) tells of a heretic whose name was Sason, and he exclaimed based on the aforementioned pasuk of "You shall draw water with joy (b’sason) from the wellsprings of salvation" that in the World to Come they would draw water for Sason. They responded to him that the pasuk did not say "l’sason" (for Sason) but b’sason (with joy). The message behind this story is that for us, sason is but a means of encouraging proper action. As such, it is usually hidden from the eye. The life of a Jew involves hard work and never ceasing tension. When the time for sason comes, it is "with sason," as a means towards an end – to sum up what happened in the past and to use it to strengthen our resolve toward the future.
Moreshet Shaul (44)
Various Rabbis
11 - Moreshet Shaul: The Ethics of the Torah
12 - Moreshet Shaul: With Sason, Not for Sason
13 - Moreshet Shaul: To Learn and to Be Happy – part II
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Moreshet Shaul Moreshet Shaul: What Connects Us as a Nation – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 704
Moreshet Shaul Moreshet Shaul: Spiritual Self-Improvement – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 405-7 (from the 1930s
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.