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The Torah study is dedicatedto the full recovery of
Yehudah ben Hadasah Hinde Malka
This week we read of the wonderful, yet hard to read, promise. At the time, it was a great promise toward the future, and its fulfillment is uplifting in regard to historical retrospection. "Even (Af) with all this [the curses], when they will be in the land of their enemies, I will not be disgusted with them or spit them up to destroy them to profane my covenant with them" (Vayikra 26:44).
This phenomenon has no precedent in the history of the nations. There is no record of a nation that was exiled, suffered so much that it appeared that Hashem had been disgusted by it, and yet survived as a nation. No nation has survived even hundreds of years; we have survived 2,700 since most of our nation was exiled from the Shomron. As we say in Hallel: "This was from Hashem, it is wondrous in our eyes" (Tehillim 118:23). We may add: It was promised by Hashem; therefore, it is not surprising in our eyes.
Prof. Leibowitz says the following on the aforementioned pasuk from our parasha: "This pasuk was comfort for Jews in their lands of exile. It is told of Kaiser Friedrich (15th century), who respected and protected Jews, that he was astounded by the incredible prophecy of Jewish survival... which Moshe foresaw... The historian, Graetz used to say that Jews have great protection by the great af (play on words, as it means ‘even’ and ‘nose’)."
The Meshech Chochma explains three factors through which this miracle is accomplished: 1) The leadership of Avraham, Yaakov, and Yosef engrained in future generations of the exiled the basic value to yearn for Eretz Yisrael. 2) Chazal made rabbinic prohibitions to reduce social contact with the non-Jewish host populations. 3) Hashem moved the people periodically from place to place so that they would not become overly comfortable in any place. In the context of the danger of being too comfortable in others’ lands, the Meshech Chochma wrote powerfully of the moral danger of reaching the point where one thinks that "Berlin is Jerusalem." He continued that if this happens, a great tempest will come and teach the Jewish People that it is not their home or culture.
We thank Hashem that we personally have found solace and refuge in our true home and hope that the entire nation in exile will move from the exile to Eretz Yisrael.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
