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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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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.
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
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.
