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Beit Midrash
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This week, we look at the generation of Shlomo, the king from the Tribe of Yehuda/Leah, who was unwittingly paired with Yerovam ben Nevat from the Tribe of Ephrayim/Rachel, who eventually split the Kingdom of Israel. We see the great potential of the two working together from Chazal: "Hashem grabbed Yerovam by his garment, and said to him: ‘Stop [your rebellion], and I and you and the son of Yishai will stroll in the Garden of Eden" (Sanhedrin 102a). The stroll implies that the final liberation would come, and things would return to the situation in the Garden of Eden before Adam’s sin. This is an unprecedented offer!
The Ohr Hachayim (Vayikra 26:3) says in the name of kabbalists that this stroll represents the highest level of spiritual pleasure. Yerovam’s garment is called a new cloak (Melachim I, 11:29), which the Rabbis consider an exceptional compliment: Yerovam was like a new cloak, as his Torah was without blemish like a new cloak, or that he initiated ideas that had never been heard.
Thus, one cannot minimize the benefit that could have come if Shlomo, the wisest man and the son of David, from the Tribe of Yehuda, had joined up with Yerovam, a prominent descendant of Ephrayim son of Yosef. What prevented this cooperation, and how did damage emerge?
Shlomo identified the potential of a young Yerovam, whom the navi calls a young brave soldier who was talented in work, and he appointed him to be in charge of all of the "work of the House of Yosef" (Melachim I, 11:26-28). Yerovam was apparently active in Shlomo’s massive construction projects. A problematic part of this work, third in importance, after the Beit Hamikdash and Shlomo’s own palace, was the extensive palace of the daughter of Paroh, in a section called the Milo (ibid. 9:16,24).
A pasuk implies that Yerovam was incensed by Paroh’s daughter’s palace, near the Beit Hamikdash. The cantillation of the description of Yerovam’s distancing himself from Shlomo interestingly makes a major break between "the king" and "Shlomo" right before mentioning the building of the Milo (ibid. 11:27). This hints that Shlomo’s mistake of giving undeserved importance to Paroh’s daughter was a major factor in weakening his position as sole king of Israel. So, while Yerovam sinned by rebelling against Shlomo, Shlomo was also wrong.
Chazal summed up their criticism of the failure to unite the nation under the joint leadership of the sons of Leah and of Rachel with the following statements in Shabbat (56b): "When Shlomo married Paroh’s daughter, Gavriel went down and drove a reed into the sea, which caused a landfill upon which the great city of Rome was built… On the day Yerovam brought two golden calves into Beit El and in Dan, a shack was built, and this is Italy that belongs to the Greeks."
Rome, the capital of Italy, destroyed the Second Temple, which could only be destroyed after the first one was destroyed. Thus, Shlomo’s marriage to the daughter of Paroh and Yerovam’s sins caused national rupture and disunity, which caused the destruction of both Temples.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
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.
