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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Jewish Holidays
- Purim & The Month of Adar
1. Theologically: G-d USED to choose the Jews, until we sinned, upon which He abandoned us. He thought to prove from Nevuchadnetzar's destroying the Temple in Jerusalam (ibid). [In reality, it was a threat that wasn't meant to be carried out. Only after hundreds of prophetic threats, we left Him no choice but He had to TEMPORARILY send us to Bavel. In Persia, G-d PRETENDed to ALMOST DESTROY US- one of the reasons for costumes on Purim, see 1053, & Megilla 12a). Similarly, the Christians claim that G-d changed His mind and left us to chose them.
2. Also, G-d saved Jews from furnaces, lion-dens, jails, deserts but nobody ever tried hanging us (ibid, 1057)! Similarly, Iran thought that nobody ever tried NUKING Israel!
Here's an unbelievable Midrash which is worthwhile to publicize to all of these & future anti-Semites: G-d said to Haman "You are the biggest FOOL! Even I TRIED and DIDN'T SUCCEED (as if it were!) to wipe out Israel after the Golden Calf sin! And YOU think that you will succeed in your "wish(ed) to obliterate, kill and do away with all the Jews"?!, ibid 1054). Our sages are teaching that the MOST IMPOSSIBLE thing in the world is to wipe out Israel! Also, "if there is no Israel, what use is Torah?!" (ibid, 1056)
How much more so TODAY when G-d is in the process of redeeming Israel forever, " 'He [Bil'am] gave a parable [=prophesizing about the end of days] and said: OY! Who can survive when He does this? (Bamidbar 24, 23), OY to the nation who tries hindering when the Holy One, Blessed be He, redeems His children (Israel). Who (What FOOL) dares place his garment to separate between a lion and his female lioness when they wish to mate? [Woe to him, for he who does so will certainly not "survive"]" (Sanhedrin 106a). Put in the names of the fools: Hamas, Hizballah, Syria, Iran…
Many don't note the exact "dotting" in Shoshanat Ya'akov, NOT "תשועתם היְתה לנצח" )=their victory was forever- which it wasn't!), but rather "תשועתם היִית לנצח", =YOU have been their eternal salvation. Our salvation is the salvation of the G-d of Israel, as we saw just yesterday once again in Persia!
After the Six Day War, the famed R. Menachem Kasher (intr. to his edition, Kol HaTor) suggested adopting the reading in Al HaNissim, adding the letter vav, that G-d miraculously saves Israel בימים ההם וּ- בזמן הזה= "in those days AND today, but from now on, on Purim we can have that in mind without needing to change any wording, for He saves us "בימים ההם בזמן הזה" "in those days at this time (Adar) AND in our time!"
Surprisingly, the Rambam allows teaching Torah to Christians (despite his considering the trinity as idolatry) for they accept the Bible, but writes it's a waste of time to try teaching Muslims (despite that they are monotheists like us), for they say that Israel "warped" the Bible! (Maimonides' Letters, Blau edition, 148)
Pres. Trump and many Christians know Megillat Esther, but the Islamic world doesn't, that's why the Persians keep uselessly trying and getting walloped. Many Christians have already learned not to FOOL with the G-d of Israel. That He obviously doesn't make "mistakes", will never abandon His Chosen People, and that they should even help us! But many Islamic religious leaders would be wise for their own sake, to objectively recheck and revise their clear and proven folly and immorality. Only then can there be world peace.
If Moslems aren't interested in learning Bible, at least we should teach them Pete Seeger's classic song against violence, "Where have all the flowers gone?... When will they ever learn?!" It's surely better for us and better for them and their people as well!
In the meantime we must all celebrate and thank Hashem, the IDF (especially our Intelligence & Air Force: taking out their ruthless leader+ 40 (=most) of their military heads within 1 minute in 3 simultaneous strikes, probably a world record!), and Trump! He may be flawed (as was Achashverosh), but they understand something that Haman and Iran do not! Purim Same'ach! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)
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.
