YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Passover - Pesach
- The Haggadah
An especially nice and intelligent Jew, after seeing the Academy Award winning anti-Israel movie portraying the IDF as continuously tearing down the homes of innocent Palestinians, wrote "I'm embarrassed to be a Jew!". On the other hand, upon verifying the facts, it turns out that under the Oslo Accords (which the Palestinian leadership agreed to), Israel has full control over that Masafer Yatta area- known as Area C, and it was those Arabs and their illegal building who were the ones breaking the law, as opposed to the IDF who was simply upholding it.
This unfortunate situation for which those Arabs themselves are clearly the ones responsible, leaves us no choice but to implement the law as every other country would do, and protect ourselves, even if it doesn't film well. What is the alternative? To let them do whatever they want and let ourselves be run over by that immoral and law-breaking ideology?
I was then asked: "But why would people build in an area and spend so much money, where they know their homes will be legally torn down?" It's a great question for a rational situation, but when it turns out that the anti-Israel European Union supplies most of that building money, it makes more sense.
A second point is that a similar question can be asked on a larger scale: why do the Gazans and Palestinians in general constantly start wars and use terror against Israel which is much stronger, where they bezH "lose" time after time? The answer is clearly connected to their religious concept of Shahid (holy martyrs) and Jihad war, where even if they are killed and lose, they see it as a ticket to Heaven, so they believe they always gain! I've found that this mindset is so different from a western way of thinking, and that's why many American politicians simply can't understand that the Arabs are the aggressors, for it really doesn't make sense, why they keep starting up?
On the other hand, the IDF is comprised of normative, democratic and nice educated Jewish people like our children, who are altruistic enough to volunteer leaving their families for months on end, but instead of thanks, some (even Jews, like Yuval Avraham that movie's producer) are not even willing to present our side of the story (he knew very well that the easiest way to win awards in Berlin & Hollywood is "Israel-bashing", especially by an Israeli!). To start showing any scenario from just one lens, and without seeing the law, or the beginning of the story and the decades of irrational war and daily Arab attacks on innocent Jews, is inevitably going to misinform and be very very biased. Accordingly, the Arab producers at the Academy Awards couldn't even mention (!) our innocent kidnapped hostages, and some got angry at Yuval Avraham who did, which testifies to their selective "humanism".
A more objective movie which I myself cannot stomach to watch but is apparently important for the internationally confused (especially Jews!) to personally see, is the real-time Hamas self-videos which can be found online, where they proudly present and even brag about their sadistic attacks and mutilation of 1200 innocent Israeli citizens on one (!) day! Some of the seemingly unfortunate "No Other Land" scenes were fabricated (see proof on YouTube, but they couldn't even fabricate similar accusations against the IDF doing such "atrocities" that Arabs have been doing to us for over 50 years), but the Oct. 7th ones are unfortunately real and not fabricated. If you wish to see the whole picture, the latter is surely more real and objective, and it is our boys in the IDF who have been giving their lives day and night for 17 months, who are precisely the "good guys", and definitely not the "bad guys".
Ironically "No Other Land", would be a much more fitting title for a movie about Israel, as opposed to the other 22 Arab lands, but the first thing one must verify is which side are the victims and which side, the "bad guys", for it makes a 180-degree difference. See Chad Gadya. Shabbat Shalom, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
