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Rav Kook explains that as opposed to other religions who mainly turn to the clergy before and during the process of death (for all agree, when man does not understand a topic, it's "prime-time" to turn to religion or l'havdil, superstition) and there are "no atheists in the foxholes", we don't want our holiest people to be associated in our minds with death, but rather life.
Similarly, Rav Kook explains the kabbalistic custom that some WOMEN don't enter the cemetery, for they are ALL LIKE Kohanim, who should be preoccupied with conceiving & raising life, tahara, and not the opposite, tum'ah! Even though "death" is seemingly "part of life", all of Yisrael are called "ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש" (Shmot 19, 6), "a nation of Kohanim", likened to KOHANIM, because Am Yisrael lives forever and is preoccupied with -טהרה life, and the Living Torah.
Children inevitably focus on short-term pleasures, eating as much candy as possible, without thinking of cavities or diabetes. Contrarily, mature adults already know that long-term pleasure is more important than short-term. But Judaism says, why settle for third class (short-term) pleasure or even second class (long-term) pleasure, when one can opt for longer than long= ETERNAL pleasure which is first-class. The eternal G-d, created the eternal Israel, to live the eternal Torah in the eternal land of Israel. We focus on the eternal, and don't get hung up on death. Our enemies glorify death and the Shahid, but we fight our enemies for the sake of giving life to our eternal people & eternal Torah, yet even after death, there is "life after death".
The mitzvot bring a taste of that eternal Living Torah to our daily lives, but every child knows that just about all mitzvot are superseded by life itself (Shulchan Aruch Or. Ch. 329). We grow up with this as obvious, but the Samaritans will not drive in an ambulance on Shabbat nor will they eat on Yom Kippur even to save their lives! They say to us cynically "we are more religious than you, and do G-d's mitzvot even when it's hard, even if it really 'costs us' our lives". We answer that our Living Father is a מלך חפץ בחיים"", a King who desires life, who commands "וחי בהם ולא שימות בהם", "live by them [the mitzvot] and don't die by them" (Vayikra 18). Only the 3 cardinal sins, idolatry, murder and adultery [as the Maharal, Netzach Yisrael, ch. 5, p. 36, explains, which respectively correspond to the epitome of the 3 mitzvah categories: between man and G-d, man and man, and man and himself- his desires for making life], show us that life itself is meant for meaning. That same G-d is the One who created us with the survival instinct, the strongest of drives, to continue our life.
Apparently, Hashem has arranged that the most known Hebrew phrase in the world (unfortunately probably even more than "Shema Yisrael", and probably because of "Fiddler on the Roof"!), is "LeChaim"- "To Life", for we are in fact preoccupied with life. Shabbat Shalom! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)
Rabbi Ari Shvat
Lectures at various yeshivot, michlalot and midrashot. Has published many books & Torani articles and is in charge of Rav Kook’s archives.
Ein Aya Practical Tricks How Not to Accept Gossip by Giving the Benefit of the Doubt
Ayn Aya, Shabbat v, 65
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.