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Beit Midrash
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The Jewish People know that Eretz Yisrael is the ideal place to draw close to Hashem, but this was close to impossible for 2,000 years. 250 years ago, the Vilna Gaon exhorted his disciples to build Eretz Yisrael, physically and spiritually, and hinted about a historical window for this, which would close in Elul 1939. Hundreds, including R. Menachem and R. Yisrael of Shklov, heeded the call; most of our nation did not.
Around 150 years ago, Herzl started expounding the idea of political Zionism. Few followed the practical plan he set forth at the first Zionist Congress. In the religious camp, most saw him as delusionary and his ideas as weakening the Jewish future. On the other hand, the true visionary and independent-thinking giant of Torah, Rav A.Y. Kook zt"l, emerged, after moving to Eretz Yisrael, as a supporter of political Zionism.
There are mainly three religious grounds to reject Zionism: 1. Herzl and other secular Zionists act as a Satan. 2. The Talmud (Ketubot 111a) forbids organized Jewish mass-settlement in Eretz Yisrael, which should occur through miraculous divine steps. 3. Cooperative work with secularists is spiritually dangerous and contradicts closeness with Hashem.
The first two grounds, which we link to Satmar Hasidut, have been disproven by the blessing in the spiritual as well as physical success of the State of Israel. We have seen that the path toward the divinely ordained liberation employs a "reawakening from below." The halachic claims against mass settlement are rejected by almost all halachic authorities after the foreign mandatory authorities left the Land (see Rav Zevin’s L’or Hahalcha Hamilchama I:7). However, such greats as the Chofetz Chaim and the Chazon Ish opposed Zionism based on the grounds of partnership with irreligious groups, and this has been the accepted Charedi approach for many years. The Chazon Ish led this community in the efforts to build the "world of Torah" in Eretz Yisrael, rather than the physical/political infrastructure, including service in the IDF.
However, in the past few decades there has rarely been an Israeli government without significant Charedi participation, and Charedi communities have taken major parts in building the Land. The disconnect continues primarily in regard to army service. The main complaint is about the religious difficulty of serving and the long-term impact on religious life.
However, these objections are overpowered by three points: 1. All are required to take part in a defensive war. 2. The Chashmonaim Brigade now gives a perfect response to the religious needs of Charedi soldiers. 3. The requirement to join in defense of the Jewish community is a mitzva between man and man, in a way that one cannot get close to Hashem without it. We hope that the Charedi young men will learn from the example of Rav Kook’s spiritual descendants and sanctify Hashem’s Name by distinguished service in the army.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
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.
