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Beit Midrash
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Gila Bet Rachel
R' Pinchas ben Yair's ladder continues: Sanctity leads to Divine Inspiration, and Divine Inspiration leads to resurrection. Ramchal, however, concludes with the trait of sanctity because this trait still involves human effort, but Divine Inspiration is a gift from God bestowed upon a person after he has climbed all the preceding rungs of the ladder.
Possessing sanctity means sanctifying all aspects of life, including mundane, physical activities. It means sanctifying the mundane. Even the ordinary consumption of food is sanctified by those who have reached this level. When they eat, it is as if they are offering a sacrifice to God upon the altar, and via this offering the entire world is blessed. In this very manner the food eaten by a person who has reached the level of sanctity is sanctified and raised up as if it had been offered up upon the altar.
Hence, the sages say that if a person brings a gift to a Torah scholar, it is as if he had offered up a first-fruit offering, and they say that if a person wishes to offer a libation upon the altar, let him fill the throats of Torah scholars with wine. This does not mean, of course, that Torah scholars should be gluttonous, Heaven forbid. Rather, Torah scholars are sacred in their ways and actions, and the Divine Presence rests upon them. They resemble the Holy Temple and the Altar, and just as the Divine Presence abided in the Holy Temple, so does it rest upon the Torah scholar.
Hence, whatever is given to a Torah scholar ascends and is sanctified by virtue of their elevated status and sanctity. And because they cling to God's sanctity, whatever they make use of in this world ascends and is sanctified.
Regarding the stones that Jacob gathered and placed under his head at Beit-El, "R' Yitzchak said: This tells us that all the stones gathered themselves together into one place and each one said: 'Upon me shall this righteous man rest his head' " (Chullin 91b). In sum, possessing sanctity means being so attached to God that nothing one does can separate or distance him from the Almighty, and when such a person occupies himself with worldly matters, his bond with God is not weakened. Rather, he elevates the matters he is occupied with.
Sanctity, of course, is only reached after one has climbed all of the previous rungs – Torah, caution, alacrity, cleanliness, abstinence, purity, piety, humility, and fear of sin. Without first perfecting all of the preceding traits one cannot attain sanctity. In fact, sanctity is so lofty in its own right that it cannot be reached without Divide assistance. It begins with human effort and ends with Divine grace, as the sages say, "If a man sanctify himself a little, he becomes much sanctified; if he sanctify himself below, he becomes sanctified from above" (Yoma 39a).
With this we have completed a series of fifty-one short articles on the subject of character improvement, based upon Ramchal's classic work, Messilat Yesharim. We have finished but our work is not complete, for improving character traits is a constant, life-long endeavor.
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Translated biblical verses and/or Talmudic sources in the above article may have been taken from, or based upon, Davka's Soncino Judaic Classics Library (CD-Rom).
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
