YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- The Four Parshiyot
- Para
The Red Heifer portion deals with the purification of ritual defilement resulting from contact with death. Interestingly, the sages teach that the ashes of the Red Heifer bring atonement. In other words, the Red Heifer not only purifies defilement, it also atones for sin.
Yet, what is it that the Red Heifer atones for? After all, becoming defiled through contact with the dead is not a sin. Why, then, should such a person need atonement?
In order to grasp the profoundity of atonement affected through the Red Heifer, we must look to the words of our beloved mentor, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook (Orot, Yisrael Utchiyato 10).
There was once an individual who sought to create a "new Middle East," one in which peace and progress would prevail. The beauty of this goal is that it encompasses not only individual and national aspirations, but also the broader realm of international and regional aspirations.
However, according to the Torah, such aspirations are not nearly as broad as those of the Jewish people. In the words of Rabbi Kook, "The Jewish people aspire to ameliorate the world and everything in it." In other words, Judaism strives to mend the Middle East, the Far East, the West, North, and South, this world and all worlds, this generation and prior generations. This is the aim and aspiration of the Jewish people, and no less than this.
This idea is alluded to by the Red Heifer. As mentioned, the sages say that in addition to purifying, the Red Heifer brings atonement. What does it atone for? It atones for the ultimate source of impurity, for it is death that causes impurity and death came into existence because of sin. Were it not for sin there would be no death, and life would continue forever. The original sin brought death and, it follows, caused impurity.
The role of the Red Heifer, then, is not merely to purify the impure, but to atone for and rectify the source of impurity, the source of existence's decline. The task of the Red Heifer is to purify and elevate existence to its original lofty and pristine state.
This is the aspiration of the Jewish people today, striving to rebuild itself and its land. It is not a narrow, national aspiration; it is an aspiration that embodies true, ultimate goodness and penetrates the very root of existence.
To bring a new spirit of life to the entire world. To build a new world. This is the ultimate purpose of Israel's redemptive aspiration. This is the ultimate goal of the Messiah whose name "preceded creation" and whose task it is to rectify all of creation from its very source, from the light that preceded sin. How fortunate we are to be part of this process.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.