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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Vayikra
- Shmini
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Serving Hashem, Mitzvot and Repentance
In fact, in its summary at the end of the parsha, the Torah explains to us that the main purpose of the kashrut laws is to enable us to identify and thus distinguish between the pure and the impure, between what is proper for human consumption and what is not.
In a deeper sense, we can see that the very essence of Jewish belief and lifestyle is the ability to distinguish and separate the holy from the mundane, right from wrong, constant and continuing values from passing fads, the eternal from the fleeting temporary.
Judaism is not a "you’re okay, I’m okay" religion of relativism and constantly changing standards of behavior and belief. It not only stands for something - it defines clearly, in minute detail, what it is that it stands for. Its commandments are meant to shape a person’s drive towards holiness and immortality.
It rejects the impure and demands righteousness of behavior and the avoidance of impurity in our thoughts, food, behavior and speech. All of this is in line with the charge and challenge issued to us at Sinai that we are to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
The Torah has never compromised on that demand. The laws of kashrut described in this week’s parsha are part of that Godly demand for our behavior to be characterized as being holy in nature.
The late great Rabbi Meir Shapiro of pre-World War II Lublin visited the United States in the 1920’s on a fund-raising mission regarding the construction of his yeshiva in Lublin.
He was feted and honored throughout the American Jewish community during his visit. Even his fund raising efforts met with more than moderate success.
Nevertheless, upon returning to Poland he communicated this pithy comment on American Jewry to his peers: "American Jewry has learned to make Kiddush; it has not yet learned how to make havdalah!" Havdalah - the ability to identify what is harmful to Jewish life and holiness and to separate one’s self from it - is infinitely harder to deal with than is the convivial Kiddush.
Without havdalah all succeeding generations are doomed to assimilation and loss of Jewish identity and values. Without having degrees of real separation built into Jewish life we are destined for spiritual extinction.
All of Jewish history has borne proof to this simple assertion. Ignoring the Torah commandments and aping the negative attributes of the cultures of the non-Jewish world lead to spiritual downfall and dire consequences for both the individual and the nation as a whole.
In a general world society that exhibits very little evidence of a moral compass, the task of being a holy and pure individual and people is greatly compounded.
Only by acquiring the discerning skill of separation and distinguishing correctly in all of life’s choices that we face can we hope to achieve that lofty goal of being truly a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
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.
