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Beit Midrash
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- A Nation and its Halachot
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- Serving Hashem, Mitzvot and Repentance
Two incidents that were in the news last week highlight this sore problem. A supermarket chain intends to be open on a 24/7 basis thus apparently violating the status quo arrangements regarding the public observance of Shabat. This company also owns a chain of supermarkets that caters to the Charedi religious community. In order to pressure the company to rescind its new 24/7 policy, some of the Charedi leaders (mostly self-proclaimed ones at that) have proclaimed a boycott of the chain that sells to the Charedi public. Boycotts and bans are the usual weapons employed by these leaders even though experience should have shown them that by the end of the day these tactics are woefully ineffective and usually counterproductive. Nevertheless, it is obvious that the company’s breach of the status quo, of defining "democratic" in terms of its perceived economic benefit allowed it to ignore completely the "Jewish" aspect of Israel. It was irresponsible on its part to succumb to greed at the expense of community comity. It was also terribly insensitive to the Jewish nature of the state and continues a pattern of wider and wider public Shabat desecration in all areas of Israeli life. To somehow believe that the "Jewish" character of the state can succesfully be preserved, let alone enhanced, by destroying the public Shabat in Israel is malicious folly. I doubt if the boycott tactic will work - perversely, I hope it does - but this is a battle that religious Jews have to join and wage, not only for our sake but for the future of the State of Israel itself.
The second incident was the ruling by an Israeli court that chametz may be sold on Pesach by Jewish stores and restaurants. Again this is a clear breach of the status quo and even of local laws that forbid this practice. The group that brought the suit is against religious coercion. But they do not understand that every society has coercion in one way or another. Otherwise pure anarchy reigns. The laws that coerce are those that form the consensus basis of the society itself. Pesach and chametz have a long history amongst Jews - longer than the existence of the State of Israel and modern progressivism. Disregarding this history and the sensitivity of the vast majority of Israelis in this matter only confirms that as far as Israeli courts are concerned "Jewish" really doesn’t exist in the face of perceived "democratic." The prophet Yechezkel records for us that long ago Jews proclaimed that they were just like other nations -"democratic" to the core. God’s response was that He would not allow that to happen - that anti-Semitism and the hostility of nations would coerce (there is that word again) the Jewish nation to remain "Jewish." Perhaps we are seeing a replay of this scenario again in our state. God apparently prefers "Jewish" to "democratic" if somehow the two must necessarily clash. A little common sense, sensitivity to others, a feeling of altruism and good will - all of which are unfortunately in short supply in many sectors of our society - would go a long way in making the State of Israel a truly Jewish democratic state
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
