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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Purim & The Month of Adar
- The Essence of Purim
It is obvious that to all who have some knowledge of Judaism and its laws and traditions that Shabat trumps almost all other commandments of the Torah except for preserving human life itself. On Shabat there is no Rosh Hashana shofar, no Succot etrog and lulav and no Purim megilla reading. That is because Shabat itself is the primary miracle and ritual in Judaism’s view of life and creation. Shabat testifies to the existence of a God Who created the universe and sustains all life on our otherwise insignificant planet. Shabat is the Jew’s connection to eternity and infinity. Shabat therefore makes all miracles and rituals pale before it. But Shabat is a hidden miracle, a regular weekly occurrence thus taking on the form of being natural rather than miraculous. But as only Shabat observers can testify to, Shabat is truly a miracle. How else can one describe and characterize the ability to leave the mendacity and mundaneness of daily existence for a day and feel transformed and refreshed, cleansed and strengthened in body and soul? Where else can one escape the burdens of life for a short period of time and tend to one’s own inner self if not on Shabat? Shabat therefore becomes the miracle of all miracles, the wonder of original creation and the continuing and ongoing extraordinariness of human striving for the infinite and the holy. We need no reminders of ritual and miracles when we experience and observe Shabat itself.
Purim is as we all know a hidden miracle. God’s name does not appear even once in the entire megillah reading. God orchestrates, so to speak, the whole plot and manipulates its characters to eventually do His will but He is hidden in the entire unfolding drama. The deliverance of the Jews in ancient Persia from the murderer Haman is not accomplished by splitting waters or having manna descend from heaven. It is not as dramatic as Daniel in the lion’s den nor Elijah’s triumph over the priests of the Baal. It is almost a regular story of political intrigue and unreasoning human hatred, of scapegoating and victimhood, much as we unfortunately experience regularly in our own times and world. And yet the entire structure of the Purim study begs for the recognition of its miraculous quality throughout. Purim is like Shabat therefore in its subliminal message of God’s omnipresence in human affairs. It is therefore most fitting that Shabat should carry the banner of the prayer regarding miracles on its holy day. Shabat is the ultimate representative of the hidden miracle that constantly dominates our lives and fortunes. So, in a philosophical way, Shabat itself is also included in the prayer regarding miracles that we recite on the Shabat of Purim here in Jerusalem. Shabat, Purim and Jerusalem as well are the miracles we celebrate here this holy Sabbath day.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
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.
