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It is never a good policy to question God's will. Yet our Sages tried to understand how it happened that Elimelech and his family encountered such tragedy. How does a noble Jewish family, steeped in the traditions of Torah, disintegrate into nothingness? Rashi makes an insightful comment: It was a time of famine when many were starving and in need. Elimelech was a provider in his generation, a leader in the community both by virtue of his family lineage and his affluence.
But when too many people knocked on his door, he copped out. He abdicated his responsibilities, abandoned his community in Judea and fled. This was his undoing! His children saw this and learned from him how to shirk responsibility. And he couldn't have taught them better. He must have rationalized his behavior to his two sons, and explained to them that it was for THEIR welfare and THEIR benefit that he fled Israel and made the sacrifice of living in Moab. Elimelech must have known all the excuses. But you can't fool your own children. If Elimelech was able to abandon his responsibilities to the Jewish community, then it became kosher for his children to abandon Judaism and to marry Moabite women. If a father can abandon the Land of Israel in its hour of need, then why wonder that his children can abandon the Children of Israel?
Should we not be thinking of ways to make our OWN lives, our love and concern for the Land of Israel and the People of Israel more fully Jewish in both form and content, so that we are fully worthy of respect and emulation from our children?
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.
