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The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
R. Meir b"r Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld
The expectation of the arrival of the Messiah does not imply standing around doing nothing, waiting for the Messiah to come and solve all of our problems. The words, "I will wait daily for his coming" imply making oneself ready for his coming, as it says in the verse, "Let your garments be always white..." (Ecclesiastics 9:8). Waiting for the Messiah means being clean of transgressions and full of Mitzvoth. It means being prepared psychologically for the arrival of the Redeemer. This is necessary because when he arrives "a new light will shine upon Zion." We are thus called upon to broaden both our physical and spiritual capacities; to be open to receiving this great divine outpouring; to prepare large enough vessels to receive the light.
This foundation of faith, which calls upon us to wait for the coming of the Messiah each day, is not easy to maintain. It requires of us to endure a lofty spiritual strain, to wait, each day, in fixed expectation and psychological readiness for earth shattering events. This is not so simple. One might compare such stress to that of a candidate for an important position as Election Day approaches. Will he win and ascend to greatness, or lose everything that he invested in order to attain that position? Similarly, we might compare the one who waits for the Messiah to a person who has participated in a grand lottery. He sits, engulfed in tension, waiting to hear the outcome of the lottery - an outcome which is liable to change his way of life completely. It is impossible to hold up under such pressure for an extended period time.
Yet, here we are called upon to maintain a high level of readiness and constant expectation for the arrival of redemption, a change that - according to the majority of sages - will alter our entire way of life completely. If we have been called upon to behave so, then the Almighty must have provided us with the great mental capacities needed to deal with such a demand:
On the one hand, we must be ready for the appearance of the redemption, and this could happen at any moment, as at says, "Behold, I send my messenger and he will clear the way before me, and the Lord who you seek shall suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, who you delight in, behold, he shall come, says the Lord of hosts" (Malachi 3) Such was the nature of the redemption from Egypt, and such was the miracle of Purim.
On the other hand, we must be prepared for the delayed arrival of the Messiah, so that his tarrying does not result in despair and crisis. We must acknowledge the fact that though anything is possible, all that the Almighty does is for the best. And even if we have to wait indefinitely, this too is for the best.
The anticipation of the arrival of the Messiah calls upon us to develop enormous inner faculties, and drives us forward in continuous daily progress. The actions of one who anticipates the coming of the Messiah and works toward this end by participating in the development of the Land of Israel and the People of Israel; the actions of one who strengthens the spirit of the nation by comforting the estranged - his actions grow and ascend up to the highest of heights. He and his portion are blessed.
May we merit that we live and see and inherit goodness and blessing in the years of the messianic times and the life of the World to Come.
The Seven Weeks of Condolence Rebuilding Jerusalem
Shiv'a de-Nechemta: The Philosophy of Comfort and Redemption - 3
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
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.
