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Beit Midrash
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The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
R. Avraham ben David
By virtue of the Six-Day War, the national religious community received an immense thrust. This new thrust, in turn, became a force that led to Jewish settlement all over the newly liberated territories, settlement with unmistakable religious significance. On the other end of the spectrum, in the secular leftist camp - a camp which saw Zionism as a primarily secular movement whose only goal was to solve the problem of Jewish survival, the task of protecting a scattered and disjointed nation, a hounded and humiliated people - the Six-Day War represented a crisis point in Zionist aspiration. The most serious blow, though, was the Yom Kippur War. At that point in time, it became clear to them that the secular concept of Zionism had not attained its goal. The dream of a Jewish State in Israel that would solve the Jewish problem, bringing, at long last, peace and quiet, was shattered: Here a Jewish State had indeed been established yet the problem had not been solved. It had, in fact, become intensified. The plight of the Jews in Israel was more difficult than that of the Jews in the Diaspora. In the State of Israel Jews faced war, terrorism, and isolation. The dream of being a "free nation in our land" had been shattered.
The excessive feeling of danger that existed on the eve of the Six-Day War, the fear of a terrible armed conflict with hundreds of casualties clouded the eventual military victory. It became apparent that, though we were victorious this time, even in the land of Israel our existence is not guaranteed. This difficult feeling deepened afterwards during the War of Attrition, and reached its peak with the Yom Kippur War. At that point, the crisis of the leftist Zionist idea reached full maturity. Since then, the Israeli left has been searching for a way to escape this mess, to escape the Zionist idea. They wish to nullify the concept of the State of Israel as a State of the Jewish people, a concept that leads to a split between Israel and the other nations of the world and causes endless hatred and enmity. The way to do this is by blurring the national Jewish identity of the state, by blurring the boundaries that separate Israel from the rest of the nations. Jerusalem Day, a day that is filled with a sense of deep Jewish identity, is not a holiday of the secular left. The left does not want a Jewish State any more, for our uniqueness is the source of all of the troubles of the state. Attempts by Jews to escape their own identity did not begin yesterday; this phenomenon has a long history. Still, they have never been successful. It appears that we must again carry out this clarification. We must once again discover that it is impossible to hide our Jewishness, and that trying to hide only causes it to burst forth with even greater strength.
We are aware that all of our difficulties are part of the process of Israel's redemption and we accept them lovingly. We are happy and grateful to the Almighty for the deliverance that these hardships carry with them. Therefore, Jerusalem Day is a day of thanks and praise to God, who returned us to Jerusalem and to the lengths of the Land of Israel, a day of prayer for complete redemption - that it should come speedily in our days, Amen.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
