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Pluralism is a watchword today in politics, religion, social behavior and basic standards of human behavior. I am okay and you are okay. We are all okay. But deep down in our hearts and in the recess of our consciences we are aware that is a false panacea to all of our personal and social ills. We are not all okay and not all ideas and policies are wise, just and productive. There is far too much noise and cacophony of sound in the Jewish world today. Every offbeat idea and person is granted a serious hearing in our media. In fact, the more offbeat and obviously discredited the person, organization or idea is the greater the media coverage granted to it will be. In truth, much of what we see happening before us only confirms the ludicrous fact that the inmates are running the asylum. New forms of Judaism, of worship, of peaceniks, new humanitarians and new philosophies abound and receive serious attention. Yet they are all blowing in the wind. Extra ears, at least four of them, are required to be able to deal with these never ending new explosions of dissonance. The Jewish world is in danger of pluralising itself out of business completely. Not every idea is worthy of publication nor is every extremist non-conformist or iconoclast worthy of respect and consideration. We have only two ears and that usually suffices for all emergencies and daily life.
There was a time when corruption, infidelity and really bad behavior always brought an end to public careers. Not so today. There was a time when previously failed policies were discarded and mistakes were not repeated just for the sake of the appearance of doing something and being proactive. Again, this is not the case today. We are so jaded by all of the ideas, organizations and political flim-flam that surround us that the public is now so apathetic and helpless that it seems to care little about anything - even about the life and death issues that confront us. The media contributes to this sorry state by searching only for the sensational and offbeat to publicize. The public is bombarded by so many conflicting theories and policies, most of them wrongheaded if not downright dangerous and treasonous, that it is at a loss to hear anything reasonable and react to it properly. Even four ears are insufficient in our present society to absorb everything that is constantly being thrown at us. There are now technical means of eliminating background noise and sharpening sounds that we wish to hear. Would that such technology would be available for all of the social and political noises that surround us. We hear too much and are terribly confused and that accounts for the public apathy and feeling of defeatism that permeates our society. Not everyone is right and not every idea and policy is correct and productive. We do not have enough ears for all of that.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Rabbis in Midrash
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
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.
