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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- The High Holidays
- Yom Kippur
The main topics of the conversation are to determine what we really want out of life and what we are willing to demand of ourselves to achieve our goals. The current worldwide economic crisis, bringing with it so many lost jobs, shrunken assets and portfolios, has perhaps concentrated our minds wonderfully to attempt to answer these existential questions. Many of the certainties in our lives that were rock hard just a few short months ago now wobble in the winds that suddenly buffet us. A good friend of mine made a certain commitment to a very worthwhile Torah educational institution last year. He delayed payment of his pledge because he wished to pay it to the institution in shares of stock that he was holding. He wanted to wait till the stock traded at a certain high price before transferring the stock to the institution. As the stock approached that high trading price the institution pressed him to pay the pledge even if the stock was still a point or two below his target goal. His business acumen betrayed him and he was determined to hold on till the last possible dollar could be wrung out from the transaction. The stock since then has declined by seventy percent. He moaned to me that he not only lost the money but he is now unable to redeem his pledge and attain the reward of the mitzvah potentially involved. I think that the problem was that he never had that conversation with himself three months ago. Had he done so things might have turned out differently for him.
Rabbi Moshe Chayim Luzatto in his immortal work, Mesilat Yesharim, begins the book with the question "What is the obligation and purpose of a person in his life in this world?" This deceptively appearing simple question begs no easy answer. In Jewish tradition, the general answer has always been service to God and to man, to Jewish tradition and continuity, to creating a personal and national sense of holiness and morality. The details to this answer lie in observance of Torah commandments and in a sense of spiritual soulfulness in our everyday mundane activities. But the answer only comes alive and becomes meaningful to us if we are able to internalize its message and make it a part of our being and personality. A great mentor of mine would always comment regarding certain situations and problematic decisions that one should always ask one’s self "What does God think about this matter?" Having the conversation with one’s self before acting or implementing one’s thoughts many times avoids having to have the conversation with others when it will be more embarrassing and painful to do so. Yom Kippur allows us to ask ourselves "What does God think of me, my behavior, my goals and my relations with others?" Yom Kippur strips us of all pretenses and slick answers. It forces us to look at ourselves honestly and deeply, to the very recesses of our soul and personality. That is why Yom Kippur is in reality "the one and only day of the year."
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.
