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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Bereshit
The Talmud asks: "Why was only a single human being created to begin life on this earth?" The Talmud gives a number of important answers, mainly that no one should be able to lord it over another human being because of ancestry or genealogy. But one of the ideas implicit in the creation of only one individual is to teach us that very fact of the worth and importance of an individual. In our world of billions of people it is quite easy to forget this basic lesson of the Torah - that a person is worth everything. In the past century we were witness to ideologies and their protagonists who destroyed tens of millions of people in order to implement a concept, philosophy or social order. This complete disregard for the worth of an individual and the human life that that individual possesses is one of the sorriest stories in the human saga. The Jewish people are small in number relative to other nations and faiths. Yet our value is counted in our worth as individuals, in our personal behavior and in our devotion to our eternal Torah values and its way of life. We truly believe that there are great things that each individual can accomplish, achievements that can and will live on long after one’s years on earth are ended. At the beginning of this great and good year that is now upon us let us resolve that we value ourselves and others as individuals of worth and abilities. This will mark a very good beginning to our year.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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.