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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Va'era
Pharaoh, the enemy of Israel, is the prototype of all later enemies of the Jewish people. No logic or facts can persuade him to abandon his irrational hatred and self-destructive behavior towards the Jews. Even when his closest advisers exclaim to him: "Are you not aware that Egypt is doomed because of your intransigence?" Pharaoh remains unmoved. He is willing to soldier on till the last Egyptian is destroyed in the series of plagues that are visited upon him and them. The hatred of Jews is unreasoning and totally irrational. Yet it remains the constant in world history for millennia on end. Let Gaza be totally destroyed but no one will step back and ask why did we allow this to happen? The spirit and unreasoning stubbornness of Pharaoh lives on in all later haters and murderers of Jews. Moshe engages in negotiations with Pharaoh but Pharaoh never honors the agreements achieved by these negotiations. Pharaoh is already preparing for the next round as soon as the physical pressure of the plague is relaxed. And God tells Moshe in advance that this will be the scenario until the final blow is delivered. Pharaoh will remain Pharaoh until the end, even after the exodus from Egypt takes place. Even though this is completely illogical, the Lord realizes, so to speak, that evil people behave this way and oftentimes cover their evil in the cloak of piety. In any event this week’s parsha illustrates for us once more that the parshiyot of the Torah deal not only with the past but illuminate for us our present situation and our future hopes and triumphs.
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.
