Genetics, surroundings, experience all contribute to our personality, as well as our spouse's and children's. Nevertheless it all is decided by our destining our fate through decisions.
In Jewish tradition the house of worship, of prayer, was meant to be a soulful place. It was not meant to be a place of entertainment or even of the mere fulfillment of a religious obligation.
The reason that common sense is so often ignored is that it usually leaves one with a painful decision to make. Human nature abhors having to make painful decisions. Hence, common sense is relegated to one’s subconscious and reappears as regret and attempted repentance.
Why did G-d create Am Yisrael as a nation and not just a religion? Why, in addition to the mitzvot between individual Jews, and between man and G-d, does the Torah call for a framework of a national land, army, political system, and even coin?
In the previous part, we asked Why did G-d create an Jewish nation in its own land and not just a religion? We brought two reasons from Rav Kook's writings: an established nation can influence the rest of the nations and So that all should know, that not only outstanding individual can live in the light of G-d, but even entire nations can. In this part, we will see three more ideas to answer our question.
If we claim that zionism is an integral part of religion or Torah, then why originate a new slogan ‘religious-zionism’, in place of the age-old title ‘religion’ or ‘Torah’? If there is a reason for the new slogan, is there a need for renaming it - "Religious - Zionist - Humanist”?
Is it prohibited to look at articles that merely represent the actual idol, even though they
are not themselves worshipped (icons), or is the prohibition limited to idols that are
themselves worshipped?
Rav Kook supports secular morality, in that the conscience and logic stem from the same Creator that wrote the Torah. Nevertheless, he stresses the clear advantages of Mussar HaKodesh, or morality based on religion, for several important reasons.
It is a mistake to seek to confine Judaism's inner spirit and spiritual content to particular definitions. Its soul contains everything; all spiritual tendencies, revealed and hidden, are concealed in it, as everything is contained in the Absolute.
Paul advances the idea of preferring an organization, a sect, a particular ideology to the natural framework of family, land, nation, and language. Henceforth, he who joins this movement will be redeemed; non-members are doomed to eternal perdition.
Rav rules that “it is forbidden to say, 'How beautiful is that idolatress!'” However, the Talmud raises a difficulty: Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel “saw a heathen woman who was particularly beautiful, and exclaimed, 'How great are Thy works, O Lord!'”
The concept of a “false prophet” only applies to prophecy. The greatness of a Torah scholar does not depend on his ability to predict the future. It depends upon his greatness in Torah, his exemplary character traits, and his devotion to God.
The entire purpose of rain and earth is to aid man, to provide him with life in order that he be able to fulfill his role in the world - “Without either, man could not exist.” On the other hand, the earth and the rain are immaterial without man.
The process of establishing sanctity in Israel was riddled with vicissitudes, from the Shilo sanctuary in Joseph's hereditary portion, to Gibeon and Nov in the portion of Benjamin, and finally to Jerusalem. The same is true of Israel's leadership.
A saintly person controls his tongue. He does not emit a word from his mouth without thinking about it first. Every word is weighed and considered. Hence, the prayer of such a person is not a thoughtless, perfunctory act, like the speech of a parrot.
