Beit Midrash

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141 Lessons
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    Ein Ayha

    How to be a Living Torah

    Ayn Aya Shabbat 34

    R. Kook corresponds here with R. Samson Raphael Hirsch regarding their difference of opinion in understanding the benefit of the mitzvot just through logic or also through the entire "Broad Torah", including Pardes, Hassidut, Kabbala, Philosophy and Mussar, and through "Knowing G-d"- analyzing & emulating His attributes.

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | 3 Adar I 5784
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    Orot Hamilchama

    "Not Without My Son (or My Father)!"

    Why could Christianity think that they can replace Am Yisrael after Israel was sent to exile? Why the national redemption of Israel is necessary for the redemption of mankind, and the higher expression of "Shema Yisrael". Why is the World to Come almost not mentioned at all in the Tanach? What is Tikun Chatzot about? Rav Kook suggests very beautiful & innovative answers explaining why the son (Israel) & the Father (Hashem) need to both play important & active roles.

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | 28 Shvat 5784
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    Orot Hamilchama

    Mankind is Ready and Searching

    The crises of war bring a longing of mankind for a "New World Order" and hope for a better way of running the world, especially in the war against Hamas, where the good fights the evil. Real Jewish nationalism (recently strongly rejuvenated by the war in Israel), through the common denominator of the Tanach is the ideal answer, revered by secular Zionists, Christians and the world in general.

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | 19 Shvat 5784
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    Orot Hamilchama

    "Rav Kook on Modern Warfare, Technology & Culture"

    Orot HaMilchama part x, ch. 8

    Rav Kook's holistic & complex thought praises modern technology and culture in many places, but he warns here in Orot HaMilchama, that modern warfare shows that without a strong base in Torah & the Godly Morality and a Jewish State of Israel as a modern Light for the Nations, mankind can and will misuse these Godly gifts in a destructive way that the world will greatly regret. The class relates to the spiritual "upgrade" referred to in Rav Kook and as seen in Israel following the 6 Day War, the Yom Kippur War, and presently the war after the Hamas Simchat Torah attack, where the religious-Zionists are beginning to lead the way back to nationalism, Tanach and the original & appealing Torat Eretz Yisrael, the effective way to keep the unity & consensus in Israel even after the war.

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | 13 Shvat 5784
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    Orot Hamilchama

    "The War to be Ourselves"

    Rav Kook's Orot HaMilchama- part ix, chapt. 7

    Rav Kook writes that an essential part of being happy as an individual and as a nation, is to be one's self, to be free from external pressure and laws which run against our nature. Part of the national renaissance of Israel is to have our own independent Jewish army, society, culture, creativity and spirituality, which help us get in touch with our Godly selves, and which are surely worth fighting for and protecting

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | 6 Shvat 5784
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    Orot Hamilchama

    War Reveals our Essence - Israel Reveals Mankind

    Rav Kook's Orot HaMilchama (part viii)-ch. 6

    As all extreme situations, war reveals the essence and personality of the individual & the nation. Similarly Am Yisrael was dispersed in all of the countries of the historical super-powers, and includes, unites and is meant to harmonize all of the aspects of all nations & movements. In this classic paragraph, Rav Kook discusses the need for Israel as an eternal nation. serving as a "control group" for comparison, and eventually, the gathering of the exiles and the "sparks", showing how all the various world cultures are meant to work together in Knesset Yisrael. History has shown that all ideological movements are represented in Am Yisrael and our Torah.

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | 5 Shvat 5874
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    Orot Hamilchama

    World Peace & the End to Anti-Semitism

    Orot Hamilchama part V chapter 4

    During our war bitter with Hamas, we must deal with the question, how realistically, can we ever achieve the messianic dream described in the prophets, of world peace? Rav Kook excels at bridging the gap between ideal and reality, and here as well, he pragmatically presents the road to the end of anti-Semitism in rational & historically logical terms. It's very interesting!

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Kislev 28 5784
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    Orot Hamilchama

    Orot HaMilchama part IV- Wars & Selflessness- Part of the Process of Geula

    The Tanach teaches us that wars are part of the process of redemption. Rav Kook explains from several different aspects, why this is so, for one may have thought that redemption would just involve peace! This chapter is especially important today as Israel is at war with a cruel enemy, and many innocent and righteous people have been killed, on the other hand, the unity & solidarity we see today in Israel & throughout the Jewish world is staggering.

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Kislev 7 5784
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    Orot Hamilchama

    Orot HaMilchama part II

    Rav Kook stresses in various places of his writings many additional philosophic, halachic, & moral reasons why the Biblical Heroes before we went to Galut, were physically strong & military heroes, and how it's time to revive the Ideal Jew and Jewish Pride

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Cheshvan 22 5784
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    Ein Ayha

    Reaping the Benefits of the War on Hamas Without the Mistakes

    Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 33

    Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 33

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Cheshvan 19 5784
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    Orot Hamilchama

    Orot Hamilchama Introduction

    War is always a big "Shake-Up", and Rav Kook in this series, which is a lot more relevant today than when he wrote it, is a real "eye-opener". Rav Kook relates here to how, with our return to Israel after 2,000 years of exile, we are rediscovering the Original Jew, as found in the Tanach. All of the Biblical heroes had a "healthy soul in a healthy body", and were, in addition to their obvious spirituality, also physically strong & military heroes. Today's commanders in the IDF, & especially the boys from the Hesder Yeshivas and Mechinot are reawakening that type of Ideal Jew who reveal Godliness & morality even during war & in the mundane world, stressing that 1 Creator unites everything.

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Cheshvan 18 5784
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    Rosh Hashana

    The Road to Heaven is Paved with Good Intentions

    Our sages say that God "counts" good intentions, but doesn't "count" bad intentions. On the other hand, the Talmud Yerushalmi adds that this is only for Jews, not gentiles, where the opposite is true. And the obvious question is: why? If intentions are serious, they should always "count", and if not, they should never be considered! Rav Kook explains that Teshuva is the easiest of all mitzvot, where even a thought is enough to erase decades of mistakes! On the other hand, it's also difficult, and we must analyze the differences.(Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 32)

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | 25 Elul 5183
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    35 min
    Ein Aya

    "Is There a Way to Know When We Will Die?"

    Ein Aya Shabbat 5, 30

    All people are curious to know when they will die, and Rav Kook offers an innovative and beneficial way of dealing with this issue.

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Av 23 5783
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    Ein Aya

    Physical Abnormalities- Should They Be Covered or Not? Apparent

    Ein Aya Shabbat 5, 6

    Physical abnormalities are viewed differently by various societies. The issue of covering one's embarrassment has many ramifications also regarding the idea of Tzniut and covering our bodies. The class also relates to understanding the deformities or tragedies in God's perfect & holistic world. (Rav Kook's Ayn Aya Series, Shabbat v, 6)

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Kislev 5783
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    38 min
    Ein Aya

    Living Off of My Folks- The Tragedy of Unproductivity

    Ein Aya Shabbat 5, 8

    It's not uncommon in today's high standard of living and with the widespread fulltime Torah study of many kollel men for many years, for many people to continue living off of their parents or in-laws. Rav Kook deals with the problematic side of this phenomenon regarding both the individual, the society and the future generations (Ayn Aya Rav Kook English Series, Shabbat v, 8).

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Kislev 5783
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    41 min
    Ein Aya

    "Miracles: Better Off Without Them!" The Advantages of Nature Over Miracles

    Ein Aya Shabbat 5, 3

    Most people would love for super-natural miracles to return, but Rav Kook suggest many different (and surprising!) reasons why the laws of nature are actually preferable!

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Kislev 5783
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    Ein Aya

    The Benefit & Necessity of Adam's Punishment of Financial 'Sweat'

    Ein Aya Shabbat 5, 4-5

    When God punishes, it is always educational and beneficial. How much more so regarding the famous human sin of Adam in the Garden of Eden which decreed that livelihood will be earned only through the "Sweat of your brow". Our rabbis teach that God will occasionally even do miracles and change nature, in order to keep this "law of nature" Rav Kook explains why this difficulty to make a living is so inherent, essential and basically "untouchable". (Rav Kook's Ayn Aya Series, Masechet Shabbat v, 4-5)

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Kislev 5783
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    Ein Aya

    True Idealism is Practical- Not Naïve or Against Nature!

    Ein Aya Shabbat 5, 9

    Often idealists tend not to be practical or pragmatic, but Rav Kook stresses in thought, as well as in his life's work and projects, that if one really takes his idealism seriously, he should really want to implement it! (Ayn Aya Shabbat, v, 9)

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Kislev 5783
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    Ein Aya

    The Drives for Procreation & Spirituality Overlap

    Ein Aya Shabbat 5, 7

    Rav Kook relates to the overlap between the two strongest of drives: for spirituality and procreation to continue the existence of our species, and to the psychological & Kabbalistic partnership between the two. (Rav Kook Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 7)

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Kislev 5783
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    43 min
    Ein Aya

    The Claim Against Rav Kook of Antinomianism- Belittling Religious Details

    Ein Aya Shabbat 5, 10

    Some professors have accused Rav Kook of tendencies of antinomianism- and belittling the details of Jewish law, for the sake of unbridled and free spirituality. This class deals with Rav Kook's own answer and explanation, towards the end of his life, to such accusations.

    Rabbi Ari Shvat | Kislev 5783
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