#Rabbi Itzchak Evan-Shayish

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HARAV KOOK ON TISHA B’AV: REPAIRING THE WORLD WITH THE POWER OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

HARAV KOOK ON TISHA B’AV: REPAIRING THE WORLD WITH THE POWER OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE “If we  destroyed [the second Temple], and the world with us, through needless hatred, we will rebuild [the third Temple] and the world with us, through unconditional love.” (Notebook 8:47) This is one of Rabbi Avraham HaCohen Kook’s most well known and important statements. As Tisha Be’Av-the Ninth of Av…

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RAV KOOK ON UNIFYING EXISTENCE- VA’ETCHANAN

RAV KOOK ON UNIFYING EXISTENCE- VA’ETCHANAN PARSHAT VA’ETCHANAN: RAV KOOK ON UNIFYING EXISTENCE- In Parshat VaEtchanan Moshe Rabbeinu announces the central foundation of the Israelite worldview. “שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃-Hear O Israel, YHVH is our Elohim, YHVH is One”  (Deut. 6:4) We are enjoined to prayerfully exclaim this every morning and evening. It is…

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PARSHAT MAASEI: RAV KOOK ON ISRAEL’S RESPONSIBILITY TO UNITE THE WORLD

RAV KOOK ON ISRAEL’S RESPONSIBILITY TO UNITE THE WORLD PARSHAT MAASEI: RAV KOOK ON ISRAEL’S RESPONSIBILITY TO UNITE THE WORLD PARSHAT MAASEI: RAV KOOK ON ISRAEL’S RESPONSIBILITY TO UNITE THE WORLD What does Torat HaRav Kook teach us about Parshat Maasei’s significance for our day? The Parsha recounts the Children of Israel’s 42 step 40 year journey from the enslavement of Egypt to the borders of…

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RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT PINCHAS: HOW TO BE A HOLY ZEALOT

RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT PINCHAS: HOW TO BE A HOLY ZEALOT Parshat Pinchas begins by honoring Aaron’s grandson, Pinchas  for his zealous and immediate response to the Israelite male sinning in public view with the Midianite female. “When Pinchas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, saw this, he rose up from the midst of the assembly and took a spear in his hand. He followed the Israelite man into…

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PARSHAT KORACH: RAV KOOK ON the Dangers of KORACHISM

PARSHAT KORACH: RAV KOOK ON the Dangers of KORACHISM “Now Korach, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, betook himself, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—descendants of Reuben—to rise up against Moses, together with two hundred and fifty Israelites, chieftains of the community, chosen in the assembly, men of repute. They combined against Moses and Aaron and said…

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RAV KOOK ON MISHPATIM: THE ISRAELITE WAY OF LIVING LAWFULLY

RAV KOOK ON MISHPATIM: THE ISRAELITE WAY OF LIVING LAWFULLY RAV KOOK ON MISHPATIM: THE ISRAELITE WAY OF LIVING LAWFULLY “וְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּשִׂ֖ים לִפְנֵיהֶֽם:-And these are the laws that you will place before them” (Exodus 21:1) The Children of Israel have just heard the Aseret HaDibrot-The Ten Speakings directly from ANOCHI YHVH ELOHECHA.  They heard the ten foundational…

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RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT KI TAVO: CREATING A WORLD ‘FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY’

RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT KI TAVO: CREATING A WORLD ‘FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY’ RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT KI TAVO: CREATING A WORLD ‘FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY’ “When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a heritage, and you possess it and settle in it (Dvarim 26:1)…HaShem brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey(Ibid 26:9)….And you shall…

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PARSHAT VAETCHANAN: RAV KOOK ON ‘UNITING EXISTENCE’

PARSHAT VAETCHANAN: RAV KOOK ON ‘UNITING EXISTENCE’ In Parshat VaEtchanan Moshe Rabbeinu announces the central foundation of the Israelite worldview. “שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃-Hear O Israel, YHVH is our Elohim, YHVH is One”  (Deut. 6:4) We are enjoined to prayerfully exclaim this every morning and evening. It is often the last statement uttered before…

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RAVKOOK ON PARSHAT VAYESHEV: THE DIVINE COINCIDENCES THAT MOVE HISTORY TO ABSOLUTE GOOD

RAVKOOK ON PARSHAT VAYESHEV: THE DIVINE COINCIDENCES THAT MOVE HISTORY TO ABSOLUTE GOOD

RAVKOOK ON PARSHAT VAYESHEV: THE DIVINE COINCIDENCES THAT MOVE HISTORY TO ABSOLUTE GOOD   “אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ תֹּלְד֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֗ב יוֹסֵ֞ף-These are the chronicles of Yaakov:Yosef…” (Breishit  37:2) Thus the Torah begins to chronicle an extraordinary series of events that lead to Yosef alone and forgotten in the Pharaoh’s prison in Mitzrayim-The Land of the Narrow Straits. A brief review of the dizzying…

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RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT VAYETZEH: THE HOUSE OF JACOB’S UNIVERSAL MISSION

RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT VAYETZEH: THE HOUSE OF JACOB’S UNIVERSAL MISSION

RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT VAYETZEH: THE HOUSE OF JACOB’S UNIVERSAL MISSION “וַיֵּצֵ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ חָרָֽנָה׃   Jacob left Beer-sheba, and set out for Haran” (Breishit 28:10) And so begins Yaakov’s journey into exile as he flees Esau’s wrath. In his first night, he has an extraordinary dream vision of a ladder whose top reached up toward heaven. Angels were going up and down…

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Rav. Sacks z"l Beginning the Journey & Rav Kook z"l Becoming Heroes of Kindness

Rav. Sacks z”l Beginning the Journey & Rav Kook z”l Becoming Heroes of Kindness

Rav. Sacks z”l Beginning the Journey & Rav Kook z”l Becoming Heroes of Kindness   Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z”l   Jonathan Sacks z”l – Beginning the Journey Chayei Sarah 5781 Rabbi Sacks z’’l had prepared a full year of Covenant & Conversation for 5781, based on his book Lessons in Leadership. The Office of Rabbi Sacks will carry on distributing these essays each week, so people from all over the…

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RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT VAYERA: PERFECTING THE WORLD DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE

RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT VAYERA: PERFECTING THE WORLD DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE

RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT VAYERA: PERFECTING THE WORLD DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE  וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ־ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ Avraham is to become a great and powerful nation and the nations on earth will be blessed through him. כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַ֩עַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ ה’…

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THE LIGHTS OF RAV KOOK: SUKKOT JOY AND UNIVERSALITY

THE LIGHTS OF RAV KOOK: SUKKOT JOY AND UNIVERSALITY

THE LIGHTS OF RAV KOOK: SUKKOT JOY AND UNIVERSALITY THE LIGHTS OF RAV KOOK: SUKKOT JOY AND UNIVERSALITY “Radiant is the world soul, Full of splendor and beauty, Full of life,  Of souls hidden, Of treasures of the holy spirit, Of fountains of strength, Of greatness and beauty.”  -Rav Kook TZ’L (Orot HaKodesh 2:247) The new beginning of Rosh HaShana and the cleansing of Yom Kippur brings us to the…

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RAV KOOK ON ROSH HASHANA: RENEWING THE POWER OF RENEWAL

RAV KOOK ON ROSH HASHANA: RENEWING THE POWER OF RENEWAL

RAV KOOK ON ROSH HASHANA: RENEWING THE POWER OF RENEWAL RAV KOOK ON ROSH HASHANA: RENEWING THE POWER OF RENEWAL  We are beginning the 5783’rd year of our human historical experience. Our personal and collective behavior has resulted in a planetary existence that has much good and much bad, many blessings and many challenges, many joys and many tragedies. In the process of tshuva/return we are…

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RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT RE’EH-HOW TO BE BLESSEDLY HAPPY

RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT RE’EH-HOW TO BE BLESSEDLY HAPPY

RAV KOOK ON PARSHAT RE’EH-HOW TO BE BLESSEDLY HAPPY  “Behold- I am placing before you a ברכה-blessing and a קללה-curse. The blessing will come if you obey the directives of YHVH, your Elohim, which I am prescribing to you today. The curse will come, if you do not obey the commandments of YHVH your Elohim.”  (Deut. 11:26,27) Moshe Rabbeinu is explaining to Israel -shortly before he  died and we…

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Parshat Balak: Rav Kook Prophesies That Israel Will Illuminate The World

Parshat Balak: Rav Kook Prophesies That Israel Will Illuminate The World

Parshat Balak: Rav Kook Prophesies That Israel Will Illuminate The World In Parshat Balak, the Torah recounts Balak’s hateful fear of Israel and his unsuccessful attempts to curse  Israel through the prophet Bilaam. His claim that the ‘multitudes of Israelites will take over everything if we don’t stop them’ records perhaps the first anti-Semitic sentiment expressed and acted upon. The constant…