Kenneth Cohen

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Dec 10, 2024, 9:16 AM

Bringing Spirituality Into the Physical World

Rav Kook pointed out how the Avot, Patriarchs, merited the presence of angels in various situations. They appeared in the dream of the ladder of Yakov. They acted as messengers, and they escorted Yakov when he left Israel, and...

Dec 9, 2024, 7:38 AM

Love At First Sight

It is perfectly okay to describe Yakov Avinu’s first meeting with Rachel, as “love at first sight.” The text of the Torah clearly describes how deeply Yakov felt towards Rachel. Some commentators have a problem explaining why Yakov kissed Rachel...

Dec 8, 2024, 10:15 AM

Honoring Parents

Rav Kook gives an interesting explanation to justify Yakov leaving Israel to go to Charan. He addresses the problem of being away from his parents, that did not allow him to perform the Mitzva of honoring his parents. Yakov was...

Dec 7, 2024, 6:31 PM

Impact of a Tzaddik

Rashi comments on the usage of the word, ויצא, “And Yakov went out.” A more appropriate word would have been, וילך, “He left.” The “going out” of Yakov from Beer Sheva to Charan, was significant. An important lesson is learned...

Dec 5, 2024, 8:08 AM

The story of Yakov’s dream of the ladder is very fascinating. We learn on several occasions that Yakov had a relationship with angels. Aside from the angels in his dream, ascending and descending, we learn that angels escorted him when...

Dec 4, 2024, 7:19 AM

Obstacles to Spirituality

A major theme of the book, “Duties of the Heart,” is the emphasis on finding ways towards building a closer connection to Hashem. We are urged to use our intellect in order to achieve this goal of closeness to...

Dec 3, 2024, 6:07 AM

G-d Created Evil

Now that it appears that the world has made a statement, that they have had enough of the “woke” nonsense, there is another point that needs to be emphasized. There is a verse in the Book of Isaiah, 45:7 that...

Dec 2, 2024, 10:44 AM

Good Intententions-Favorable Results

Rav Kook made an observation that when things are done with good intentions, there is a strong possibility that the results will be favorable. The example of such a theory, was our father, Yitzchak. He really was fooled by Eisav...

Dec 1, 2024, 6:55 AM

Rav Kook’s Vision for Israel

Rav Kook gives great emphasis in explaining the world before the Torah was given on Mount Sinai and after. For example, before Sinai, every inhabitant performed circumcision. After Sinai, this was a commandment limited to the Jewish people. Rav Kook...

Dec 1, 2024, 12:08 AM

Yakov’s Truthfulness

It is interesting that the attributes of truthfulness is attributed to Yakov Avinu. There is a well known expression, תתן אמת ליעקב, “give truth to Yakov.” On the one hand, he is portrayed as the איש תם יושב אהלים,...

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About Me

Rabbi Cohen has been a Torah instructor at Machon Meir, Jerusalem, for over twenty years while also teaching a Talmud class in the Shtieblach of Old Katamon. Before coming to Israel, he was the founding rabbi of Young Israel of Century City, Los Angeles. He recently published a series of Hebrew language-learning apps, which are available at www.cafehebrew.com