Ein Yaakov 008a – Shabbat 55 – Why Do People Die?

Ein Yaakov – Shabbat 55 – Why Do People Die? – Rabbi Yossi Ben Pazi – Strange Questions and Strange Creatures – Speaker: Rabbi Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld zal. (Recorded on 1970-09-02.)

• 00:00 Why do people die?
• 02:33 Sometimes Tzaddikim pass away even though they didn’t commit any sin.
• 03:06 6 people who died only because of Adam’s sin and not through any sin of their own. Angels ask HaShem why Adam received the punishment of death.
• 06:00 Adam HaRishon did teshuvah for 130 years but it wasn’t sufficient to entirely correct his sin.
• 09:55 Comparison between the mistakes of Shaul HaMelech and Dovid HaMelech.
• 12:48 At this point in history, Amalek will can only be wiped out by HaShem Himself.
• 16:14 Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen never sinned.
• 16:26 Right and left side in the Torah: long life, wealth and honor.
• 18:31 Rabbi Abba and Rabbi Yossi ben Pazi, a story about the study of Torah lishma – for its own sake – vs. the study of Torah lo lishma – for personal gain.
• 21:10 Story about Rabbi Yossi ben Pazi and the Yanuka.
• 26:16 There are different degrees in giving tzedakah and doing good deeds. Sometimes a loan or business partnership can be very high level of tzedakah.
• 29:37 Reasons for the the existence of various strange creatures.
• 32:08 Large creatures afraid of tiny ones: examples and explanation.
• 35:10 Secrets of the Gemara are hidden inside strange questions and answers. For example: when flocks travel together, why do the goats go in advance of the sheep?
• 37:05 Why is the tail of a camel short, while the tail of an ox is long?
• 37:52 What is the purpose of insects?
• 38:56 The Torah is a conduit of HaShem’s life-giving energy, not food. Lessons learned from the fish, serpent, and pig – all three become stronger as they age.