3. See Mesillat Yesharim, and Shaare Kedusha by Rabbi Chaim Vital for a detailed study on the refined character traits needed to establish a proper foundation for the reception of Ruach HaKodesh.
4. Berachot 8A.
5. Isaiah, 12:3, Targum, “With joy you shall welcome a new learning from the elite Tzaddikim.” See the book “Meditation and Kabbalah” by R. Aryeh Kaplan for an in-depth discussion of this topic.
6. Tikuney Zohar, Tikun 30. Orot, Pg. 101.
7. Torat Eretz Yisrael, The Teachings of HaRav Tzvi Yehuda, Pgs. 248-255. See also Rav Mordechai Atia, loc cited above.
8. Orot, Pg. 101.
9. Numbers, 13:31. Mesillat Yesharim, HaRav Chaim Luzzato, Ch. 11, in the discussion on Honor.
10. Vilna Gaon, Kol HaTor, Ch. 5: “Many of the sinners in this great sin of, `They despised the cherished land,’ and also many of the guardians of Torah, will not know or understand that they are caught in this sin of the Spies, that they have been sucked into the sin of the Spies in many false ideas and empty claims, and they cover their ideas with the already proven fallacy that the mitzvah of the settlement of Israel no longer applies in our day, an opinion which has already been disproven by the giants of the world, the Rishonim and Achronim.”
11. Exodus 19:5-6. Isaiah, 43:21.
12. See Torat Eretz Yisrael, Ch. 2, Clal Yisrael.
13. Tanna Debe Eliyahu Rabbah, Ch. 9. Shaare Kedusha, Part 3, Gate 7.
14. Orot, Orot Yisrael, Ch. 9.
15. Mesillat Yesharim, Ch. 19.
16. Deut. 26:5.
17. Sifre, Ki Tavo, 26:5.
18. Genesis, 47:27.
19. Kli Yakar, verse cited.
20. Midrash HaGadol, there. See also, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch on the Torah, loc. cited.
21. Genesis, 47:29-31; and 49:29-32 (See the commentaries of Rabbi Munk and Rabbi Hirsch there).
22. Vilna Gaon, Likutei HaGra, at the end of Safra D’Tzniuta.
23. Shabbat 31A.
24. Kuzari, 2:24.
25. Shemona Esrei prayer.
26. Orot, Orot Yisrael 3:6.
27. Ibid 3:7.
28. Tehillim, 19:8.
29. Based on Jerusalem Talmud, Berachot, 5:3.
30. Zohar, Levit. 73A.
31. Orot HaTorah, HaRav Avraham Yitzhak HaCohen Kook, 13:7.
32. Bereshit Rabbah, 16:4.
33. Siddur Beit Yaacov, Introduction.
34. Torat Eretz Yisrael, Pgs. 13-15.