Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Igrot Hare’aya
Recipient: R. Dr. Moshe Zeidel (a close disciple of Rav Kook, from their time in Boisk. Dr. Zeidel was a philologist and philosopher, who asked Rav Kook many philosophical questions.)
Summary of previous parts: There must be a limit to the propriety of free thought because it affects one’s actions and thus also his surroundings. The "location" of the "boundary" depends on the nature of different nations. For Israel, whose task it is to inform the world about Hashem, this requires stricter adherence to philosophical truths. Yet, at times, Hashem is not interested in us being able to carry out our task easily, and we are unable to keep discipline within the nation.
Body: This explains what I wrote [in the open letter]. Now we move on to deal with [how to handle an imperfect situation].
Even though it is fully forbidden and a bad disease to even be unsure or to think with doubts about matters that warrant full belief, we still find Chazal attaching a status of an apikorus (roughly, heretic) only to a denier, i.e., one who decides the opposite of the proper belief. It is only possible to find one in Israel to adopt the opposite of the true beliefs if he is a totally evil person and purposely lies. The greatest evil can only cause doubt for those who possess weak minds.
Therefore, one who is brazen enough to say that he clearly rejects a tenet must be a totally evil person. Then it is proper to rule upon him all of the explicit laws, and he cannot claim that his heart forced him into those decisions. If there were any honesty to the denial of proper belief in our generation, it would only cause one to raise doubts, and it would be easy to explain the answers. In contrast, heretics willfully claim to be definitely right, whereas even the weakest minds would only get to doubts, but they are involved in the evil of pursuing [a false agenda]. Therefore, he is subject to all of the laws, those administered by man and those administered by Hashem, according to the degree of the stumbling block [for others] that he caused. The details of these laws need to be presented at great length in many books.
It is clear that whoever understands how all heresy in relation to Israel is only a claim of a weak doubt, which comes about through lack of knowledge, lack of feeling, and lack of morality, would immediately become complete in true belief and fear of Hashem. The more one would connect himself to Torah scholars, who seek out Hashem in truth, the more he would elevate himself step by step and would be full of belief of the strength of knowledge and wisdom. "Any instrument that would be created to harm you will not succeed, and any tongue that would rise up against you in legal dispute will be vilified. This is the portion of the servants of Hashem and their righteousness from Me, said Hashem" (Yeshayahu 54:17).
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
17 - The Limits of Free Thought
18 - The Limits of Free Thought
19 - Improving Education in Yafo
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Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
P'ninat Mishpat Limits of Interest Rate for Loan with Heter Iska – part I
based on ruling 80033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Multiple Agreements and Parties – part IV
based on final ruling of 80082 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Igrot Hare’aya Connecting Disciplines in Torah Study
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook #103 – part II
Igrot Hare’aya Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part III
Date and Place: 19 Sivan 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Concern for Communal Kashrut Standards – #288, 290
Date and Place: 4 Nisan 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Excerpts of Letter on Shemitta – #289 – part I
Date and Place: 6 Nisan 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Informing a Friend he Is Not Insulted – #320
Date and Place: 5 Menachem Av 5670 (1910), Rechovot (probably)
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Various Events FOR WHOM NOT TO VOTE
Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook stressed that Israeli politics is G-dly, so I have no problem answering this common question on a Torani blog. Also, Free-Will is a G-d-given right and obligation, to "destine one's fate" (R. Soloveichik, Kol Dodi Dofek, 67), so I obviously don't tell others how to vote. But once not a few (especially young) have already asked, a couple of personal words from experience and thoughts from chazal & Rav Kook which may be of help to others, mainly for whom NOT to vote.
P'ninat Mishpat Fallout from Failure to Install Elevator – part II
based on ruling 85007 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
