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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
Igrot Hare’aya Connecting Disciplines in Torah Study
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook #103 – part II
Igrot Hare’aya Raffle of Property in Eretz Yisrael for Tzedaka
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: – #220
P'ninat Mishpat Repercussions of a Sale That Turned Out Not Happening – part II
(based on ruling 83045 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Igrot Hare’aya Excitement over a Friend’s New Newspaper – #319
Date and Place: 4 Menachem Av 5670 (1910), Rechovot
Igrot Hare’aya Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part II
Date and Place: 19 Sivan 5670 (1910), Yafo
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
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
