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Beit Midrash
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- Chemdat Yamim
- Igrot Hare’aya
Recipient: Rabbi Yehuda Leib Felman, an uncle of Rav Kook
Body: [Last week we saw Rav Kook’s disappointment over tensions among kollelim and the beginning of his thesis that Yerushalayim’s historic/spiritual centrality should find expression even in regard to practical matters of financial support.]
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
32 - Yerushalayim First and Foremost
33 - Yerushalayim First and Foremost part II
34 - Yerushalayim First and Foremost - part III
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One should not think that the early righteous people could have settled in Yerushalayim and preferred another city in Eretz Yisrael. We see these days, as well, that all of the Torah scholars and righteous people desire to settle in Yerushalayim specifically. Many travel to visit it and pray on special days at the Western Wall (may it be built quickly in our days) with sanctity and incredible inspiration. Rather, the yoke of exile has been very heavy in Yerushalayim because of the traditional hatred of the non-Jews.
Only now, in ikva d’meshicha (the stage preceding the coming of Mashiach) do we see good omens – Hashem is treating us in a manner of salvation and mercy. Thank G-d, some of our Jewish brethren are distinguished in the eyes of the officials, in the Holy Land in general and Yerushalayim specifically. Thank G-d, things are now safe, and there is no fear.
One should not ask about the greatest righteous people – why did some choose to live in other holy cities, even when they could have lived in Yerushalayim? Certainly every location in Eretz Yisrael has its own individual root and element of sanctity, as is discussed at length in Chessed L’Avraham.
Even on a simple level, every place has its own special holy appeal. For example, my location of Yafo is special in that it is on the border specified in the Torah ("the border of the sea" – Bamidbar 34:6), and it is the place the prophet Yonah came to, which certainly embedded in it special spiritual characteristics that have remained over the generations. It is also the place where the rafts made of cedar wood were brought to land to be used in building the Beit Hamikdash (see Divrei Hayamim II, 2:15). According to the Yerushalmi, a miracle happened to Nikanor in its port.
Therefore, although Yerushalayim is very beloved, it has the most all-encompassing sanctity, and there is a precedence to live there, still whoever felt in the root of his unique soul a connection to a certain city’s special individual sanctity would decide to live there.
The Land was divided among tribes, and therefore there were prophets from different tribes and locations. Although most were in Yerushalayim, which is why it was called the "valley of visions" (Yeshayahu 22:1) and when a prophet’s city is not mentioned he can be assumed to be from there (Petichta 24), a minority lived in other places. These are specific matters, but generally there is certainly a greater mitzva to live in Yerushalayim than anywhere else, despite the beloved nature of every place. To this day, elders who have lived in Eretz Yisrael and try every day to travel in new paths within it because of their great love for the Land, still try their best to live in Yerushalayim. It is just that many are forced by their situation or their finances to live elsewhere.
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
P'ninat Mishpat A Commercial Rental for a Closed Business – part II
based on ruling 80047 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Igrot Hare’aya Trying to Arrange Purchase of Land in Eretz Yisrael – part II
#229 Date and Place: 13 Tishrei 5670 (1909), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Semi-solicited Advice to Calm Down Petach Tikva
#227 Date and Place: 8 Tishrei 5669, Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Connecting Disciplines in Torah Study
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook #103 – part II
Igrot Hare’aya Language of Instruction for Rav Kook’s Yeshiva – #325
Date and Place: 4 Elul 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Informing a Friend he Is Not Insulted – #320
Date and Place: 5 Menachem Av 5670 (1910), Rechovot (probably)
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.
