YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- The Life of Tzaddikim
- Harav Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen Kook
- Family and Society
- The Nation of Israel
- Attitude Towards Jews Who Are Not Observant
A. You have raised an interesting and important issue – however, in the specific case of Rav Kook, it simply is not relevant. You are mistaken in your description of the situation, as if Rav Kook's "innovative thought" rendered him a lone voice, without rabbinic support from previous generations. This simply is not true.
Allow me to relate in brief to two specific issues that you alluded to: Zionism, and the relationship between the sacred and the profane. Very many great contemporary rabbis of Rav Kook, and others of later decades, viewed the Zionist movement in a positive light. These included Rabbis Reiness, Kalischer, Moshe Kalfon HaCohen, Soloveitchik, and many more. (Rabbi Yitzchak Dadon, prolific author of Torah works and a former soldier who fatally shot the Palestinian terrorist who murdered eight students in Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav in 2008, wrote a series of books in which he listed hundreds of rabbis who supported the establishment of the State of Israel.)
Most rabbis actually did not even deal with the subject, and especially before 1948. For instance, Rabbi Yisachar Teichtal spent many years as a rabbi in a very anti-Zionist Hungarian community without dealing with the topic – until he wrote his famous work, Eim HaBanim Smeichah. In this work, he brought hundreds of Jewish sources in support of the modern movement to settle the Land of Israel. He also wrote there: "I will acknowledge the truth and mention my sins, that I too was very much against the enterprise of building the Land, because I blindly followed many hareidi leaders, and it was rooted thusly in my heart, and I took no interest in it at all… And only after [the Holocaust began] and we were so sorely stricken in this Exile, I looked into this Halakhic matter and G-d enlightened my eyes, showing me that I and all those who objected to it had been mistaken…"
Furthermore, when the State was established, a declaration was published on which were signed nearly all the Torah greats in the country, saying they viewed what was happening as "the beginning of Redemption" (at'chalta d'geula).
Your question should therefore be the opposite: Upon which sources did those who did not cooperate with the Zionist movement rely, given the fact that the mitzvah of settling the Land is one of the Torah's most central commandments?
Let me now relate to the issue of whether secular studies and culture have a place in Torah life. The position that the secular and the holy must be kept separate – a position that has gained some standing over the past 200 years – is a relatively marginal approach. Those who promoted it apparently did so because they felt this was the way to deal with the crisis of increasing secularism. But in fact, the prevailing attitude throughout the generations was that which sees the secular world as an intrinsic part of G-d's world. Maimonides, for example, wrote that engaging in the study of science and the like is a Torah mitzvah. This is also the message given throughout the Bible.
How much more true is this when dealing with the Torah mitzvah of settling and living in the Land, which is intrinsically involved with material matters. Many hareidi rabbis, too, do not agree with the '"separation" approach.
It is true that during the period of Exile, when there was more tension between the secular and religious worlds, there was a tendency to stay away from the former. But now, the more the Redemption advances and the nation returns to its land, the more the two worlds are able to "make peace" with each other. This differentiation is found in the writings of the Maharal of Prague (Netzach Yisrael, chapter 16).
In conclusion, I would note that I actually do agree with the statement that Rav Kook was "unique" among other rabbis – in the sense that many of his contemporaries recognized his unique greatness in Torah scholarship, character, and more. For instance, one of the great rabbis of Jerusalem, Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, said at Rav Kook's funeral that he was "one in his generation in genius, in righteousness, in piety." The Chazon Ish wrote to Rav Kook and termed him, "His glorious honor, our master" – terms that he used only for the generation's greatest rabbinic leaders. At a public event in which many rabbis took part, the Chazon Ish stood up only for Rav Kook, explaining that "the Torah is standing before me."
In order to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox every week, subscribe to the Israel National Torah newsletter here.
Rabbi Yaakov Cohen
Teaches in the Beit El Yeshiva.
Harav Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen Kook Weren't Rav Kook's Positions Unique Among Rabbis?
Translated by Hillel Fendel
Harav Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen Kook What Makes Rav Kook Into Such a "Game-Changer"?
An Overview of His Personality & Writings in Honor of His Yahrtzeit
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
