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Recipient: The organization "Beit Va’ad Lachachamim," dedicated to the advancement of Torah study in Yerushalayim. They apparently asked Rav Kook for an article on a specific halachic matter, which he did not have time to prepare (he related to the matter briefly). However, he focused the letter on his envisioned goals and encouragement for such a group.
Body: I want to point something out to you. Although I do not yet know the essence of your organization and the standing of its members, I must inform you that if in our days you are working on binding together Torah scholars in the Holy City, you should try to strive for greatness.
Ours is a generation with strong aspirations. If those with empty aspirations of destruction and emptiness raise themselves to the highest peaks, how high must the heart of one who seeks Hashem strive for as he approaches sanctity?! The minimum one should strive for is to sanctify the Name of Hashem, the name of Israel, and the name of Yerushalayim. It is very desirable to show the whole world the preeminence and greatness of the Torah of Eretz Yisrael. Unfortunately, often that which is deep is low-lying (i.e., not noticed). The proper thing is for the Torah of Eretz Yisrael to take its rightful place – on a high pedestal, for all of the Jewish people and all the nations to see what Hashem has created in the Land. This is the time to seek out Hashem, and the need to do so raises us to high levels. [There are a few lines missing from the letter at this point.]
There is a tremendous difference between the way the Torah is experienced in Eretz Yisrael and the way it is in chutz la’aretz (the Diaspora). In Eretz Yisrael, the flow of Divine Spirit breaks forth ready to attach itself to every scholar who seeks to learn Torah for noble reasons, all the more so on an assemblage of Torah scholars. This broad Divine Spirit adorns the details and expands the scope of the halachot, and all of this spiritual movement is from Above to below.
The Diaspora is totally different. There, one does not have access to a general Divine Spirit. He cannot "breathe it in" in impure air or on impure ground. Rather, every detail within the Torah raises a certain spiritual spark and a glimpse of light, which allow one to draw closer to the spirit of the Living G-d who dwells upon His nation in the Land of Life.
The Zohar in Ruth comments on the words al hageula v’al hatemurah (Ruth 4:7) that geula (liberation) refers to the Talmud Yerushalmi and temura (exchange) refers to the Talmud Bavli (with the former being more laudatory than the latter). This information is enlightening in several elements: the nature of the scholarship, its sections, and the complete manner of service of Hashem that is appropriate for the choicest Torah scholars, who should strive to advance themselves in the place that contains the "light of the world." In Eretz Yisrael, we can give greater credence to the content of the logic promoted, the laws taught, the creative ideas raised, and the deductive reasoning provided.
The gemara (Megilla 29a) predicts that in the bright future, the synagogues and study halls from the Diaspora will be relocated to Eretz Yisrael. We are capable of drawing the dew of light that exists in the air of the Desired Land in a manner that everything flows. This will make the spirits of every individual delicate and sacred, to the point that the Talmud Bavli and Talmud Yerushalmi will unite, and the two together will give seven-fold more light. We should strive for this and not consider the aspiration too haughty. After all, a small (three jurists) rabbinical court in Eretz Yisrael is more respected than a great court of an expanded size (twenty three) in the Diaspora (Yerushalmi, Nedarim 6:8).
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
67 - Study of Spirituality
68 - The Power of the Scholars of Eretz Yisrael
69 - The Power of the Scholars of Eretz Yisrael
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Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
P'ninat Mishpat Who Breached the Contract? – part IV
Based on ruling 81087 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
P'ninat Mishpat Profits from Formerly Joint Swimming Pool – part
(based on ruling 81110 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
P'ninat Mishpat Limits of Interest Rate for Loan with Heter Iska – part II
based on ruling 80033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Igrot Hare’aya A Public Letter on Observance of Shemitta – #287 – part I
Date and Place: 4 Nisan 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Maintaining a Friendship of the Spirit – #266 – part II
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook, Date and Place: 11 Shevat 5670, Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Worse on the Outside, Better on the Inside – #332
Date and Place: 26 Elul 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Alternatives to Gymnasium and Grafted Etrogim – #286
Date and Place: 18 Adar II, 5670 (1910), Yafo
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
