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Beit Midrash
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Recipient : Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchaki, former Chief Rabbi of Dagestan, who moved to Yerushalayim and founded the village that is now called Be’er Yaakov. He was a talmid chacham and a historian of the Jews of his region, with fascinating theories. He was also an expert on the liturgy of his community (Sephardim of the Caucasus region) and published the machzor "Ohalei Yaakov," which he sent to Rav Kook for his approbation and comments.
Body : I received your dear letter along with the precious machzor with your wonderful commentary, "Ohalei Yaakov." It brought me great joy, breadth, and song in the heart to see the grand "work of your hand." This will bring great goodness for the House of Israel and the Sephardic community, may they be well, as you shined dear light on all of the holy liturgical poems, which are storehouses of light and true sanctity from earlier times. It is such a good storehouse, to gather together the songs of early holy noblemen, which used to be scattered in different places, and now you bring them to "one table," which is full of the blessing of Hashem, ready to be accessed by all who desire to draw out pearls from the depths. The merit of the masses will be attributable to you forever.
That which you asked for an approbation on your dear commentary, I am much too small to do such a thing. After all, all of your holy words are dear, and indicate that he who wrote them has a pure heart and broad knowledge in all areas of Torah scholarship. In contrast, I am young and lowly. What power do I have to praise the type of praise that such writing deserves, as it is full of light and divine glow and intensity, which draw the human soul to them?
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
109 - How to React to Academia’s Version of Tanach Events
110 - Remarks on a Yom Kippur Machzor
111 - When Should Mitzvot Cease to Apply?
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I want to share with you a few comments, but I am too preoccupied to go over all of your holy words. [We will share only some of those comments.]
In Rav Moshe Ibn Ezra’s "Kamti B’ashmoret," it says "nafshi shcharchoret" (my soul is blackened). You wrote that this means that sins blemish the soul. This is certainly true, but as far as what the words mean in context, I see it differently. It is a simple metaphor for a person whose spirit is saddened, and he is in a blackened state of depression, like one who wears black clothing. This expresses that the person regrets his sins, which is one of the major elements of repentance according to Rabbeinu Yonah’s Sha’arei Teshuva (I:10).
"He washed and purified himself" – I want to complete the idea you presented. The theme is that we are talking about something that is easy to do and the reward is great. By means of the simple process of washing, he will attain full healing. So too, repentance is very accessible and easy, as the Torah says, "For the matter is very close to you" (Devarim 30:14). The great benefit is a full recovery of the body and the spirit and actually for the whole world. It is as is written in Sha’arei Teshuva (I:2), regarding those who were arrested by the kingdom due to a sin. They were left an open escape route, and the authorities were upset at those who did not try to escape. If they saw the escape route, they should have realized that the king wanted them to be able to escape, as the king desires good for his people.
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 Connecting Disciplines in Torah Study
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook 103 – part III
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
Igrot Hare’aya Raffle of Property in Eretz Yisrael for Tzedaka
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: – #220
Igrot Hare’aya Worse on the Outside, Better on the Inside – #332
Date and Place: 26 Elul 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya The Need for a Broader Education – #274
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook Date and Place: 8 Adar I 5670, 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.
