Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Igrot Hare’aya
Body : This piece gets more specific about Rav Kook’s requests of Betzalel to adopt.
The broad realm of pleasantness, grandeur, beauty, and art is permissible for Jews. There is just one line (area of restriction), one etching, although it seems major, but it is actually only large qualitatively but not quantitatively. Spiritually, it is major, but it silences art only slightly, considering how broad that is: "All faces are permitted except for the face of a person" (Rosh Hashana 24b). In fact, it is only forbidden when the face protrudes and is complete. Even in those cases, there are ideas to employ – it is possible to use a non-Jewish assistant when one is up to the end of such a special piece of art, as this is when the prohibition comes into play. Only a simple "point" will remain forbidden along the "line" of matters in which one should be careful. In any case, there is a lot of philosophy behind this – it is only regarding the type of artwork that is connected to idolatry, whether in the pagan world of the past and present or whether in the Christian world. These are things that the Jewish People cannot tolerate.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon us, with a sacred obligation, that in our special national treasure, our holy city, there will not be any statues of this type. We would greatly appreciate if your respected organization will inform the whole world, Jewish and general, that all of its projects should be done based on the rulings of the Torah scholars, the spiritual giants of Eretz Yisrael, who are well-known within the nation. This is especially true regarding the narrow path where the feelings of the nation, its religion, and matters of art coincide and especially when the competing desires occur in the city that is the height of the nation’s hopes and glory and its strength and source of sanctity.
My brothers, you can be sure that a small measure of care will pave the way to your goals, which we, those who love our nation and our Land and desire their honor and success, all hope for, with paths paved to the hearts of the people. The practical benefit and blessing that we will have from your distinguished institution should not find any stumbling block in its path. You should go hand-in-hand with all factions in our nation, both those spread around the world and those who are in the Desired Land. They should all support the spreading of the light of practical life with all of your fine aspirations.
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
111 - Jewish Art – The Positive and Halachic Care
112 - Jewish Art – The Positive and Halachic Care
113 - Seeking the Return of Religious Aliya
Load More
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
Igrot Hare’aya Connecting Disciplines in Torah Study
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook 103 – part III
Igrot Hare’aya Trying to Arrange Purchase of Land in Eretz Yisrael – part II
#229 Date and Place: 13 Tishrei 5670 (1909), Yafo
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 Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part IV
Date and Place: 19 Sivan 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
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Various Events FOR WHOM NOT TO VOTE
Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook stressed that Israeli politics is G-dly, so I have no problem answering this common question on a Torani blog. Also, Free-Will is a G-d-given right and obligation, to "destine one's fate" (R. Soloveichik, Kol Dodi Dofek, 67), so I obviously don't tell others how to vote. But once not a few (especially young) have already asked, a couple of personal words from experience and thoughts from chazal & Rav Kook which may be of help to others, mainly for whom NOT to vote.
P'ninat Mishpat Fallout from Failure to Install Elevator – part II
based on ruling 85007 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
