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Beit Midrash
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- Igrot Hare’aya
Body : We have to try our hardest so that eventually the "Shabbat of the Land" will appear in its fullest form. In addition to it being beloved like any other mitzva of the Torah, punishment for not keeping it is found explicitly in the Torah, from which we can extrapolate its reward – it determines exile vs. inhabiting the Land. The Torah says: "All the days [the Land] is desolate, it will rest corresponding to the time it did not rest when you were living on it" (Vayikra 26:35). The Rabbis wrote explicitly that exile comes to the world because of improper observance of Shemitta. However, it requires study to know how to reach the holy goal.
I believe that we need to reach our destination specifically by progressing gradually. This is in line with the way in which Israel’s salvation is to progress, step by step (Yerushalmi, Berachot 1:1).
The way we rule must be in line with how someone saves property from a fire. Whatever is most expensive and holiest has priority, and then we try to save more. The more beloved comes first, and that which is found in the Written Torah comes before that which is derived based on the Oral Law (see Sefer Chassidim 856, cited by Magen Avraham 334:15). Regarding the need to keep at least the Torah-level prohibitions, this is a major factor, considering that the punishment of exile is involved. It is worthwhile to point out the argument of the Sha’agat Aryeh (24). He proves that the mitzva to recite a beracha before learning Torah must be of Torah law from the fact that the gemara (Nedarim 81a) attributes the destruction of the Temple to the lack of fulfillment of that mitzva. In another words, if they had violated only a Rabbinic law, the stakes would not have been so high. Therefore, by keeping the Torah prohibitions, we are doing a big thing, as we are trying, through settling the Land, to take steps toward ingathering the exiles, and we would not want to be guilty of something whose punishment is exile. Therefore, we must be careful about the matter to our fullest ability.
Whatever is done by a non-Jew will not include a Torah-level prohibition, as is the cases regarding every prohibition of the Torah. Although the Torah writes in terms of the Land resting, the actual prohibition goes on the person who does the work, so that if a Jew has a non-Jew do the work, there is no Torah-level prohibition. This is especially so considering that according to most, Shemitta in our days is Rabbinic, and it is a stringency to try to treat it as if Shemitta is required by Torah law at this time. Furthermore, we also have the sale of the land to rely on, which is a valid leniency. Therefore, there are multiple levels of leniency to rely upon, at least regarding the most problematic actions.
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
193 - Concern for Communal Kashrut Standards – #288, 290
194 - Excerpts of Letter on Shemitta – #289 – part I
195 - Excerpts of Letter on Shemitta – #289 – part II
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Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
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 Semi-solicited Advice to Calm Down Petach Tikva
#227 Date and Place: 8 Tishrei 5669, Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya A Public Letter on Observance of Shemitta – #287 – part I
Date and Place: 4 Nisan 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Language of Instruction for Rav Kook’s Yeshiva – #325
Date and Place: 4 Elul 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Possibilities of Creating Religious Moshavot – #284 – part I
Date and Place: 1 Adar II, 5670 (1910), Yafo
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
