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Beit Midrash
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- Igrot Hare’aya
Body : I just received my good friend’s letter. I am very surprised that you assume my words have false intentions. Why would anyone think I would force those who do not agree with the lenient [Shemitta] ruling to eat what is forbidden according to their opinion? My intention is only to stand in the breach against those who cast aspersions on those who come to settle Eretz Yisrael and have no choice but to rely on the well-known leniency, which has a basis in the Talmud and poskim. These aspersions damage the Yishuv spiritually and physically.
The physical damage is that it is impossible for everyone to keep the laws of Shemitta without uprooting it [through sale]. If they will not export the produce, e.g., wine, oranges, almonds, the land will be truly desolate. This will ruin the New Yishuv and, with it, certainly the Old Yishuv, as one who looks with open eyes sees that the two are intertwined.
The spiritual danger is that if a prohibition would be publicized, it would, for completely religious Jews, close the door to coming to Eretz Yisrael to build it through planting, sowing, and agricultural commerce. Then only those who throw religion out behind them will come [for these purposes], thereby causing an immeasurable drop in Judaism in Eretz Yisrael. Now, although irreligious Jews also come, every moshava has Jews who are connected to Torah and fear of Hashem. They hold important positions in their communities and strengthen religious institutions, e.g., kashrut. I have received letters, as expected, saying that no rich person, even if G-d-fearing, will invest in Eretz Yisrael at this time, when we do not see miracles, if Shemitta will uproot the foundations of his finances.
[The second spiritual damage (which we have seen before) is that if the rabbis are stringent and religious people feel compelled to ignore them, it pushes them toward generally not listening to rabbis.] Therefore, anyone who can predict the future and wants to serve Hashem not with pipe dreams but with clear, calculated logic (as proper for one whom Hashem gave mental capacity), will conclude that we must be careful to not lose the leniency of selling the land. This has been practiced for three Shemitta years, and the leading rabbis of the time in Eretz Yisrael did not protest it in practice. It has justifications in Halacha, as everyone with straight intellect will admit. Why should you be surprised that I come out against anyone who calls many of our fellow Jewish brethren evil people and thereby cause spiritual and physical destruction to the Land of our Fathers? On the other hand, who would fight against individuals who want to be stringent on themselves (certainly, it is not my intention)!?
Igrot Hare’aya (200)
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
209 - Public Response to Zealous Defense of Rav Kook – #308
210 - Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part I
211 - Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part II
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It is not at all the Torah’s way to enhance observance based on fear of punishment. We must determine from Torah sources if there is room for leniency in a case of need. If leniency is correct, we should not connect punishments to the leniency, as His Torah is not a fake. We should inspect different actions and attributes that are prone to mistakes, as the great righteous people have done over the generations.
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 Connecting Disciplines in Torah Study
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook #103 – part II
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 The State of Religion in Eretz Yisrael – #277 – part II
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook Date and Place: 9 Adar I 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Maintaining a Friendship of the Spirit – #266 – part III
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook; Date and Place: 11 Shevat 5670, Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Maintaining a Friendship of the Spirit – #266 – part IV
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook; Date and Place: 11 Shevat 5670, Yafo
Rabbis in Midrash
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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.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.