Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Jewish Holidays
- Jerusalem Day
Even today, Yerushalayim is already our national capitol (whether one wants to demonstrate against or for the government), the Torah center (teaming with yeshivot, batei din and halachic authorities), and universal focus (which interests most to all religions and nations).
Rav Kook writes (Orot Yisral 8, 5) that if one claims that he loves all human beings the same, without having a particular love for his immediate family or nation, that's a sign that he doesn't know what real love is, and his HUMANIST claims are just a bluff. Love of family/nation helps define and understand what love is, enabling us to eventually widen that love to other broader fields, and also limits universalism from becoming just theoretical or extreme.
Similarly, Rav Kook (ibid 4, 5) writes that one who thinks that love of our nation brings one to dislike other nations, obviously doesn't know what Ahavat YISRAEL is. For as opposed to most other patriotism, love of Israel doesn't put down others, but rather brings us to want to better the lot of the gentiles of the world, "and through you will come blessing to all the families of the world" (Breishit 12, 3).
Similarly, Rav Kook writes (ibid 7, 6) that anyone who thinks they can live a full life of Torah outside of the Land and State of Israel (i.e. religion without nationalism), he doesn't know what Torah is about. Just as one who thinks Judaism is just between man and G-d (religion), ignoring man & his fellow man (humanism), is missing the boat.
In short, the national-religious-universal are all necessary, to help complete each other. In a nation of millions, inevitably there are going to be some more national oriented, as well as others more universal oriented or religiously oriented (although all of the 3 are obviously religious, Rav Kook in this case is referring to religion as it was expressed in the galut: Shabbat, Kashrut etc.). Only when all are working together can we achieve the proper balance and reveal the unity of mankind's 3 ideologies.
Rabbi Ari Shvat
Lectures at various yeshivot, michlalot and midrashot. Has published many books & Torani articles and is in charge of Rav Kook’s archives.
Why Judaism Respects the Corpse and the Dead- Eternity, Not Superstition
Ein Aya Shabat Chapter B Paragraph 52
Tevet 20 5775
"FIRST 'THE NATIONS WILL SAY: 'G-D DID GREAT FOR [ISRAEL]' "
Iyar 5786
Two Ways of Influencing the Gentile Nations
Ein Aya Shabat Chapter B Paragraph 44
Kislev 1 5775
The Kedusha of Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael
Iyar 16 5780
Independence Day Jerusalem Day, and Sefirat HaOmer
Rabbi Shabbtai Sabbato | Iyar, 5761
Dreams Of The Kotel
Rabbi Stewart Weiss | Iyar 24 5782
Y'rushalayim: Uniting Religious-Zionist-Humanist- The 3 Ideologies of Mankind
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Iyar 25 5780
