Orchot Tzaddikim class 53, "Remembering" part iii

Orchot Tzaddikim class 52, "Remembering", part ii

The Educational Punishment Necessitating the Splitting of Judea & Israel

Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 69

Rav Kook ingeniously explains our sages who say the punishment of the splitting of the Davidic kindgom into Judea and Israel (the ten tribes), was an educational punishment for David's splitting Mephiboshet's estate, giving half to Tziva, his servant. As he often does, Rav Kook ties this in to "current events", and why it's necessary for us to have 2 Mashiachs (ben Yosef=secular Zionism, and ben David), even though the ideal is just Mashiach ben David. For more on the topic, see my class on "Who Exactly is Mashiach ben Yosef?".

Orchot Tzaddikim class 51, "Remembering" part i

Tzaddikim are not Infallible or Naive but Identify &Fight Evil

Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 68

Rav Kook analyzes the difference between the temporary dynasty of King Saul (and his grandson Mephiboshet who wants to rule in place of King David, who may have been more righteous than David's family), and the eternal dynasty of David and why the Mashiach comes from that family. Rav Kook also innovatively explains here why the Mashiach (Messiah) is named for that one action of anointing, and the difference between doing so with an animal's horn, as opposed to Saul who was anointed with a vessel.

Orchot Tzaddikim class 50, "Don't be a Miser"

Nothing Like Prayer with Repentance

Purim- the Real Acceptance of Torah & Why the Costumes?!

Ayn Aya Shabbat ix, 69

Rav Kook explains the Talmud (Shabbat 88) that Purim, and not Mt. Sinai, was the real acceptance of the Torah, through an innovative explanation of Free Will. The class also suggests an innovative idea the customs of wearing costumes, eating Haman-Taschen & Kreplach & drinking wine on Purim, and how Am Yisrael never "really" sins, and G-d never "really" punishes.

Defense vs. Lashon HaRah

The Speaker, the Spoken & the Receiver via Rav Kook's New Account of Mephiboshet

Rav Kook analyzes the deeper problem of Lashon HaRa and how it changes a person to being more pessimistic and suspicious and other problematic character traits. On the other hand, kings and governments deal with issues where the stakes are so high, they must be suspicious and cautious, balancing it with optimism, morality etc. There are many ramifications here for the modern State of Israel. Rav Kook is at his innovative best suggesting several great new ways of looking at things and at understanding several stories regarding King David.

Orchot Tzadikim, class 49, "Generosity" part ii

Other aspects of the character trait of "generosity", including how much must one pay for each mitzvah, what is the maximum, and how much to add to do a mitzvah in a finer way (Mehadrin). It's important to be generous in business, to protect your reputation. When to be careful of those who take advantage of your generosity?

The Severity of Lashon Harah But It's (Surprising!) Necessity for Leaders

Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 66

Rav Kook analyzes the deeper problem of Lashon HaRa and how it changes a person to being more pessimistic and suspicious and other problematic character traits. On the other hand, kings and governments deal with issues where the stakes are so high, they must be suspicious and cautious, balancing it with optimism, morality etc. There are many ramifications here for the modern State of Israel. Rav Kook is at his innovative best suggesting several great new ways of looking at things and at understanding several stories regarding King David.

History of a Calendrical Dispute – and its Resolution

Practical Tricks How Not to Accept Gossip by Giving the Benefit of the Doubt

Ayn Aya, Shabbat v, 65

Rav Kook explains the Talmud which says that even if King David sinned by Uriah & BatSheva, he would not sin to accept gossip. This class deals with 21 concrete ideas on how to practically achieve that status that we automatically don't accept Lashon HaRah, by adopting the habit of giving the benefit of the doubt.

Orchot Tzaddikim class 48, Generosity part i

Orchot Tzaddikim class 48, Laziness part iii

Revealing State Secrets: A Grave Sin, or a Holy Obligation?

"Will Mashiach be More 'Dictator', 'President' or 'Prime Minister'?"

Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 63

Rav Kook's innovative explanation of the Talmud regarding Uriah's sin in rebelling against King David, also consciously deals with his opinion regarding the type of government which Machiach is meant to lead, where he clearly will not be a dictator, but also not a prime minister. Rav Kook clearly agrees with his rebbe, the Netziv (Devarim 17, 14-15), who wrote that the form of government, whether democratic or a king, must be according to the popular will of the Jewish people. There are clearly ramifications as well regarding the modern democratic State of Israel which Rav Kook saw developing after the Balfour Declaration and founding of the nascent Knesset Yisrael.

Zionism Different than Other Patriotism

Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 62

Rav Kook is often considered the spiritual father of religious Zionism. In this paragraph, his innovative explanation of King David, Bat-Sheva, Uriah HaChitti and the Amonite nation compares Zionism with other nationalism and patriotism of other nations.

Orchot Tzaddikim part 46, "Laziness" part i

Laziness is one of the challenges of today's affluent society, and interestingly, one of the central motifs in the writings of King Solomon (Solomon), the wisest of men, in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. This entertaining analysis helps us to objectively understand that we all look for excuses, often even absurd ones, just to justify our laziness!

Why the Wars & the Soldiers of Israel are Different

Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 61

In this timely and especially important class, Rav Kook utilizes the gett (conditional divorce) which the House of David gave during war, to analyze why the soldies in the IDF and inevitably all Jewish soldiers, but especially religious Zionist chayalim fighting for Israel are altruistic and are able to rise above their natural instinct to survive for the eternal, moral, historic role of the Jewish Nation. The wars of Israel and the soldiers of Israel are inevitably different than the patriotism and nationalism found in other nations and wars who fight for more physical and temporary reasons.