Give Space Before Harmonizing

Ein Aya Shabbat 2, 276

Rav Kook teaches that opposing legitimate ideals inevitably first appear as contradictory, but eventually harmonize with each other. So by all partnerships and inter-personal and relationships, as well as ideological rabbinic machloket.

"Reality Has No Wings" - Revolutions & Improvements Must be Done Patiently

Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 274

Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 274

Respect For Others

Seasons of the Moon

Nineteen hundred years ago, the twenty-five thousand pupils of Rebbe Akiva all died in the days of the Omer between Pesach and Shavuot. This was a punishment for not treating each other with enough respect. The majority of the days Omer are in the month of Iyar. Thus Iyar is a time for us to work on improving respect for others.

Clothing

Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 268

What is the idea behind what the Talmud teaches that we must respect clothing? Rav Kook, as always, has innovative ideas behind the topic of clothing, not just in regard to tzniut and modesty, but philosophically, as well.

When Does Judaism Allow Tzaddikim to Separate From the Physical World?

Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 267

ome righteous people, like R. Shimon bar Yochai, already live as if they were in the world-to-come, with just minimal physical pleasure. Their priorities are so clear that they even have difficulty tolerating those who work & live in the "regular" world. The carob tree that miraculously grew for them in the cave, represents selflessness, where even one's planting is for their descendants, not for themselves. Similar to God, Who created this world out of altruism, for us, so too when one plants in Eretz Yisrael he's doing so for generations to come for Israel is our eternal home, as fruit-trees benefit coming generations. In Israel, when in Jewish hands, there's no ideal to separate from this physical world, for even the physical is holy.

Why Did Moshe (& Rashbi!) Separate From His Wife & Life?

Ein Aya, shabbat 2, 265

We all know that Judaism stresses and even obligates us to marry and the importance of having a family life, but the question is, why was Moshe, the ideal Jew, davka told to separate from his wife? Rav Kook deals with the issue as he deals with R. Shimon Bar Yochai's similar separation from his wife and from his regular life. In addition to several other explanations, he compares Moshe Rabbenu with Adam and Mashiach..

The "Sinking" of the Gedolim & the Rise of the Masses

Ein Aya ii, Shabbat 2, 264

"Hitkatnut haDorot", means the generations are going "downhill" as we get further from Sinai. On the other hand, Rav Kook & Ramchal often refer to the "Evolution" built into the world, that mankind is continuously improving through trial & error, better conditions & techniques, not to mention computers and technology. Accordingly, today we see unprecedented masses are learning Torah, including women, unique & innovative programs, the web etc. but the Gedolim are still descending. Rav Kook sees the benefit of this phenomenon, showing the advantages of the massive quest for truth, who davka feel today's rabbis approachable, as a "step-down" mechanism. Similarly, ideas must be revealed in the right time & we can't skip stages nor take shortcuts.

"Hawks" & "Doves" in Our Relationship with Gentiles

Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 263

There always were different approaches as to how we should relate to gentiles. Obviously different approaches are suited for various periods, but Rav Kook helps clarify which to use & when? R. Yehuda praised the Romans' bridges, markets & bathhouses, R. Yossi chose not to comment, & R. Shimon Bar Yochai totally derided them, saying that even those contributions to the Land of Israel were for their own selfish pleasures. The first approach posits to accept the good from the gentiles, & this is the most advantageous & practical approach towards the gentiles themselves, especially during exile. Contrarily, when we can be independent, we must fight evil, for the sake of the weak, for society, & also for the sake of the evil themselves.

"Unmasking" Christianity: Not Physical vs. Spiritual but Good vs. Selfish

Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 261

Chazal liken Esav, the Romans and Christians to the pig= externally kosher but internally not. Rav Kook stands on the difference between Israel & Christianity, which did away with the observance of mitzvot, claiming that all God wants is morality, to looks nice but Crusade. The Romans legitimize physical pleasure even when it's selfish, the Catholics see physical pleasure as problematic, and especially the social, political, military & economic as void of God and belonging to "Caesar". They simplistically divide the world as black-white, good-bad, physical-spiritual, setting unrealistic goals which infer that God made mistakes in creating physical pleasure. Judaism believes God is Perfect and there is good phys. pleasure vs. the selfish.

"When Good Comes From a Bad Place..."- How to Take Just the Good?

Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 260

Adults know that in the complex world, things often aren't good or bad, but usually a combination of the two. Rav Kook directs us that this sorting & classification to take the good & leave the bad, must generally be done by the experienced and well-rounded righteous, whose right & wrong are so clear, they will not be blinded or deceived to confuse the two. The complex world has matured and doesn't enable censorship, leaving us no choice but to utilize the Godly gifts of technology & knowledge wisely, as part of the modern Messianic Torah which knows to judge the essence & not the external. Similarly, secular Zionism was partially problematic, but will we not let the non-religious give charity?! Don't be naive but also don't deny reality!

Rav Kook on Globalization- 100 Years Before His Time

Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 259

Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 259

How Did Rabbi Akiva's Students Die?

Why is the mourning period for the students of R. Akiva, so much more halachically serious than similar tragedies, in Jewish history? The class deals with the historic background of the time, as seen in the sources and archeology, which explicitly prove that the tannaim, R. Akiva's students, learned in a "Hesder" Yeshiva, combining Torah study with army service. They didn't wait passively for the redemption, but actively tried bringing it in the religious-Zionist way, which in their time was premature, but nevertheless serves as the Rambam's precedent for the future geula. Many other "innocent" sources in the Talmud are explained here, on the backdrop of the historic events of their time, and show that the Omer period mourns the fall of the 3rd State of Israel, a true national tragedy.