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Rabbinical Leaders

Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook

1865-1935

Perhaps the most difficult of personalities to portray is that of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, who had an immeasurable influence on Jewish life. He was born in Greiva, Latvia and was one of the select few to be recognized as a true genius from early childhood. His memory was astounding, yet the ability to assimilate and understand information was definitely his greatest asset. While attending yeshiva he applied himself not only to the Talmud, but studied Bible, Jewish Philosophy and the Hebrew language as well.

By the time Rabbi Kook arrived at the famed Volozhin Yeshiva at the age of nineteen, he spoke Hebrew perfectly and did so at any and every opportunity that presented itself. The Rosh Yeshiva at the time was the "Netziv", who was one of the few leaders of the Torah world who supported the beginning of the return to Zion. Under this influence, Rabbi Kook grew in knowledge and became engrossed in kabbalah, Jewish thought and devoted prayer. In 1888 he went to serve as the Rabbi of Zimel for seven years, until he moved to Boisk, Lithuania, where he was the rabbi of this community until 1904. It was in Boisk that he published his first essay on Zionism in which he accepted the movement in all its aspects as being a legitimate factor in the quest to revive Jewish nationalism.

In 1904, Rabbi Kook moved to Eretz Israel and became Rabbi of Jaffa and its surrounding agricultural communities. Here he began to espouse his particular brand of religious philosophy. It was a blend of the mystical, unworldly kabbalah, and the practical realities of the day. At its cornerstone rested the belief that the Jewish people were not only bringing about a new historical era in their determination to reclaim the land, but were entering into the phase of history foretold by the prophets as the "It’chalta De’Geula" or the Beginning of Redemption. Thus he viewed even the most irreligious as fulfilling the word of God, and the Zionist movement as the instrument that God had chosen to usher in this new era.

Rabbi Kook reiterated over and over again that each and every Jew retains a holy spark within the soul and that the Jewish people as a whole, in beginning to revive their national aspirations and rebuilding the Land, were igniting this spark – which most assuredly would bring about the full and complete redemption.

At all times Rabbi Kook desired to keep peace between the religious and irreligious segments of the community, while trying to preserve and teach that the traditional way of life cannot be abandoned without abandoning the very soul of the Jewish people. The sabbatical year of 1909 was marked by the controversy (as in 1888) as to whether the Jews should be allowed to work their land. To this end he published a treatise "Shabbat Ha’Aretz" in which he allowed, for technical reasons, the working of the land.

In 1914 Rabbi Kook was invited to the Agudat Yisrael convention in Europe and went with the hope of convincing the leaders to take a more positive stance in regard to the Zionist movement. While their World War I began and he could not get passage back to Israel. For more than a year he resided at the house of Abraham Kimche in Switzerland and spent most of his time writing. From 1915-18 he was appointed as temporary head of the "Machzeike Ha’Dat" congregation in London and tried to convince the Jews of London to take a more active role in Zionist ideology. He was present at the announcement of the Balfour Declaration on November 2, 1917, which was the first document recognizing the need for a Jewish homeland.

Immediately after the war, Rabbi Kook returned to Eretz Israel and became Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. When the institution of the Chief Rabbinate was set up in 1929, he was elected to be the Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel, a post which he held until his death in 1935. One of the most important contributions that Rabbi Kook made to the world of Torah, aside from his writings, was the setting up of a yeshiva in Jerusalem devoted to higher studies, which has become known as ‘Mercaz Ha’Rav’ (Ha’Rav is a shortened phrase used to this day to refer to Rabbi Kook.) He wished to produce spiritual leaders and teachers for the community.

The end of Rabbi Kook’s life was marked by controversy, as the yishuv (settlement in Eretz Israel) divided between Revisionist and Labor Zionist philosophy. He defended Stavsky, one of the accused in the Arlosorof murder, and by doing so angered the Labor Zionists who were convinced of Stavsky’s guilt. (It should be noted that the Arlosorof murder until this day has not been solved, and is a constant source of friction between the various political factions in Israeli society.) Rabbi Kook, in addition, had to face the constant vilification and degradation of the ‘Neturei Karta’ who were violently opposed to him and his philosophy, viewing it as heretical and Rabbi Kook as an apostate.

After Rabbi Kook’s death in 1935, his only son, Zvi Yehuda (1891-1982) took over as Rosh-Yeshiva of Mercaz Ha’Rav. It is due to Rabbi Zvi Yehuda’s credit that so many of his father’s works have been published. He devoted time to compiling, editing and footnoting the compositions and letters of his father. Some of the most famous of these books are: Orot Hakodesh, Iggorot Ha’Rayeh, and Orot Ha’Teshuva.

The teachings of Rabbi Kook (and his son) changed the face of Orthodox Judaism in the pre-state years and afterwards. He synthesized Torah study and adherence to its Mitzvot with the revival of Jewish nationalism as no other person was able to do. He explained to the religious and non-religious that the ‘galut’ is not permanent, and that the time had indeed come for the foretold beginning of redemption. The influence of Rabbi Kook is boundless. He was a visionary and realist; a man who stood alone and was the spiritual leader of thousands. At a time of travail and sorrow he was able to see beyond the present moment to an era of unity and peace of the people of Israel in Eretz Yisrael.

Rabbi Kook died on the third day of Elul 5695/1935, after serving as Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem for sixteen years, and for many years as the Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Eretz Israel.

From His Writings:

The uniqueness of the nation of Israel

"In all other peoples and nations the inner desire for life in a society is based upon the economic structure with all its ramifications. The basic factor is the inherent worry existent within man to improve his physical conditions. And thus the lofty spirit of life; that which illuminates such a desire – may be defined as the spirit of order and beauty which causes pleasure to the senses according to the heart of man. Now, when these two things are combined into one idea – this balance (of spiritual and physical factors) creates a national essence.

However, in Israel, there rests within the natural soul of the nation the Divine quality, a thirst for knowledge and a perceptiveness of God’s presence …This is the essence upon which life is based…the desire to come close to God."

The Jewish Religion and the Zionist Movement

1. "Holiness will return to its rightful place in our national Zionist movement for only with it can we gain the source of life, and then it will revive through its power the mundane values that exist and that will exist for our support. And this will be our way of return which will heal all our ills and will bring near the complete redemption, speedily in our days, Amen.
2. Zionism must return to the life source of our nation ‘from the top of the rocks’ and it is impossible for this to occur without religion."

The Nation and the Land

1. "The holy association between Israel and its Holy Land is not comparable to a natural affiliation through which all other nations and peoples are tied to their lands. The natural affiliation develops over a long period of time and through the occurrence of many incidents and through a great many people who come to live permanently in a specific land and thus begins the development of the historical affiliation by way of habit, causing for the generations to come, a spiritual association between the nation and the land. Such an idea does not exist within the Divine realm emanating from the Holy source which ties the people of Israel to the holiness of the beautiful land whose sanctified seal became apparent when we were but 'a few men.'
2. The unique treasure of the land and the unique treasure of the nation suit one another. Just as the nation is unique in its Divine ascent within the depth of life, so does the land – the land of God - prepare the nation which rests upon it as an inheritance for eternity, who come as a result of covenant and promise and assuredness. The eternity of Israel is based upon Divine nature which inherently exists in the form of this wondrous and beautiful land and serves as partner to the nation which was chosen by God for a treasure. Together the souls of the nation and the land influence the very nature of existence and fulfill their duties through the active expression of their holy longings during the sabbatical year. The nation works with all the powers of its soul upon the land and the seed of God is revealed by its spiritual influence and the land works for the nation to reveal its abilities according to the Divine desire for life in its totality.
3. And the second act of loving kindness which the Holy One Blessed Be He accomplished was to endow the Holy Land as a chosen treasure, for from the aspect of its holiness it is not suitable for any of the nations among the nations of the world but just for Israel – ‘an inheritance of Israel His people.’
4. Eretz Israel is not an external object superimposed upon the consciousness of the nation. Nor can it simply be defined as an intermediary whose purpose is to unify the people and thus provide for the strengthening of their physical and spiritual requirements. Eretz Israel is an independent entity, intrinsically connected to and part of those unique qualities which preserve and guarantee the very existence of our nation. This intimate bond denies any attempt at rational or intellectual explanation of the holiness invested in the land. It can only be understood by attempting to comprehend the very ‘spirit of God’ which rests upon the entire nation…
5. Our relationship towards Eretz Israel is not accidental, but rather a natural and divine one for us, as our very existence and essence is tied to the beautiful land, and all the time we are removed from our land because of our sins this did not cause a change within our fundamental values. We are always connected with the Holy Land with all our hearts and souls to the land of Israel.
6. An independent creation in regard to the people of Israel, in thought and active life is impossible for the people of Israel except in the Land of Israel…

It is impossible for an individual Jew to be dedicated and truthful to his thoughts and logic, ideas and dreams in the Diaspora as he would be in Eretz Israel. The revelations of holiness, no matter on what level, are pure in Eretz Israel, according to their intrinsic value, whereas in the Diaspora they are intertwined and mixed with other factors. However, according to the degree one desires and is connected to Eretz Israel, ideas will be influenced by the very air of Eretz Israel."