Home Home / Rav Kook (1963)

Outline

March 6, 1963

Rav Kook (1963)

General Jewish History
View The Text

This content is currently available in its original PDF format. As we expand the library, we plan to add a text version as well.

RELATED CONTENT

Outline

Rav Kook Lecture Series (1963)

I. Introduction: (A.) In manifold problems that confront and confound life today, often hear expressions "if only R. Kook were alive today!" Comes from all quarters, religious and secularist, Israeli and Diaspora. B. What manner of man was this who, 30 years after his death, is still so sorely missed? What were distinctive qualities of this personality who seemed so out of place in our age — as if G-d created his soul out of purity and grandeur of days of old, together with vision and courage of days yet unborn? What were the main outlines of the thought and philosophy of this unusual man who was, at one and the same time, a disciplined, rationalist legal scholar, and a soul that soared to mystic heights and overflowed in passionate poetry of exquisite charm — a man of whom Prof. Gershom Scholem said that he was the last authentic Jewish mystic of the ages?C. Our 3 lectures will be devoted to discovering what we can about him — his life and his thought. It should be emphasized that these 2 elements — life and thought — are deeply intertwined in his case! That his biography is his philosophy, and his thinking is his life-story.D. I trust that these discoveries will be interesting — if they are not, it is the fault of the lecturer, not his subject. But let me confide in you: it was difficult to prepare these lectures. For one thing, there is the paradoxical nature of the man himself: rationalist and mystic, man of affairs and solitary thinker, communal leader and poetic soul, creative Halakhist and imaginative Kabbalist. For another, he was extremely prolific. He is the author of over 30 works, most of which are as yet unpublished. The literature about him is even more extensive: about 1000 pieces, ranging from essays to whole books. Another difficulty: the problems he dealt with and the answers he offered, for which he was both passionately defended and viciously attacked, are still very much with us and, in some circles, still debated. For we are speaking now not o…
General Jewish Thought General Jewish History

Article

Rav Kook: Man of Faith and Vision (1965)

Like God, a Zionist: Towards the end of his life, wasted away by a fatal cancer and suffering from severe and unrelenting pains, Chief Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook was visited by a delegation of the leaders of the Jewish National Fund. As soon as they saw him, the distinguished visitors realized that this would be the last time they would see him alive. Rav Kook began the discussion by asking Menahem Usishkin, the leader of the group, “Have any new areas been redeemed lately?” Usishkin, who knew full well that the query was much more than a casual opening for a conversation, replied, “We bought a small plot in Emek Hefer, but we are beset by grave problems. As soon as we are ready to buy, the Mufti applies pressure on the sellers, threatens them — and the sale is called off abruptly. We need considerable amounts of money simply to buy off all kinds of people interested in causing us needless trouble.”“And what,” asked the Rav, “is your financial condition at present?”“As usual,” Usishkin sighed, “the income doesn’t begin to cover the expenses.”“In that case,” said the Rav, whose eyes suddenly had regained their old sparkle despite his desperate illness, I shall immediately address a special open letter to the Jews of Poland, asking their enthusiastic support for the J.N.F.”“That would certainly help,” said Usishkin. "The Rabbi’s letter two years ago to Lithuanian Jewry produced excellent results.”When the J.N.F. leaders left the sick-room. Rav Kook called in his secretary and dictated to him a moving appeal to Polish Jewry on behalf of the J.N.F. The secretary hazarded the comment that by his unqualified support of the J.N.F. he might incur the wrath of his rightist critics, the zealots who were unalterably opposed to the New Yishuv. Rav Kook, usually modest to a fault, replied impatiently, “So what? What can they say about me?”The secretary answered, smiling, “they will accuse the Rabbi of being a Zionist.”“Is it at all possible,” exclaimed Rav Kook with a twi…
General Jewish Thought General Jewish History Zionism

Outline

Yehudah Halevi and the Kuzari, Part 3 (1961)

Synopsis: 11th century poet, rabbi, physician, philosopher, rejects rationalism… but not reason, differences between G-d of philosophers and G-d of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, these are negative: what did he himself believe? Mentioned: "Ayin nisteret", intuition… Today: major part his outlook. (2) Historiosophy: YHL emphasizes experience as main source of knowledge, more than reason (thus: poetry influenced form Kuzari; medicine his emphasis on experience); with YHL, history a major category of significance... collective experience of Israel, its history, major events in this collective experience are Exodus & Revelation, especially latter.    – Unlike other medieval philosophers, not begin with general principles and proceed to particular, but begins with particular experience as a fact, proceeds to general principles.   – Thus, Rabbi to King very beginning (as last week): G-d took us out of Egypt...   — Revelation: emphasize that it was a fact, witnessed by large numbers of people,   transmitted generation to generation... (historical memory)Aux. text: summarize last paragraph p.6, read first half p.7– Crucial significance of Revelation ("Torah min hashamayim") to Judaism;With it distinguish between Orthodoxy, non-Jewish brands of faithThe People of Israel   % YHL speaks of holy people, holy land, holy deeds   \[Read]   Aux. text p.7, section III (first 5 stanzas only)   % To YHL, just as religion is more than philosophy, so is Judaism more than religion   – Living subject of Judaism is: the Jewish people (unique in this respect).   Heart of world = Israel: special quality giving it *Inyan Eloki* (special relationship with G-d, His revelation to man, & man's readiness to receive this revelation).   A people caught up with G-d...   % All other nations under natural-historical law, Israel: special divine providenceNorman Lamm – 2 – Third Lecture% Israel as heart of world is part of it, but yet different: *segulah* –biologically and historically equipped fo…
General Jewish Thought General Jewish History