YESHIVAT HAR ETZION VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH PROJECT(VBM)
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INTRODUCTION TO THE THOUGHT OF RAV KOOK
by Rav Hillel Rachmani
LECTURE 1: THE FRUIT AND THE TREE
It is often difficult to relate to men of great spirit
because of the gap between them and us. We confront this
dilemma in its full force as we begin to study the works of R.
Kook. I would like to begin this lecture by illustrating his
towering spiritual stature and discussing its effects on our
understanding of his writings.
Rav Soloveitchik's description of homo religiosus serves
as a fitting description of R. Kook. Even Israel's Nobel
laureate in literature, Shai Agnon, who was not very easily
impressed, expressed enthusiastic admiration for him.
There is a well-known story about R. Kook which captures
much of what made him so unique. When R. Kook moved to
Israel, he was appointed Chief Rabbi of Yaffo; this job
included serving as the rabbi of the secular Zionists in the
outlying agricultural settlements. One summer, Rav Kook and
his colleagues went on a tour of these settlements in an
attempt to encourage the pioneers to observe more mitzvot,
especially the laws pertaining to agriculture and produce.
Their campaign was met with minimum of success. One night,
toward the end of the trip, Rabbi Y. M. Charlop, who was
sharing a room with R. Kook, awoke to the sight of his teacher
restlessly pacing about their small room. As he looked
closer, he noticed that R. Kook's face was flushed with
passion and excitement. Rav Kook noticed him and slowly
approached his disciple, placing his ice cold hands on R.
Charlop. "What is wrong, master?" R. Charlop asked. R. Kook
responded, "I am consumed with a burning love of God."
(Kadish Luz, a non-religious member of a kibbutz often visited
by Rav Kook, and later Speaker of the Knesset, said years
afterwards, "When we beheld Rav Kook, we used to feel as if a
ball of fire had detached itself from Mt. Sinai and come to
us.")
This story describes the essence of Rav Kook. His entire
personality was focused on devekut (cleaving) to God. He
found it difficult to constrict his other-worldly experiences
into the normal routines of daily existence. We are clearly
dealing with a man quite different from the average person.
While we may find it difficult to get up in the morning for
prayer, Rav Kook found it hard to "come down" to pray using
the standardized "cages" of words. This intense spirituality,
at times, creates a gap between us and Rav Kook.
R. Kook did not write in normal expository prose. His
writing flowed from inspiration; he attempted to capture his
powerful experiences in words. His hand was driven to write
by the overwhelming emotions bursting forth from him. Once he
started writing, he didn't stop. Sometimes he didn't even
notice that he had reached the end of the page and kept
writing straight onto the table. He even preferred pencil
over pen, because fountain pens constantly had to be re-dipped
in ink, interrupting his passionate writing. Yet, despite the
spontaneity of his expression, we never find thoughts crossed
out or erased in his manuscripts. Not only did his thoughts
flow, they flowed correctly the first time. In this he can be
compared to Mozart, who composed an entire symphony in one
sitting, as opposed to Beethoven, who labored over each note,
weighing the different options until he got it right.
Some scholars believe that in his effusive prose, R. Kook
was only expressing general ideas, using the language of the
Kabbala as a poetic device to relate his experience. On the
other hand, Rav Kook's close disciples maintained that,
despite his overflowing, flowery language, he carefully chose
each word. His son, Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook, and the "Nazir," Rav
David HaCohen (who edited Rav Kook's magnum opus, "Orot
HaKodesh" - The Lights of Holiness) provided sources for Rav
Kook's ideas from the literature of the Kabbala, thus
demonstrating that the concepts and language that R. Kook
employed refer to specific ideas. Rav Kook did not simply run
wild. Describing something as "Netzach Hod Tiferet" is not a
random poetic description. Each word relates to a specific
"sefira" in Kabbala; if Rav Kook put these three words in this
order, then he means it to relate to a metaphysical reality in
the supernal worlds.
We, in this series of lectures, will analyze Rav Kook
from the point of view of Rav Zvi Yehuda and the "Nazir,"
assuming that R. Kook's writings comprise a detailed system of
thought, which makes specific references to the concepts of
the Kabbala. The Israeli poet, Y.Z. Rimon, who was very close
to Rav Kook once described the Rav's writings as poetry. In
light of that pronouncement, the "Nazir" inquired of Rav Kook,
"But is there not also a system to your work?" The Rav
responded in the affirmative. Personally, I sense that there
is a system in not only the ideas expressed in Rav Kook's
writings, but also in the language and terms as well.
While there is no doubt that Rav Kook's writing was
impelled by personal inspiration, the inspirations adhere to
an orderly pattern of laws. Nietzsche maintained that this is
true of all artistic inspiration. You may believe that the
rules taught you by your piano teacher are only meant for
beginners, and that when you become a maestro you can fly free
of restraint, creating your own music. This, however, is not
the case. Even the most creative and revolutionary master
uses the old rules, now internalized, as the building blocks
for his works. This is true of R. Kook as well. His "rules"
are the kabbalistic system of the Zohar and the Ari (Rabbi
Yitzchak Luria, 16th century). No matter what state of
spiritual ecstasy evoked his inspiration, he will still
express himself according to that basic system. If so, we are
justified in interpreting Rav Kook's writings in light of the
classic Kabbalistic system. The question remains to what
degree ought we analyze every word and nuance. This can only
be resolved by investigating each essay individually.
In this course, we will do two things. First, we will
explore individual passages of R. Kook's writings, attempting
to gain insights into his general view of major concepts in
Jewish Thought. We will explore the basis of R. Kook's
attitudes to specific topics. We will develop a type of code
that will categorize worlds of ideas into single key phrases.
Then, secondly, we will be able to move forward to discussing
R. Kook's attitude toward specific topics such as the Land of
Israel, secular Jews, science, etc.
Let's jump right in and read the first few lines of the
following passage which is found in Orot HaTeshuva (The Lights
of Penitence) 6:7. (The English translation is by B. Z.
Bokser and is found in "Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook," published
by Paulist Press in the "Classics of Western Spirituality"
series.) I am going to give you the entire text here, but
only read until I tell you. Don't worry if the text doesn't
make any sense at first. Remember, we said he's a difficult
writer!
"At the inception of creation it was intended that the
tree have the same taste as the fruit (Genesis Rabba
5:9). All the supportive actions that sustain any
general worthwhile spiritual goal should by right be
experienced in the soul with the same feeling of elation
and delight as the goal itself is experienced when we
envision it. But earthly existence, the instability of
life, the weariness of the spirit when confined in a
corporate frame brought it about that only the fruition
of the final step, which embodies the primary ideal, is
experienced in its pleasure and splendor. The trees that
bear the fruit, with all their necessity for the growth
of the fruit have, however, become coarse matter and have
lost their taste. This is the failing of the "earth"
because of which it was cursed when Adam was also cursed
for his sin. (STOP READING AND CONTINUE WITH TEXT OF
LECTURE) But every defect is destined to be mended.
Thus we are assured that the day will come when creation
will return to its original state, when the taste of the
tree will be the same as the taste of the fruit. The
"earth" will repent of its sin, and the way of the
practical life will no longer obstruct the delight of the
ideal, which is sustained by appropriate intermediate
steps on its way toward realization, and will stimulate
its emergence from potentiality to actuality.
Penitence itself, which activates the inner spirit
that had sunk in the depths of the chaotic and the
antithetical to the ideal goal, will enable the
aspiration of the ideal to penetrate all the conditioning
influences, and in all of them will be tasted the
splendor of the ideal goal. It will do this by enlarging
the scope of action for the ideal of justice. Man will
then no longer suffer the disgrace of indolence on the
way of the true life."
In this passage Rav Kook deals with the famous
midrash regarding the sin of the Earth during the Six Days of
Creation. On the third day, God commanded the earth to "bring
forth FRUIT TREES that give forth fruit." The earth deviates
from the original command and only produces "trees that give
fruit." In the eyes of the Sages, the earth sinned by not
producing "fruit trees." That is, trees of which the bark and
branches themselves had the taste of fruit. Instead, we were
left with only the brown exterior used for firewood, while
only the actual fruit offers a good taste.
This midrash leaves us a bit puzzled. How can inanimate
objects sin? Does the earth have free choice, like man, to
rebel against its maker? In a letter, Rav Kook explains that
the midrash uses the word "sin" to portray a flaw of nature.
This flaw, which seems to be a natural phenomenon, is the
subject of Rav Kook's attention in the paragraph before us.
R. Kook explains the midrash as a parable. We all know
that when one visualizes something of a high spiritual nature,
one becomes filled with a certain feeling of "elation and
delight." Imagine being the High Priest entering the Holy of
Holies on Yom Kippur. It would certainly be a most uplifting
experience. But we all know that it is not so easy to reach
that pinnacle of spirituality. The preparation required is
enormous. And it is precisely during that process of tedious
preparation that it is so easy to lose the inspiration
represented by the goal.
For example, imagine a teacher fresh out of college. He
is filled with dreams about educating the underprivileged,
shaping young minds, and providing children with a chance to
make it in the world. Finally he arrives for his first day of
work and is overcome by the mundane and tedious realities of
teaching. Papers and tests are piling up for grading. His
life turns into a drudgery. The faint glimmer of his goal is
the only thing which keeps him going.
It is this situation which R. Kook views as the result of
the Earth's sin. In the parable the
Fruit = the goal
Taste = the inspiration
Tree = the means of achieving the goal
Go back to the text and plug these ideas into R. Kook's
words. See if the paragraph begins to make more sense.
Originally, the means of arriving at the goal were
supposed to be filled with the same sense of pleasure and
inspiration as the end result. The satisfaction of the end
would penetrate the process of the means. However, the
Earth's sin kept all of the inspiration in the goal, leaving
the means tasteless.
Please continue now reading the rest of the passage...
There is hope for the world despite the sin of the earth.
Rav Kook maintains that every sin eventually will be repaired,
as will the sin of the earth. Even today, we begin to see the
beginnings of this "Tikkun." Idealists who experience the
pleasure of the ends in the means serve as example. About 15
years ago, I was a member of the group that founded the town
of Ofra. We started off as a labor camp in temporary
barracks. During the day we did extremely hard work, fencing
off several mountains. My companions had fire in their eyes.
Every mile was filled with the same meaning as the final
result. They had bridged the gap between Ends and Means.
This passage has served as a model of Rav Kook's thought
on the subject of "means and ends." Let's now identify these
ideas of "tree and fruit" and "means and ends" with a new set
of concepts: Kodesh and Chol (sacred and profane). Rav
Kook's concept of means and ends serves as the basis for his
understanding of the relationship between Kodesh and Chol.
Kodesh is the inner "taste" of reality; it is the meaning
of existence. Chol is that which is detached from Kodesh and
thus becomes bland and neutral, without any meaning. This is,
of course, an extreme formulation. There is practically
nothing in the world that does not have some form of meaning.
However, we are describing Kodesh and Chol as having different
levels of meaning.
At this point we discover that the relationship between
the "fruit and the tree" can take on many different forms.
The more the process of means (tree) sticks to the goal
(fruit), the more taste and meaning (both translations of the
Hebrew word ta'am) it will have. Conversely, the more the
means turns its back on what should be its ultimate goal, to
that degree will it become tasteless, superficial, and empty.
Judaism attempts to educate us to sanctify our lives, or in
other words, to put the taste of the fruit back into the tree.
It is our goal to attach all the practical, secular elements
of life to spiritual goals which reflect the absolute meaning
of existence - God Himself.
This topic of Kodesh and Chol plays an extremely
important role in Rav Kook's thought. The following lectures
will deal extensively with this topic.
(This lecture was summarized by Simcha Mirvis.)
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