The celebrated first Chief Rabbi of pre-state Israel, Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook (1865-1935) is recognized as being among the most important Jewish thinkers of all time. His writings reflect the mystic's search for underlying unity in all aspects of life and the world, and his unique personality similarly united a rare combination of talents and gifts.He was the undisputed leader of Religious Zionism, defining the Jewish People and the Land of Israel as entities with specific commandments in the Torah of Israel, a construct known as Torat Eretz Yisrael.
Rav Kook was a prominent rabbinical authority and active public leader, but at the same time a deeply religious mystic. He was both Talmudic scholar and poet, original thinker and saintly tzaddik.
A century ago, in May 1921, Arab riots ravaged Jaffa and neighboring Jewish settlements. The aftermath left 47 Jews dead, 146 wounded, and hundreds homeless. These events unfolded long before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, yet there are striking similarities between those riots and our current state of war in Gaza.
The initial trigger for those riots was a dispute between two Jewish groups in Jaffa. The situation quickly escalated into a savage assault by Arabs on Jews after false rumors spread that Arabs were being attacked.
Rav Kook received the news with a heavy heart. He composed a forceful letter to British authorities, demanding heightened protection for the Jewish settlements while dismissing the excuses presented to him in response.
Subsequently, the rabbi wrote a brief letter to his son, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook, who was then promoting his father's Degel Jerusalem institutions in various cities in Europe. In the letter, Rav Kook aimed to impart not only courage but also a profound sense of hope. He emphasized that, ultimately, sweetness would emerge from the bitterness and adversity. His message of faith and resilience remains as relevant today as it was during that challenging era.
To my dear son,
Here [in the Land of Israel], we await the compassion of the Rock and Redeemer of Israel. Our spirits remain undaunted, since we know with clarity that in the end, the footsteps of Israel’s revival and redemption are progressing and clearly evident. All of the constraints in the world merely serve as guides, awakening our thoughts to take action.
You, who are far away, do not overly anguish. True, our hearts ache, and our pain is immense for the martyrs, our fallen brothers who died at the hands of murderers. But in the end, we will heal also from this wound. And the holy expression, בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי “With your blood, live!” (Ezek. 16:6) shall be fulfilled, God willing, many times over, more than that of last year. [1]
(Iggerot HaReiyahvol. 4, 15 Iyyar 5681 / May 23, 1921, sent to Arutz Sheva by Rabbi Chanan Morrison, ravkooktorah.org)
[1] A reference to the 1920 Nebi Musa riots in and near the Old City of Jerusalem, when five Jews were killed and several hundred injured.
May I add my prayers for the captives and the injured, for our soldiers and the entire Jewish people.
Rabbi Chanan Morrison
