The Mount of Olives was filled with hundreds of students who came together with their rabbis to pray at the gravesite of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, on the 91st anniversary of his passing.
The gathering, which has become a tradition marking the beginning of the Elul semester, combined prayer, remembrance, and an aspiration to continue the spiritual path of Rabbi Kook, who is regarded as the father of the teachings of redemption and one of the great spiritual leaders of Religious Zionism.
Psalms and prayers were recited at the site for the elevation of the rabbi’s soul. Facing the Temple Mount and the site of the Holy of Holies, the rabbis spoke about his character and teachings, which, they said, continue to illuminate the path of the State of Israel even decades after his passing.
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed, Rosh Yeshiva of the Beit El Yeshiva, told Arutz Sheva that as the years pass, the extent to which Rabbi Kook’s influence continues to grow becomes increasingly clear.
“Ninety-one years have passed since his passing, but his teachings continue to spread with tremendous strength. More and more yeshivas are following his path, thousands of students study his books, and additional writings continue to be discovered. This is not a Torah for one moment or one generation, but a great Torah, the Torah of redemption, which continues to illuminate the people of Israel."
According to Rabbi Melamed, Rabbi Kook attained the level of one who “studies Torah for its own sake," and his Torah is like an ever-flowing spring that never ceases to produce new waters.
“This is a great path that transcends generations, one that continues to produce students and influence Torah life in the Land of Israel," he said, expressing his prayer that the Jewish people soon merit to witness the complete redemption.
Rabbi Shmuel Holstein, Rosh Yeshiva of the Bnei Tzvi Yeshiva in Beit El, emphasized the special significance of visiting Rabbi Kook’s gravesite specifically at the beginning of the Elul semester.
“To be a Jew in the generation of redemption requires familiarity with Rabbi Kook’s teachings. He gives us the ability to understand the greatness of this hour, the connection between heaven and earth, and the spiritual significance of the Jewish people’s return to their land."
According to Rabbi Holstein, the beginning of the Elul semester provides yeshiva students with an opportunity to reconnect with Rabbi Kook’s great light.
“We come here to draw strength and pass it on to the students, with the aspiration to rise and elevate ourselves toward a new year of Torah, repentance, and redemption."
Rabbi Avraham Teitz, director of Beit HaRav Kook, also discussed the profound connection between Rabbi Kook’s gravesite and the Temple Mount visible from it.
“We are here facing the site of the Temple, in a place that symbolizes Rabbi Kook’s vision more than anything else. His teachings continue to illuminate the generation, and the Torah of the Land of Israel that he renewed is the spiritual and ideological foundation upon which the State of Israel grew."
Rabbi Teitz said that throughout the year, Beit HaRav Kook works to disseminate Rabbi Kook’s teachings and hosts thousands of visitors seeking to become more closely acquainted with his life and Torah.
“Rabbi Kook’s Torah does not remain only in the study hall. It is a Torah that acts within reality, builds life, and leads the people of Israel forward. On this special day, the entire public is invited to connect with the great spirit of Rabbi Kook and continue to draw inspiration from it."
At the conclusion of the gathering, the prayer “Oseh Shalom" (“He Who Makes Peace") was recited. The students then departed the Mount of Olives to begin the Elul semester in their yeshivas, carrying with them the message that resonated throughout the morning: to continue Rabbi Kook’s path, increase Torah, faith, and unity, and add another building block to the redemption of the people of Israel.