Rabbi David Samson is co-author with Tzvi Fishman of the book “Art of T’shuva." Rabbi Samson will lead a discussion about Rabbi Kook and T’shuva on August 31 at 7:30 pm, at the Beit Knesset HaNasi, 24 Ussishkin Street, Jerusalem.
The month of Elul is considered a most propitious time for repentance, a time when Hashem leaves His royal palace to metaphorically stroll in His gardens where He can be met by anyone seeking to come closer to the king. The third day of Elul marks the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak HaKohen Kook who composed a profound study of the phenomenon of repentance which he called “Lights of T’shuva."
RETURN TO THE SOURCE
For Rabbi Kook, t’shuva is a concept much deeper than the common understanding of repentance. It is much more than a penitence over sins and the remorse a person must feel when he strays from the pathways of goodness and truth. While t’shuva includes these factors, the phenomenon of t’shuva spreads out over all of the universe, bringing harmony and perfection to all of existence.
While t’shuva is normally translated as penitence or repentance, the root of the Hebrew word t’shuva means “return." T’shuva is a return to the source, to one’s roots, to one’s deepest inner self. Rabbi Kook writes:
“When one forgets the essence of one’s soul; when one distracts his mind from seeing the true nature of his own inner life, everything becomes doubtful and confused. The principal t’shuva, which immediately lights up the darkness, is for a person to return to himself, to the root of his soul. Then he will immediately return to G-d, to the Soul of all souls. And he will continue to stride higher and higher in holiness and purity. This is true for an individual, a nation, for all of mankind, and for the perfection of all existence...."
TESHUVA MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND
The Gemara teaches that t’shuva existed before the world was created. In a similar vein, Rabbi Kook writes that the spirit of t’shuva hovers over the world and gives it its basic form and the motivation to develop. It is t’shuva which gives the world its direction and its inner energy to constantly progress. The desire to refine the world and to embellish it with beauty and splendor all derive from the spirit of t’shuva.
T’shuva is the Divine, spiritual force in the universe which is constantly propelling all of existence toward perfection. It is the voice of G-d calling, “Return to Me, you children of men." Due to the “separation" from G-d through transgressions, improper living, or through the act of Creation itself, there is a constant drive in all things to return to a harmony with their Maker. Rabbi Kook writes that, “It is impossible to express this awesomely deep idea." The force of t’shuva, like gravity in the physical world, is built into the inner fabric of life. It stands as the impetus behind all human history, all world development, all endeavor toward social improvement. It is the force which inspires all cultural, artistic, and scientific advancement. Similarly, the yearning of mankind for universal justice and moral perfection is a product of the encompassing, ever-present power of t’shuva.
“T’shuva is ever-present in the heart. Even at the moment of transgression itself, t’shuva is hidden in the soul, and it sends out it’s rays which afterward are revealed when remorse calls out for t’shuva. In the depths of life, t’shuva exists, since t’shuva preceded the world, and before sin occurred, the remedy of t’shuva had already been prepared. Therefore, nothing is more certain in the world than t’shuva, and in the end, everything will return to its perfected state."
THE AGE OF ANXIETY
It is no secret that there is great darkness, confusion, and pain in the world. Bookstores are filled with self-help books on how to be happy. Layman’s guides to psychology line shelf after shelf. Our generation has been called “the age of anxiety." People often live out their lives plagued with depression, sickness, a sense of lack of fulfillment and constant unrest.
“What is the cause of melancholy?" Rabbi Kook questions. “The answer is the over-abundance of evil deeds, evil character traits, and evil beliefs on the soul. The soul’s deep sensitivity feels the bitterness which these cause, and it draws back, frightened and depressed."
“All depression stems from sin, and t’shuva comes to illuminate the soul and transforms the depression to joy. The source of the general pain in the world derives from the overall moral pollution of the universe, resulting from the sins of nations and individuals… I see how transgressions act as a barrier against the brilliant Divine light which shines on every soul, and they darken and cast a shadow upon the soul."
THREE STAGES OF T’SHUVA
In “Lights on T’shuva" (Orot HaT’shuva) Rabbi Kook begins his exploration of t’shuva by describing its three basic phases. He tells us that a person seeking happiness in life should have:
1) a healthy body and mind
2) a healthy orientation to religious belief
3) an idealistic aspiration to be in line with G-d’s plan for the universe.
GETTING IN SHAPE
The concept of t’shuva, which goes beyond a mere religious mending of one’s ways to encompass the perfection of all of Creation, begins with the simple advice to be healthy. We mentioned that t’shuva is essentially a return to one’s roots. To do this, a person must first return to his natural physical being, to his natural physical self. To reach inner peace and harmony with the world, an individual must first have a healthy body.
In our days, where health-food stores and sports clubs abound, this simple teaching is known to almost everyone. A healthy body is the basis of all creative endeavor. What is new, however, is that Rabbi Kook sees this as part of the process of t’shuva. Being in good shape is an important factor not only in attaining personal well-being, but also in forging a connection to G-d.
LIKE THE PSALMS OF KING DAVID
Interestingly, Rabbi Kook was condemned by certain ultra-Orthodox groups who belonged to the Old Settlement in Jerusalem when he extolled the virtues of exercise and a healthy physique. In his classic work, “Orot," Rabbi Kook writes that the exercise of young Jews in Eretz Yisrael, in order to strengthen their bodies to become mighty sons to the nation, adds overall strength to the Jewish People, which enables the righteous to bring more Divine light into the world.
“When young people engage in sport to strengthen their physical capabilities and morale for the sake of increasing the overall strength of the nation... this holy endeavor raises the Divine Presence ever higher, just as it is exalted by the songs and praises sung by David, King of Israel, in the Book of Psalms."
In the Exile, Jews were helpless against the oppression of the gentiles. A philosophy developed whereby a Jew was supposed to look solely to G-d for salvation and rescue. The Jews were so outnumbered, how could they fight? Physical prowess was seemingly meaningless. A Jew had to rely solely on Torah and prayer. While that might have been true in the Diaspora, now with the return of the Jewish People to Israel, physical strength became a necessity if the Jews were to successfully settle the Land and defend Jewish settlements against hostile neighbors. In the generation of national revival, as the Jewish Nation returns to its homeland, a new type of religious Jew must appear to take up the challenge. Rabbi Kook writes in “Orot":
“Our physical demand is great. We need a healthy body. Through our intense preoccupation with spirituality, we forgot the holiness of the body. We neglected bodily health and strength. We forgot that we have holy flesh, no less than our holy spirit. We abandoned practical life, and negated our physical senses, and that which is connected to the tangible physical reality, out of a fallen fear, due to a lack of faith in the holiness of the Land...."
JOY OF T’SHUVA
Jews who have become religious, baale t’shuva, describe t’shuva as the most joyous experience in their lives. Very often, a gleam of happiness shines in their eyes. Their speech is filled with an excited ring, as if they have discovered a secret treasure. Even people who have tasted all of life’s secular pleasures insist that the experience of t’shuva is the world’s greatest joy. What is the reason for this? What is the source of this joy? Rabbi Kook writes:
“T’shuva is the healthiest feeling possible. A healthy soul in a healthy body must necessarily bring about the great joy of t’shuva, and the soul consequently feels the greatest natural pleasure."
“In measure with every ugly thing which a person eliminates from his soul when he inwardly longs for the light of t’shuva, he discovers worlds filled with exalted illumination inside his soul. Every transgression removed is like the removal of a blindfold from the eye, and an entire horizon of vision is revealed, the light of unending expanses of heaven and earth, and all that they contain."
THE SECRET OF T’SHUVA
With t’shuva, the means become as vital as the goal. T’shuva penetrates all of the details of life and uplifts them to G-d. Everything is seen as important and necessary in the refinement and perfection of the existence. T’shuva enters every sphere of life, illuminating all things with the light of the future ideal, giving inspiration to all of man’s work.
Rabbi Kook writes that the inner foundation of life is built upon t’shuva. Material existence, he explains, is based on a step-by-step descent from Divine spiritual spheres to the worldly. Thus there is a Divine spark in everything. This spark is like the DNA of existence. Thus when a person is involved in any detailed spark of existence, it is as if he were involved with the world itself.
“When we understand to what extent the tiniest details of life, the spiritual and the physical, contain, in microcosm, all of the general laws, and that every small detail has shadows of greatness in the depths of its essence, we will no longer wonder at the secret of t’shuva which penetrates man’s spirit so deeply, from the beginnings of his thoughts and beliefs, to the smallest details of his character and deeds."
When we understand that every fragment is a microcosm of the whole, and that each and every person is like a world in miniature, than how truly powerful is man! How influential is his each and every deed! For example, if a person stops speaking badly about other people, he not only improves himself, he improves his community. Because, he is connected to all of the cosmos, he improves all of the universe. The smallest detail of t’shuva heals man and all of existence with it! His cries for salvation echo through every realm of existence and reach the Divine throne itself. “Out of the depths, I have called to You, O L-rd." Man’s every gesture of t’shuva is filled with meaning, connecting the lowest regions to the most exalted heights, the smallest details to the grandest schemes. He is the sun around which all of life orbits. His thoughts, speech, and action literally influence what will be in the world.
TORAH
First, we must understand that Torah is not external, factual knowledge like the knowledge of science, mathematics, or linguistics. Torah is an inwardly-directed knowledge which has the power to influence and change a person, to refine a person’s sensitivities and to connect him to the holy, spiritual foundations of life. The study of Torah is not a quantitative amassing of information and theories like other knowledges. It is a qualitative experience demanding both moral and intellectual involvement, and a desire to make Torah ideals an essential part of one’s character. When a person learns Torah and discovers the exalted harmony and goodness of Creation, his will is affected, stimulating ever-expanding yearnings for G-d. Because his will for goodness is enhanced, his desire for t’shuva is strengthened as well.
The more an individual learns Torah, especially the deeper wisdom of Torah, the more knowledgeable he becomes about his true spiritual nature and about the nature of his will. He comes to recognize that the entire world is Divinely inspired to attain a purer connection to G-d. This higher contemplation brings him to a higher level of t’shuva. Rabbi Kook writes:
“True, complete t’shuva demands lofty horizons of perception, in order to be raised to the resplendent world which abounds in holiness and truth. This can only be done by being immersed in the secrets of life found in Divine Wisdom and the depths of the Torah. This necessitates physical cleansing and the purification of one’s traits as aids, so that the clouds of lust will not darken the intellect’s clarity. But the study of Torah must precede everything else, especially the study of the higher, supernal Torah, for it alone can shatter all of the iron barriers which separate the individual and the community from G-d."
NATIONAL TSHUVA
“Without question, the light of Mashiach and the salvation of Israel, the rebirth of the Nation and the Land, the revival of its language and literature - all stem from the source of t’shuva, and out of the depths to the heights of the highest t’shuva, everything will be brought."
"Within the inner heart, in its pure and holy chambers, the Israeli flame increases, demanding the strong, brave, constant connection of life to all of the mitzvot of G-d."
"And in the hearts of all of the empty ones, and in the hearts of all of the sinners of Israel, the fire burns and blazes in the most inward depths; and in the Nation in its entirety, all of the desire for freedom, and all of the yearning for life, all of the yearning for the life of the Clal and the individual, all of the hope for Redemption; only from the source of this inner spring of life do they flow in order to live Israeli life in its fullest, without contradiction or limitation."
ISRAEL AND THE WORLD
“The Jewish People, because of their enhanced spiritual nature, will be the first nation in the world to do t’shuva. The special spirit of t’shuva will initially be revealed in this portion of humanity. Israel is propelled from within to be united with G-d’s light in the world, which is free of transgression and wrongdoing. Every falling away (from its connection to G-d) blemishes the wholeness of its inner perfection, yet in the end, its powerful life-force will triumph over the deviation, and it will return to complete health. This complete health will start to invigorate (the nation) with great strength and the light of t’shuva will shine within her first. Afterward, Israel will be the special channel to spread life’s inner yearning for t’shuva to all of the world, to lighten the world’s darkness and elevate its stature."
ERETZ YISRAEL
The Jewish people possess true national vitality only in the Land of Israel. Outside of the Land, Jews can excel as individuals in all fields of endeavor; there can be great Torah scholars, but the light of G-d cannot appear in a national format. Only in the Land of Israel can the Jews be a KINGDOM of priests and a holy NATION. The Zohar emphasizes that the Jews can be a nation only in Israel, and not outside of it. Prophecies of Redemption all involve the return of the Jewish People to the Land of Israel and the restoration of Jewish sovereignty over the Land. The Jewish people’s unique prophetic talent is dependent on being in the Land of Israel. The Temple can only be rebuilt on Har HaBayit, and the full revelation of G-d’s Presence is exclusive to Eretz Yisrael, as the prophet teaches, “For Torah will go forth from Zion, and the word of the L-rd from Jerusalem."
In a letter, Rabbi Kook writes:
“The source of the moral baseness which continues to darken the world stems from the lack of recognition regarding the value and wisdom of the Land of Israel. Thus the sin of the Spies, who spoke derogatorily about the pleasant Land, remains uncorrected. To rectify this, the Land’s praise, splendor, holiness, and honor must be declared to all of the world."
While Rabbi Kook emphasizes that the t’shuva of the Jewish People and a return to the Torah go hand-in-hand, he indicates that a preliminary stage of national revival will bring this spiritual awakening to pass. First, the Jewish people must return to Zion to rebuild their homeland. Once the physical body that houses the nation is built, then the revitalized Jewish soul will yearn for spiritual completion as well, and our people will flock back to the Torah. May it be soon.