Rav Kook on Man's Aspirations Versus the Depths he Sinks to

Rav Weinberger on Rav Kook in Chadarav: "[Man] wants only greatness and cannot tolerate anything less than that. But because he appears incapable of reaching greatness, rather than accepting a pedestrian existence, he sinks all the way down into the mud."

Arugas Habosem: Follow and Accept Hashem's Particular Path for You

Rav Moshe Weinberger gave over a piece from the Arugas Habosem (on parshas Chayei Sara) from Hungary to illustrate the universality of the teaching from Rav Kook's Oros Hatorah that I translated here a couple of weeks ago, that each person's path in learning Torah, doing mitzvos, and in life generally is unique and that there is not only one way (*within* Torah) to serve Hashem. It also connects to the fascinating debate in the comments on the piece from the Lubavitcher Rebbe that has been going on for the last couple of days. Here is my summary of the Arugas Habosem with some of Rav Weinberger's explanations interspersed:

The pasuk in Tehillim (101:6) says "My eyes are on the faithful of the earth." Why "of the earth?" Why not "of spirit" and why not the "righteous," "pious," etc. of the earth? 

He quotes the gemara in Chulin 60a that Hashem created everything and everyone with its advance consent. The earth, prior to its creation, could have complained, "Why can't I be created, like the heavens and their hosts (angels, sefiros, etc.), to be a spiritual creation with a revealed way of serving G-d!? Why are my hosts bugs, animals, and trees!?" Instead, since the earth was in fact created, it must be that the earth responded that if being the lowly physical earth is Hashem's will for it, then it wants that too. That's why the earth is called "eretz," from the word "rotzeh," "wanting," because the earth only wanted to do Hashem's will, and not what it would have wanted for itself.

Hashem has a different plan for each person in their Avodas Hashem. Some are meant to focus on Torah, some on tefila, and some on chesed. Others are meant to go out to work and fulfill the mitzvos related to work, which are many, both in the area of between man and G-d and between man and his fellow man. And *there is no difference between whether one's service in this way or in that way.*

From this we learn that no one should complain, "Why wasn't I created with a sharper head for learning? Why do my natural inclinations or circumstances lead me to a more physical path and not a more spiritual path?" Rather, Hashem wants us to be like the earth, which faithfully accepted the "less spiritual" role Hashem had in mind for it. 

Similarly we see that Eliezer Eved Avraham served Avraham faithfully for so many years, was his partner in teaching Torah, and always longed to connect to Avraham and the Jewish people by having his daughter marry Yitzchak. Nevertheless, when Avraham broke the world-crushing news that Eliezer's daughter could not marry Yitzchak, and that he himself had to be the one to find a different wife for Yitzchak, he did not drag his feet, complain, or quit. Avraham told him to swear in the name of "the G-d of the heavens and the G-d of the earth" to remind him that Hashem is no less the G-d of the "lowly" earth than he is of the heavens. Just as the earth joyfully accepted that its role in Hashem's master plan was not to serve Hashem in an openly ruchnius'dikeh way, so too Eliezer should accept that his role was not to be connected to the Jewish people, but rather was to serve Hashem in the world of "arur," not "baruch."

We could save so much aggravation and stress if we do not feel or teach or children that there is only *one* true mesorah/derech of serving G-d. If this teaching of the tzadikim, which one recognizes as being the natural, true approach, were plastered all over Bnei Brak and Lakewood, we would have a people who know that they should serve Hashem with a ratzon in the particular way that their nature and circumstances dictate, instead of thinking that they have to be like someone else or go only in one particular way.

IY"H, we should live with this torah of the Arugas Habosem and accept our unique role in the service of Hashem with love and enthusiasm.

Rav Kook - Oros Hatorah - Why People (Internally or Externally) Go off the Derech

Rav Moshe Weinberger gave over the following piece in Oros Hatorah (9:6) as one of the most fundamental pieces of Torah which explains one of the major reasons why our children go off the derech and which ought to be distributed to every single yeshiva and seminary in the world. CLICK HERE to see the original. I can't do justice to the full import of this piece but here's my translation:

Some have gone off the derech of Yiddishkeit because in their learning and in their path to spiritual perfection, they betrayed their own personal, unique nature. Some are more fit for Agada, and halacha (modern pilpul/lomdus) is not in their nature as a *primary* way of learning. Because such people [have not been taught to] value and recognize their unique talents in Agada, they immerse themselves in Halacha as is customary [in yeshivos today].

But such a person feels an inner opposition to what he is learning because that which he is investing himself in is not in accordance with his essential nature. If, however, he would find the area where his talent and interests lie, and he would fulfill that by making that area of Torah which fits with the nature of his soul his primary area of learning, he would immediately recognize that the inner opposition he used to feel was not due to any deficiency in the holy and essential Halacha area of Torah learning.  

Rather, he would know that his soul simply required a different area of learning as his primary study. Such a person would remain faithful in a beautiful way to the holiness of Torah. He would become great and strong in the area of Torah which speaks to him. In addition, he will assist those whose primary learning is in Halacha to also taste the sweetness of Agada.

But when a person does not [or is not given the option to] recognize the true reason for his inner opposition to what he is learning, and he attempts to overpower his own nature [because he is taught that there is only *one* correct way to learn Torah], then the moment some options for a non-Torah way to live are opened up for him, he will break out and then hate and become any enemy of Torah and emunah. He will go from one sin to another, and we know what such people have wrought. They attempt to create that which they envision as the ideal way of the world and they attempt to blind "the eye of the world."

There is a great variety of areas of Torah learning which are fitting to the great variety of individual souls' natures. Some people are even drawn to specific areas of secular wisdom. Even such people should go according to their inner nature and they must set aside specific times for learning Torah. If they do this, they will succeed at both because "Torah together with the way of the world is beautiful." And the gemara at the end of Yuma discusses how to establish the right balance of primary and secondary for such people. In general, this whole subject is dependent on the character and nature of each individual person's soul. (Emphasis and explanatory parentheticals added.)

Rebbe went on this week to begin learning a couple of other things from Rav Kook and his Rebbe, the Netziv on this topic. He said that the ideas are so "common sense" that is remarkable that we have strayed so far institutionally from the correct path, which is based on a recognition that Hashem created different people differently for a reason.

Amazing Half-Hour Documentary on Rav Kook - A Must See! - Embeded Video

This is an amazing video. It has interviews with a number of Roshei Yeshiva and others who knew Rav Kook while he was alive. It has a lot of pictures and video clips of the Tzadik and a lot of really great quotes from several of the seforim. This is a must-see about this Tzadik who truly speaks to our generation. Awesome.

HT Dixie native R. Nathan Rossman. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

Amazing New Rav Kook Video - Must See

This is an amazing Rav Kook video. It has a number of pictures that I'd seen before on it. But the amazing part is that it has SEVERAL videos that I've never before seen of him, some of which are pretty close up. You can watch him talking to people and the kindness and holiness really shine through. His face is so bright and warm. I really appreciate whoever put this video together. Very worth seeing.

HT Heichal Haneginah

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How To Be Lost Even When You Know Where You Are

The following shiur was given last night at Brooklyn College, where Rabbi Reuven Boshnack is the Rav to the student body. He discusses the meaning of "alone" and connects the Jews' travels in Parshas Matos-Masei to our travels looking for our source, our home. Drawing from Rav Soliveichick, the Izbitzer, Rav Kook and many other sources, this is a great shiur to understanding what it means to be alone.

CLICK HERE to download the mp3 shiur. (48 minutes)

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Rare "New" Video of Rav Kook, Rav Sonnenfeld

I had never seen this video before. It is with come kind of reception with a Brittish Minister in Eretz Yisroel, before the Medinah. In this video, you can see Rav Kook, Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, and Rav Yaakov Meir. I had previously posted a video of just Rav Kook and Rav Sonnenfeld, which seems to be from the same day.

-Dixie Yid

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Brooklyn College Lectures on Rav Kook and Rav Soloveitchik

Rabbi Reuven Boshnack is giving a series of shiurim at Brooklyn College Hillel over the next three Wednesdays at 6 PM on the poets of Teshuva, Rav Kook and Rav Soloveitchik. If you're nearby, partake!

-Dixie Yid

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Great Quote from Rav Kook on Secular Zionism

Our Friend Yosef Hakohen e-mailed me the following quote from Rav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook about secular Zionism. Awesome:

Dixie Yid,

I noticed that you have a nice story about Rav Kook, and I therefore thought that you might be personally interested in the attached quote from Rav Kook. It appears in a letter I sent out today titled, "The Chareidi Critique of Secular Zionism" - a letter which also discusses why the Chofetz Chaim and other gedolim founded Agudath Israel.

Kol Tuv,
Yosef

Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook was a leading Torah sage who moved to the Land of Israel in 1904, and I hope to discuss aspects of his approach to the modern Zionist movement in future letters. There were Zionist leaders who viewed the Chareidim as being in the “wilderness”; however, Rabbi Kook offered a defense of the Chareidim. In an essay which discusses the modern Zionist movement (Igrot R’iah 871), Rabbi Kook writes that this movement “will never be a stronghold for the whole nation, because it intrinsically fails to grasp the holy eternal light of the nation’s soul, the spirit of the true God in its midst; thus, it will do well in the external area of building up the nation, but will never be able to deal with its inner side.” Rabbi Kook adds: “That inner building stands ready for other workers of an entirely different type. These will develop, from all places, out of the ‘wilderness’ of the Chareidim, those who faithfully and truthfully opposed Zionism because of their pure zealousness regarding the spirit of Hashem, His people, and the foundation of its existence.”

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Rav Kook & Rav Areye Levin - Great Story at Modern Uberdox

Neil Harris of Modern Uberdox: Story About Rav Kook and Rav Areye Levin

Beautiful story about seeing the song in every detail of creation...

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of Hershel Tzig)

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Rav Kook's Version of Hatikva, "HaEmunah"

Received by e-mail from Neil at Modern Uberdox:

Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook did not particularly care for Hatikvah (The
Hope). He objected to its inherent secularism. However, Rav Kook respected the
secular Zionists and felt there was an aspect of holiness to their work, even if
they did not intend it. He therefore abstained from opposing the use of Hatikvah
as an anthem. Nevertheless, Rav Kook wrote an alternate poem in response to
Hatikvah, entitled HaEmunah (The Faith), and hoped that it would ultimately
replace Hatikvah as the Israeli national anthem. That has not occurred and
Hatikvah has since been further sanctified by its continuous use over many
decades. With time, it has taken on a distinct religious patina even for the
Religious Zionist community. It is nevertheless appropriate that we study and
reflect on Rav Kook's poem and the Torah values it embodies, particularly on Yom
Haatzmaut. The text of HaEmuna appears above in Hebrew, English transliteration
and English translation:

HaEmunah (transliteration)

Le'ad chaya bi'lvaveynu
ha'emuna ha'ne-emana
Lashuv el eretz
kedoshenu
Ir bah David chana.

Shama naavod le'goraleynu
av hamon
kana
shama nichye chayenu
chayay adat mi manah.

Shama naavod
Elokeynu
be'chedva be'gila ubirnana
shama na'ale leragleinu
shalosh
paamim be'shana.

Torat chayim chemdateynu
mipi elyon nitna
netzach hee nachalateynu
mimidbar matana.

HaEmunah
(English translation)

Eternally there lives in our hearts,
the steadfast faith
to return to our holy land,
the city where David
settled.

There we shall work our inheritance,
[which the] father of
many [nations] acquired,
there we shall live our life
the life of the
innumerable community.

There we shall serve our God
with joy,
happiness and song
there we shall pilgrimage
three times each year.

Torah of life is our desire,
given from heavenly mouth,
forever
it is our heritage,
A gift from the desert

-Dixie Yid

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One Must First Know Himself in Order to Know Hashem

In Oros Hateshuva 15:9, Rav Kook says that as long as a person does not know his true, inner self, then he will be filled with confusion and uncertainty.

According to my rebbe's explanation of this idea in Rav Kook, a person cannot connect to Hashem, achieve Deveikus with Hashem, if he does not first really know himself. This is so because when one is trying to connect himself with Hashem, but if he does not know who he himself is, then how can he know whom he is actually connecting to Hashem?!

A person may collect many thousands of mitzvos. He can do a chessed here. Learn a Torah there. Daven a little here. And do a little hisbodedus there. But in the end, all he has is a random collection of good things. What he lacks is any nekuda merkazis, any central point, which unifies and directs all of his avodah. He has no briach hatichon which brings together all of the disparate parts of his life and himself that allows him to build the mishkan in his heart.

The person doesn't work on himself "derech binyan," the way one builds a building; step by step with one step built upon the one before. Rather, he is just chapping mitzvos whenever he feels the desire to do so.

The key to connecting to Hashem, then, is first to know yourself. Only by knowning one's true self can one know Hashem. My rebbe compared it to a journey whereby one gets to know his own neshama, his own true self, by going through a series of doors, that lead to deeper and deeper levels within himself. Each door that he enters represents truer and deeper levels of knowing himself better. But when he gets to the last door, what is written on it? "The Ribbon Kol Olamim, Baruch Hu." "The Master of All Worlds, Blessed is He." Memeila, automatically, when one understands himself, then every door he opens within himself ultimately leads to Hashem, the Chelek Elokah Mima'al Mamash, the neshamah of all neshamos, the Soul that animates all souls.

Learning exactly how to acquire this self knowledge is the subject of the Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh Sefer. But in particular, the new sefer by the same author, Da Es Atzmecha, focuses on acquiring this self knowledge that is key to achieving closeness with Hashem.

IY"H, with these resources, we should be zocheh to know ourselves and, thereby, to know Hashem.

-Dixie Yid

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Even the Recognition of Sin Brings One into the World of Teshuva

In Oros Hateshuva 15:8, Rav Kook continues on in his theme about how when one even just reaches the level of hakaras hacheit, recognizing his sins, then he is already "אוחז ברעיון התשובה," has a grip on the idea of repentance. And that even if you haven't yet brought your recognition of the truth into the world of action, that you are already in the world of Teshuva.

He goes on further to say that even if you committed aveiros, sins, which block you from doing teshuva, you are still in this category of one who is "אוחז ברעיון התשובה." My rebbe explained that even if you find yourself in the category of one of those people in the Rambam Hilchos Teshuva 4:1, who has done one of the "עשרים וארבעה דברים מעכבין את התשובה," things which block teshuva, there is still hope. And even if you are ChV"Sh in the category of one who has lost their share in the World to Come according to the Gemara in Sanhedrin 10a, "כל ישראל יש להם חלק לעולם הבא...ואלו שאין להם חלק לעולם הבא," there is still hope. Why?

My rebbe pointed out that there is no one of us that is worse than King Menashe. None of us have none as many of the things which "block teshuva" or take away our share in the world to come as much as that person. Yet the Gemara in Sanhedrin 103a says, "א"ר יוחנן משום רשב"י ... שעשה לו הקב"ה כעין מחתרת ברקיע כדי לקבלו בתשובה מפני מידת הדין." "Rav Yochanan says in the name of Rebbi Shimon Bar Yochai... that Hashem made something like a tunnel in heaven in order to accept [Menashe's] Teshuva [without the knowledge of] the attribute of justice." And Rashi there explains that, "מידת הדין היתה מעכבת שלא להקביל פני מנשה בתשובה, ועשה הקב"ה מחתרת ברקיע ופשט ידו וקבלו." "The attribute of justice was blocking [Menashe] so that his teshuva wouldn't be accepted. But Hashem dug a tunnel in heaven, stretched out His hand and accepted him."

Furthermore, the Gemara in Sanhedrin 105a also says that "דורשי רשומות אומרים כולם באים לעולם הבא." "The seekers of hints say that all of them [all those who have lost their share in the world to come] will enter the world to come." Truly, "לא ידח ממנו נידח," Hashem will not let anyone be left behind as the world progresses towards redemption, as the Ohr Hachaim brings down with regard in the ma'aseh of Pinchas (according to הרב ישראל אייכלר here - I still have to cite check that.)

May we get chizuk from this that every single little crumb of progress you or I make toward doing teshuva really counts, and brings us further and further into the world of teshuva. May we also merit to bring our recognition of what's right into the world of action, to fully enter the world of teshuva with both feet inside!

-Dixie Yid

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Rav Kook on Dreams - Part 1 - Audio Shiur

Rabbi Reuven Boshnack, the rabbi at Brooklyn College, has given the first part in a three part series on Dreams, from the teachings of Rav Kook. You can download the mp3 by clicking here. Or you can listen online by clicking on the embedded player below.

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-Dixie Yid

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When the Soul's Pressure Makes the Heart Want to Explode

Rav Kook in Oros Hateshuva 15:4 talks about the bitterness the soul feels when the life of the person in whom it is trapped, does not give the soul it's powerful, true and full expression. He says that the soul contains (much like an atom) a tremendous amount of power. It desires to channel that power into an explosion of holiness and avodas Hashem.

When don't give it that expression, but rather only try to passify that inner pressing against the heart through shallow means, after time the pressure on the heart only continues to get even stronger. My Rebbe explained that when the energy is merely channeled into a new job, going back to school, a new hobby, a new car, a new girlfriend, a new blog, or whatever other type of emptiness, then the soul is not satisfied. It is like a tiny seed, with the potential to create a giant Redwood tree, that is never planted and allowed to express its desire for greatness. The soul will actually never find it satisfaction until it is finally given its true expression.

Rav Kook then asks what one must do to start allowing the neshoma to express its self. He says that one must begin to water that seed from the elevated fountains of holiness. And what does that mean? My rebbe explains that this means that one must begin to feed his soul with the Pnimius Hatorah, the inner teachings of Torah.

Now it doesn't matter whether what moves the person is learning Tanya or Sfas Emes or Meor Einayim. Nor does it matter if it's Nefesh Hachaim, Maharal or Rav Dessler. Although the majority of one's time is spent in understanding nigleh, Gemara and halacha, the standear curriculum of the yeshivos will not be enough to split the atoms of our and our children's neshamos and release all of that energy that longs to be expressed.

I had one kalta Litvak from my Kollel days who decried the fact that we've had such a yeridas hadoros that today, even regular people are daring to study Derech Hashem, even (gasp!) in English! Baruch Hashem that people don't listen to that kind of thinking. Our generation needs something deeper.

And Rav Kook explicitly says that it the soul will not be satisfied with substitutions for Pnimius Hatorah, the inner light of Torah, be it in the secular or the holy! This means that, as controvertial as it may sound, our souls will not be satisfied by the standard learning and practicing of Gemara and halacha alone. Of course, these must be the main staple of a Jew's spiritual diet, but they alone will not quench the soul's thirst for holiness and they will not show it how to fully express its self in this world.

I was thinking to myself: Although I, B"H, have some time each day to learn and daven a little bit, the majority of my time is spent on my full-time job and on the intense studies of evening law school. The vast majority of the time, don't I have no choice but to be frustrated by not being able to express my soul's yearning for constant avodas Hashem?

Then I remembered what Rav Shwartz wrote in Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh. In addition to making consciousness of Hashem's existance, presence, and constant hashgacha pratis, Divine Providence, our avoda is to constantly daven about every detail in life. The way to solidify consciousness of Hashem and avodas Hashem into every moment of life, especially the mundane, is by constantly davening about every detail of life.

"Hashem, why was I given this assignment by my boss right now? It is because it is Your will that I do that right now." "Hashem, why must I negotiate with small-minded people? Because it is Your will that I remember You in the midst of smallness." "Hashem, why do I have to spend dozens of hours doing detailed legal research and writing about ADA disability law? Because You have placed me here to remember You while I work on details."

May Rav Kook's teaching about awakening our souls with Pnimius Hatorah and the Bilvavi's advice on bringing "G-d consciousness" into every moment through constant tefillah help lift us up to actualize the great spiritual power within.

-Dixie Yid

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Keeping Your Idealism In the Face of Smallness

Rav Gedalia Schor, in the sefer Ohr Gedaliyahu on Parshas Va'eira, taught an amazing thing. He brought down, from the Sfas Emes and the Sefer Toras Emes from the Ramak, that one of the things that Yetzias Mitzrayim (The Exodus) has in common with Brias Ha'olam (The creation of the world) is that in both cases, Hashem started out with the idea that He would like to conduct things with the midas hadin, the attribute of strict justice. And then, when he saw that the world/the Jewish people could not handle it, he "retracted" and decided to join the midas harachamim, the attribute of Mercy with the midas hadin, the attribute of strict justice. (Midrash Raba on the pasuk in Shmos 6:1, "וידבר אלהים אל משהוידבר אלהים אל משה, ולפי שנסתכל הקדוש ברוך הוא, שבשביל צער ישראל דבר כן, חזר ונהג עמו במדת רחמים, הדא הוא דכתיב: ויאמר אליו אני ה'") The Sfas Emes and the Ramak said that Hashem didn't just "change his mind," ChV"Sh. Rather, the Sfas Emes points out that it doesn't say that he "threw out" the attribute of true justice, but rather, that he mixed the attribute of mercy with it.

**The Sfas Emes says, according to Rav Schorr, that Hashem wanted davka and lechatchila to start creating the world with the attribute of true justice so that there would always exist within the thoughts and desires of man to live up to some true, unadulterated, pure goal, unaffected by compromise. Man's idealism should never be lost in the accommodations of practical life. Therefore, he started the creation of the world with midas hadin (strict justice) to build the mida of uncompromising idealism for what could and should be into mankind.**

He applies this idea to Yetzias Mitzrayim in that Moshe hoped that the Jewish people would be able to truly fulfill the reasons for which they had been sent to suffer in Egypt, by staying there through the full 400 years as promised by Hashem to Avraham. However, as the Midrash says, the Jewish people could no longer tolerate the slavery and suffering, and so Hashem had to adulterate the pure idealism of what was meant to be accomplished through their going through the full allotment of slavery (for more on that, see the 7th paragraph in this post).

This idea fits in so beautifully with what Rav Kook wrote about in not letting go of one's idealism in Ruchnius, no matter how much smallness he gets caught up in. Let me translate a little bit from Oros Hateshuva 14:38:

Sometimes the spirit falls into smallness, and the person's soul can find no rest because of his lack of good deeds and because he calculates how many sins [he has committed], and because of the paucity of his involvement in Torah. A person must strengthen himself in the area of thought and he should known that one who understands one thing from another [who holds onto pure and idea thoughts], his thoughts are considered before the Holy One as sacrifices and Elevation offerings (Zohar Naso 121b). If so, holy thoughts and elevated intellectual images have all of the benefits of Korbanos and all of the benefits of the practical services which are related to them... And it is possible that many of a person's failings come because he does not properly value the fundamental nature of his thoughts.

IY"H, may you and I both merit to maintain our idealism for what we can become and not to be discouraged at all by present or past failures.

-Dixie Yid

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Rav Kook - Teffilin All Day - Yashrus

Received by e-mail from my friend Tuvia in Yerushalayim:

I once read a story about Rav Avraham Yitzchak Ha'Kohen Kook, ztk'l's days as a talmid of the the Netziv in the Volozhin Yeshiva. A couple of other bachurim in the Yeshiva came to the Rosh Yeshiva to ask permission to wear their tefillin in the bais medrash all day. The Netziv turned them down. One of the bochurim brazenly asked the Rosh Yeshiva, "Rebbe, you allow R. Avraham Yitzchak to wear his tefillin all day. Are we not talmidei chachamim like him?". The Netziv replied, "Yes, certainly you are talmidei chachamim. But Reb Avraham Yitzchak is a yashar".

-Dixie Yid

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Chochma vs. Bina - Part 8 - Rav Kook - Putting It All Together

In this final section, translating teachings by Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern and Rav Kook on the topic of understanding Chochma and Bina and how those sefiros manifest themselves practically in modern times.

I highly recommend that you read the Introduction first. Each part links to the next, so you will be able to keep up. My rebbe connected this teaching from Rav Kook, with Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's explanation of Chochma and Bina's practical manifestations in modern jewish movements. Here, in the conclusion to this series, Rav Kook explains how the desire to unify Chochma and Bina is the prime movant behind so much of what people invest time and energy into in this world, and how you and I can learn Torah in a way which is mesakein, repairs, the world's perversion of this desire to unify.

Oros HaTeshuva 7:10

The chutzpa that exists at the end of days comes because the world is already ready, to the extent that it demands understanding, [to know] how all details are tied into the principal. There is no detail, that is not tied to some great principal, will satisfy the mind. If the world would toil in Torah, with the light of this trait, the spiritual sould would be come so great that it would recognize the right connection between every detail with the spiritual principals. Teshuva and a reperation of the world which would come with and through it, would be revealed and and reach actuality. But because of laziness, and because the light of Torah is [hidden] within, and needs to be loftiness [of spirit] and inherent holiness, [this trait] has not entered the world in the proper way. The need to organize life in this way, where the details are built on an understanding of the whole structure.

At a time like this, where the completion of the revelation of light, and a clarification of the path to this understanding has not yet come, this creates an awesome destruction. We must use the best medicine, which is increasing the power of spiritual strength, to the point that the way of understanding and measuring the connection between all types of theoretical knowledge and activity with the highest principal will be something which is understood and becomes a normal means which comes naturally through [currently] forgotten feelings of the soul. Then, the spiritual power behind life will return to actuality and intellectual connectivity, to affect the world, and overarching Teshuva will begin to give its fruits.

-Dixie Yid

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Chochma vs. Bina - Part 7 - Unifying the Source With the Details

I highly recommend first reading the introduction to this series HERE. In this section, I'm translating several pieces from Rav Kook, compiled by my rebbe, which explain how, when learning Torah, one achieves the ultimate level of unifying the vast details of halacha (Bina) with their root source, the Master of the World (Chochma).

Oros Hatorah (?) 2:3

When one learns simple Torah ideas, he will see how the supernal light, from the highest form, descends until it resides so beautifully in the physical world. His heart will be expanded by all of [the Torah's words'] great preciousness and vigorous life, which flow from the source, the holy of holies, which fill the entire world only through the unique light of the Jewish people. Know clearly that this light, which is hidden within the words, letters, customs, actions, halachos, debates and logic, meets the supernal light which is above all of that, bathes in it, and plays together with it. This light, which gives life to all worlds, is filled with pleasure and great joy from the constant meeting which takes place through [Jewish people] learning Torah for its own sake, which makes peace among the hosts above and the hosts below.

Oros Hatorah 7:1 (?)

The connection between Hakadosh Baruch Hu and the Torah is the foundation of the holy work of [Hashem's] Chosen People. While we toil in halacha, it's sections and details, we know, as an overarching principal, that all of the words of the Torah are the Way of G-d, [and that they] flow from the higher source of life. However, in the soul, this Divine interweaving [between Hakadosh Baruch Hu and the Torah] is a living, Divine reality. The pleasantness of Hashem stirs inside it, and to whom closeness to G-d is better than any pleasure. And that delicate tapestry is felt in the heart of life. "My heart and my flesh call out to the Living G-d!" (Tehilim 84:3) And in order to lift up the value of this exalted feeling which is hidden in every nook and cranny of the Torah and all of its details, [one must use] that trait, that overarching feeling of loftiness, which excites the soul with pleasantness from above. This act, which comes from a high inner motivation, has the ability to tie the Torah to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Meaning: to tie the detailed practical Torah below with the overarching, general Torah above.

Oros Hakodesh 4, page 402:

How great is my inner battle! My heart is filled with a high and broad spiritual tapestry. I [only] want the Divine pleasantness to continually spread out within me. Not because of the beneficial pleasure in [that feeling,] bur rather because this is how it must be. That is how reality stands. It is the substance of life.

I always [feel] heady. My inner essence roars, with great sound, "Give me the light of Hashem! The pleasure of the Living G-d and His delight! The great privelige and pleasure of visiting the chamber of the King of the Universe, Hashem, the G-d of my father, to Whom the love of my whole heart is given, and the fear of Whom lifts me up!"

My soul continually lifts its self up. It raises its self up above everyting low; the smallness and limitations that natural life, and the body, the environment and the conclusions which limit and pressure it like a vice, [trying to] completely push it to the side.

Obligations flood me. Learning and exacting study without end. Thorny ideas, putting forth exact logic in letters and words. [All of this] comes and surrounds my soul, which is clean and free, light as a bird, pure like the essence of heaven, drowning in a sea of light. But I have not yet reached this level, to look from the beginning until the end, to understand the pleasantness of a teaching, to feel the sweetness of every [logical Torah] derivation, to gaze at the light in the dark places of the world.

I am full of pain and I longing for salvation and light, for a supernal elevation, for a shot of knowledge and light and the dripping dew of life. Even in these narrow conduits [of Torah understanding] I may nurse and be satisfied. I shall delight in the pleasantness of Hashem. I shall understand the purity of [His] ideal will, the elevated necessity of [His] supernal power, which fills every letter and crown, every [word] and logical derivation. And I will delight in Your mitzvos which I love and talk about Your laws.

CLICK HERE to read the last part, part 8, another translation from Rav Kook where he puts it all together.

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of RT3)

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"Flipping Out" in Israel - The Book - And the Real Issue

Gil Student, at Hirhurim, is publicizing a new book, called Flipping Out, in which an educator, a psychologist, and a sociologist discuss the "growing alarm" many parents experience when their children "frum out" during their year in Israel. They see it as a threat to their [modern orthodox] lifestyle and aspirations. The book, according to the post, asks tough questions, like whether the year in Israel "inspire[s] spiritual growth... or a dangerous religious radicalization?"

I have heard this type of question before and the main concern is that the "right wing" yeshivas and seminaries are siphoning off the modern orthodox youth and co-opting them into a more "chareidi" lifestyle. The mere fact of this question being asked indicates backward priorities and an upside down view of life. The question implies that we must look to the phenomenon of spending a year in Israel, at the yeshivas and seminaries in Israel themselves or some other external factor outside of the "modern orthodox" communities and parents themselves for the answer to this "problem."

The real issue is addressing that which is moving the young people who are "flipping out," as my rebbe taught in light of Oros Hateshuva 14:37. Rav Kook, in that chapter, says that it is the nature of the Baal Teshuva (not just modern colloquial Baalei Teshuva, but more specifically the classical Baal Teshuva, who is a frum person who does aveiros and then returns) is to always want to move and grow at all times, towards higher and higher levels of kedusha and attachment to the Creator. The Baal Teshuva is not content to just remain placidly in one place in Yiddishkeit. Rather, he constantly wants to grow.

My rebbe also pointed out that there was a Rav, a few years ago, who asked a similar question. "Why are the Chareidim taking away all of our Baalei Teshuva?" Basically, he's wondering why so many Baalei Teshuva seem to become frum in nice, wonderful "modern orthodox" communities, and then seem to drift over to some form of "chareidi" community after a while. The answer to this question and the one raised by the "Flipping Out" book folks is essentially the same.

The children in our communities who want to grow, who are filled with idealism and hope, are searching for something more than the often (no one's saying always) pure materialism of many modern orthodox communities on one hand, and the dry intellectualism of other segments of that community on the other. Instead looking outward to find out why the "colloquial Baalei Teshuva" on one hand, and the frum Baalei Teshuva who "flip out" on the other hand, are leaving modern orthodoxy to one extent or other, people who ask this question should look within.

Why are idealistic and searching young people not finding excitement, ruchnius, shteiging (growning), and spiritual attachment in their parents' lifestyles? Much of the time, it is because even though those people are wonderfully nice people, who are frum, their children want something more. Just as they are not satisfied to make the same, small amount of money throughout their entire lives, they are not satisfied to let their Yiddishkeit stand at one level their entire lives either.

(It very well could be that once they take that step into a "chareidi" where commitment to Yiddishkeit is a bigger priority in life, the institutionalized problems in that community will cause the growing person to be motivated to move again into another community in order to take their path of growth to the next level. The point is that whether it involves "changing" communties or affiliations at all or not, the growth-oriented person is never satisfied to stay where he is forever.)

Rather than ask what the yeshivas, seminaries, or conspiratorial "chareidim" are doing to attract our children, we need to be asking what is causing our children to look outside of what they are brought up with to channel their desire to grow. The answer lies in a revamping of families' and communities' priorities when it comes to their goals in life.

IY"H, all of us, whether "modern orthodox" or "chareidi," should develop ourselves into people whose main enjoyment and priority in life is growth and avodah in our Yiddishkeit!

-Dixie Yid

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of Hirhurim)

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