The major part of his study, however, should be to know his creator. This is written in the introduction to Etz Chaim, and see also Or Ne’erav. In these times, when because of our many transgressions, many young people are becoming more and more enticed by the smooth [cosmopolitan] speech of the nonbelievers in our nation, we must also show the world that Torah scholars occupied in the holiness of the true Torah not lack power of rhetoric and eloquence of language.

This was the intention of the pious Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzato of blessed memory, in his poetry and [drama]] and I, in humility, also want to grasp the hem of their cloaks and follow their example inasmuch as I am able. And because the full [comprehension] of the Holy Torah also requires the knowledge of the wisdom of the world in some matters, and in particular so as to be able to reply to a nonbeliever, an imperative in our day.

For this reason I mention the words of our Rabbis, the Gaon Of Vilna and the Maharal of Prague in his book Netivot Olam, [section] Netiv Hatorah, chapter 14.8 [It must, however, come only after] diligent study of the Torah and the purification of virtues and deeds, especially from anger, arrogance, and sadness, which are the major causes of evil, and the diligent, fixed, and daily study of the inner Torah, each person according to his capabilities.

From examination and experience [we know], after all these preliminaries, that one can not be harmed, heaven forbid, from the knowledge of [secular] wisdom, if taken in measure and with the [earnest goal] of honoring God; on the contrary, it will add to one's strength great happiness and broadness of mind in the service of the Lord, blessed be he.

And if, heaven forbid, there are people who misunderstand my words, and see in them meanings I did not intend, this is not [sufficient reason] to keep the benefit [of my words] from those worthy of it, as Maimonides, of blessed memory, wrote in his letters, that the ways of the Lord are trustworthy, etc.

Through diligent regular study in the pleasure of the inner Holy Torah, the soul which occupies itself with this without seeking any personal benefit will be lit in the light of happiness and most sublime love, spiritual pleasures like those of the world to come, and there will be no need to fear the evil lash, or only to a minimal extent, and with this one's soul will find strength and courage, and fear no adversity, not in this world and not in the next, for even if sit in darkness, the Lord is my light.

This is, approximately, the intention of the words of mine on which you commented. How good and pleasurable it is to judge one another favorably, and by this the heavens are praised and the honor of heaven magnified, as is the honor of the Holy Land and the Torah scholars in it.

As for myself, I take no great delight at being praised, nor offense at being insulted. Praise the Lord's blessed name, that diligent occupation with the study of mussar and the inner Holy Torah granted me this characteristic. For this reason, I see no need on my part to explain myself. I do so simply to calm your heart so that you will not suffer, because all my will and desire is to bring happiness to people and fulfill, as much as I can, "those who fear you will see me and rejoice.’’ For this reason I said that I hope that these words may pacify your heart. And may the Lord blessed be he, bless you and your family with long life, and may we be privileged to see the joy of Zion and the building of Jerusalem with the revelation of the majesty of his blessed kingdom, a name for us, praise in all the nations of the Land, and may the entire Land be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. As is becoming your pleasant soul, and the humble young soul on your doorstep, looking to light and salvation.

Avraham Yitzhak Hakohen Kook


Letter 79

This letter is included in this section since it discusses aspects of the Torah's view of psychology but it contains many other matters as well. Rav Kook, like modem psychologists argues that dreams are representations of emotions and desires in the dreamer's subconscious but sees them as positive expressions of the soul Js desire to love God. He also discusses the religious value of fisting, noting that fasting, in general, is permitted only of a person who is fit enough to bear self-affliction, and hinting that today, when the spiritual state of the world is at a nadir, people do not have enough spiritual strength to take additional fasts upon themselves. All this comes as a prelude to an explanation of the "dream fast"—a fast undertaken by one who has had a bad dream. At the beginning of the letter, Rav Kook discusses the tolerance of ideas, and distinguishes between recognizing that all ideas have a divine source, which he advocates, and the attitude that all ideas should be equally valued, which he condemns.



By the grace of God, the holy city of Jaffa, may it be built and established, 12 Tamuz 5667.

To the venerable scholar, our guide Rav E. Neuwirth, long life to him, peace and blessings.

Your letter has reached me, and I was very happy to see that you have chosen a book that engages one's heart and feelings in the depths of Torah and the service of God]. And I very much wanted to shed light, with my limited abilities, on all your questions at length, but I am extremely occupied now and must respond with utmost brevity, [and cite] just "fixed laws," according to what is clear to my heart.

I will tell you, sir, a most important principle: the most enlightening outlook on the subject of [religious] beliefs and views, as with all lofty matters, involves leaving the narrow sphere where one finds conflicting opinions that are hostile towards each other or completely negate each other, and to reach the lofty peak from which the roots of all opinions can be seen. For all opinions rise to one place, and are differentiated only due to different conditions of ways of life and the states of souls. And the mature researchers using common sense joined with clear and correct emotions, know how to appreciate the value of everything and how to integrate all the opinions in such a way that each one completes what is lacking in the other, even when they seem to be conflicting. This is the lofty outlook, that stems from the true divine perception [of God as he] "who is able to accomplish all things and is omnipotent.

And one must be very careful to differentiate between this inclusive outlook, which knows how to penetrate each viewpoint and to appreciate each feeling according to the depth of its value and between the cold tolerance, which stems from the spiritual world not occupying its [proper] place in the soul. [According to Rav Kook, there are two types of tolerance regarding ideas. The first, which he supports, is a recognition that all ideas have a divine source and therefore must have some value. The second which he condemns, is an apathetic tolerance of any idea, and a disrespect for the importance of divine truth.] The latter must recede from the light and brightness of life, while the former will grow and blossom, forever at a greater level, until the day when the land "is full of the knowledge of the Lord," for then "they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my sacred mountain [Israel]. And with the attainment of scientific wealth and the elaboration of each theory in detail, the power of the original peace which unifies all things will be very great.

And now let us get back to fasts. We see with our own eyes that the whole world, especially the world of life, is improved not by the joining of limited powers that are working each within its own bounds; rather, by the joining of powers, with each one striving to expand beyond its bounds. When the powers meet they press and check each other, and it is through such jostlings that the phenomenon of life comes into being. This is the law in nature and it is so even in the nature of mind and ethics. And this is the radiant light of Loving kindness [the sefira of Chesed~ of life which is always filled—in all its facets—from the source of the Infinite, so that they [the powers] cause life both in their state of strength and bursting forth, and in the state of being pressed and contained. And therefore the physical forces of men must be healthy and full, not only to the extent required by ethical bounds, but to a greater extent. This is how things should be when the world is in its correct state. The extra physical energy should properly be channeled into an effort toil for the lofty ethic. [This labor] is the toil of Torah and commandments. In order to deepen their impression and to strongly fix their value on life, these have obstacles opposing them, whether social obstacles or obstacles originated in mankind's aspirations not being properly matured.

It is through this [dialectical] struggle that it [the extra flow] fulfills its purpose. Man was also not created such that he would not sin at all, rather, he should be wary of sin, and if he errs and sins he should repent. Repentence itself is also a wondrous awakening of life. From the general point of view [looking at existence as a whole], the engagement in destruction for the sake of building anew is also called construction. It is therefore understood that the individual who has more powers than he actually needs, above what is required for the sensitivities of the required service [prayer, sacrifices, etc.], so that even the toil [needed for] research and study are insufficient to set [his] powers in the proper proportion, for him fasting becomes a holy duty, in most cases necessary in accordance with his physical condition, as certainly for his ethical well-being. Only the wild tendency towards gluttony will somewhat suffer, and this is just an added beauty to the desired goals of a fast. But all the parts of the body and soul will gain value and beauty as well as harmonious strength. This is the fast glorified by Torah sages. Therefore it is self-evident that at a time when the world is imperfect and due to the defective practices of the blemished civilization, the powers are deficient, to the extent that not only does man not have a surplus of strength required for practical and theoretical work, but he lacks much of what is necessary—then fasting is a sin and not a commandment.

This also applies, somewhat, to the national fasts which we observe in commemoration of the [Temple's] destruction: the lack of the national service [the prayer services and the sacrifices], which destroys much of proper national life, causes extra powers to accumulate in the nation as a whole. The consequent ethical remedy [for this] is to drain them by means of a fast. [These fasts were also] instituted as a reminder that the use of the extra powers for evil caused us to lose our national happiness. "Whose interests are lyre and lute, timbrel, flute and wine; but who never give a thought to the plan of the Lord, and take no note of what he is designing. Assuredly, my people will suffer exile for not giving heed."

As for dreams: from a clear perspective of the knowledge of the Lord, we are led to conclude that our inner world is conducted in ways no less accurate and precise than the external world. Therefore, it is impossible that the state of dreaming, which takes up a considerable part of life, is not bound in a secure knot to life as a whole, both physical and ethical. And since, as a general rule, it is impossible for a person correctly to perceive his inner state — his true relation to the divine ideas, which is the basis for happiness and ethics, his inclination towards happiness and good as such, not as the result of any external cause—and [to know] according to this, the value of his powers in regard to their use and needs. Such an inner inclination is therefore better recognized in an instinctive way, so that not only the rational mind recognizes it. The power of free imagination, together with rational analysis, put the matters in their [proper] place, and clarify the impressions which stem from the innermost content of the self-conscious. Dreams are indeed the most reliable [key] to an honest heart, since this is the content of the perception of dreams and of the soul's inner emotions as a whole.

And with regard to dream-fasts: in general it is proper to give respectable place in life to the feelings of the soul they are, without too much sophistication, for this is the essence of the [true] wisdom of life. Therefore when the psychological state demands that a man fulfill its need by means of some form of [voluntary] suffering or affliction, of which fasting is the most natural, then it is worthy to make place for it. And the same [applies to] the value of [a fast] in remembrance of a dear and beloved soul, and [it applies also] to any similar fasts. Indeed, with regard to Yom Kippur, we must note that the Divine Thought includes every idea, new and old, and therefore any way or anything found to be good can assuredly be ascribed to the interpretation of the Torah. And in general, this is the way of the Torah: it hints at a principle, from which we can draw a wellspring of general ethical perceptions and knowledge, in order to set for ourselves an eternal way of life, [by means of] all these righteous statutes and judgments.

As for other theories regarding matters of the soul that are beyond the limits of ethical and practical life, even though we are unable to refute them, still, we should not draw ways of life from them. [This is forbidden], according to our holy Torah, which removed us from immersion in vague visions when it prohibited all sorts of sorcery and necromancy, forbade the priests to become impure from the dead, and tied all the commandments to life. And it is said in the Jerusalem Talmud "[So that you, your son, and your son's son may revere the Lord your God and follow], as long as you live, days that you are engaged in the living, and not days in which you are engaged in the dead."

The world which is removed from the practical life should be fuller and loftier than the limited life, but if we draw actions, manners or ideas that effect the community from it, this will certainly defile the mind. Therefore, even the prophets prophesied only about the days of the Messiah, but not about the world to come, for "since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by ear, neither has the eye seen (them), O God, but you.’’ I have included in these short words the main principles of my views regarding the questions raised in your letter. May you forgive my brevity, since I cannot elaborate on the issues now as I am very busy. And may I say, peace and blessing, as is the wish of you and me, who inquires after your well being with love,

Humbly yours,
Avraham Yitzhak Hakohen Kook