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Shabbat Parashat Vayeira 5783Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: The Outlook Toward a Religious Newspaper1. #128 Date and Place: Adar 5668 (1908), Yafo Recipient: Editor of Hachavatzelet (religious newspaper in Eretz Yisrael) Body: The good news that Hachavatzelet is progressing [is a sign] that the spirit of new life that is increasingly blowing in the broad Jewish community in the Holy Land is penetrating and becoming an active force within those who hold the banner of sanctity and belief in the Holy Land. This has brought me more than a little joy. I want to hope that this progress will not just be limited to the quantitative side (i.e., frequency of publication), even though that too is important. Greater than the difference between a newspaper that comes out once a week and one that comes out three times a week is what we want to see in the qualitative level of the new Hachavatzelet, in comparison to the old Hachavatzelet. It should have a spirit of new life, lively ideas, and live things that are all sustained by the dew of the reawakening of the Land of Life. These blow in the hearts of those whose flow of life rests upon the nation from the time that it became a nation in this holy land, from which the chavatzelet (lily, a play on words) is blossoming. We are justified to hope that the new Hachavatzelet will have plentiful degrees of these characteristics. With this pleasant hope, I hereby come to strengthen your hand, my friend, the distinguished editor, in the name of He who had His Name dwell in Zion, that you should be filled with a spirit of wisdom and bravery, a spirit of good ideas, and a spirit of knowledge and fear of Hashem. 2. #131 Date and Place: 8 Nisan 5668 (1908), Yafo Recipient: Shmuel Kook, Rav Kook’s brother (and helper regarding publications) Body: Of course, I was late [in writing] because of the matters that occupy/concern me. I was surprised that I did not receive the printed column (ed. note - perhaps, for pre-publication review). I am including [with this letter] an article [I have written] for Hachavatzelet. In the meantime, my hopes have not been realized regarding the newspaper’s progress. However, perhaps we have to support it, because at the end of the day, it is “ours.” I would think that your heart might be weak upon seeing the spirit of battle in my article. (From the footnotes of the book – The article was apparently titled “The Flame of Hashem,” and it was a very strong call for the awakening of the sanctity of Israel and the unfolding national liberation. It was written in opposition to the weakness of the religious community and the dryness of the spirit of heresy). My dear brother, the wounds of my heart surpass all boundaries. I am compelled to scream, and perhaps Hashem will have mercy, and I will be one who screams and thereby saves. Top of page
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We daven for a complete and speedy refuah for: Nir Rephael ben Rachel Bracha Arye Yitzchak ben Geula Miriam Neta bat Malka Meira bat Esther Together with all cholei Yisrael Hemdat Yamim is dedicated to the memory of: for our homeland Rav Shlomo Merzel z”l
Mr. Shmuel & Esther Shemesh z"l Sivan 17 / Av 20 Mr. Moshe Wasserzug z"l Tishrei 20 ,5781 R' Eliyahu Carmel z"l Rav Carmel's father Iyar 8 ,5776 Mrs. Sara Wengrowsky bat R’ Moshe Zev a”h. Tamuz 10 ,5774 Rav Asher & Susan Wasserteil z"l R' Meir ben Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld z"l & Mrs. Sara Brachfeld z"l Tevet 16 ,5780 R 'Yaakov ben Abraham & Aisha and Chana bat Yaish & Simcha Sebbag, z"l Rav Yisrael Rozen z"l Rav Benzion Grossman z"l R' Abraham Klein z"l Iyar 18 ,5779 & Mrs. Gita Klein z"l Av 4 Rav Moshe Zvi (Milton) Polin z"l R' Yitzchak Zev Tarshansky z"l Adar 28, 5781 Nina Moinester z"l Nechama Osna bat Yitzhak Aharon & Doba Av 30, 5781 Rabbi Dr. Jerry Hochbaum z"l Adar II 17, 5782 Mrs. Julia Koschitzky z"l Adar II 18, 5782 Mrs. Leah Meyer z"l Nisan 27, 5782 George Weinstein z"l Gershon ben Yehudah Mayer a lover of the Jewish Nation Torah and Land. Jack Levin z"l Chaim Yaakov ben Shlomo Yitzchak HaLevi Hemdat Yamim |