Shabbat Parashat Lech Lecha 5785

Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: The State of Religion in Eretz Yisrael – #277 – part I

Recipient and Background: Rav Meir Lerner, Rabbi of Altona (Germany). Rav Lerner had meant to share a public pronouncement about religious improvement, which Rav Kook did not receive. He also asked Rav Kook about the state and needs regarding Judaism in the “colonies” of Eretz Yisrael. Rav Kook broke issues into sections. We will not elaborate on Rav Kook’s approach on the issues that we have featured in recent weeks.

Body: It is impossible to generalize about the religious situation in the settlements, whether about the various moshavot or the different people in each moshava. Thank G-d, every settlement has many people who fear Hashem and keep Torah and mitzvot with all their details. Even among those people who have been caught up in the destructive flow of our times, many of them are still careful not to stray publicly from the religious consensus, due to respect and a desire for peace.  

On the other hand, there is no “pile of grain without some straw in it,” especially at a time like this when a flood of young people with bad philosophies and those who violate basic Torah prohibitions have come here, and we lack the power to protest against it. This is especially true now, when the (Ottoman) government has removed the power of the religious communities to enforce religion. We can only shine the light of Torah with a generous spirit, accurate speech, and a brave heart. This can reawaken holy emotions and knowledge of Hashem even among the weak people in the nation whose spirit has fallen asleep. This is possible because they are from the seed of Yaakov and therefore will yet return to the proper path. I will now present the main areas in which we need improvement:

1.   Education (greatly shortened) – there is a need for religious educators to teach in a manner that includes life skills, which students have been forced to receive from irreligious teachers.

2.   Religious literature – We need a Hebrew-language (the primary language in the yishuv) literary stage which will strengthen the resolve of those who gather behind the banner of light of Hashem in the Holy Land throughout the New Yishuv. For a start, we need a “Rabbinic newspaper,” to be published under our supervision, with the help of like-minded friends, with true fear of Hashem, talent and experience in the practical world. We must arrange material and spiritual means. Specifically, we need a sum of money to ensure the paper publication for at least the first year, after which we can hope that it will support itself. Writers and spiritual helpers with good taste, of whom each is a real expert in his field, will take responsibility for their respective fields. If it is difficult in the beginning to have a regular paper, daily or weekly, we can begin with a monthly paper, featuring the happenings of the month in all endeavors in Eretz Yisrael, especially in the New Yishuv. It should contain proper advice about improvement of everything that requires it. It should contain advice on waging a defensive war against those who are destroying religion, insights into all elements of Judaism, including land-based laws and matters connected to them. Obviously, such a publication will not leave out any subject that affects people’s lives, even if they are not directly related to holy religion. Everything joins together to strengthen the connection between the spirit of Hashem and His nation and lot, with all being done in holy purity and a pure spirit that is trustworthy to Hashem and His Torah.

3.   Community rabbis – We must try to ensure that every moshava will appoint a local rabbi, who is great in Torah and fear of Heaven. He must love the settlement of the Land and have affection for agriculture in the Holy Land, when it is done in an honest, desirable manner. He must be a talented speaker, who will talk periodically about practical ethics filled with wisdom and emotion for that which is holy in a manner that will attract hearts with his gentle speech to the path of Hashem.

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