Shabbat Parashat Vayechi 5785

Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: Concern for Communal Kashrut Standards – #288, 290

Recipient and Background: Shimon Rokeach, Betzalel Lopin, S.B. Novovelsky. All three were apparently religious lay leaders in Yafo. The former was instrumental in bringing Rav Kook to Eretz Yisrael/Yafo.

Body: You can rest assured that you calmed me with your dear letter. I was not, Heaven forbid, included in those who suspect the innocent, beloved and honorable friends such as you. However, the phenomenon that those with whom I shared the most reliable love turning into those with a dry, correct relationship without any dew-like moisture of love, has brought me to very tormenting thoughts. I remember my dear ones from days past, when I was always glorified in my place with pervading love surrounding me. It was full of gentleness of the spirit and excitement of the heart, when the choicest people in our nation would greatly enjoy doing things I wanted and broadening my thoughts.

Now I am compelled to give up on what was important to me and delay the improvement in the field of shechita (ritual slaughter), until a week after Pesach. However, I could not hold back from making your honorable hearts aware of the great gain over what we are losing by delaying the matter when we had the right opportunity now. We could have had a situation whereby all the questions of shechita would have been centralized under my purview, without anyone’s opposition. At my side, I would have had a rabbinical council to raise the banner of kashrut supervision in a proud manner that would have sanctified His Name. Now, due to the delay, everyone’s resolve has weakened. The rabbinical council has also been discouraged because of the delay. It brings pain to my heart, because such a major and lofty improvement in a fundamental matter of Judaism, was for naught because of quarrels between lay leaders, who should not have been involved in a matter of kashrut.

In any case, I am full of love and friendship for you, and I have not given up my hope that all will return to a good state with His great kindness.

#290 – Date and Place:  Nisan 5670 (1910), Yafo

Recipient and Background: Rav Yechiel Michel Tuketzinski, an important rabbi, educator, and author of halachic works in Yerushalayim, was a protégé of Rav Kook.

Body: I feel it necessary to point out to my respected friend that we want you to be with us in supporting the founding of a kosher kitchen on the Russian ship. The matter was almost cancelled because of a lack of interest, Heaven forbid. However, thank G-d, we were able to strengthen ourselves with the help of R. Betzalel Lopin. We instituted a council, and we spent enough resources to support the effort, even though it included money that we did not have.

However, now the matter is standing idle, and it is necessary for an organization of G-d fearers who are interested in such a wonderful project to put in the needed effort. This matter is a merit for the community, and sanctifies Hashem’s Name and the name of Israel, as well as being an honor and grandeur for the Holy Land and its communities.

I have also written to our friend, Rav Aizik Ben-Tovim, and I asked him to work with you and choose one other important person to create a special council, as we have done here. Together we can seek counsel as to how to sustain this holy project, may Hashem help us for the sake of His Honored Name.

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