Shabbat Parashat Tzav 5785

Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part IV

Recipient and Background: Rav Yaakov David Wilovsky (Ridbaz), a leading rabbi who moved to Eretz Yisrael and was known for being, among other things, a strong opponent of leniencies on Shemitta. We have already seen three installments of why Rav Kook not only thought that the leniency of selling the land to obviate many of the laws of Shemitta was the correct approach under the circumstances but “fought” to make this seen as a fully legitimate ruling.

Body: After all I have written, I am hereby repeating, a second and a third time, that my entire desire and goal is only to cause people to look favorably on those Jews [who are being lenient]. This is especially true regarding the holy nation who are living in the courtyards of Hashem, on the holy mountain, which His right hand has acquired, that no one should cast aspersions on them, with the claim that they are overall evil and sinners.  

On the other hand, I do not intend, Heaven forbid, to weaken the resolve of those who are upholding this great, holy mitzva (Shemitta), which after all the leniencies and creative ideas to justify them, has imbued in the mitzva the great light of liberation, salvation, and redemption for Hashem’s nation. My eyes always look forward to the joy and salvation Hashem will bring, when he founds the Jewish community of the Holy Land on a stable and strong basis and sends blessing and a flow of goodness. In this way, it will be possible to keep Shemitta properly with love without destroying or severely harming the community, but rather with blessing and quiet serenity.

I believe and hope that just as we view favorably [those who are being lenient] on earth, so too will the angels who serve as “defense attorneys,” who explain the good elements of a person’s actions, show how the Heavenly court should view them favorably. It is a great obligation of the Torah scholars and the righteous people of the generation to pray on behalf of the holy offspring who are compelled to follow this leniency, so that no damage or disease afflict them. This is in line with the prayer (Berachot 29a), “Whenever there is a difficult episode, may their needs be before you.” It is especially appropriate [to pray for them] considering that they are doing a practice based on a rabbinical ruling, and there is no phenomenon of separating oneself [from the community of observant Jews] to sin. Even if, Heaven forbid, our ruling is incorrect, “Hashem is great, and He will not be disgusted” (ibid. 8a).

I have relied on divine mercy that the more work is done to justify the actions of the lenient, along the lines of the Torah, (and we attach the prayers of the multitude on behalf of Hashem’s flock, which has returned to the fields where it grazed), so too the blessing will increase. This will turn the affliction to indulgence (a play on words in Hebrew), and the iniquity to great abundance of good (also a play on words) on Hashem’s nation and estate. This is because one cannot even estimate the great power of the righteous and the Torah scholars when they come to find virtue for Israel. About them, the pasuk says, “You did decree with your speech, and it will be established, and on your paths there will be an aura of light” (Iyov 22:28).

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