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Rabbi Avraham HaCohen Kook

News and updates about Rabbi Avraham HaCohen Kook

Rabbi Kook on Psalm 100: Recognizing God's kindness

Israel's first chief rabbi: "Our world is inherently imperfect, and Godโ€™s kindness is not always readily apparent."

Rabbi Kook on Psalm 100: Recognizing God's kindness

The Joy of spending Purim with Rabbi Kook

Israel's first Chief Rabbi had a unique tradition for Purim festivities and his students took part. In the middle of his speech, Rav Kook suddenly stood up and began to sing with great elation, โ€œDo not fear, My servant Jacob! Do not fear, do not fear!โ€

The Joy of spending Purim with Rabbi Kook

Itโ€™s just the beginning

Rabbi Kook sought to explain how an enlightened, industrialized, and cultured Europe could unleash such destructive barbaric forces that brought the world to a cataclysmic and death-filled war. Nothing has changed.

Itโ€™s just the beginning

Vayakhel: Stars in the Tabernacle

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: The structure of the Tabernacle corresponded to the entire universe.

Vayakhel: Stars in the Tabernacle

Tetzaveh: Beyond the Holy

hy should the phrase โ€œHoly to Godโ€ be split into two lines?

Tetzaveh: Beyond the Holy

Terumah: The Iron Wall

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Walls of iron are different from walls of stone, and each suits a different period of Jewish history.

Terumah: The Iron Wall

Mishpatim: Accepting two Torahs

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: The Jewish people received two Torahs at Sinai.

Mishpatim: Accepting two Torahs

Yitro: A pure Revelation

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: The Torah given to Moses by Hashem at Sinai is exactly what he gave the Jewish people.

Yitro: A pure Revelation

The proper time to light Shabbat candles

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Not too early, not too late - and why.

The proper time to light Shabbat candles

Draining Egypt

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Why was it necessary to completely drain Egypt of its wealth?

Draining Egypt

Going to peace

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: 'Proceed towards your destination, but do not expect that the path itself will be peaceful and easy.'

Going to peace

Vayechi: Jacob's Sword and Bow

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: The sword and bow mentioned by Jacob are symbols of much deeper issues.

Vayechi: Jacob's Sword and Bow

HIllel's healthy suspicion

Israel's 1st Chief Rabbi: If a follower should err about a tzaddik and cling to his inner essence, he will also be adhering to his faults.

HIllel's healthy suspicion

Mikeitz: Joseph and Judah

Israel's first Chief Rabbi:The strife among Jacobโ€™s sons centered on two conflicting viewpoints regarding the sanctity of the Jewish people.

Mikeitz: Joseph and Judah

Vayeishev: Joseph's labors in exile

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Ultimately, how much of our lives and pursuits truly matter? ๏ปฟ

Vayeishev: Joseph's labors in exile

VaYishlach: The conflict between Jacob and Esau

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: The struggle between Esau and Jacob is not just a family feud.

VaYishlach: The conflict between Jacob and Esau

Psalm 112: Placing our trust in God

Israel's first chief rabbi: Why should fear and apprehension be a sign of sin?

Psalm 112: Placing our trust in God

A time to study esoteric wisdom

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: At times, the soul grows weary of the confines of exact sciences, the limited aspirations of narrow disciplines.

A time to study esoteric wisdom

Chayei Sarah: Princess of her people and the world

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: From Sarah, we inherited the sanctity of deed that develops the unique holiness of the Jewish people.

Chayei Sarah: Princess of her people and the world

Vayera:: Don't look back

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: The depravity of the inhabitants of Sodom was so monstrous that it was beyond all hope of reformation.

Vayera:: Don't look back

Rabbi Kook's letter of hope and faith

Israel's first Chief Rabbi:True, our hearts ache, and our pain is immense...but in the end, we will heal...triumph...and defeat our enemies.

Rabbi Kook's letter of hope and faith

Breishit: Cherisihing adversity

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: How do persecutions protect the people of Israel?

Breishit: Cherisihing adversity

Sukkot: Our protective fortress

Israel's first Chief Rabbi asks: Why should such a flimsy structure be a paradigm of protection and safety? ๏ปฟ

Sukkot: Our protective fortress

Light unto the Nations

Rabbi Kook on teshuva: To attain teshuva a person must rise above his focus on himself and forge an attachment with the Jewish Nation.

Light unto the Nations

The call of the Great Shofar

Why did Israel's first Chief Rabbi burst into tears when describing the three kinds of shofars?

The call of the Great Shofar

Nitzavim: Dances of Teshuvah in Poriah

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: "Guard your pinteleh Yid"- your spark of yiddishkeit.

Nitzavim: Dances of Teshuvah in Poriah

Ki Tavo: Remembering to bless God

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: What is the purpose of all of these blessings the rabbis told us to recite? ๏ปฟ

Ki Tavo: Remembering to bless God

Cinematic Premier on Arutz Sheva: The Struggle, by Rabbi Kook

In honor of Rav Kook's yahrzeit, today, 3 Elul, a cinematic adaption of his poem "The Struggle".

Cinematic Premier on Arutz Sheva: The Struggle, by Rabbi Kook

Israel's first Chief Rabbi:

Shoftim: The Wisdom in Civil Law

Israel's first Chieff Rabbi: Monetary law is intrinsically more complicated than criminal law because its goal is rectification.

Shoftim: The Wisdom in Civil Law

The Caged Lion โ€“ A parable by Rabbi Kook

The Sages of the Talmud warned us long ago that nerves of steel would be needed to bear the birth pains leading to the Mashiachโ€™s arrival.

The Caged Lion โ€“ A parable by Rabbi Kook

Va'Etchanan: The Double Shema

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Why isn't saying Shema once daily enough?

Va'Etchanan: The Double Shema

Devarim: The Book that Moses wrote

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: What happened to the broken tablets?

Devarim: The Book that Moses wrote

Rabbi Kook and the workers' kitchen during the Nine Days

The administrators of the Jerusalem branch of the Poel Mizrachi needed to find nourishing meals, especially for the manual laborers.

Rabbi Kook and the workers' kitchen during the Nine Days

PInchas: Purely for the sake of heaven

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Why does the Torah point out Pinchasโ€™ lineage twice?

PInchas: Purely for the sake of heaven

Balak: An Eternal People

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: The Torah does not extol nationalism for its own sake. When the Jews became a people, they were given a mission.

 Balak: An Eternal People

Where is the Rabbi Kook of our time?

We need a Rabbi Kook today to reach out to the disillusioned, cynical left and shatter their stereotypes about the religious. Op-ed.

Where is the Rabbi Kook of our time?

Chukat (Israel): The death of a Tzaddik

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: In what way does the death of tzaddikim atone for the people?

Chukat (Israel): The death of a Tzaddik

Endless blessing (Korach)

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: The tribe of Levi was dedicated to fostering spiritual aspirations of the Jewish people, not only Temple tasks.

Endless blessing (Korach)

Shlach: Offering wine and flour

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: ๏ปฟThe Temple service was meant to encompass all aspects of creation.

Shlach: Offering wine and flour

A short prayer for Miriam

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: What determined the length of Mosesโ€™ prayers? Why did his own sister merit only a brief, one-line prayer?

A short prayer for Miriam

Shavuot: Connecting to Torah Study

Israel's first Chief Rabbi:It is axiomatic that the Jewish soul and the Torah are a match made in heaven

Shavuot: Connecting to Torah Study

Israel's first Chief Rabbi:

Psalm 84: Better than a thousand

Israel's first Chief Rabbi:'The nation as a whole needs Godโ€™s house standing...every detail declaring awe and reverence for God.'

Psalm 84: Better than a thousand

Rabbi Kook arrives in Jaffa

Iyar 28, this past Friday, is the date Rabbi Kook arrived in the Land of Israel. Jerusalem was liberated 63 years later on that very date.

Rabbi Kook arrives in Jaffa

Op-Ed:

The incredible wonder of Lag Ba'Omer in Israel

Lag Baโ€™Omer bonfires show us that the inner light of the Torah can never be extinguished in the depths of our Nationโ€™s soul. Op-ed.

The incredible wonder of Lag Ba'Omer in Israel

Israel's first Chief Rabbi:

Emor: Eating before Yom Kippur

Why is there a mitzvah to eat on the day before Yom Kippur? How does this eating count as a day of fasting? ๏ปฟ

Emor: Eating before Yom Kippur

Kedoshim: Holiness in physical pleasure

Israel's first Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi: There is a joy that is far greater than the sensory pleasures experienced when consuming food.

Kedoshim: Holiness in physical pleasure

Tazria: Shiloh and the Birth-Offerings

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: True morality cannot sanction a mechanical Temple service, disconnected from the people and their lives

Tazria: Shiloh and the Birth-Offerings

Psalms 81: The strange god within us

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Strange gods โ€œwithin youโ€? The Sages taught that this refers to evil impulses, particularly uncontrolled anger:

Psalms 81: The strange god within us ๏ปฟ

Shir HaShirim: The four-fold song

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Davidโ€™s harp symbolizesย the soulโ€™s encounter with God. But there are four different levels of song it played.

Shir HaShirim: The four-fold song

Tzav: The Olah Offering and Prophecy

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: By examining theย Olahย service, we can gain insight into the prophetic experience.

Tzav: The Olah Offering and Prophecy

Will there be animal sacrifices in the Third Temple?

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Compassion for animals should recognize the issue's fundamental morality.

Will there be animal sacrifices in the Third Temple?

Psalm 32: The joy of Tzaddikim

Israel's first Chief Rabbi explains the source of a righteous man's happy feelings.

Psalm 32: The joy of Tzaddikim

Psalm 135: Deliverance from powerful enemies

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: It was never easy to be a Jew.

Psalm 135: Deliverance from powerful enemies

Mishpatim: Slavery in the Torah

Israel's First Chief Rabbi: In general, does the Torah look favorably on the institution of slavery?

Mishpatim: Slavery in the Torah ๏ปฟ

Israel's first Chief Rabbi:

Yitro: Serving the Community

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: In what way is the work of a judge like creating the world?

Yitro: Serving the Community

Beshalach: Preparing for Sinai

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: How were the Mitzvot of Marah a prelude to receiving the Torah?

Beshalach: Preparing for Sinai

Bo: Donkey-Holiness?

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: The impurity of the Jewish people, as with the donkey, was only on the surface, hiding a great inner holiness.

Bo: Donkey-Holiness?

Psalm 84: Prepare Yourself for Prayer

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: We cannot make the sudden switch from our mundane activities to earnest prayer without a mental effort.

Psalm 84: Prepare Yourself for Prayer

Uncovering the connection: Bread and the Exodus from Egypt

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Why do we say "God who brings forth" only on the blessing for bread, as G-d says about the Exodus from Egypt?

Uncovering the connection: Bread and the Exodus from Egypt

Shemot: Moses' mistake

Why did Moses doubt Godโ€™s plan? How could the โ€œmaster of all prophetsโ€ so gravely misjudge his own people?

Shemot: Moses' mistake