LOVE OF ISRAEL--Part II
Saving a Life Takes Precedence
by Simcha Raz
Rabbi Avraham Ben Ze'ev tells:
In 5689 (1929), at the time of the bloody events, I was approached by Rabbi Chaim Ternovsky, who was then one of the inhabitants of Emek Ha'arazim (next to Motza) with a request that I come with him to Rav Kook and propose that Rav Kook ask the British rulers to assign us British soldiers to accompany us to retrieve Torah scrolls that had survived the pogroms-one in Emek Ha'arazim and two in Motza.
I agreed. We came to Rav Kook and found him in his small room speaking on the telephone with members of the British government. His face was wan. At the end of the conversation, he turned to us. "What do you want, good Jews?"
Rabbi Chaim told him our request. Rav Kook asked: "Are there also Jews who must be rescued from danger?"
"No, there are no Jews there. But there is the danger that the Arabs will desecrate the holy Torah scrolls."
"I am very sorry," Rav Kook said, "but I cannot accede to your request. In these days, I am pressing the British government to save Jewish lives-who are, I am afraid, in danger-and the British do not agree easily. If I also approach them about this, it is possible that they will agree. But in turn, they might not help to save lives. And then I will be the cause of Jewish deaths, heaven forbid."
And in a voice choked with sobs, Rav Kook continued, "Believe me. My heart is saddened about Torah scrolls that might be desecrated by murderers. However, the saving of Jewish lives takes precedence over everything else. And may God do what is right in His eyes."
Malachim Kivnei Adam
The Torah Of Kindness
When you originally wrote to me and expressed surprise that I extend a welcome to everyone, even Jewish sinners, in order to bring them back, I wrote back and alluded to my purpose, which is that whoever has the capacity to learn the innermost secrets of the Torah is filled to a greater degree with the light of kindness that comes from the Torah of kindness, and is obligated to work on rectifying those who are fallen and on bringing near those who are distant. In the language of the Kabbalists, this too is considered to be "gathering in the holy sparks from the husks."
But you found this to contradict our prayer that God "uproot and smash" the heretics.
If your honor will heed my words, I will explain this to you not in the language of the secrets of the Torah (for you think that you know that you do not know them), but in simple words. In truth, "both are the words of the living God..."
Your honor should know that there are two essential things that together build up the holiness of Israel and the divine connection to the Jews. The first is intrinsic: the holy nature within the soul of a Jew. This is his inheritance from the Patriarchs...This intrinsic nature is a holy, inner power that rests within the nature of the soul because God wills it, like the nature of anything in existence, which cannot change at all...The second is free will, which depends upon good deeds and learning Torah...
In our generation, there are many souls who are very low from the standpoint of their free will, and who are therefore contaminated with many evil deeds and very evil points of view (may God protect us). Nevertheless, the light of their particular intrinsic nature shines within them. Therefore, they deeply love the totality of the Jewish people and desire the land of Israel. And in a number of areas of good and precious character traits, which comes from the nature of Israel within the nature of their soul, they are outstanding...
You criticized me for having written that I am not diminished (heaven forbid) because sinners praise me, since it is said of Abraham himself that "all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him." To this, you replied that the nations of the world never considered Abraham to be like them (heaven forbid), [yet these sinners consider me to be as they]. Please believe me that the majority of the non-religious who feel favorable to me know and recognize that I am not like them and their masses (heaven forbid), and that my thoughts and ways are as different from theirs as east is distant from west, and they acknowledge this very clearly. But even against their will, they must admit the truth: that thank God, my mind is clear and just; that I bear no falsehood in my heart or on my lips; and that (thank God) I am filled in my entirety with love of Jews. I thank God, Who has given me this spirit, which is not a result of my own wisdom or righteousness, but which comes from His great compassion and mercy, which are infinite. He takes cognizance of the poor person and oppressed in spirit, and of the person who trembles at His word (cf. Isaiah 66:2).
Thank God, when it is necessary, I protest strongly against uncleanness. But I speak my words logically and calmly, as we have been taught by the advice of the wise king, [Solomon]. And there is no doubt that if your honor and the other leaders of the generation would support me, join me and act as I do as much as possible in accordance with their character, the name of heaven would be sanctified, and great peace and blessing would flow upon the Jewish people and upon the land of Israel, and a great many indeed would today return fully to God. And in truth the blossoming of the horn of salvation would quickly be revealed with a fitting revelation for the house of Israel. It is completely impossible to imagine and describe how much goodness, holiness and rectification of the world would blossom from this.
I am filled with hope that, with God's help, so will it be, and that ultimately those who fear Him and know His name will, recognizing the purity of my heart and the truth of my viewpoints, return to me, and all of us will form one union to do the will of God and increase the light of God and His glory upon His nation, and upon His beloved land, and all the ends of the earth.
from letter to the Ridbaz
From The Midst Of My Soul
Hear me, my people!
I speak to you from the midst of my soul, from the midst of the soul of my soul, from the midst of the connection of life through which I am connected to all of you, and through which you are all connected to me.
I speak to you from the midst of that feeling-which I sense more deeply than any other feelings in my life-that you, only you, only all of you, yes all of you, all of your souls, all your generations, only you are the content of my life.
Within you do I live, within you. In that all-encompassing unity of all of you does my life have that quality that is called "life."
Without you, I have nothing. All the hopes, all the ideals, all the value of the quality of life-everything I find within myself only along with you. I must connect myself to your souls, all of you. I must love you with an infinite love.
Malachim Kivnei Adam
A Blazing Flame
In every group and every movement, there are certainly things that I cannot agree with. But this cannot in the least affect my love, filled with a blazing flame within me, toward our holy nation and its every individual. This love remains within me exactly the same for those who honor me as for those who disparage me. I love them all without restriction.
Igrot
Love For The Jewish People
Love for the Jewish people, including the practice of championing the entire Jewish people and every individual Jew, is not merely an emotional practice. Rather, this comprises a great area of specialty within the Torah, a profound and broad wisdom with many branches, all of which blossom and draw their sustenance from the rich dew of light of the Torah of lovingkindness.
Orot
The Love Of Israel
The love of the Jewish people is a consequence of faith in the divine light of the Congregation of Israel. This [light] is [the Congregation of Israel's] unique, essential quality, which will never leave it throughout all the changing eras.
In particular, this elevated love-together with its cause, an inner faith in [the Congregation of Israel's] divine root-must be aroused within people of heart and spirit when the Jewish nation is on a lower spiritual level, when the holy is trampled upon and the Jewish religion is scorned in the highest degree. These people must realize that despite this, the power of Israel is great and mighty on behalf of its God. These people must look at the inner light that penetrates the spirit throughout [the entire Jewish people] and whose dwelling place is also within every individual Jew, whether openly or in a hidden manner-even in a person who has turned far away, who has turned far aside from the path of God.
[Such a] revelation is made by a tzaddik, who with the entire strength of his life loves the essence of the Jewish people-the divine goodness hidden within them. [This revelation] positively affects [us when we] engage in [such a] true defense [of the Jewish people]. It raises us above the lowliness of a coarse and limited life, one that proceeds in darkness with its desolate frustration.
This activity [of the tzaddik is then] directed upon a special path to the entirety of the Jewish people and to each of its individuals, injecting into them a power that awakens to the grace and lovingkindness of God and places in them a broad path for teshuvah out of love.
Orot
God's First Thought
"Israel was God's first thought [when He created the universe]" (as the Sages state).
[God's] first intent was that Israel would exist, a holy people in every generation.
Thus, God (so to speak) constricted His bright light [to create Israel]. This is like a father who constricts his mind in order to speak about small matters with his young child. Then all sorts of traits-youthful activities-are produced within the father, who loves the activity of youth so that [his] son may have pleasure, and also so that he should be pleasing to [his son].
Past and present are equal before God. And so He took pleasure in the acts of holy [Israel even before Creation. That is why He] constricted Himself [to create the world and Israel].
This constriction is called "wisdom," a wisdom of "Nothingness" [in terms of our comprehension]. "Wisdom, from where will you find it?" (Job 28:12). "From where," mei'ayin, can be translated as "from Nothingness."
[God] constricted Himself for the sake of Israel. [His] love brought this constriction about. As the verse states, "These are the generations of Isaac... Abraham fathered Isaac" (Genesis 25:19). [The creation of the world came from constriction (represented by Isaac). Love (represented by Abraham) fathered that constriction.]
Alive And Lasting
Whatever there is in the words of the written or oral Torah that can somewhat weaken our love of Israel, even in regard to the most confirmed doers of evil, are tests and clarifying processes that [challenge us] to rise to the high level of loving God until we find a path amidst all the contradictions, and the love of Israel and of all beings will remain in our heart alive and lasting, without any diminishment or doubt whatsoever.
Orot (Orot Yisrael, IV:4)
Every Individual
The love of Israel requires the love of every individual. If it demands the hatred of any segment of humanity, that indicates that one's soul has not yet been purified of its pollution, and is therefore unable to unite with the rarified supernal love.
Orot (Ahavat Yisrael 5)
Elevating Causeless Hatred
Even the trait of causeless hatred must be elevated. It cannot [be allowed to] obstruct the re-integration (teshuvah) and complete redemption of the entirety of Israel. We must broaden the great [spiritual] lights in order that we will understand and realize that a comprehensive good results even from differing points of view. In the end, evil traits, which cling to the holiness of Israel as chaff clings to food, will no longer bind together. In the innermost part of our hearts, the connection [to holiness] will be great and mighty, so that the aspect of good will unite, whereas the aspect of evil will be scattered. "All workers of sin will be separated" (Psalms 92:10).
More than that, even within the aspect of good itself, when there are disagreements, every individual bit of good attains its own particular hue. [Then another] hue that is transfusing another [bit of good] does not bear upon this one to blur its form. As a result, the Congregation of Israel is enriched with a multitude of lights. This multitude itself brings about the greatest and most meaningful peace.
Nevertheless, we must strive a great deal to bring about a peace that is externally discernable as well, so that "the booth of peace will be spread over all Israel." Still, differences-in particular, differences that have a spiritual source in predilections regarding faith and holiness-bring supernal lights into being. [It is possible for] the tzaddikim, these elevated people, to attain the greatness of the lights that come into being as a result of dispute between tzaddikim. With [those lights] they build worlds-i.e., each one perfects his path of ethics, justice, holiness and piety, with the entire depth of his feeling and thought regarding the innermost aspect of life.
[Then] "Your nation is entirely righteous": within every individual Jew resides a spark of holy light, an inheritance from the Patriarchs, from the holiness of Torah and the greatness of faith. And so every dispute between two Jews, between two groups, also builds worlds.
And since everything is improvement and building, there is no need to speak bitterly, but rather to proclaim the greatness that both sides are accomplishing, and [to proclaim] that together they are perfecting a building that will last forever and are rectifying the world.
Then, according to the breadth of this consciousness, love will grow, corresponding to the size of the [previous] hatred; a connection will grow, corresponding to the size of the [previous] division-[all this] in accordance with the principle that a good trait has a greater measure than a trait of unruliness. "The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of the seven days, on the day that Hashem will bandage the fracture of His nation and heal the blow of its wound" (Isaiah 30). May it come quickly, in our day, amen.
The sin against Hashem alluded to by the diminishment of the moon (Chulin 60) will reveal its light, a light that comes from the inner nature of the dispute [and that manifests as] "an open rebuke based upon a hidden love." From within its concealment, [that light] will emerge into revelation with a broad and very mighty power, "its flames the flames of fire, a torch of God" (Song of Songs 8).
Orot (Ahavat Yisrael 6)
A Refined Love
A refined love for the spiritual gifts of the [entire] Jewish nation expresses the exact same thing that a simple fear of heaven and sincere faith do. Only a lack of understanding brings about a state in which some people, making use of a misguided expression, think that the two contradict each other.
Sometimes the expression of appreciation for the Jewish nation and a love of its glory demonstrates more fear of heaven and more faith than do actual expressions of fear of heaven and of faith.
Orot (Orot Yisrael 4:7)
The Love Of Israel Must Be Nurtured
Love for the people of Israel must be nurtured. It is not like the natural love within every other nation, which a handful of its people possesses. The core of every other nation is merely a simple natural phenomenon: it meets a necessity for life and gathering together; it fulfills natural desires that are satisfied when people who have strong connections to each other assemble.
This does not have to be animated by reasons that require learning and training.
But the connectedness of the Congregation of Israel is built principally upon shared spiritual desires. These in themselves require very much spiritual effort and strength in the heart of each individual and, even more, in the life of the entire community.
Orot
The Nature Of Israel
Whereas the Patriarchs exert an influence on the natural aspect of the Congregation of Israel, Moses [influences] the aspect [that requires] education.
These combine and influence each other. In future days, Moses will fuse together completely with the Patriarchs, and will be manifested in the messiah in an image composed of [them] all. At the apex, he will bear the natural aspect of the Congregation of Israel. "The thought of Israel came before everything else." And everyone will see that this is the root of the entire Torah.
Parallel to the strength of this natural aspect of the [Jewish] nation, the pleasure of its life will expand, and holiness will be suffused with an infinite satisfaction and pleasure. "How beautiful and how lovely, a love greater than all pleasures" (Song of Songs 7:7). How elevated are the pleasures, how sweet, how beautiful, how fine. From the spices of their delicacy we smell something of the distilled good scent, the scent of the garden of Eden, and we are made Edenic and filled with a holy greatness, a holy influence, a holy spirit. Sparks of the light of the messiah enter our souls.
"And he will have the sense [literally, 'smell'] of the awe of God. He will not judge by what his eye sees, nor will he rebuke by what his ear hears. But he will fairly judge the poor and correctly rebuke the humble of the land. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and strike dead the evil-doer with the spirit of his lips" (Isaiah 11). "There will be no evil-doer" (Psalms 37), for evil will be exterminated, and "all of Your nation [will be] righteous" (Isaiah 60).
A person who contains within himself the scent of purity distilled from the scent of the messiah's garden of Eden, sees no guilt in any Jew. His love for all Jews is great beyond capacity and understanding. He sees the great light in their souls, their unique beauty and the radiance of teshuvah that encompasses them constantly, the lightning flash of holiness and the light of God's Presence, which will never leave them-at any time, on any level, in any place. "I am Hashem Who dwells with them in the midst of their uncleanness" (Leviticus 15). Whatever may be, "You are children to Hashem Your God." Happy are you, O Israel.
Orot
A Jewish Soul
The difference between a Jewish soul-its essence, its inner longings, its yearning, its make-up and its stance-and a soul from any gentile nation on any level [whatsoever] is greater and more profound than the difference between a human spirit and an animal spirit.
In the latter case, the difference is merely one of degree. But in the former, there reigns an intrinsic, qualitative difference.
Orot Yisrael 5:10
The Merits Of The Jewish People
Every Saturday night after the Sabbath is over, the prophet Elijah sits beneath the Tree of Life and records the merits of the Jewish people.
The secrets of the Torah are the trait of the manifestation of Elijah.
Therefore, if you have any connection to a desire for the secrets of the Torah, on any level whatsoever-even if it is merely something you imagine, or a feeling, or something that you can grasp with your human intellect; and certainly if (aided by God's supernal love) you have risen to higher levels-then every Saturday night after the Sabbath is over, you should engage in the activities of Elijah. Involve yourself in the merits of the Jewish people.
With a conceptual understanding, with a bright and clear grasp, recognize the holiness of the Jewish people and their precious worth. Cling to the totality of the holy nation, the nation of God, His special inheritance, upon every individual member of which God's holy light shines infinitely-for the world rests upon even the most empty of Jews.
Tremble with a holy awe at the holiness of the divine, supernal soul of every Jew. Be filled with a transcendent yearning and desire for the holy elevated advancement of the Jewish people in general, and for the success of every individual Jew in all the works of his hands, in physical and spiritual matters, [bringing him] everything good.
From the midst of the depths of your soul, sing and proclaim, "Happy are you, Israel, happy are you, Israel! Who is like you, a nation redeemed by God! I have loved you, my nation and people, I have desired you with all my heart, with all my soul. I yearn for you with all the warmth of my heart, with all the fire of my bones. I yearn to see your glory, your beauty and your grandeur, the time that you will be raised and uplifted, the time that you will grow in your own characteristic beauty, when all your special qualities will come to the fore and the wondrous things hidden within you [will emerge] from the potential to the actual, a time that you will be planted in and become an inhabitant of the land that matches your character, the land of your beauty. Then, to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west, the beauty of your strength and the height of your horn will be revealed.
"The nations will see your righteousness and all the kings your glory, and they will call you by a new name that the mouth of God will pronounce, and you will be the diadem of beauty in the hand of God, a headband of sovereignty in the hand of God."
Olat Harayah
The Divine Image
It is appropriate to hate a degraded person only from the aspect of his imperfection. But from the aspect of the essence of his "divine image," it is appropriate to appreciate him lovingly, and to know in addition that his worthiness is more intrinsic to him than his degraded circumstances.
Therefore, although "one can rip apart a lowly person like a fish," one may only do so "from his back" (Pesachim 49b)-not from the aspect of his face, which contains the light of the "[divine] image."
Musar Avichah
Contradiction
More than any other nation, we cannot bear the contradiction and lack of spiritual unity.
This is because the quality of eternity is within us, peace and unity in their ideal form. And therefore all of our being scattered is only temporary. But in the future we will be united, "one nation upon the earth."
Orot Hakodesh IV, p. 502
Counterfeit Nationalism
The uplifted hand that is armed with lawlessness and the ways of the gentiles, with no true trace of the holiness of Israel, which hides its shards with the dross of a counterfeit nationalism, with grains of history and of love of the [Hebrew] language, which clothes life with an external Jewish garb, whereas within it is entirely not Jewish, is likely to be transformed into a destructive horror, and in the end even come to the hatred of Jews and the hatred of the land of Israel.
Igrot Harayah I, pp. 182-183
Hear O Nations, Tremble
May we quickly see fulfilled the words, "Hear, O nations, tremble."
May the veil soon be removed from the world, so that everyone will know that we are the nation of Hashem, that Hashem's hand rests upon us for good, that we are the center of the world and the center of mankind, and that all the content of prophecy, which speaks so much of the eternal praise of the Israel, is true, revealed and clear.
May all those who create chaos fall, those who have established themselves upon the venomous proposition that Hashem has abandoned the Jews. May all of those who frighten us, threatening us that we are "a nation whose Master has turned His countenance from them," be smashed upon the rock.
May everyone in the world know that our love is an eternal love. May the entire enlightened world know, with all of its sophistication, with all of its modernity, with all of its doubts, with all of its materiality, with all of its experiments, with all of its free thought, that indeed there is one truth that is eternal, and this truth is emblazoned upon the forehead of the heavenly angel that walks upon the earth in the form of a nation called Israel.
May the whole world know that we are a choice vine, entirely a seed of truth. May every hand grow tired and weary, and incapable of interfering with our revival and redemption, and may they know and recognize that the Rock of Israel is our Savior and our Redeemer, the Mighty One of Yaakov.
Orot Hakodesh IV, p. 520
Unity
The people of Israel are more liable to division and disputatiousness than any other nation, because the many different characteristics that are divided amidst the many nations are all to be found in the people of Israel. "He sets up the boundaries of the nations corresponding to the number of children of Israel."
And the reason is so that we will be able to remain always a nation set aside without mixing amidst the nations. Therefore, we lack no characteristics. "A city that contains everything within it"-with its wise men, its leaders, its prophets-as the verse states, "from it is the cornerstone, from it is the tent peg…"
The entire Torah, which incorporates the entire totality equally in all the paths of life, serves as is a shield against divisiveness.
Therefore, differences of opinion in various spiritual and this-worldly matters does not prevent that [unity], but to the contrary is helpful, because from all the different types will come forth the universal good.
However, that unity must exist in reference to the general on-going existence of the Torah. A person who thinks that multiplicity of characteristics must include the character of people who are completely wicked, who blaspheme and cast off the yoke publicly, is in error.
Thus, Beruria said to a heretic, "'Rejoice, barren one,' for not having given birth to children who will go to Gehinnom-such as yourself." This is because, although a great multiplicity is good for the nation, that is only when they unite in the same root upon which the continued existence of the nation is dependent. And the nation of Israel must unite in the Torah and its survival.
Kevatzim Michtav Yad Kodsho, p. 43
An Adjunct to the Entire Congregation
Fortunate is the person who considers himself an adjunct to the entire Congregation of Israel, which is the inheritance of Hashem, so that all the thoughts of his heart, his concepts, desires and hopes, faiths and ideas, are nothing else but one concealed aspiration to be absorbed entirely into this treasury of life-to "lovingly connect to his nest, which is the Congregation of Israel" (introduction to Tikkunei Zohar 1).
We Are Twigs of This Tree of Life
The inner recognition that we are twigs of this Tree of Life with its manifold, fruit-bearing branches, that the more we are enfolded into the body of this tree the more do we live a complete and fresh life, in the present and in the future, will bring the life of the nation to its goal. This and only this will gain the end for which we yearn, and give us the certainty of redemption.
And those few whom Hashem calls, the pious of the generation, supernally holy people, should not look at any imperfection, at any negative aspect of any soul of Israel that clings in any way to the Rock from which it has been hewn, but rather lift up the universal point within each individual soul to the height of its elevation and to the apex of its holiness. The limitless love for the nation, our mother of life, may not be diminished for any reason, not for any stumbling block in the world. "He has not gazed on sin in Yaacov, nor seen wearisomeness in Israel, Hashem his God is with him and the friendship of the King is in him."
We rise above all thoughts of hatred, above all superficiality within exhortations and discourses that awaken anger and hatred against brothers. We are filled with desire and saturated with the dew of mighty kindness. We return to embrace with arms of love every soul of the house of Jacob that desires to see the joy of our nation and take pride in our inheritance.
Precisely out of this faithful love, out of the most dedicated feelings of respect with all the warmth of anima and spirit, we come to proclaim the return to Torah and the commandments, to holiness and faith, to the heritage of the fathers and the tradition of those who preceded us, to the light of Hashem, God of Israel, Who appears upon His nation and upon His land forever in the glory of His might.
Let us distance ourselves now from every grudge, let us rise above all smallness of the mind and heart, let us ascend beyond all hatred and hostility, let us absorb now the fresh love from its refined source, let us blend the branches of lovingkindness with the roots of knowledge, the splendor of freedom with the grandeur of old age, [as we practice] the skill of honoring the parents and teachers of a nation that is ancient, aristocratic and stalwart.
We are summoned to this mighty renaissance, and we shall come to it. The beloved land of the fathers, our land of life, will prepare us for this elevation of elevations. This God is our God forever, He will lead us beyond death.
Arpelei Tohar, p. 86
Lined With Love
[Preceding the messianic era,] just before the "heels of the messiah," the special quality of oneness within the [Jewish] people increases.
Good deeds, states of awareness and the divine light found within holy people affect the holiness of everyone more than at other times.
This special quality is concealed within the camouflage of contention and argument. But "its inner being is lined with love" (Song of Songs) and with a wondrous unity that awakens a general sense of anticipating the emancipation of the entire nation.
Arpelei Tohar, p. 108
Israel, The Nation Close To Him
The inner demand that actions match the highest and finest awareness and feeling is unique to Israel, whose character is the character of "children of Hashem, their God" (cf. Deuteronomy 14:1). They consider within themselves the possibility of bringing the life of action into line with the image of the ideal, exalted life.
This is unlike the portion of the nations of the world and the families upon the earth. They consider the superficial tones of the ideals of life-but only the glamour in [those tones], which at times enchant them. But this enchantment bears no fruits. It remains instead a feeble thought, in which they take pride and about which they boast. This is because the husk of idolatry, which envelops all the nations, prevents God's light of supernal righteousness from entering the essence of the life of action.
Thus the Torah, the Godly Torah which limits the life of action in accordance with the divine, supernal demand, cannot exist among the nations. "He has not so treated any nation besides Jacob" (Psalms 147:20), "Israel, the nation close to Him" (Psalms 148:14).
Arpelei Tohar, pp. 105-06
The Divine Spirit Flows Without Cease
The divine spirit flows without cease upon the Community of Israel. It irrigates with its moisture all the souls of all Jews. And even the lowest ranks-of the crass and of Jewish criminals-are included within this.
The Great Love That I Have For My Nation
The great love that I have for my nation does not blind me from seeing all its flaws. But I find its essence-even after the most unrestrained scrutiny-to be clean of any flaw. "You are entirely beautiful, my beloved, you are without blemish" (Song of Songs).
