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OF REVELATION:

Rabbi Reuven Rav Kook and Chassidic Thought
Boshnack

espite the shtreimel that Throughout his life, Rav Kook was Rebbes of Ihzbitz, and especially Rebbe
he regularly wore atop immersed in Chassidic literature. Nachman, the Seer of Breslov.” 8
his head, Rabbi Avraham While living in Jaffa, he kept a copy of
DYitzchak HaKohen Rebbe Nosson of Breslov’s Likutei Tefillot 4 In a letter concerning the revival of
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Kook did not come from exclusively by his makom (his regular seat) in the Klal Yisrael, he wrote that nowadays
Chassidic stock. His father was a shul, and the Gerrer Rebbe’s Sfat Emet it is “very good [to see] so many
Lithuanian Jew, and both Rav Kook could always be found on his shtender discussions between the students of
and his father studied at the great (lectern) on Shabbat, even when he the Vilna Gaon and the students of the
yeshivah in Volozhin. His mother’s traveled to America. Although Rav Ba’al Shem Tov, in place of the great
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family, however, were adherents of the Kook did not include sources in his conflicts of earlier generations.” The
Kopust branch of Chabad Chassidut, a journals, his commentary on Aggadot darkness of exile caused a rupture
group that broke away from the main Rabbah bar bar Chana include many within the Torah itself, a brokenness
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Chabad movement in 1866. Despite quotations from the writings of Rabbi that Rav Kook hoped to repair by
their different backgrounds, Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder bringing these two schools of thought
Kook’s parents were respectful of each of Chabad Chassidut. Rabbi Shimon together into one, unified whole. Just
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other’s traditions, and both sides of his Glitzenstein, Rav Kook’s private as the nation is reviving itself and
family would play an important role in secretary, describes how he once physically returning to life, so too
his upbringing. entered Rav Kook’s room and found must the Torah itself be revived, its
debates assuaged and its controversies
Growing up, Rav Kook’s yarmulke was him running from one end of the room resolved.
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sewn with a button and some threads to the other in great excitement, like
from the Tzemach Tzedek’s (the third a young boy, holding a copy of Rabbi Rabbi David Cohen, known as “the
Chabad Rebbe) kapote. His father Shneur Zalman’s Likutei Torah on Shir Nazir,” visited Rav Kook in Chevron
would often bring him to the Kopust HaShirim clenched in his hands. He in the summer of 1922. Seeing a copy of
shul in Greiva built by his maternal said, “In every line of these ma’amarim the Ba’al HaTanya’s Likutei Torah on the
grandfather to imbibe the Chassidic you can see revealed ruach hakodesh!” table, he sat down and learned some
seudah shlishit atmosphere and to Rav Kook’s philosophy, though not selections. Afterwards, he mentioned
hear the teachings of Rabbi Yechezkel explicitly “Chassidic,” drew inspiration that the teachings were similar to
Yanover, a Kopust Chabad teacher. The from Chassidic thought. Writing in those which Rav Kook would often
powerful spiritual yearning of the HaTzofeh, the Mizrachi newspaper share during seudah shlishit. Rav Kook
Chassidim for revelations of Elokut founded by Rabbi Meir Bar-Ilan, responded, “Yes, this is correct, but
(G-dliness) and their pain over the Rabbi Hillel Zeitlin wrote: “The we also must distinguish between
exile of the Shechinah (G-d’s Presence words of the Arizal are sublime and the individual man’s relationship with
in this world) made a deep impact on abstract. The Ba’al Shem Tov came Hashem and Klal Yisrael’s relationship
the young Avraham Yitzchak. 1 to bring them down to mankind, to with Hashem. We are building the

Rav Kook’s parents would jokingly the G-dly soul within man. Chabad entire nation!”
bicker over their precocious son’s came and brought it down to man’s Rav Kook believed that Chassidut
future, with his father saying “he’ll psyche, his psychology and the depths was an important building block in
be a Rav” and his mother countering, of the human condition. Rav Kook the rebuilding of our nation in Eretz
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“he’ll be a Rebbe!” Ultimately, both of came, and revealed how the soul Yisrael. But while Chassidut has been
his parents’ hopes would be realized. of the masses worked, the events, enormously successful in deepening
During the week, Rav Kook acted as dangers, its descents and ascents, our individual relationships with
a Rav, while on Shabbat, wherever its purification and redemption… If Hashem, these teachings must be
he lived – from Zaumel and Boisk to I had the time, I would demonstrate expanded to address our national
Jaffa, London, and Jerusalem – he how Rav Kook’s thought is based in relationship with Hashem. The Torah
always conducted seudah shlishit in the the writings of Chabad, the Kedushat does not only speak to the individual’s
Chassidic style. 3 Levi, Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen, the soul, but also to the soul of the

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