Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: Financial Help for an Underappreciated Kabbalist

#231

Date and Place: 7 Marcheshvan 5670 (1909), Yafo

Recipient: Rav Nachum Rogoznitzki and Rav Yechiel Michel Tukachinsky, the administrators of the Etz Chayim Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Body: I am presently forced to go beyond the bounds I usually set for myself. This is because I feel obligated to point out and awaken your distinguished hearts regarding the welfare of a very great and dear person, who is a great rabbi, with unique expertise in Kabbalistic knowledge and with wisdom that is steeped in pure fear of Hashem. I am referring to our master, Rav Shimon Zvi Horowitz, may he be well, who lives a life of sorrow and difficulty. Presently, his expenses have increased, as he has needed to take his son-in-law into his house.

I know reliably that if his greatness in the revealed areas of the Torah were valued like those in the area of Kabbala, then everyone would realize his stature. Indeed, he has great knowledge and an ability to analyze, to compare sources and organize them, as one should, with broad knowledge as is appropriate for such an excellent scholar, who is among the elite scholars of our time. If people appreciated his greatness, they would try to expand his resources and provide him with that which he lacks, with honor, as they do for the scholars of your holy yeshiva.

The problem is that whoever is greater than his fellow is more vulnerable than he. Also, the more degraded the stature of the holy Torah, as it is in this lowly time (from which we will be elevated with Hashem’s help), all the more so is the stature of the “soul of the Torah” (presumably, Torah scholars) more degraded. The survivors, to whom Hashem gave the spirit to have a special affinity for learning knowledge of Hashem and His greatness, based on the foundations and highest, most reliable paths that have been passed on to us by our fathers who received Hashem’s secrets, are the most degraded. They are not appropriately regarded even among those who revere Torah.

However, we must stand strongly against this tendency, especially in our holy and glorious city, the place where prophecies occurred, and where it is proper that there will be more people who understand Hashem on a special level. Those who have an internal tendency toward the wisdom of truth and authentic Kabbala should be particularly cherished and supported with honor, so that the number of such people will increase and there be more understanding of Hashem, which is a most coveted situation.

Therefore, I think it is proper that you respected rabbis will strive to improve the situation of this very excellent expert in the secrets of the Torah. There are two goals, in my opinion: One is to extricate a wonderful Torah scholar from difficulties. The other is to give honor to the involvement in the secrets of the Torah, as our liberation depends on this, along with, certainly, the strengthening of the study of all areas of Torah study. However, those who are unique in their entering the depths of the study of divinity are worthy to be supported in a manner that shows respect to their sanctity.

I hope that my few words will bear fruit, and the hearts of wise men like you will give honor to knowledge in a manner that will expand and glorify the Torah so that it will stand like a crown and a thing of splendor.