Kook on Beshalach

Thoughts from one of my favorite Rabbi's (Abraham Isaak Kook) on this week's Torah portion...

Beshalach: Innate and Acquired Holiness

Two Forms of Holiness

Rav Kook wrote that the Jewish people possess two aspects of holiness. The first is an inner force that resides naturally in the soul. This trait is a spiritual inheritance passed down from the patriarchs, which Rav Kook referred to as a segulah (innate) holiness. It is an intrinsic part of the Jewish soul, and is immutable.

The second aspect of holiness is based on our efforts and choices. Rav Kook called this willed-holiness, as it is acquired consciously, through our actions and Torah study. Innate-holiness is in fact infinitely greater than willed-holiness, but it is only revealed to the outside world according to the measure of acquired holiness. It is difficult to perceive an individual's inner sanctity when it is not expressed in external actions or character traits.

The Rabbi of Safed, Rabbi Jacob David Willowsky (known by the acronym the Ridbaz), criticized Rav Kook for his congenial relations with the non-religious (and often anti-religious) pioneers who were settling the Land of Israel. Rav Kook responded to this criticism by noting the distinction between different forms of holiness.

"In our generation, there are many souls who are on a very low level with regard to their willed-holiness. Thus, they are afflicted with immoral behavior and dreadful beliefs. But their innate segulah light shines brightly. That is why they so dearly love the Jewish people and the Land of Israel." [Igrot HaRe'iyah vol. II, letter 555 (1913), pp. 187-188]

Rav Kook went on to explain that heretics and non-believers usually lose their inner segulah holiness, and separate themselves from the Jewish people. However, we live in special times. The Zohar describes the pre-Messianic generation as being "good on the inside and bad on the outside." That is to say, they have powerful inner holiness, even though their external, acquired holiness is weak and undeveloped.

[Gold from the Land of Israel, pp, 124-126. Adapted from Olat Re'iyah vol. I, p. 236]