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Religious Zionism: Bridging the Gap

FallBeitMidrash@LSS
jrosenfeld@lss.org
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Session #1 - Theory & Beginnings, Growth & Opposition
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1936,"

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I. Hovevei Tziyon & Shivat Tziyon Movement

1. R. Judah Alkalai (1798-1878), Goral la-Hashem (Vienna: 1857)

I have received his important clarion call and I rejoiced in

reading his delightful words regarding the redemption of Israel. I
am prayerful that the Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of
his nation, that they should return in full repentance; in order that
all the nations know that the name of God is upon us to raise up
our honor once again, above and beyond


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I was elated to hear that he plans to reprint this special book once again. It is an auspicious time for
such a thing, as IT DEMONSTRATES TO THE NATION THAT THE ZIONIST IDEA WAS NOT BORN
CIRCUMCISED, and that even 50 years ago, when many of our nation imagined still that salvation
would come from the enlightenment of civilization, there were already those wise men amongst them
who understood what a grave mistake this was, how it would not help us one iota; that the greater
hope for improving the nations physical and spiritual needs was the Return to Zion...
and in the important book in front of us are vital teachings for refuting those who oppose this idea,
and that the essence of the book itself is to inculcate and convince those Haredim of the correctness
of the Zionist idea
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If the foundations of their religion have not emasculated their minds, [the Jews] may even, if the
occasion offers - so changeable in human affairs - raise up their empire afresh, and God may a
second time elect them.
- Benedict Spinoza Theologico-Political Treatise (Cited in Ravitzky, p.10 fn.6)
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R.ShmuelYaakovb.R.ShimonMeirRabinowitzofSopotzkinwastheMizrahisecretaryfortheGrodno
district.HisassistantwasShmuelTchernovitz,aMaskilicwriteralsoknownasSfog,brotherofR.Hayyim
Tchernovitz,RavTsair.
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2. R. Zevi Hirsch Kalischer (1795-1874), Sefer Drishat Tziyon vHevrat Erets Noshevet
[orig. vol. 3 of Emunah Yesharah] (Lyck: 1862); 1:1






























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And to teach, I decided in my heart to explain, contra the two groups we mentioned earlier, based on
the Prophets, Sifri, Jerusalem Talmud, the Holy Zohar, Nahmanides, and many other great Rishonim,
that the final redemption will sprout little by little, and how the logical and traditional obligation is
upon us to exert ourselves with strength, courage, and fortitude - everyone who thinks of themselves
as part of the Jewish nation - to endeavor as a part of the Hevrat Erets Noshever, or Committee for
the Settlement of the Land of Israel. I pray that The One who shines upon all the Earth and those who
dwell therein, will enlighten the eyes of the righteous and wise leaders of our times, to endow their
great spirit with a generous/benevolent feeling, because the appointed time is upon us; from the
philanthropists of Jeschurun, men of great wealth and means - like whom in all our wanderings in exile
there has never been, driving one to say what has God wrought within his nation Israel... because He
desires in his lovingkindness for the success of our holy nation in this generation and once they study
intently all that is written in this small tract with its airtight proofs, that for the sake of Zion we shall not
be silent, and that we will not allow our hands to rest until we have functionally re-established
Jerusalem first in the land

3. Aviezer Ravitzky, Messianism, Zionism, and Jewish Religious Radicalism [trans.
Swirsky & Chipman] (Chicago: 1996); pp. 31-32

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4. R. Avraham Isaac ha-Kohen Kook (1865-1935), On Zionism [published in ha-Devir
Journal, vols. 7-9, 1920; pp. 28-33]

In order to assuage the fears of Torah greats and those who fear the word of God that the Zionist
movement will cause ruptures in the faith of our Holy Torah in the spirit of reform, and beyond
that, to remove the complaints of the freethinking writers amongst whom there is a consensus
agreeing with the reformers regarding our national revival, I found it necessary to explain in
short, according to the law and the Halakha, how we should conduct ourselves in the ways of the
Torah at this time of national revival and return to the land, even if the redemption should
happen by natural means, in an initially degraded way. Those who desire reform think that it is
permissible and fitting to ignore or abrogate many Halakhot and Minhagim as we become an
active nation, dwelling in its homeland, and it is from this demand that the hearts of those
loyal to the word of God tremble, and see fit to oppose Zionism in all its forms.

We must understand a bit of the basics regarding our struggle for national revival, indeed, as I will
make clear, there is nothing in the foundations of our faith, or its attendant details that should sway
us from the idea that our initial arousal and shaking off of the dust of exile can be done through
natural/human processes and the machinations of history, and this the decision is clear that we have a
holy obligation to take part in it as much as possible
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Behold the extreme progressives who reject the Torah, these are the ones who so easily see fit
to change the laws of the Written Torah - I think that anyone who understands the true
underpinnings of the Zionist movement knows as well that they neednt fear them at all, as
these people were only able to assert themselves so long as people of our ilk were aloof and
restrained but now, as the stature of nationalism grows and expands, thank God we are
certain that the honor of the Torah will as well...

{5. R. Avraham Isaac ha-Kohen Kook, Keriyot Gedolot (Jerusalem: 1943); no. 1 -
Maamar me-Afikim ba-Negev (Brooks in the Negev) [originally published in Boisk,
1901]; pp. 1-3}
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The greatest obstacle in the way of this
proposal is the character of my people. It is not ready to attempt anything so great. The
pressure under which we have lived for centuries has removed all vigor from our spirit the
natural impulse for freedom has ceased its activity within us. It has been changed into a
monkish piety, manifested in prayer and suffering, not in activity. The hoped-for return to
Palestine is reserved for Synagogue and prayer, but it has no influence on our conduct as
citizens
- Moses Mendelssohn Gesammelte Schriften (Leipzig: 1843-5), 5:493-94; Quoted in P.R.
Mendes-Flohr & J. Reinharz, The Jew in the Modern World, p. 43
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321322',""
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6. R. Kook, Iggerot ReAYaH 2:477 [Letter to the Mizrahi Organization, St. Galen; 20th
of Shevat, 1912]

...as I explain every time I have the opportunity to address the matter of the Mizrahi
and its value: That there is one binding rule, in my opinion, to carve on its banner -
that only through this will the light of our inner soul shine forth, unencumbered by the
bonds of concealment that weigh us down. This rule is that the Mizrahi should express
openly, that despite the allegiance it always shows for Zionism in general, whether
through nationalistic ideology and the practical efforts to materialize it, it [Mizrahi]
also fights against the small amendment made by the First Zionist Congress which
declared Zionism has nothing to do with Religion. This declaration actually renders
everything the Mizrahi does a farce. The Mizrahi seems to stand firmly in the camp of
the Torah, for whom the word of God lights the way, and we, those of complete faith
know clearly that only through the quality of the connection between the entire nation
and our living, perfect Torah lies the success of Zionism and its ascendancy now and in
the future, and that with the abandonment of the Torah lies nothing but waste and
hopelessness and how can the Mizrahi be silent when it comes to this resolution,
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which uproots its very essence? Therefore, it seems to me that there is no rectification
for the Mizrahi other than to announce clearly that with all its love for Zionism in
general it opposes with all its might this abhorrent resolution, and will not rest until
it is expunged from the Zionist platform

7. R. Kook, Orot [Orot Yisrael, 6;7]; p. 160

This is not so regarding a State which is founded upon ideals, etched into it from its very inception - the
most ideal and elevated on the scale of values, and this State is none other than our state - the State of
Israel, the foundation of Gods throne in our world

8. R. Yitzhak Yaakov Reines (1839-1915), Ohr
Hadash al Tziyon Tair (Vilna: 1901)

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