Shabbat Parashat Chukat 5783

Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: Jewish Art – The Positive and Halachic Care – #158 – part I

Recipient: The heads of the Betzalel organization for Jewish art. The head of Betzalel, Boris Shatz, had been a yeshiva student before studying sculpture, which perhaps puts the style of the letter in perspective.

Body: One beam of light has shone for us through the fog of our world, which is presently dark. Here and there in the Diaspora, our brothers are in upheaval and darkness. Blood is spilled; bodies are trampled; skulls are shattered; houses, shops, and showcases are plundered. Our nation lies in a pitiful state between the split hooves of the pig, which tramples and afflicts wounds, while we have no ability to stop it.

The possibility of enjoying loving relationships within our nation have all but disappeared. Those who love freedom have stood idly by on the day of tragedy and were not moved by the destruction their brothers experienced (see Amos 6:6). All of the actions taken by the modern Jewish movements to promote their demand for freedom for the Jews have been ineffective. In Russia, which is full of Jewish blood, all demands have been erased from the heart, as if it was an old loan that had been cancelled by shemitta or yovel. Instead there is darkness and fog.

Alas, a flow of cold water has rushed over the cracked bones: “Eretz Yisrael is reawakening!” The reawakening is admittedly slow, even very slow, with baby steps and long breaks between them. Yet, it is still reawakening. The buds of new life are visible to anyone who wants to look.

One of the clearest signs of new life is the significant activity that your organization is planning – “Reawakening Jewish Art and Beauty in Eretz Yisrael.” It is inspiring to see our ultra-talented brothers, giants of beauty and art, who find a respected place in the broad boulevards of society’s mainstream. A high wind has lifted them and brought them to Yerushalayim, to adorn our holy city, which is so engrained in our hearts. These pleasant flowers will bring honor and grandeur to the city, along with blessing and utility. Such a good omen should make all happy – the young and the old, and even those who are least emotional and those who are most occupied with the serious questions of survival.

Imagine a sweet girl, a beloved daughter, who has been in the midst of a long, difficult illness, with hope almost lost. Her face is as white as a sheet; her lips, blue; her body, as hot as a furnace, and trembling. Imagine she opens her eyes and her tightly sealed lips, and her little hands move in a manner that displays life, her thin fingers moving from side to side, attempting to work. Suddenly, her lips move and almost look like flesh, and a pained voice is heard: “Mother, mother, the doll; give me the doll, my dear doll that I have not seen for so long!”

The sound of rejoicing! Everyone is happy, father and mother, brothers and sisters, even the old grandparents who many years ago forgot their children’s childhood games. “Our little Shoshana (a name and a rose) is asking for a doll!” Thank G-d, it is a good sign. She is past the worst part of her illness. The doctor who has grown so close to the family takes part in the rejoicing, in place of taking part in the anguish; he agrees it is a good sign. The crisis has passed. The hope is now that Shoshana will grow and be a leader among her friends.

While the doll is the first request, she will go on to ask for many things. Her spirit and body will increasingly strengthen. She will demand more medicine, soup, meat and bread. She will want her dress and her fancy clothes, her pen, books, and projects. All will rejoice in these matters, the grandparents and parents with tears of joy in their eyes. The young siblings will happily clap and dance: “Hurray! Little, pretty, sweet Shoshana is asking for a doll.”

We will continue next time, but it should already be clear that the doll represents art.

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