„...in the name of his father, Rabbi Avraham Chaim HaKalman, of blesse…”

who was among those close to our master Rav Kook:

"The delight of the night of Purim in the Rav's house was thus: after the reading of the Megillah, Rav Kook and the rabbis close to him sat around the table. Among those seated were Rabbi David HaCohen 'the Nazir,' Rabbi Yitzchak Arieli, Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Charlap, and my father, of blessed memory. In the center of the table was a plate with wine, and each Torah scholar was given a small spoon with which he sipped the wine from time to time.

Rav Kook sat at the head of the table and said to the Torah scholars seated with him: Tell me any verse you wish, from anywhere in the Tanach, and I will bring you from it a halachic proof that one is obligated to love every Jew (even if he is a complete wicked person)!

Of course, this was not easy to prove from every verse... In any case, the Torah scholars seated with the Rav also tried to expound as he did, and even to argue with his expositions, but with all their brilliance he always prevailed over them, and in the end the clear conclusion remained that one is obligated to love every Jew...

This study of the commandment of love of Israel continued all night, until dawn rose and the time came for the vatikin prayer." (From the website "Or HaOrot" for the dissemination of the teachings of the Rav, of blessed memory)

Today's study is dedicated to the memory of Rav Kook's son, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook, of blessed memory, who passed away 30 years ago.

A truly joyous Purim to all!