18 May 2022 · A sentence from the teachings of Rav Kook
View source on Facebook →
„'Do not be overly righteous' applies to practical matters; but in mat…”
„'Do not be overly righteous' applies to practical matters; but in matters of thought, there it is a world that is entirely good and without limit, and whoever multiplies the sanctifying and elevating of their thought in holiness and purity, in absolute truth, is praiseworthy.”From Shemonah Kevatzim VI, 31
The verse from Ecclesiastes, "Do not be overly righteous," calls upon us to beware of turning ourselves into a god — of determining what is right and what is not, and being the status-cop who tries to mend society and the world with our imagined righteousness, and who may even cause self-destruction and destruction of our surroundings. Rav Kook explains that the caution is correct in the practical realm, in the public sphere. But in the realm of thought, and in the place between us and ourselves, we must aspire to the highest there is — to be overly righteous and to aspire to as much as possible.
***
*To receive a daily message on WhatsApp:
From the community archive of Mishpetei HaRav Kook — studying Rav Kook's teachings since 2011.