Mishpetei HaRav Kook / The Rav's Yom Kippur

If you want to identify a righteous person, look for a person whose life is led by love. This does not refer to people who lack opinion or a stance of their own (for Rav Kook knew how to stand by his opinion even against the whole world and its fullness), but to those for whom the love of Israel is an essential part of their lives.

*Sivan Rahav Meir recounts:* In his room, on the windowsill, were his books — a small Tanach published by Gvilim, a Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud published by Chorev, small vocalized Zohar volumes, Rambam and Shulchan Aruch published by Chorev; on Shabbatot he added Likutei Torah of the Alter Rebbe (author of the Tanya), Sefat Emet of the Rebbe of Ger, and Klei Chemdah of Rabbi Meir Dan Plotzki of Poland; toward the Days of Awe — Kavanot Teki'ot Shofar from Pri Etz Chaim.

All of this he left twice on the eve of Yom Kippur, moments before the pre-fast meal: once to go with a Jewish soldier to the British headquarters and obtain for him a release for the holiday, and another time, while he was a rabbi in Britain, to intercede with the authorities and save a Russian Jew from being sent back to his homeland, where death had been decreed upon him. Not "after the holiday," not even "at the conclusion of the holiday," but now, a moment before Yom Kippur. The events complement each other; only a truly great person is capable of leaving the summit of the world in order to descend to the smallest and most practical matters. This was Rav Kook.

*Sivan Rahav Meir's new book "Ligdol" at a special price for you — enter coupon code 6464. Those interested can request a personal dedication from the author: