31 October 2023 · A sentence from the teachings of Rav Kook
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The Cruelty of War
„It was entirely impossible, at a time when all the neighbors were literally ravening wolves, that Israel alone should not fight — for then they would have gathered and, God forbid, destroyed its remnant; on the contrary, it was very necessary to cast fear upon the savages as well.”From Igrot HaRe'iyah I, 89
War is a hard thing. But on the battlefield our soldiers are required to destroy the evil and the evildoers, and their surroundings and their supporters. Our strength and our might are not in cruelty, but at the time when we are on the battlefield we are required and obligated in it. The Rav closes his words with an important, forward-looking statement: "only with the anticipation of bringing humanity to what it ought to be" — that is, we must remember that this cruelty is not correct as a tendency and a goal. It is a means to repair the world. But as he emphasizes at the close of his words, "not to force the hour."
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From the community archive of Mishpetei HaRav Kook — studying Rav Kook's teachings since 2011.