21 January 2024 · A sentence from the teachings of Rav Kook
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We Must Not Be Doormats
„There is a deficiency in fear from its external side, that it softens the heart too much, robbing a person of the quality of his valor, so that on its account he remains like a man without strength. And in this, fear prevents - even when it is divine fear, flowing from a tradition originally pure - the perfection of the world and the completeness of the form of man.”From Shemonah Kevatzim I:178
Excessive fear, dread that fills us, causes us to fall silent. To not act, to lose our ability to win. This is true in spiritual work - those who think that through fear and intimidation they will move a person to change are mistaken in the long run. It does indeed affect and shake things up in the short term, but it does not hold. And this is true also in material work and in life as a whole. Fear is not an engine! If we desire life, we must initiate and produce a plan, and not let another move us on account of our fear and pressure.
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From the community archive of Mishpetei HaRav Kook — studying Rav Kook's teachings since 2011.