ד. עֲקִירַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁל קְדֻשַּׁת הַיַּהֲדוּת הִיא הִיא הַגּוֹרֶמֶת לְכָל בִּלְבּוּלֵי הַדֵּעוֹת. בָּאִים לְהִתְחַכֵּם וְלִמְצֹא בִּסְבָרוֹת וְהֶגְיוֹנוֹת דָּבָר שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִמְצֹא בְּעֶצֶם הַהֲוָיָה הַנַּפְשִׁית וּבַטֶּבַע הָרוּחָנִי וְגַם הַגּוּפָנִי, שֶׁל הַכְּלָל כֻּלּוֹ וְשֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל בִּפְרָט. הֲפָרַת בְּרִית הִיא זוֹ, הַזְנָחַת הַטֶּבַע הַיַּהֲדוּתִי בְּמַעֲשֶׂה, בְּרַעְיוֹן, בְּרֶגֶשׁ וּבְמַחֲשָׁבָה, בְּרָצוֹן וּבִמְצִיאוּת. אֵין תְּרוּפָה לְמֵפִיר בְּרִית כִּי אִם הַתְּשׁוּבָה אֶל הַבְּרִית, הָאֲחוּזָה בִּתְכוּנַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחָזְקָה, "שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם".
**Main thesis**:
The root cause of all confusion in Jewish thought and identity is the **uprooting** or artificial denial of the **natural essence** of Jewish holiness. This holiness is an intrinsic, inherent quality — spiritual, emotional, volitional, and even physical — present in the Jewish nation as a whole and in every individual Jew. It is not something acquired solely through intellectual reasoning, study, or external observance; it is a fundamental, organic part of Jewish being ("the natural-spiritual and even physical nature").
**Key problems caused by this uprooting**:
- People try to explain Jewish uniqueness, history, survival, and mission purely through rational arguments, historical circumstances, sociology, or logic — ignoring the deeper, inherent reality.
- This leads to denial of any essential difference between Jews and other nations, reducing Judaism to external conditions or choices.
- Extreme versions result in assimilation and disconnection from the people; milder versions blur national identity, language, lifestyle, and ultimately lead to assimilation as well.
- Even among some Orthodox circles that oppose secular nationalism, there can be a partial uprooting by claiming Jewish identity depends **only** on Torah observance and mitzvot, overlooking the halachic principle that a Jew remains a Jew even if sinful (as per the majority ruling following Rabbi Meir).
**Limits of rationalism**:
While Judaism values intellect, logic, and rational discussion (including in Torah she-be'al peh), not everything — especially core moral instincts ("conscience"), love, national attachment, or holiness — can or should be fully explained rationally. Reason clarifies and structures, but does not create these primal realities (similar to Kant's recognition of the limits of pure reason). Over-reliance on pilpul (casuistry) and clever arguments can distort truth — like the Talmudic story of scholars finding 150 reasons to declare a sheretz pure, yet it remains impure by its nature.
**Historical and modern context**:
Modern thought has rediscovered the importance of "nature" — in human rights, experimental science (listening to nature rather than imposing on it), progressive education ("train the child according to his way"), etc. Yet attempts to reduce Jewish holiness to rational or environmental factors deny this natural kedusha, creating confusion and inability to explain Jewish history's uniqueness or to fully commit to Jewish destiny and mitzvot.
**The solution**:
There is no cure for one who "breaks the covenant" except **teshuva** — return to the covenant. This means returning to and faithfully embracing the pre-existing, natural divine holiness within Israel ("Return to Me, and I will return to you" — Malachi 3:7).
This return is not merely adopting external behaviors, but reconnecting with the innate holy character already present. Once this foundation is acknowledged, intellectual discussion, research, and adaptation to changing realities can flourish productively (e.g., the Oral Torah builds upon but never overrides the unchanging Written Torah).
In essence, Rav Kook argues that authentic Jewish renewal and clarity come from recognizing and returning to the **organic, covenantal, God-given holiness** inherent in the Jewish people — beyond (but not against) reason — rather than trying to construct or explain Judaism artificially through intellect alone. This natural kedusha persists through all exiles, persecutions, and comforts, and even reveals itself unwillingly in those who try to hide it.
