Rav Betzalel Zolty [the great Gaon and Rov of Yerushalayim] was walking with the famed mashgiach, Rav Leib Chasman, at the funeral of Rav Kook. The streets were filled with talmidei chachomim and rabbonim. Rav Chasman turned to the young Rav Zolty and said "You see all of these heads? The head of Rav Kook was greater than all of these heads combined."
Rav Shabtai Rappaport, a grandson of Rav Moshe Feinstein, said that Rav Moshe was a great admirer of Rav Kook. He once showed Rav Moshe a brilliantly precise definition offered by Rav Kook that helped clarify a halachic matter. Rav Moshe asked what is surprising "Rav Kook was a gaon of gaonim" [a "Top-Gun" Gaon, if it is permitted to use such an expression].
I heard first hand, from an עד נאמן ביותר, that in Elul, Rav Kook's Oros Hatshuva was on the table of the Gerrer Rebbe, Rav Pinchas Menachen Alter ztz"l. This is in addition to Rav Kook's halachic sefarim which the Pnei Menachem learned thoroughly and added many, many comments, questions, additions etc. etc.
So I encourage ALL of my sweetest friends to spend some time learning the holy Oros Hatshuva during this tshuva season. If you can't understand it alone - find someone who does understand it and learn it together. Invite a Rav to give a shiur in the sefer and be mezake other yidden and yiddenes.
It will elevate you neshama to the highest levels.
Catch the fire. Absorb the light.
אורות ושלומים:-)
