There are many people who don't respect Rav Kook and disparage him. What is the response?
The best response is to learn his writings and see what type of person we are talking about. Then one can compare the writings of his detractors and we will find that just about all of them are not even in his league. He is Major League and they are comparatively Class A Minor League or even Pee Wee League [if we may use a baseball metaphor].
So the criticism of someone who is not even close to him in Torah and tzidkus doesn't shake us. If there is SUBSTANTIVE criticism of his philosophy then it may be discussed but with the knowledge that he was kodesh kodashim.
Look at what Rav Charlap said to the Chevre Kadisha who performed the Rav's tahara: You should know that you are carrying a person who had EVERYTHING - Tanach, Mishna, Bavli, Yerushalmi, the revealed and hidden torahs in their totality.
A person who never looked at woman from the time he realized that a woman is a woman [!!!] and thus he merited to teach Torah. The pasuk says ובריתך ינצורו - You must guard your bris, in the merit of which יורו משפטיך ליעקב ותורתך לישראל - You will teach your laws to Yaakov and your Torah to Yisrael. [It says this about Shevet Levi of which the Rav was a part].
Then he had everyone say vidui and do teshuva before taking the body which they did with great emotion. .
