The rural roots of religious-Zionist philosophy
A scenic journey through Latvia and Lithuania traces the rural roots of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, first chief rabbi of Israel and spiritual architect of religious Zionism. The article follows his childhood in Griva, studies at Panevežys Yeshiva, rabbinate in the agricultural village of Žeimelis where he developed the heter mechirah, and move to Bauska. It highlights the link between the countryside and his philosophy, inviting travelers to visit restored synagogues and memorials.
A travel feature explores the rural landscapes of Latvia and Lithuania that shaped the spiritual philosophy of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, the first chief rabbi of Israel and a towering figure of religious Zionism. The article follows his life from his birth in Griva (now part of Daugavpils, Latvia), where as a child he played a game of leading children toward Eretz Israel, to his studies at the Panevežys Yeshiva under the Chafetz Chaim, and his rabbinate in the agricultural village of Žeimelis, where he confronted practical halachic questions of farming life and developed the heter mechirah. It then describes his move to Bauska, a city with a diverse Jewish population, where he eventually accepted the rabbinate after initially declining. The piece highlights restored synagogues, memorials, and the natural scenery that still evoke his presence, and reflects on how his ideas emerged from the land and its people. The author, Jacob Maor, a student of Rabbi Kook's son, offers a personal and spiritual perspective on the journey.