Rav Kook and Hevron

Chayei Sarah: Rav Kook and Hebron

"Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, also known as Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and to weep for her." [Gen. 23:2]

On February 18, 1930, a somber gathering assembled in the Yeshurun synagogue in Jerusalem. The synagogue and its plaza were packed as crowds attended the memorial service for the Jews of Hebron killed in the Arab rioting half a year earlier.

Rav Kook Derasha (1933) Warning About Hitler

Background Note

Rav Kook delivered this well-known sermon in the Old City of Jerusalem on Rosh Hashanah, 1933. It was a time of mixed tidings. On the one hand, ominous news of the beginning of Hitler's reign in Germany became more troubling with each passing day. On the other hand, the Jewish community in Israel was flourishing. Immigration from central Europe was increasing. Educated immigrants with needed skills and financial means were arriving; they contributed greatly to developing the country's economy. It seemed that the footsteps of the redemption could be heard.