ANIMAL KINGDOM

The Life-force of All Species

We find wondrous abilities in animals that at times astonish us. We can reproduce these only after great and long study. Even then, however, we can only approximate those achievements.
What gives these animals their abilities? The lights of the life-force of all species are fragments of a great, supernal soul filled with wisdom and ability, which has been divided into many branches. The glow of this great soul, which contains wondrous wisdom and ability, shines upon each branch in a minute amount-like a drop of water from the sea.

Still, because the point comes from the all-encompassing basis of wisdom and an ability that is mighty and exalted, its essential impression can never be eradicated. The impression brings forth its ability in accordance with the profound greatness of that wisdom; in accordance with the measure that [the wisdom] had had when it had been enclosed and connected-with a connection of a perfect life-to its perfect source; when [the wisdom] had been the content of the crown of wisdom, arranged precisely by the Supernal Consciousness.
Orot Hakodesh I:358
 
NEW! Extensive excerpts from  the book, Chadarav--His Chambers: A Collection of Rav Kook's Personal Writings
from Chadarav

From My Wellsprings

A Thirst for God

Revealing the Soul

Without Words

The Singer

The Wellsprings of Holiness

In a Vision

To Know God's Secrets

To Bind the Sheaves

Serving God

Returning to God

The Land of Israel

A Great Love

To My People

The Birthpangs of Redemption
Introduction

Topics:

Animal Kingdom
Character Traits
Clinging to God
Death
Encouragement
Ethics
Faith
Fear of God
Feeling
Good and Evil
Historical Forces
Holidays
Imagination
Intelligence
Intent
Jew and Gentile
Jewish Literature
Joy
Kindness
Land of Israel
Letters of the Alphabet
Love of God
Love of Israel-Part I
Love of Israel-Part II
Philosophy
Poetry and Beauty
Prayer
Rav Kook
Redemption
Science
Sexuality
Silence
Song
Souls
Spiritual Thirst
Spirituality and Physicality
Teshuvah (Repentance)
Torah-Part I
Torah-Part II
Torah and Secular Knowledge
Tzaddik (Holy Person)
Universalism
Visualization
Young People


The Translator

About the Translator

Absence of Stone--Poetry
Experiencing the Divine--An Extraordinary Hasidic Classic
Jewish Lights
Rav Kook blog


Rav Kook Resources

Atid (R. Chaim Brovender, R. Yedidya Sinclair and R. Jeffrey Saks)

Between Rationalism and Mysticism: On-Line Book (Benjamin Ish-Shalom)

Orot (R. Bezalel Naor)

OU Radio on Rav Kook (R. Tzvi Weinreb)

Rav Kook Torah (R. Chanan Morrison)

Video About Rav Kook's Life

Video Class on Rav Kook (R. Raz Hartman)

Other Torah Resources

A Simple Jew
Breslov Center
Hirhurim
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