To love this world well, we must submerge ourselves deeply in the love of the world-to-come. We must carry out all the improvements of this world in the most comprehensive way possible. These in fact are comprehensive preparations for the sake of each detail and the complete entirety of the life of the world-to-come. Only then will culture stride forward with confidence. This is a great wisdom, which is known to faith.
Orot Hakodesh III, p. 178
Even when your body is broken and shattered and your spirit is dismayed and maimed because of so many miseries—spiritual and physical—spiritual pleasantness does not cease giving its honey and sweet influence. These soothe your spirit and give it an inner pleasure even in the midst of its darknesses.
Orot Hakodesh III, p. 174
When there is an excessive tendency toward materialism, out of balance with the tendency toward spirituality, nations disintegrate. As regards the people of Israel, that balance is chiseled into the essence of who we are. However, that is so only to a degree that prevents the disease of an exaggerated disposition from becoming so permanent that it is beyond repair.
Orot, p. 159
Dr. Folk Schlessinger was Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook's physician in his last days. Close to the last Tisha B'Av of Rav Kook's life, when he was very ill, he consulted Dr. Schlessinger about fasting on Tisha B'Av. Rav Kook told him, "My evil inclination is telling me to fast, while my good inclination is telling me not to fast."
Malachim Kivnei Adam
All translations on this site copyright 2020 by Yaacov David Shulman