Collected Sources on Rav Kook's View of Atheism
Shemoneh Kevatzim 2:120
Regarding the supernal Divine truth, there is no difference between that of the image of faith and that of heresy – both do not give the [full] truth. For whatever idea a person attains by way of positive assertion, has to be put as a negative assertion within the truth of God. Rather, faith brings us closer to the truth, and heresy to falsehood, and automatically the good and bad are drawn from these opposites, “the righteous will walk in them and the sinners will stumble in them.” And the entire world, with all of its material and spiritual values, everything is from our perspective, and for our perspective the truth is revealed in faith and it is the source of good, and the falsehood in heresy, and it is the source of evil. But, from the perspective of the Or Ein Sof everything is equal, even heresy is a revelation of the strength of life, that the light of essential life is clothed within it, and because of that the spiritual heroes might receive from it very good sparks, and transform its bitterness to sweetness.
Igrot HaReiyah 1:50
We must not be afraid of all the polemics of atheism, but rather rejoice in our ability to demonstrate that these very tendencies, which seem so pernicious and contradictory to faith and religion, in fact bring the world closer to the "House of the God of Jacob" (Isaiah 2:3), Who is lofty and exalted. All intelligent denials relate only to the imaginary aspect which in human nature adheres to feelings of faith, and this imaginary side must be destroyed, but the good things that it engenders in the world must be preserved. Clear, cogent concepts, free of illusion, may be found only in the profound plan of pure divine unity, which is the fundamental source of Israel.
Orot Haemunah p25
There is disbelief which is accounted belief, and belief which is accounted disbelief. How so? A man admits that Torah is from heaven, but the "heavens" he pictures are so strange that nothing of true belief remains. And how might disbelief be considered admission? A man denies that Torah is from heaven, but his disbelief is based only on the conception of "heaven" which is to be found in minds filled with rubbishy, nonsensical thoughts, while he maintains that Torah must be from a higher source... This denial is considered as admission ... "Torah from heaven" is an example of all beliefs, general and specific.
Igrot HaReiyah 1:20
Though it is a certain prohibition and a festering sore for one to even cast a doubt concerning the truth of the content of our perfect Faith, nevertheless we do not find our Sages adjudging such individuals as atheists or apikorsim. Only one who definitely denies, that is, who decides that the very opposite of our faith is true, is included in this category. A categorical denial cannot possibly emanate from any Israelite who is not outright sinful and consciously distorting the truth. For the most that irreligion can do is to sow doubt in people of weak conviction. Therefore, one who arrogantly denies without mental reservations is sinful beyond question. This is clear: whoever is aware that even extreme irreligion, if it is honest, can at most stake itself in a position of doubt, and this only as a result of absence of knowledge, weakness of sensibility, and want of guidance—will certainly on due reflection of this, become more perfect in his own faith and more richly endowed with true piety. The more such an individual will attach himself to men of learning, to true seekers after God, the more will he progress in his attainment of a firm faith that will be rooted in knowledge and wisdom.
Lenevuchei HaDor 26
There is no heretic, from any nation or tongue, quite like the Jewish heretic, who is so compelled, in consequence of his heresy, to falsify his national history, to acquire a falsified picture of the characteristics of his nation, and along with that to envelope it in much shame, to rob it of its honor and its glory in a nationalistic sense. The Jewish heretic, he can’t just do whatever he does based on views that are imperfect intellectual concepts, but he needs to [act further to] be greatly blemished and be very defective in his soul. He has to be completely lacking true nationalist sensitivity, as well as true moral sensitivity which dwells in any pure heart that seeks truth. However, psychological defects can come from different causes, and it’s possible that a destructive physical and psychological situation brings a man to such a distorted viewpoint, that he can never be a believer in his lifetime, and (cf. Deuteronomy 28:34) “he will be driven mad, from what his eyes see.”
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Atheism is a sickness, a very evil and very dangerous one, to the world in general and to our nation specifically. When we contemplate its natural purpose, as to why it has been set within a portion of the human species and therefore in a portion of the Jewish nation as well, we recognize that since, with every positive assertion - despite having latent truths - the imagination does what it does, and pollutes it with conceptual errors (especially when many generations pass by without strong investigative work in the fields of [philosophical] ideas), those very lofty and pure ideas would of course become wrapped in the robes of immaturity, and manifest in a wild fashion in people’s hearts. Therefore, who is it, indeed, who brings the human species in general, and our nation specifically, to apply itself to cleanse the spiritual ideas, to establish them in their purity? Only the atheists! It is true that they themselves have not properly acquired the positive assertions, but this deficiency is actually the very thing that causes them to lack the [polluting] shadows of the imagination that had accumulated [over time] for the believers. Therefore, they cause pain to the hearts of believers through their ridicule and mockery, which, in turn, motivates [the believers] to figure out for themselves, and gain clarity from their inner apprehension, to provide answers for others as well. Because of this inclination, of the desire to cover up the shame, matters (cf. Daniel 12:10) “will be purified, and refined” will be the ideas, and the clouds of the imagination will scatter because of the light of truth, and even the deniers will discover after this [process] purified positive assertions. The great power of truth will force them to submit to them.
This is the essence of the tolerance that comes from the all-encompassing nature of knowledge of God and perfect faith, through the soul’s knowledge, that (Proverbs 16:4) “God has made everything for its own purpose.” Then, a person cannot be bothered overly much even when he sees “foxes leaving the room of the Holy of Holies,” and his heart won’t tremble from the pandemonium of the crowds of Rome traveling noisily, for he will understand and recognize [how] to extract from anything its desired purpose. “Immediately each [angel] was moved to love him [Moses] and gave him something... Even the Angel of Death gave him something, as it says, (Song of Songs 1:3) ‘Therefore the maidens love you,’ don’t read ‘maidens’ (alamot) but ‘over death’ (al moti).” Even that which causes waste and destruction can be given purpose by someone who is enlightened as to its value and its objective, and readies himself and others to make use of matters which can seem dangerous, to enlighten and to improve for the success of the individual and the collective.
Lenevuchei HaDor 29
The existence of atheism is something so contemptible that any wise-hearted person, of a settled mind, can rationally recognize its impetuousness, and many top scholars in the world, known in the field of open-minded scholarship, have found it appropriate to wage war against the scourge that is atheism. This is because for a genuine great thinker, it is precisely through free inquiry, with absolutely no limits to one’s thought, that one will recognize the power of the holiness of faith and its truth. But whence does this seed of rebellion spring? From what source does it draw the strength to be so terribly shameless in the world? It is because man is designed for great perfection, to actualize everything latent in his spirit, to become filled with wisdom and fully-developed in all authentic holy feelings, and then, when he achieves this lofty station, faith in its normal perception, which is the way we perceive it now, no longer becomes necessary for him at all. For lofty truths would be before him, revealed and known, like simple feelings and first thoughts. Therefore, placed deep in his nature is an inclination to rise from the prison of the required stage of the need for [external] faith. However, fortunate is the man that is so elevated in his station that the true divine light is revealed to him in his subjective perception! And, (Ezekiel 18:6) “He does not eat on the mountains” - [as the Talmud interprets,] this refers to those who do not receive sustenance by the merits of their forefathers [but rather their own merits]. But woe, woe to him, to the one who eats [the fruit] before it is ripe, to he “who has not developed enough,” and has breached the line, to unyoke himself from the force of faith; how greatly he has corrupted his soul, how much he will cause damage and destruction to the world!
However, even those special wise-hearted individuals, who (Exodus 19:22) “approach toward God,” even though they have already achieved such a lofty level, that they already recognize all the divine truths that are hidden in the light of faith, with a deep and large perception within their powerful minds, nevertheless - it should be counted as righteousness that the idea and feeling of faith should continue to be fixed in their hearts, for it adds light within the soul and raises a person to the level of objective perception. For so long as “he leans heavily only on his own reason,” ultimately he is just an individual, and his vision is only according to his soul and the level of his perception. However, once he achieves a recognition based on reason, he can combine this recognition with the one based on faith, and he gains the all-encompassing [perspective], and [he recognizes] the great strength of truth and morality which is in worldly knowledge, but that at its loftiest level it returns to faith, since it is absolutely impossible for man to perceive the power of unadulterated divinity; if so, the clear Truth cannot become deeply engraved [in the heart] without its fusion with the force of faith, which encompasses all spiritual visions in the same way as they are known to their Creator Whose seal is Truth. It is only then that he will be crowned in the light of Truth from all its perspectives.
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