Orot ha-qodesh

work by Kook

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July 1, 2026

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"Orot ha-qodesh" ("Lights of Holiness") is a posthumously published, three-volume work by Abraham Isaac Kook. Kook was a prominent Jewish mystic, a fervent Zionist, and the first chief rabbi of Palestine under the British mandate.1

The work is described as a collection of cryptic essays that expound Kook's philosophy. He viewed Jewish national revival as integral to a divine plan aimed at strengthening faith against rising secularism. Kook's mystical thought is complex, but it generally emphasizes the idea that human separation from God is a consequence of "forgetfulness" rather than an objective reality. He believed that through adherence to Torah, humanity could restore its unity with the divine. "Orot ha-qodesh" is considered one of his most important contributions to Jewish mystical literature.1

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Abraham Isaac Kook
…published posthumously under the title Orot ha-qodesh, 3 vol. (1963–64; “Lights of Holiness”).
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…published posthumously under the title Orot ha-qodesh, 3 vol. (1963–64; “Lights of Holiness”).
Read More