Bezalel Naor on Rav Kook’s Universalistic Mysticism and Mystical Atheism | Convos with Authors

Rav Kook was a polymath, a legalist and rationalist, a mystic and poet. He was a world leader of Jewry and one of her most influential thinkers of the past century. His legacy as both a nationalist and universalist continues to baffle his admirers and detractors. Joining us to help sort out this enigmatic spiritual giant and his messianic vision is Rabbi Bezalel Naor, an author and teacher, a preeminent scholar, translator and lifelong student of Rav Kook, and founder of Orot inc, a research centre and publishing house dedicated to the elucidation and dissemination of the teachings and poetry of Rav Kook. In this conversation we discuss, Bezalel’s journey to becoming a student of Rav Kook, and take a glimpse into Rav Kook’s Spiritual Renaissance, his universal love, and his peculiar mystical atheism.  “All religions will recognize each other as brothers; how each serves its purpose... The relationships between religions will be organic. This realization will automatically bring about (and is brought about by) the higher realization of the unity of the light of Ein Sof [the Infinite, God], that manifests in and through all. And with this, automatically the pride of Israel must be uplifted.” - Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook’s Messianic Prophecy