AI Summary
5 min read“The doctrine of evolution, which is currently conquering the world, corresponds to the cosmic secrets of Kabbalah more than any other philosophical teaching,” Rav Kook wrote during World War I. This is not an endorsement of Darwinism as a biological theory, but a theological claim: that the entire cosmos is rising toward absolute goodness, and that no detail, no spark, will be left out. This radical optimism—that change itself is holy—is the organizing argument of The Torah of Tomorrow, One Song, a new bilingual collection of Rav Kook’s teachings translated by Rachel Tova Ebner. In conversation with host David Bashevkin, Ebner presents Rav Kook not as a system-builder but as a guide for a generation whose old religious “conceptions” are breaking down.
The Collapse of the “Concepția”
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:00) **Episode Introduction & Sponsor Ads** - Host David Bashevkin introduces the theme of Teshuva (repentance) and the concept of re-evaluating one's life goals (the "bullseye") rather than just checking performance against old goals.
- 2 (19:04) **Guest Introduction: Rachel Ebner's Background** - Ebner explains why her book's introduction focuses on her father, Rabbi Dr. Michael Bernstein, a Rosh Yeshiva and professor at Yeshiva University.
- 3 (26:55) **The Problem of Forbidden Questions** - Ebner recounts the childhood question "If Hashem is everywhere, is He in the toilet?" as an example of how spiritual curiosity is often stifled in traditional settings.
- 4 (29:03) **Rav Kook's Revolution: A New Era** - Ebner explains that Rav Kook declared his time (born 1865, died 1935) as "Ikveta d'Meshicha" (the footsteps of the Messiah), a time of immense change and "chutzpah" (audacity).
- 5 (34:30) **Discovering Rav Kook: The Missing Piece** - Ebner describes discovering Rav Kook's journal "Arafel" after moving to Israel in 1982, which spoke to a deep, unarticulated longing for God.
- 6 (40:47) **Halakha and Authentic Self: No Contradiction** - Ebner addresses the tension between Rav Kook's emphasis on individual spirituality and his deep reverence for Halakha (Jewish law).
- 7 (43:47) **Reading from the Book: The Summons** - Ebner reads entry #38 from "The Torah of Tomorrow," which states that every person must serve God according to their unique way of knowing and feeling, their "unique self."
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak with Rachel Tova Ebner, translator of a new volume of the teachings of Rav Kook, about what the spirituality of Rav Kook adds to our Jewish practice and to our understanding of ourselves.
As we approach Rav Kook’s yahrzeit (3 Elul), we’re directing our attention to the spiritual dimension of Yiddishkeit outlined in his works. In this episode we discuss:
Interview begins at 14:57.
Rachel Tova Ebner grew up in Manhattan and made Aliyah to Jerusalem with her family in 1982. She is linguist and lyricist, a teacher and translator, with a Master’s degree in Hebrew from the Bernhard Revel Graduate School of Yeshiva University. Her most recent professional endeavor was to participate in the translation of the new Koren Tanach. She has three children and eleven grandchildren.
Chapters (Produced by Sofer.AI):
Teshuvah 0:14
Re‑examining Our Bullseye: The Conceptzia Idea 3:38
Lakewood Yeshiva’s Future and Community Burnout 6:50
Generational Mission Shifts and Klal Yisrael 8:37
Introducing Rav Kook’s Torah of Tomorrow 11:52
Translator Rachel Tova Ebner on Her Father’s Influence 15:00
Early Memories of Learning with Rabbi Bernstein 16:15
Limits on Naming and Speaking About God 21:32
The Classic Child’s Question: Is God in the Toilet? 22:46
Ikveta d'Mishicha: The Era of Messianic Footsteps 25:18
Rav Kook’s Call for New Spiritual Consciousness 26:18
Direct Encounter with God—Beyond Rabbis and Texts 28:01
Rav Kook’s Historical Context and Practical Inner Work 43:28
Compassion and Inner Work with the Soul 45:36
Rav Kook on Teshuva and Cosmic Will 47:30
Personal Metaforms: Smoking as Spiritual Symbol 50:32
Rav Kook’s Vision for Secular Israelis 52:32
Calling Artists of the Sacred in Modern Times 55:00
The Summons to Holy Consciousness Excerpt 57:01
Choosing a Rav Kook Translation for Study 62:23
Evolution as Cosmic Optimism in Rav Kook 64:13
Finding a Spiritual Path Beyond Halacha 67:08
Critique of Galut and Return to Eretz Yisrael 68:17
Personal Sleep Habits: A Goyish Schedule 70:06
Rav Kook’s Vision: Renewing the Old, Sanctifying the New 73:27
Intuition and Faith in Personal Sp
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak with Rachel Tova Ebner, translator of a new volume of the teachings of Rav Kook, about what the spirituality of Rav Kook adds to our Jewish practice and to our understanding of ourselves.
As we approach Rav Kook’s yahrzeit (3 Elul), we’re directing our attention to the spiritual dimension of Yiddishkeit outlined in his works. In this episode we discuss:
- What does Rav Kook teach us about our yearning for God?
- What is the role of feelings in our inner work?
- What does it mean for us to change as the Torah stays the same?
Interview begins at 14:57.
Rachel Tova Ebner grew up in Manhattan and made Aliyah to Jerusalem with her family in 1982. She is linguist and lyricist, a teacher and translator, with a Master’s degree in Hebrew from the Bernhard Revel Graduate School of Yeshiva University. Her most recent professional endeavor was to participate in the translation of the new Koren Tanach. She has three children and eleven grandchildren.
Chapters (Produced by Sofer.AI):
Teshuvah 0:14
Re‑examining Our Bullseye: The Conceptzia Idea 3:38
Lakewood Yeshiva’s Future and Community Burnout 6:50
Generational Mission Shifts and Klal Yisrael 8:37
Introducing Rav Kook’s Torah of Tomorrow 11:52
Translator Rachel Tova Ebner on Her Father’s Influence 15:00
Early Memories of Learning with Rabbi Bernstein 16:15
Limits on Naming and Speaking About God 21:32
The Classic Child’s Question: Is God in the Toilet? 22:46
Ikveta d'Mishicha: The Era of Messianic Footsteps 25:18
Rav Kook’s Call for New Spiritual Consciousness 26:18
Direct Encounter with God—Beyond Rabbis and Texts 28:01
Rav Kook’s Historical Context and Practical Inner Work 43:28
Compassion and Inner Work with the Soul 45:36
Rav Kook on Teshuva and Cosmic Will 47:30
Personal Metaforms: Smoking as Spiritual Symbol 50:32
Rav Kook’s Vision for Secular Israelis 52:32
Calling Artists of the Sacred in Modern Times 55:00
The Summons to Holy Consciousness Excerpt 57:01
Choosing a Rav Kook Translation for Study 62:23
Evolution as Cosmic Optimism in Rav Kook 64:13
Finding a Spiritual Path Beyond Halacha 67:08
Critique of Galut and Return to Eretz Yisrael 68:17
Personal Sleep Habits: A Goyish Schedule 70:06
Rav Kook’s Vision: Renewing the Old, Sanctifying the New 73:27
Intuition and Faith in Personal Sp
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