KOOK, ABRAHAM ISAAC.

<<A MOST IMPORTANT, HISTORICAL PROCLAMATION DISPLAYING THE UNPARALLELED ESTEEM WITH WHICH THE VAST (AND TO CONTEMPORARY MINDS, MOST SURPRISING) MAJORITY OF RABBINICAL LEADERS AND CHASSIDIC REBBES RESIDING IN JERUSALEM AND OTHER PARTS OF ERETZ ISRAEL HAD FOR RABBI KOOK.>> Because of the seriousness of his medical condition, the extra name Yechezkiyahu (“he should be strengthened”) was added to Rabbi Kook’s name. “It is incumbent upon every Jewish person regardless where he resides to pray on behalf of Rabbi Kook upon whom the whole house of Israel depends upon.” The signatories represent the widest gamut of both Chassidic and non-Chassidic esteemed Rabbinical personalities beseeching all to pray for Rabbi Kook’s well-being (contrary to a vocal minority who opposed Rabbi Kook). Among the important signatories are the Chassidic Rebbes R. Shlomo Goldman of Zevil (Reb Shloimkeh Zeviller); the Rebbes of Rachmistrivka - R. Zev b. R. Yochanan and R. Menachem Nachum Twersky, signed by his son R. David; R. Saul Yedidiah Elazar of Modzhitz; the Chassidic Beth Din: R. Yisrael Zev Mintzberg, R. Yerucham Fishel Bernstein and R. Shmuel Pesach Heilprin; the Beth Din of the Perushim: R. Tzvi Pesach Frank, R. Yoseph Gershon Horowitz and R. Eliayhu Rom; R. Isser Zalman Meltzer, Rosh Yeshiva Eitz Chaim; R. Shimson Aaron Polonsky, the Chassidic Rabbi of Teplik; R. Chaim Yehuda Leib Auerbach of the Kabbalist Yeshiva Sha’ar HaShamayim; the Kabbalist R. Shimon Tzvi Horowitz; Sephardic Chief Rabbi R. Ben Zion Chai Uziel; R. Yechezkel Sarna, Rosh Yeshiva Chevron; R. Shlomo Leib Eliezrov; R. Moshe Leib Shapiro and R. Alter Simchowitz, Roshei Yeshiva of Chabad Yeshiva Torath Emeth; R. Yaakov Henoch Senkewitz; Rosh Yeshiva of Ger-Sefath Emeth; R. Aryeh Levin of Eitz Chaim; R. Morechai Sender Kopstein of Radin; R. Simcha Vinograd, Rosh Yeshiva Torath Chaim; R. Reuven Katz, Chief Rabbi of Petach Tikva; and many others. Written just a few weeks prior to Rabbi Kook’s death (3rd Ellul, 1935) this most unusual and heartfelt proclamation to world-wide Jewry to plead to God in heaven for the great Rabbi’s recovery bestows honorifics and titles upon Rav Kook reserved for only the very greatest of scholars and Tzadikim. These leaders whose respective spiritual legacies have shaped thousands of their followers toward radically different approaches to Jewish life all unite here to pray for the return to health of Rav Kook. This original manuscript proclamation was subsequently printed and issued as a public broadside (with some variance in the signatories).