The words "my beloved knocks," in Hebrew, kol dodi dofek, form the title and themes of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik's classic essay on religious Zionism. In this essay, Rabbi Soloveitchik highlights the miraculous events surrounding the establishment of the State of Israel and posits that God "knocked" six times to get our attention. He points to military successes, political opportunities and other developments as signs that God is beckoning the Jewish people to return to the Land of Israel. One such knock is to connect with Israel by virtue of aiding those whose mission it is to defend the land thereby showing our utter devotion and appreciation for the pioneers readying the Holy Land for the ultimate ingathering of the exiles. Rabbi Soloveitchik cautions that we must respond quickly to these knocks unlike the re'aya who hesitates in this chapter and regrets a lost opportunity.
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