51) WHY AM I, I?

Being fiercely independent and true to oneself is the cornerstone of Kotzker philosophy. 

The Kotzker Rebbe famously said: “If I am I because you are you, and if you are you because I am I - then I am not I and you are not you.

But if I am I because I am I, and you are you because you are you – then I am I and you are you.”

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48) SPIRITUALITY IS GOVERNED BY THE SELF:

Many believe that spirituality is a blessing bestowed from above, as a consequence of good deeds.

The Kotzker Rebbe felt that the problem with this approach is that it does not allow one to take ownership of one’s own spirituality. 

Spirituality must never be projected even onto G-d, to the extent that we become passive recipients of His bounty.

As the Kotzker said (referring to Yom Kippur, which tradition teaches, innately has the ability to purify); “Nevertheless, it is upon you to purify yourselves.”[1]

In Kotzk, one constantly pursues a proactive path of emotional and spiritual development waiting for no one, not even G-d. One assumes full and total responsibility for the state of the personality that emerges in the end.

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[1] Amud HaEmet p. 71, par. 2  The Kotzker plays with the verse (Vayikra 17:30): ‘Ki bayom hazeh yechaper aleichem, letaher etchem’ – and says; ‘aleichem letaher etchem’.

35) Are You Staying For The Party?

During the great spectacle of the Sinai experience, the Torah says; “And the people saw the thunder and flames...and Moshe entered the cloud where G-d was.”[1]

The Kotzker Rebbe explains that there are two very different ways of experiencing Judaism.

One is on a popularist and social level where one is drawn towards all the trappings and constructs of superficiality.
This is where the ‘people’ miss the essential and see only the ‘thunder and flames’ – the external show of sound and light.

The other is on a real and profoundly deep level, where there is no show, but like Moshe one simply enters silently and alone into the cloud.[2]

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[1] Shemot 20:15-19

[2] Amud HaEmet p. 54 par. 1

29) People Should Never 'Change':

The Kotzker was very wary of people who claimed to have changed for the better. He feared they may delude themselves into believing they could change into something they were not.

He brought biblical precedents showing that Moshe and Aaron did not change[1] even when they were elevated to a higher service.

But he did say; “The only change people should ever make is to go back to their essential true selves and become who they really are.”

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[1] See here.  

28) If You Can Think, Think - If Not, Follow:

Rashi, commentating on Moshe’s instruction to take a lamb for the Pascal sacrifice, says; “If you (are rich and) have flock, draw (the lamb) from your own (stock). If not, then take from the market place.”[1]

The Kotzker profoundly suggests; “If you are (spiritually) rich...take (teachings and advice) from yourself.  If you are not, then (simply) take from others...”[2]

The Kotzker is suggesting a radical departure from common reliance upon sagely advice to the exclusion of the individual’s own thinking capability. This idea, however, would only be for independent thinkers, not for the masses that need constant guidance and nurture.

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[1] Shemot, 42, 21. The reference is to mishchu (draw deeply from within), ukechu (take superficially from without).

[2] Amud HaEmet p. 42, par. 5

27) Independence Is As Important As A 'Tosefos':

Torah study is often perceived as the most important, if not the only worthwhile pursuit.

Yet the Kotzker Rebbe maintained; “It is incumbent upon a person to engage the section of the Exodus (i.e. the concept of independence) with as much dedication as the study of halacha (law) and Tosefos (commentary).”[1]

In Kotzk, the roles of freedom of thought and independence are considered just as crucial as, and must go hand in hand with, Torah study - in order to liberate rather than merely enslave and restrict.

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[1] Amud HaEmet p. 43, par. 3

20) No Need To Change:

So many people seem to undergo a degree of ‘character change’ after a religious encounter. They no longer keep their old friends and sometimes become unrecognizable even to family members.

The Kotzker Rebbe encourages us to always be true to ourselves. Any personality that actively ‘changes’ can only be living a lie no matter how noble the cause, because real people don’t change.

The Kotzker explains; “After Aharon was made the High Priest (the most noble of causes), the Torah says; ‘He was Aharon’ – he remained exactly the same personality as before his elevation.”

And; "When Joseph was reunited with his brothers he said; 'I am Joseph' - he remained exactly the same personality as when his brothers sold him as a slave."[1]

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[1] Amud HaEmet p. 35, par 4

19) When Conformity Becomes Idolatry:

Many religious systems place quite a premium on conformity. Sometimes this conformity is taken to extremes.

The Kotzker Rebbe says; “If you copy my practices, convensions and actions – know that you would be practicing a form of idolatry. Any replication (without internalization) of another’s behavior is tantamount to idolatry.”[1]

Rav Kook wrote similarly; "Keep me not in cages of material or of spirit..."

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[1] Amud HaEmet p.34, par. 5

12) It's Not Just About Following The Old Ways:

Avraham dug wells. The Plistim covered them over. Then, a generation later, Yitzchak uncovered his father’s old wells and additionally dug a new well.

Given that a well is a symbol of a spiritual wellspring, they were not just digging for irrigation but uncovering new spiritual pathways. 

One would think that a latter generation should be content with just uncovering and maintaining the old sources of spirituality. But they must not. While maintaining the core tradition of the past, they nevertheless also need to uncover new and relevant pathways that are not known to their fathers.

The Kotzker says; “Yitzchak needed to dig a new well and follow a new path (to that of his father).”[1] 

This is typical of the Kotzker’s belief in individualism and spiritual independence.

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[1] Amud HaEmet p. 24, par. 4

2) Who To Ask?

We live in an age of Daas Torah[1] and Rebbes, where everybody unconditionally entrusts their innermost dilemmas to the sagely advice of religious leaders.

In Kotzk, however, teaching independence to a student was more valuable than teaching dependence.

The Kotzker said: “I can only tell you what not to do (This refers to solely to halachic questions). What to do, has to be asked by the individual only of himself. (All existential questions involving non-halachic, personal and practical issues, have to be grappled with by the individual him or herself.)”[2]

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[1] See Kotzk Blog 48) Contemporay Daas Torah – Protecting Or Overstepping The Boundaries?

[2] Kochav HaShachar p.16, par.5

1) Torah Cannot Create Good Character Traits:

The Mishna in Pirkei Avot teaches: “Delve into it (the Torah), delve into it, for you will not find anything better (midah tovah) than it.[1]

This famous teaching is generally understood as encouraging the student to dedicate him or herself to in-depth Torah study as everything can be found within Torah.

In Kotzk they understood this Mishna very differently:

“A person can delve deeply and turn to every page of the Torah and yet nevertheless will not automatically acquire a single good character trait from it.”[2]

All the Torah study in the world will not make you a better person.

It’s only the person him or herself that can acquire good character traits for themselves.

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[1] “Pirkei Avot ch. 5

[2] Kochav HaShachar p. 119 par.5