by Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook
Idolatrous worshippers have envisaged Divinity in degraded ways, which a person’s free spirit transcends. Therefore, they will eventually cease to exist: “and the idols will entirely pass away” (Isaiah 2:18).
The Christians have envisaged [Divinity] as being lowered to [the level of] human perfection. When mankind rises beyond anything which the image of human perfection can reach, this degraded impression of the image of Divinity will be erased.
The Moslems have found no specific passage to the essence of Divine images that can be integrated into a religious framework. Therefore they have had to invoke for everything the authority of their prophet and bring faith in him into their every religious aspect. When the world rises beyond the ideals that can be envisaged in their prophet, that religious power will be uprooted from its foundation.
There is no nation in the world upon whose essence the Divine concept rests except for the Congregation of Israel, whose desire, yearning and goal--which brings about its existence--is the most mighty desire, the most enlightened and the most elevated, forever and ever.
Therefore, the name of Hashem is connected to it “like a chain of a palace key” (Yerushalmi Taanit 2:6).
And just as His name exists forever and forever but grows greater and more sanctified from generation to generation, so too Israel rises forever (Midrash Tehillim 88:6) and never descends. “Do not fear, My servant Jacob, and do not be frightened, Israel. I will make an end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but I will not make an end of you; [even though] I will punish you in measure, I will not destroy you” (Jeremiah 46:28).
Pinkas Rishon L’Yaffo, #115
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