Editing Abraham Isaac Kook (section)

=== Support from rabbinic scholars ===
Although it seems that many Orthodox rabbis opposed Rabbi Kook,<ref name="Concentrating on Kook" /><ref name="Bokser" /><ref name="Shapiro" /> there were many who spoke out in his support. 

In a 1921 letter, Rav [[Tzvi Pesach Frank|Zvi Pesach Frank]] noted that "(t)he Gaon, our Master RAY Hakohen Kook (may he live) was accepted here as Rav by the majority of the Holy Community here." (Rabbi [[Chaim Hirschensohn]], ''Malki Ba-Kodesh IV'' (St. Louis: Moinester Printing Co., 5679 – 5682), Letter 10 (dated 18 Adar Sheni, 5681, 1921), pp. 43-44)

The Gerrer Rebbe, the [[Imrei Emes]], said in a letter about Rav Kook that  "most of the inhabitants of the Holy City and many of the rabbis side with him" (originally published in "Der Jud", the Warsaw newspaper of the [[World Agudath Israel|Agudah]], May 27, June 3, and June 10, 1921 issues, partially republished in "[[Algemeiner Journal]]" (June 5, 1992) and republished in Orot translated by Bezalel Naor, page 28 in 1993 edition) and verified Rav Kook's righteousness and Torah scholarship, despite disagreeing strongly with certain of his religious philosophies regarding secular Zionists. 

In a letter to Rabbi Kook, Rabbi [[Isser Zalman Meltzer]] and Rabbi [[Moshe Mordechai Epstein]] greeted Rabbi Kook with "Our honored friend, the great gaon and glory of the generation, our master and teacher, Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen, shlita". Meltzer was also quoted as saying "Let them, any of us, pray on Yom Kippur the way Rav Kook prays on an average weekday."<ref>{{cite book |author=Yehudah Mirsky |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TB_BAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA202 |title=Rav Kook: Mystic in a Time of Revolution |date=February 11, 2014 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-16555-5 |page=202 |quote=A major scholar of impeccable ultra-Orthodox credentials, Meltzer resolutely defended Kook against attackers on the right. He was wont to say, "Let them, any of us, pray on Yom Kippur the way Rav Kook prays on an average weekday."}}</ref>  

Rabbi [[Isser Zalman Meltzer]] also once said to the famed Rabbi [[Chaim Ozer Grodzinski|Chaim Ozer Grodzinsky]] from Vilna, “The two of us are considered Torah giants until we reach the door of Rabbi Kook’s office.” (cited by Rabbi [[Eliezer Melamed]], Israel National News, August 8, 2013). 

There are also some rabbis who spoke very highly of Kook in greetings of the letters they sent to him.

[[Chaim Ozer Grodzinski]]: "Our friend, the gaon, our master and teacher, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, shlita" and "The Glory of Honor, My Dear Friend, Ha-Rav Ha-Gaon, Ha-Gadol, the Famous One... The Prince of Torah, Our Teacher, Ha-Rav Avraham Yitzchak Ha-Cohen Kook Shlita..."<ref>Bisdeh Ha-Re'eiyah p. 236, Chayei Ha-Re'eiyah pp. 388-389, Igrot Le-Re'eiyah #316 and Melachim Kivnei Adam pp. 106-107. Maran Ha-Rav's response is found in Shut Da'at Cohain #223</ref>

[[Boruch Ber Leibowitz]]: "The true gaon, the beauty, and glory of the generation, the tzaddik, his holiness, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak, may his light shine, may he live for length of good days and years amen, the righteous Cohen, head of the beis din [court] in Jerusalem, the holy city, may it soon be built and established."

[[Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn]] of Lubavitch: "The Gaon who is renowned with splendor among the Geonim of Ya'akov, Amud HaYemini, Patish HaChazak..."{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

[[Chatzkel Abramsky]]: "The honored man, beloved of Hashem and his nation, the rabbi, the gaon, great and well-known, with breadth of knowledge, the glory of the generation, etc., etc., our master Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen Kook, shlita, Chief Rabbi of the Land of Israel and the head of the Beis Din in the holy city of Jerusalem"{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

The “[[Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz|Chazon Ish]],” addressed Rabbi Kook as “our royal and respected Rabbi.” (cited by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, Israel National News, August 8, 2013). 

[[Yitzchak Hutner]]: "The glorious honor of our master, our teacher and rabbi, the great gaon, the crown and sanctity of Israel, Maran [our master] Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen Kook, shlita!"{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

The [[Yisrael Meir Kagan|Chofetz Chaim]] condemned a pamphlet that was put out against Rabbi Kook,<ref name="SzalaiHorváth2007">{{cite book |author1=Anna Szalai |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AQM_AQAAIAAJ |title=Previously unexplored sources on the Holocaust in Hungary: a selection from Jewish periodicals, 1930-1944 |author2=Rita Horváth |author3=Gábor Balázs |publisher=International Institute for Holocaust Research, Yad Vashem |year=2007 |isbn=978-965-308-300-4 |page=32 |quote=According to the report, Chofetz-Chaim condemned the pamphlet against Kook as well.}}</ref> and said about Rav Kook "that he is holy and pure, and whoever harms him will not be absolved." (Simcha Raz, An Angel Among Men, page 244)

Rabbi [[Shlomo Zalman Auerbach]]: "In the time of Rabbi Kook, the majority of Torah giants were 'all as if nothing' compared to him.” (cited by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, Israel National News, August 8, 2013). 

Rabbi [[Yosef Shalom Elyashiv]]: Owing to the close relationship Rabbi Kook had with his grandfather, the Leshem, Rabbi [[Shlomo Elyashiv]], Rabbi Kook made the match of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv and his wife, who was the daughter of Rabbi Kook's close student, Rabbi [[Aryeh Levin]]. Rabbi Kook officiated at their wedding, and Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv later chose Rabbi Kook to be the Kohen (Priest) to redeem his oldest son, Shlomo, at his Pidyon Ha-Ben. Rav Elyashiv revered Rav Kook for both his piety and his Talmudic erudition. Rav Elyashiv would do all he could to silence those who would criticize Rav Kook and attempt to diminish his stature. He would frequently describe Rav Kook’s saintliness at his Shabbat table and occasionally reminisce about the times he attended ''seudah shelishit'' in his home. (From the book ''Yisa Shalom: Choveret al Rav Kook v’Rav Elyashiv,'' published in Israel and cited to in the OU magazine [[Jewish Action]], Summer 2013 issue, in the article Rav Kook & Rav Elyashiv, by Rabbi Dr. [[Tzvi Hersh Weinreb]], executive vice president, emeritus of the [[Orthodox Union]]).

Rabbi [[Ovadia Yosef]] said of Rabbj Kook that he was "a great man" and it is "forbidden to speak against him." Rabbi Yosef further called Rabbi Kook "Tzaddik Yesod Olam" (a righteous man upon whom the world stood) and a "Malach Elokei Tzivakaot" (Holy Angel of the L-rd). (Rav Ovadia's own words, recorded and posted at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z_DEcGFfKI)