Rare Photograph - Daily Lecture from the Early Days of Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav - Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook ...

Rare Photograph - Daily Lecture from the Early Days of Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav - Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook - Tzadok Bassan

Rare photograph depicting the Mercaz HaRav Yeshivah during its first years, in the midst of the daily lecture delivered by the rosh yeshivah, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook, when the yeshivah was known as "Beit HaRav," on Rav Kook street in Jerusalem. Photographed by Tzadok Bassan - plate-signed 'Photographer Tzadok Bassan Jerusalem.' Early 20th century.

Rabbi AY"H Kook stands on a platform across from the students while delivering the lesson. Rabbi Charlop sits at his side, and his son Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah HaKohen can be discerned on his other side [sitting by the wall]. A group of students is sitting in the middle with rows of students standing on either side [the early custom in Jerusalem was to study standing upright], all have open gemaras.

Rabbi AY"H and Rabbi David Cohen ("HaNazir") lectured at the time, and on occassion, also Rabbi AY"H's son, Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah HaKohen Kook. It is told that in those years, RAY"H would sometimes deliver his lectures on Talmudic reasoning for hours - until midnight - in a low voice and at great speed. The topic of the lecture would be publicized ahead of time and it would take days of preparation in order to understand it. [When lectures were not delivered, each student would learn whichever tractate he desired.] It is interesting to note that most of the students are wearing hats and jackets during the lesson, not as practiced today, when these garments are removed for the daily lecture.

Official stamp of the Mercaz HaRav yeshivah on the reverse of the photograph.

17x23 cm. Pasted to the photographer's cardboard: 22x28 cm. Perforation in the lower left, some stains. Fine condition.