RAV KOOK ON PARSHAS MIKETZ PART 2

Translated and abridged by Rabbi Chanan Morrison Parshat Miketz The strife among Jacob's sons centered on conflicting viewpoints regarding the sanctity of the Jewish people. Judah felt that we must act according to the current reality. Given the present situation, the Jewish people need to maintain a separate existence to safeguard their unique heritage. Joseph, on the other hand, believed that we should concentrate on the final goal. We need to take into account the hidden potential of the future era, when "nations will walk at your light" (Isaiah 60:3). Thus, even nowadays we are responsible for the spiritual elevation of all peoples. So, which outlook was correct — Judah's pragmatic nationalism or Joseph's visionary universalism?