“The Jewish people has been completely cut off from nature and imprisoned within city walls for two thousand years. We have been accustomed to every form of life, so lacking the principle ingredient for national life.”
Herein lies the central theme of the philosophy of Aaron David Gordon (A.D. Gordon).
Gordon believed that all Jewish suffering could be traced to the parasitic state of the Jews in the Diaspora.
He believed that an idealistic new generation of creative Jews would emerge in the Land of Israel, with a high sense of morals, a deep spiritual commitment and a commitment to their fellow human beings.
A.D. Gordon was born in Russia, the only child of a well-to-do family of Orthodox Jews.
A self-educated scholar speaking several languages, a charismatic educator and community activist.
Gordon made aliyah to Ottoman Palestine in 1904 after being persuaded by his wife not to emigrate to America.
His wife and daughter joined him later, but his son stayed behind to continue his religious studies.
Sadly, his wife died just 4 months after she arrived in the country.
After traveling around for a few years taking manual jobs, in 1912 he moved to the Galilee, finally settling in Kvutzat Degania.
He led a simple life supporting himself as a hired agricultural hand, but at night devoting the time to writing about his emerging philosophy.
A Creative Endeavor
In 1920 A.D. Gordon wrote a powerful essay “Our Tasks Ahead.”
The essay outlined his philosophy of the future of Jewish life and the challenges that lay ahead.
“We must create a new people, a human people whose attitude toward other peoples is informed with a sense of human brotherhood and whose attitude toward nature and all within it is inspired by noble urges of life-loving creativity.”
He further added that Jews should be engaged in a creative endeavour, the likes of which is not to be found in the whole history of mankind.
“The rebirth and rehabilitation of a people that has been uprooted and scattered to the winds.”
In 1911 Gordon participated in the Zionist Congress but refused to become involved in any of the Zionist political parties, out of principle.
He was far removed from the politics of land ownership, claiming physical labour and agriculture was the means of uplifting Jewish spirituality, with the experience of labour linking the individual to the hidden aspects of nature, vision, literature and spiritual life.
What’s more, he claimed, agriculture would unite the people, justifying its continued existence there.
“The Land of Israel is acquired through labour, not through fire and not through blood.”
In today’s modern world of advanced technology and artificial information, the philosophy of A.D. Gordon appears to be outdated and beyond logical progression.
Yet, parts of his thinking still remain intact in principle. For instance, he believed the cosmos is a unity and relationships between peoples should reflect humanity and moral courage, even if the behaviour of the other side is not all that is desired.
Is that a vision of the future?
