"One thing, my father was not a Zionist despite what the Mizrachi may say. They have The Rav Speaks, c'v'yochel, which is a story in itself. If you are talking about Cultural Zionism, he thought it was ridiculous. The Torah was given in Chutzeh l'Aretz, the Babli was in Chutzeh l'Aretz, all the Rishonim were in Chutzeh l'Aretz. What are you talking about? If you are talking about the political framework, which existed in a shtetl, being a minority, in an alien society, obviously had to change. And you needed a state. Jews needed a state. That's a political statement. From the point of view of the need of a state that will always be open to Jews was perfectly clear to him. But in terms of cultural Zionism, he thought it was beneath contempt. I can only say I was not brought up in a Zionist home. Ahavas Ha'Aretz is one thing. Zionism is something else."
Dr. Haym Soloveitchik, "Haym Soloveitchik: How Modernity Changed Our Relationship to God," 18Forty
1:28:25-1:29:41
