[Avodah] Rav Kook on Exercise

[Ben Waxman via Avodah]

Rav Kook's opinion about exercise and sport had been brought up here 
before. I quoted him as saying that physical activity helps the 
tzaddikim in their avodah. In the class I go to on Orot, we discussed 
the following piece by R Kook, which goes way further than that.  Keep 
in mind that this was written before there was an IDF, so he isn't 
talking about any  sort of physical protection.

Orot, Orot Hatechiya, 34:

Exercise, (which young Israel is getting involved in, in Eretz Yisrael,  
to strengthen their bodies in order to be vigorous for the nation),  
improves the spiritual strength of the greatest tzaddikim, those who 
involve themselves  in "the unification of God's names" (my translation 
of a phrase which I admit I don't get), and increases the transmission 
of God's light in the world, because there is no revelation at all of 
light without all components being present.

Turns out that (according to Rav Kook) not only does Talmud Torah 
increase the merits to the army/state/people, but just having people 
trying to be healthy, active, in shape, improves Talmud Torah, as long 
as both sides are doing this for the nation.

Ben