From a true Ohaiv Yisroel who served Am Yisroel in the Israeli Defense forces with honor:
“I took an oath at the Kotel many years ago to stand in defense of Am Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael. That pledge has never left my consciousness from that moment. Although I was discharged from Zahal a long time ago, I was never discharged from the oath I took. Not once, and not twice I put my life on the line when in defense of my brothers and sisters in the shtachim.”
As members of Klal Yisroel this mindset, expressed by my good friend Rabbi Shael Siegel, is one we should all have. And this is especially true on this day of the Jewish calendar, the fifth of Iyar, Yom Ha’atzmaut. For it was on this day that the people of Israel once again were in possession of Artzenu HaK'dosha, the holy land of Israel …the first time since the Churban Bayis Sheni, the destruction of the second Temple in Jerusalem.
No matter what Hashkafa one has, the significance of this simple fact should not be lost. And though there are many Rabbinic leaders both past and present who did not see this day as significant, there are many who did and many who still do. And to whatever extent one feels it should be expressed, there is no doubt in my mind that there should be some tangible expression of recognition on this day.
But as I indicated, there are some who refuse to recognize it at all and some who actually tear Kriya, or at least think they should… on this day. Most notably Neturei Karta and Satmar. But they can be forgiven for not celebrating this day because it is a theologically based opposition.
On the other hand there are those who do not share that theological view. They believe we are currently B’Ikvesa D’Meshicha, in the pre-Messainic era. Yet their opposition to celebrating this day is strident. One such individual, perhaps the most prominent of recent years, is former Ponevezh Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach. He said Tachanun on that day. This was in stark contrast to his predecessor and founding (in Israel) Rosh HaYeshiva, Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, who did not. Nor did he allow his Yeshiva to say it.
So there was Rav Shach, saying Tachnun all by himself. What a strange sight that must have been. And when he became Rosh Hayeshiva at Ponevezh, he instituted his attitude into his Yeshiva. I’m told that The Chazon Ish once said Tachnun on Yom Ha’Atzmaut at a Bris where he was the Sandek so that people wouldn’t think he in some way was acknowledging that day’s significance. It boggles the mind, really. Yet, this Hashkafa has now been adopted by all of Charedi Klal Yisroel.
How sad this development considering this video. Anyone who watches it and still thinks there is no significance to the founding of the State of Israel has no heart.
Certainly almost anyone who survived the holocaust thought there was significance. My wife’s unlce, a devout Gerer Chasid who was very close with the Gerer Rebbe, the Beis Yisroel. On Yom Ha’atzmaut he left his Gerer Shteibel in Tel Aviv and Daven’d with a local Mizrachi Shul so that he could say Hallel with a Minyan.
There is also the story of a Chasidic Rebbe (I don’t recall which one) who was made to sweep the streets at his Nazi death camp during the holocaust. He made a pledge to God that if he survives, he will sweep the streets of Eretz Yisroel. He survived and every Yom Ha’atzmaut he would wake up early and sweep the streets. Two inspiring stories that should serve as additional inspiration to us about the significance of Yom Ha’atzmaut.
My Rebbe, Rav Aaron Soloveichik, thought there was significance. He said Hallel on that day. And so did his Yeshiva, Yeshivas Brisk. And indeed, he never understood the need to be Docha that day as the Rabbanut in Israel has done in Israel this year. Heh Iyar is the day that should be recognized religiously.
The Rabbanut has moved the celebration to the sixth day of Iyar this year because of a technical problem. Yom Ha’atzmaut is always preceded by Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s memorial day, where they honor fallen soldiers who died defending Am Yisroel. Since many of the celebrations begin the preceding night, the Halachic beginning of the calendar day, the Rabbanut felt that Chilul Shabbos would increase if Yom HaZikaron were to be on it’s actual day, beginning Motzei Shabbos. So they moved both days up on the calendar.
But, as I said, it is a technicality. Yom HaZikaron is really not a religious day. Yom Ha’Atzmaut is and should in some way be celebrated on its original date.
Rav Ahron understood the significance of that day. I am not on my Rebbe’s level. I do not say Hallel on Yom Ha’Atzmaut. But I do not say Tachnun either because whatever the level of significance may be, I feel that there is at least enough to not say Tachanun. That day is worthy of at least that much recognition. Much the same way Rav Kahaneman felt, I suppose.
But the opposition to Yom Ha’atzmaut has long since become the accepted attitude in right wing circles, most probably because of Rav Shach.. And that is a sorrowful state for Klal Yisroel to be in. The opposition to Yom Ha’atzmaut is very strong. And it is illustrated by the following very sorrowful incident.
A group of Baale Battim, unsatisfied with any of the Yeshivos in the Chicago area, came to Rav Eliyahu Soloveichik and offered to reconstitute Yeshiva’s Brisk which had been unable to succeed in the final years before its demise (for reasons too complex to get into here). They respected Rav Ahron and understood and respected the immense Torah scholarship of his son, Rav Eliyahu. The only condition: They had to drop their celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut. No more Hallel.
Of course Rav Eliyahu refused. And that was the end of Brisk Yeshiva. I will never forget the hurt in Rav Eliyahu’s eyes when I spoke to him about it. He understood that some people don’t say Hallel. But where is the Hakaras Hatov? Where is some tangible recognition of what the advent of the sate has meant to Torah learning? Where is the recognition that since the advent of the state, there has been an unprecedented amount of Torah learning in Israel? Where is the recognition of all the support the State of Israel has given to the Torah world over the last sixty years, all of which would not be possible without Eretz Yisroel’s returning to Jewish hands? And what about the financial aid and the exemptions from army service?
The government isn’t Frum?! Imagine what Israel would look like today if the Arabs had won in 1948? Would there be a Ponevezh, a Mir? Would Israel have tens of thousands of Talmidim learning Torah B’Hasmada Rabbah?
I don’t think so. Those secular pioneers dedicated their lives to Am Yisroel. Many of them sacrificed their lives in the process. And, with the help of God, whether they recognized it or not, a country was founded.
If the secular leadership in Israel do not realize God’s participation in it, we most certainly should. Tangibly.
