[Avodah] Sobering Thoughts as Israel's Independence Day Approaches

[Harry Maryles]

I wrote about Yom Ha'atzmaut today on my my blog. Excerpts:
 
Today is the the 5th of Iyar. This is the anniversary of Israeli Independence. And it ought to be celebrated with great joy in Klal Yisroel...

I bring it up because of the issue of saying Hallel. Rav Ahron Soloveichik held that no matter when the actual celebration takes place Hallel is to be said on the 5th of Iyar. This was the Minhag he established when he was Rosh HaYeshiva of the Hebrew Theological College, where it is still celebrated on that day. And later in Yeshivas Brisk.

I do not follow my Rebbe’s Minhag in this because I do not believe that Hallel is warranted. I agree with those that say we cannot establish public Mihagim like this in our day. Rav Ahron concedes to the extent that no Bracha should be made. But he feels that it is appropriate to recite the Pesukim fromTehilim which comprise Hallel. We have recaptured Eretz Yisroel for the first time since we lost it 2000 years ago upon the destruction of the 2nd Temple. There were clearly many Nisisim Nistarim – hidden miracles that enabled Israels’ small army and even smaller arsenal to overcome mighty armies and great odds. He felt that this is a highly significant event for which Hallel must be recited.

Although I do not say Hallel on this day, neither do I say Tachanun. It is indeed significant that we have the land of Israel back in Jewish hands. And that ought to be recognized in some way by all Jews – religious or otherwise. 

HM

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Try this: http://haemtza.blogspot.com/

--- On Sun, 4/18/10, Saul.Z.Newman at kp.org <Saul.Z.Newman at kp.org> wrote:


From: Saul.Z.Newman at kp.org <Saul.Z.Newman at kp.org>
Subject: [Avodah] Sobering Thoughts as Israel's Independence Day Approaches
To: avodah at aishdas.org
Date: Sunday, April 18, 2010, 9:11 PM



possibilities--- 

1. the whole enterprise is  evil,  and the sitra achra will go to all lengths to fool the frum jews who  'fell for it'.  ie  in this scenario   the NK-satmar position is the correct one ,   the DL  jews  fell in ,   the zionists are the erev rav/tools of the satan ; and all the non-frum jews don't come into the cheshbon 

2. be'itta achishena. at a time when 90 % of jews fell away  from the torah derech,   the  frum jews  had not enough merit  to bring mashiach. but churban always is followed  by respite. here, the task was to build  a  sheerit lapleita. some saw this a holy task , others parve.   in any case ,  it  was  sufficient  cause  to cause  irreversible theological and practical pirud between supposedly torah jews --allowing all sides to hate  their brethren leshem shamayim. 
this  removes all sides' zchyos ,and it is truly chessed that it is allowed to stand 

3. using the bilaam-iyov-yitro  analogy, it would seem that one extreme or the other should be the correct answer [ ie  either a holy enterprise or the work of the devil].  those  taking  the iyovian approach  of shev-val-tedaber  clearly  are asking for  trouble... 

i am sure  there are a million other choices, though  the RBSO  has yet  a different  playbook....



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