[Avodah] Yom Ha'Atzma'ut

[Jonathan Baker]

From: "Samuel Svarc" <ssvarc at yeshivanet.com>
 
> >However, the CS does very clearly state that the tzibbur of an entire 
> >medinah (such as the State of Israel) can accept upon itself a chag.
> >You may have a point as to whether people in Chutz La'aretz may 
> >celebrate YhA to the extent we do here.
 
> When something is established illegitimately, as a new Yom Tov for Klal
> Yisroel, the whole thing falls off. If instead, they would have made a
> "Purim d'EY" like many cities made "Purim's" throughout history when they
> had a nes, who knows, many more people might be holding it today. But this
> didn't happen. It was packaged as a new "Yom Tov", something which is
> problematic halachically and led people to suspect, rightly or wrongly, that
> this was to push the view that the Medina is 'aschalta d'geulah'. "T'fosteh
> m'rubah, lo t'fostah."

They may call it a "chag" or a "yom tov", but the practical effect is 
of creating a Purim.  What are the observances for the day?  Hallel,
a leining, some extra tehillim, no tachanun, and a party (barbecue).

Which is (absent the matanos l'evyonim) exactly what we do on Purim.

Hallel in lieu of the Megillah (the Gemara states "megila halelya hu",
and in fact some poskim have said that if on a desert island without
a megillah, one should say hallel instead)

Pesukei dezimra of yom tov, like Hoshana Rabbah - also linked to
salvation.

Seudah (the barbecue)

No tachanun/hesped (just like all the other rabbinic holidays such as
the Megillas Taanis days).

There's no suppression of melacha, no musaf service, etc. which would
actually categorize it as a Yom Tov Mikra Kodesh.

Critizing the "packaging" rather than the actual practice of the day as
a parallel to Purim, indicates that the object is to criticize for any
reason.  Starting off "the whole thing was established illegitimately"
denies the tzibur's authority to create such a day - do you actually have
a counterargument to the CS, or are you just assuming your conclusion?

--
        name: jon baker              web: http://www.panix.com/~jjbaker
     address: jjbaker at panix.com     blog: http://thanbook.blogspot.com