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The following is from today's Hakhel Email Bulletin.<br><br>
<font size=3>Today, Yom Ha’Atzma’ut, is celebrated in some of our
communities (in various ways), and not celebrated in others. We all
know the different approaches and sentiments on the topic--and note that
in the Third Beis Hamikdash described by Yecheskel there will be 12
entrances, for there can be different approaches to the one Avodah.
What we may add is that however one does or does not celebrate, observe
or perform--it should be done in accordance with the teachings of his
ultimate Rav or Posek. There can be much misinformation or
misguidance, and a person can conduct himself based upon what he believes
to be correct, without further consultation--and this is the part that is
wrong. As a case in point, we may mention that HaRav Yosef Ber
Soloveitchik, Z’tl, Rav of Boston, and Rosh HaYeshiva of RIETS, was in
the Yeshiva on Yom Ha’Atzma’ut 5738 (1978)--one of the latter years of
his giving Shiurim in the Yeshiva. He davened Shacharis in the
Morgenstern dormitory minyan, which davened with Hallel. Later that
morning, rather than giving Shiur on Perek HaZahav (the 4th perek of Bava
Metziah which was being studied that Zeman in his Shiur), Rav
Soloveitchik, obviously upset, instead gave Shiur on the importance of
keeping the Tzuras HaTefillah intact. Shemone Esrei is followed by
Chazaras Hashatz, which is followed by Tachanun, and then followed by
Ashrei and U’va Letzion--and we do not have the right or privilege of
changing that, he opined. Rav Soloveitchik continued that if one
wanted to express his personal gratitude or thanks to Hakadosh Baruch Hu,
he could recite the Chapters of Hallel in Tehillim (Chapters 113-118)
after davening. Now, this is not to say that Rav Soloveitchik had a
different opinion in earlier years or in later years (we do not know
either way)--but it is to say that someone was not following his Rebbe if
he knew what his opinion was at that time--and still recited Hallel in
place of Tachanun in order to make his own personal statement. On
the other hand, if one’s final Halachic authority is the Rabbanut, his
practice should be different. This ruling will be different than
that of the Badatz-Yerushalayim. What does your ultimate Rabbinic
authority say? A person must look upwards for answers--not to
himself, downwards or sideways.<br>
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