Reflections on Independence - IV | Israel National News

Part Four: A compendium of inspiration for Israel’s upcoming 63rd Independence Day Click here for the previous parts of this series: Part 1 . Part 2 . Part 3 . IDF Chief Rabbi Brig.-Gen. Rafi Peretz (for Memorial Day): There is no greater friendship than comrades in arms standing on Memorial Day at the graves of their friends and vowing in their hearts to continue, to continue to defend the Land, the State, the Nation… There is no comfort for the sons who fell - but we can find meaning: This tremendous friendship is perhaps the great rectification of the lack of respect that led to the deaths of the students of Rabbi Akiva [1,900 years ago]. And in the words of Rabbi Kook, of saintly blessed memory, the great Lover of His Nation: “If we sinned in baseless hatred, let us be rebuilt, and let the world be rebuilt with us, with baseless love.” Rabbi Zevulun Leib Barit, of Plunge, northwest Lithuania , 1890: All our brethren of Israel know and recognize the greatness of the concept of settling the Land of Israel , for there is nothing as precious by which to save the exiles of Israel as this. Why, then, do they not all gather together to strengthen this matter to support the Jewish artisans and farmers in the Land of Israel ?... It is only because whenever there is something positive and desirable in the eyes of G-d and man, the Satan comes and interferes… And those who say they object [to the Zionist enterprise] on religious grounds in that it is “forcing the Redemption” - this is not even worthy of response, for who is fool enough to think that this is the future Redemption? Even those who say this is the beginning of redemption, say only that it is a mitzvah [Torah commandment] to redeem our Land and to rebuild its ruins, and they consider this the redemption of the Land – but not the Redemption of Israel that will come when G-d has mercy on His nation and will reveal His holy strength to all the nations. And in addition, I wonder: What type of “forcing the Redemption” can this be? We believe with perfect faith that if Israel will fulfill G-d’s will and do teshuvah (return to G-d), they will be immediately redeemed – can it then be claimed that if someone does teshuvah and fulfills G-d’s will, he is considered a sinner for ‘forcing the Redemption’?! Rabbi Eliyahu Ki-Tov, author of Sefer HaTodaah (Book of Our Heritage), 1962: (After raising many questions about Independence Day and concluding that the day's religious significance of the day is still shrouded in uncertainty: ) …Therefore, if you see people of Israel who wish to thank [G-d] for the goodness He has shown, yet their hearts are still full of anxiety regarding all that is still missing, and they await and long for G-d’s complete salvation – join up with them! For the Messiah ben David has still not yet arrived, and the vision of the prophets is still far off. And we must never despair, for not even one iota of what they promised will go missing, and we will continue to demand the fulfillment of all they promised [as in Isaiah 49,51,54, and more]. But, if you see people of Israel whose heart is divided between good and bad and do not recognize the good and cannot thank G-d for it, and cannot distinguish between G-d’s work and that of the Satan – ask for mercy for yourself and for them, to be saved from this blindness and not to fall prey to the sin of ungratefulness, Heaven forbid. You should rather fill your mouth with song and praise to the G-d of Israel for all He has done, does, and will do for His nation, all of Israel , from now and forever… Offer praise in whatever words your heart hears and your soul feels excitement; who knows how much longer it will be until there will be a set wording for this praise that is acceptable to all of Israel… Based on an article by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, Dean of Yeshivat Har Brachah: Independence Day is celebrated as a religious holiday for the following reasons: It is a positive commandment to thank G-d for His miracles and favors, and to enact holidays to this end. The establishment of the State, in the wake of centuries of pogroms that culminated with the Holocaust, saved many Jewish lives, and helped buttress the Jewish People's spiritual condition. The establishment of the State removed the shame of Exile and the accompanying desecration of G-d's Name, as in Ezekiel 36, verses 4, 20, and others. The establishment of the State of Israel facilitates, for both individuals and the nation as a whole, the fulfillment of the Torah commandment to settle the Land of Israel .

Reflections on Independence - IV

Part Four of a series: A compendium of inspiration for Israel’s Memorial Day and Independence Day.