Reply To: Hakaras Hatov for Israeli Soldiers (IDF)

Hakatan- you need to understand a few things 1) The State of Israel, which by its democratic nature is neutral- is in essence neither a frum govt state nor non-frum govt state- it is just a reflection of the current majority – which can and (in the Charedim’s case -will) change in the future. The state was founded not only by nonreligious jews then- who made up the majority of the founders and who would have the din of tinokes shenishbu- (I.E. not intentional sinners)- but also frum rabbanim and Jews. 2) ZIONISM DOES NOT EQUAL THE JEWISH STATE- secular zionism on its own had the wrong views but with what they thought were the right intentions for jewish survival(hence tinok shenishba) -but the state on its own which is officially democratic and neutral is a separate halachic issue which was up for debate -and then paskened one way to permit it -followed up by Rav MOshe (for whatever reasons held). 3) The way to win any debate with well meaning Jews like yourself is to pull what i like to call the Gedolim card- you say Gedolim were against it – and i say thats not entirely true-some were agaisnt but majority were in favor – and we go after the majority (see ritva eiruvin 13 a and the midrash quoted there). Don’t sidestep this fact- deal with it-. The question is how to make it go from majority non religious rule in a neutral state to religiously valued jewish state. Also — see Rav Dessler ( i believe its volume 3. ) who states anyone can clearly see the hashgacha of Hashem in EY post the holocaust – do not turn a blind eye.

Either way acc. to the prinicpal of hakaras hatov based on the Torah’s statements regarding giving thinks to MItzrayim, despite their physical and religious persecution- you must, as much as you might hate to admit it – give thanks not only to IDF soliders but even to the medina even if its completely bad in your view – for it would be no less than mitzrayim. But for me , who clearly recognizes the service of IDF and the support of state in general however mild to Torah instituions for decades -would require hakaras hatov. To not admit this would make you a kafui tov ( a denier of thanks). Please respond in yes or no format if you have hakaras hatov-1) for IDF(protectors of Jews) 2) and If you have hakaras hatov for the medinah itself ,even if in your view you feel it is A”Z, just as mitrayim was A”Z and the Torah requires of us some level of hakaras hatov.