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As I try to do every year, I traveled to YU to see their Tekes Ma’avar for Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atza’ut. I have my complaints (no one is perfect, though if I had run the program parts of the speeches would have been different) but for the most part the videos and speakers were very moving. The Tefillah for Ma’ariv was led and sung beautifully by all in attendance, which I think was well over 1000 people.
What moved me most, though, as it does every year, was the procession from the auditorium to the gym, where they have their Chagigah. I saw between 100-200 Jews marching down a Manhattan street singing “Yodu LaHashem Chasdo”. There is very little that I see as inspiring as that during the year.
So the thought struck me that it shouldn’t matter what one’s opinion on the State of Israel is. We often conflate the issues themselves with the people who take sides on them. Sure, we can debate whether the Medinah is a good thing or not, whether it does more good than bad, or whether it was an awful idea from the start. That’s fine. But, L’ma’aseh, I saw hundreds of Frum (and some not Frum) people tonight honestly give Shevach V’hoda’ah to HKBH for what they view as a special present and an open miracle. So it shouldn’t matter whether or not the Medinah actually is a good thing. The people supporting it are doing so because they thank HKBH for giving us back the ability to be free and in charge of our homeland. Yom Ha’atzma’ut shows that more than any day of the year.
Also, for those who want to hear a legitimate Torah perspective in support of Yom Ha’atzma’ut (yes, apparently one does exist), this Shiur by R’ Schachter was put online today. Mods, please let it through.
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Sam, what you wrote is generally correct but you fell into the same trap as those who “oppose” the State. There is a difference between a state, a regime and a government. The classic example among the other nations is France. It has had monarchies (the first and the restored), two empires (Napoleon and his nephew Napoleon III)and is now on its fifth republic (= constitution). I n that time it has had many governments. However, it is still the same state known as France.
A state is an organic concept possessing population, land and sovereignty. The government, is the group of people who run the state. The regime is the form of government. Thus one can be happy with the existence of the State of Israel and at the same time be dissatisfied with the regime and critical of the government. In fact, when Yom HaAtzmaut fell on Bahab Rav Tzvi Yehuda (Kook) said both Hallel and selichot. When asked why he said “Hallel for the State and selichot for the government”. Similarly, he said that the educational and legal systems need to be redone from scratch.Yet his joy at having a state was not diminished. Hashem did His. Now the ball is in our court.
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