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Rabbi David Samson YOM HA'ATZMAUT SPECIAL RABBI DAVID SAMSON Torah Tidbits is proud to feature a that a Torah true Jew has to not only teaching from Rabbi David Samson shli"ta. keep Shabbat, tefillin and prayer, but Rabbi Samson has written extensively on must establish a state In Israel to serve the thought of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook as our national homeland. He states ztl and he has done pioneering work in the unequivocally “It is a mitzvah [to make area of developing schools which address sure] that the Land of Israel be under the needs of olim in Israel. Jewish sovereignty and not under the sovereignty of any other nation.” Some people think that the establish- Coming Home ment of the State of Israel is a hechsher mitzvah – a facilitator of a mitzvah en- any Orthodox Jews who have abling Jews to make Aliya. The Ramban not (yet) joined their brethren however says the exact opposite.” … and it Min Israel, rely on the Rambam is my opinion that the mitzvah that Chazal as their source that the G-d of Abraham, so extol … the mitzvah of living in Israel… Joshua and King David approves of them is a part of the mitzvah to liberate and set- staying on the banks of the Hudson and tle the Land.” (ibid). Here he explains that the Thames. A glance at the text of the political Zionism is actually the root and Rambam will open our eyes to recognize source of the individual’s obligation to that the Rambam not only mentions make Aliya!!! This means that if a person the personal mitzvah to live in Israel performs the mitzvah of making Aliya but numerous times (Kings 5, 9; Ishut 13,19- believes in a separation of Synagogue and 20; Slaves 8,9;Shabbat 6,11) but he actually state- He doesn’t go to the army or help sees political Zionism as reason to recite resettle barren lands then this person is Hallel! doing only a partial part of this mitzvah. The full mitzvah of living in Israel includes But first let’s ask, “What is the halachic national involvement as well. That means atomic weight of the establishment of the that paying taxes, lobbying for annexation, State of Israel? and celebrating Israel’s independence are The Ramban (Sefer Hamitzvot, Positive not only part of this mitzvah but they are Commandments, 4) includes the mitzvah actually the greater part! of establishing the Jewish State as one I would expect that meticulous Jews who of the 613 basic precepts! That means invest in Shmura Matzah, perfect Etrogim, 66 TORAH TIDBITS / TAZRIA METZORA 5780 and Tefillin with all of the trappings of value far beyond those individuals Hidur Mitzvah would want to embrace who happen to be at the helm. Yes, we this mitzvah as well and after making aliya celebrate Chanukah today by saying celebrate Yom Haatzmaut Lechumra. Hallel, thanking G-d for our sovereignty even though it included many terrible The Rambam teaches us dark times! that Jewish sovereignty has These are the Halachic underpinnings for the overwhelming understanding intrinsic value far beyond that this mitzvah is not just another those individuals who happen mitzvah. When Chazal refer to the intrinsic value of this mitzvah, they to be at the helm explain that it is equal in value to all of the other mitzvot put together! (Sifri The Pitchei Tshuva (Even HaEzer 75:6) Riheh 80). Why? What is so special about cites this Ramban and decrees that it is a Israeli statehood? Positive Torah Commandment. He adds The Rambam paskens (Kings 12,2) “… And this is obvious from all of the “The only difference between this Poskim, both Rishonim and Achronim!“ world and the Messianic era is Jewish How can he say “all” - what about the Sovereignty”. What can be clearer than Rambam? that? Yom Haatzmaut is seen here by the Rambam not as a secular event but in The Rambam begins the Laws of effect the demarcation point defining the Chanukah explaining why we celebrate messianic era itself!! and recite Hallel on Chanukah “…And [the Hashmonites] established a King We celebrate not only the Aliya of from the priests and returned Jewish millions of Jews, not only the mitzvah of sovereignty to the Land for over two establishing Jewish sovereignty, today we hundred years.” Here we see an amazing celebrate nothing short of the beginning insight into the intrinsic value of of the messianic era. Wow!!! Jewish sovereignty as an absolute value Rabbi David Samson serves as the Rosh irrelevant of who is the King and what is Yeshiva of Yerushalayim Torah Academy the nature of the Government. We have (www.yta.org.il). He is one of the leading to remember that those two-hundred- English-speaking Torah scholars in the years that we celebrate were populated Religious Zionist movement in Israel by many antagonists to Orthodoxy and and an educational entrepreneur. Rabbi above all the arch villain King Herod Samson has written five books, most who spent his reign killing orthodox of which are on the teachings of Rabbi Jews. Nevertheless, The Rambam teaches Avraham Yitzchak Kook and Rabbi Zvi us that Jewish sovereignty has intrinsic Yehuda Kook. OU ISRAEL CENTER 67.
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