Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel

TORAH JOURNAL

Yom Ha’atzmaut 5775 A YESHIVA COLLEGE CAMPUS PUBLICATION In loving memory of Anthony Kur, Chaim Avraham David Ben Mendel

A friend of the Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel Mission Statements: The Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel is a genuine “makom Torah” founded in the heart of the Yeshiva College Campus. It aims to:

• Provide a consistent and impactful learning seder for the Avreichim • Engage with the broader community through involvement in Torah growth • Create a platform for the Yeshiva College School talmidim to flourish in Torah learning, through interaction with Talmidei Chachamim

“The Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel aims to be a Torah centre at tthe hear of Centrist Orthodox Judaism. This centre will develop true Torah leaders while at the same time provide the community at large with access to the depths of Torah. Ultimately, the Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel aims to transform Jewish Societye Tinto one wher orat Yisrael, Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael are central to daily living.”

Highlights  We welcome new Rosh Kollel Rabbi Shlomo Glicksberg who will be working alongside Rabbi Levy Wineberg  4 Avreichim have concluded an advanced Smicha exam covering the intricate laws on Hilchot Shabbat guided by the Roshei Kollel  A new program on Wednesday mornings has seen the Beit Midrash fill up with community members learning and socializing, 3 Shiurim take place, featuring our Roshei Kollel and Avreichim  A post high school program has been began, structuring high level learning for students during their busy university schedules  A Midrasha learning program has been implemented, and has seen over 13 young women participate in high level learning over 3 times a week  100’s community members participated in an Elul Program in preparation for the Yamim Nora’im  Erev Yom Kippur Learnathon –over 1000 people participated in special Shiurim and activities in preparation for Yom-Kippur ,all ages took part in this unforgettable event ,with guest speakers,activities and Shiurim catering for all  150 people participate in the Monthly Avot uBanim learning programs in conjunction with Yeshiva College.  Ladies learning programme - ladies are present in the Beit Midrash three times a week between Mincha and Ma’ariv participating in Shiurim given by our Avreichim  3 annual Torah Journals: Yom Ha’atzmaut, Yom Yerushalayim/Shavuot & Chanukah  400 community members participated in the Tikkun Leil program with over 100 learning through the night  Rabbi Levy Wineberg has begun an Halachic competence course catering for the working man, these in- depth Shiurim are geared towards high level learning and have enriched the lives of many working men around Johannesburg  The Avreichim of the Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel have recently begun learning the very pertinent and interesting Halachot pertaining to: Ba’sar Ve’chalav, Ta’arovot and Machlei Akum  New Rosh Kollel Rabbi Shlomo Glicksberg has begun giving various Shiurim and series of enlightening topics, his insightful Shiurim are a must for all

Avreichim Rabbi Levy Wineberg Rabbi Shlomo Glicksberg Rabbi Alon Friedman Rabbi Shmuel Bloch Rabbi Shmuel Kagan Rabbi Moshe Schnerb Rabbi Gabi Bookatz Rabbi Mordechai Abraham Rabbi Eli Goldfein Rabbi Jeremy Katz Rabbi Gary Rogoff Rabbi Avron Schwartz Chazan Chilly Chrysler Dr Dean Gerson Dean Sher Liav Kalmanowitz Ahron Perelman Ori Smadja Rafi Moskowitz

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% & %'        /  $ $ ;9 Words Of Welcome Rabbi Avraham Tanzer – Rosh Yeshiva –Yeshiva College Campus

It is with great pride that I welcome and salute the growth and development of our Beit Mordechai Kollel. Indeed the Kollel, which plays a major role on our Yeshiva Campus, also represents the fulfilment of the vision and dream of the late Rabbi Michael Kossowsky z”l, founder and first Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva College.

In the South Africa of the 1950’s and 1960’s his Utopian dream, which he hoped we would one day achieve was the existence of a Yeshiva College Primary and High School with an enrolment of 200 students. He could not have imagined the thriving, bustling campus we have today that serves the needs of close on a thousand boysm and girls fro Nursery School to Matric, including the Kollel which represents higher Torah learning for all ages.

I congratulate Rav Shlomo Glicksberg, Rav Levy Wineberg and their devoted colleagues. I also salute the lay leadership o f the Kollel who have brought us to the great heights we enjoy. A special thanks to the Chairmen, Mr Marc Chipkin and Mr Richard Herring, the Financial Director Mr Ronen Goldstein, the entire executive and Rabbi Alon Friedman, who have made the Kollel their personal calling.

This year the Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel’s publication and breakfast is in cherished memory our beloved Anthony Kur z”l. Anthony, our child at Yeshiva School, our friend, our congregate aonngd str supporter of our Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel.

In his short lifetime, Anthony personified the values of sincerity, humility, total loyalty and friendship to all of us.

May the Torah learning be an eternal zechut to his blessed memory.

Ase w e ar in the season of counting-Sefirat Haomer, we need to remember that it hasn’t really been about counting days as much as trying to ‘make our days count’. We make time count by using each day as a precious resource – to achieve something significant or to invest, to prepare in future achievements.

Just as we learn each day and daven each day, so too it is important that we give to others and do a kindness for others every single day – at least one kindness. (Try for 3.)

We prepare for Sinai and Kabalat HaTorah not just by learning, but equally by caring and by kindness. Thus the theme of the Sefirah period mourning has been one of ‘respect for each other’ – respect for peers and siblings, colleagues and friends. Not just love – Kavod.

Hashem doesn’t give Torah to people of ego, only to people of humility. “Vayichan” –and the people camped (singular) at the mountain – as one man with one heart” (Rashi). This is the most basic prerequisite for receiving the Torah and for becoming great in Torah. This is chavershaft and is the essence of the refined personality.

6 Rav Shteinman noted that never has it happened that a Gadol B’Torah becomes renowned for his genius or knowledge; rather he becomes gadol through refinement of character.

The Mitzvah of Talmud Torah is not a ‘brain mit zvah’ but a ‘character mitzvah’, it is the mechanism that Hashem gives us to become people of ‘gadlut’ – greatness of character rather than simply colourful personality.

This is what sets Talmud Torah apart as the biggest mitzvah – to become a great person is the biggest service that one do for Hashem and His people. This separates Shavuot as possibly the most exciting opportunity of the entire calendar.

This is indeed our hopes and prayers for all the participants of our Yeshiva Torah Campus.

May our Kollel go from estrengngth than dto co str ntinue to uplift and inspire our community.

Yom Ha’atzmaut Sameach.

7 Foreward Rabbi Alon Friedman – Director Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel and Associate Rabbi Beth Harav Glenhazel

We find a very unique statement of Chazal in reference to the importance of Eretz Yisrael.

“Dwelling in the Land of Israel is equal to all the mitzvot of the Torah.” (Sifrei.Re’eh 28)

In a letter discussing the mitzvah of dwelling in the land of Israel, the “Gadol of Minsk”-Rav Yerucham Yehudah Leib Perlman-writes: “Every time G-d spoke to Avraham Avinu, He mentioned Eretz Yisrael. The same is true of Yitzchak and Yaakov. The land is mentioned in practically every parshah in the Torah. With this in mind we could understand Chazals underlying intention when they say “Dwelling in the Land of Israel is equal to all the mitzvot o f the Torah.”

Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (author of Ohr Same’ach and Meshech Chochma) concurs: “From the day we received our Holy Torah, prophecy did not stop commanding us about settling the Land. Moreover, there is not a single parshah in the Torah that fails to mention Eretz Yisrael”

In his famous essay Ikveta DeMishicha, Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman points out that approximately two thirds of the Chumash as well as two thirds of Shas, depend on Eretz Yisrael. And Rav Yaakov Emden goes as far as to say that Eretz Yisrael is the “peg upon which the entire Torah hangs” (Siddur Beit Yaakov)

Eretz Yisrael and Torat Eretz Yisrael are an integral part of our campus and the central foundation on which our Kollel prides itself.

Our own Kollel provides a high level Torah learning centre, serving as the educational and spiritual engine room energizing all we do on the campus. This is truly a privilege, which plays a major role, and also represents the fulfilment of a vision - that Torah should be the nucleus of our lives.

The articles which appear in this publication reflect so much of what is unique about our Beit Midrash-holistic broadminded and relevant. Some articles deal with the realm of Halacha-Jewish Law-while others focus on the realms of Emunah and Hashkafa-ideology and perspective-with respect to Yom Ha’aztmaut.

A big Yishar Koach to all involved in putting together this publication. The Roshei Kollel, Rabbanim, Avreichim and contributors to our Torah Journal.

We hope that these Divrei Torah make a meaningful difference to your Yom Ha’atzmaut experience.

8 A Tribute To Our Dear Friend Anthony Kur z”l Rabbi Laurence Perez – Head of World Mizrachi

The nature of the ingathering of the exiles in the modern State of Israel is unparalleled in Jewish and human history. On and יציאת מצרים the two previous occasions that the Jewish People returned to their land – from Egypt at the time of from Babylon after the destruction of the first Temple – we returned almost exclusively from one country. The Jewish Soo to around 1,000 years .מצרים People were all based in Egypt, and of those who entered the land all came from later, at the time of the return from Babylonian exile, the Jews predominantly returned from Babylon which had been conquered by the Persians not long before. What is truly remarkable about the i ngathering of the Jewish People in the modern era is that it has been an ingathering of exiles from all four corners of the globe. Jews have returned to the land of Israel over the last century from over 100 countries, speaking 80 different languages. As mentioned, this is unprecedented in the annals of Jewish and human history: that a nation so dispersed over such a long period of time should merit to return to its lanWd. hat is equally remarkable is that this is exactly what our prophets prophesized for thousands of years ago, and indeed what we have davened and continue to daven for every single da y. In the silent prayer, the first of the collective communal requests that we make is the following:

תקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל לְחֵרוּתֵ .נוּ אוְשָׂ נֵס לְקַבֵּץ גָּלֻיּוֹתֵ ינוּ. וְקַבְּצֵ נוּ יַחַד המְהֵרָ מֵאַרְ בַּע כַּ נְפוֹת ץהָאָרֶ לְאַרְ צֵנוּ: בָּרוְּך אַתָּ ה ה. מְקַבֵּ ץ נִדְחֵי ﬠַ מּוֹ יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל: Sound the great shofar for our freedom; raise a banner to gather our exiles, and bring us togetherm fro the four corners of the earth into our land. Blessed are You L-rd, who gathers the dispersed of His people Israel.

Here we explicitly, first and foremost, ask for the return of the Jewish People to the land. We mention the same sentiment in the blessings of the Shma:

והביאנו לשלום מארבע כנפות הארץ, ותוליכנו קוממיות לארצנו. “And bring us in peacefulness from the four corners of the earth and lead us with uprightness to our land. “

These Tefillot are based on many explicit prophecies of our sages who foresaw the eventual return despite impossible circumstances of the Jewish People from all four corners of the globe. One such prophecy is:

וְהָ יָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יוֹסִיף אֲ דֹ-נָי שֵׁ נִית יָדוֹ לִקְנוֹת אֶת שְׁאָר ﬠַמּוֹ אֲשֶׁ ר יִשָּׁאֵר מֵאַשּׁוּר וּמִמִּ צְרַ יִם וּמִפַּתְרוֹס וּמִ כּוּשׁ וּמֵﬠֵילָם וּמִשִּׁ נְﬠָר וּמֵחֲמָת וּמֵאִ יֵּי הַ יָּם (ישעיהו יא, יא): “And it shall come to pass that on that day, the Lord shall continue to apply His hand a second time to acquire the remnant of His people, that will remain from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath amnd fro the islands of the sea.”

9 the far-flung and forgotten of Israel which will eventually ,נדחי ישראל Here Isaiah is clearly foreseeing the return of return. What is astonishing about this is that one might have thought that only established and large Jewish communities would return. Yet we have found that from the most unlikely and forgotten places Jews continue to return to the Land. Four million people have done this over the last 140 years, fulfilling i n the clearest way the words of our alone is worthy of feeling enormously privileged for the generation we live in and a קיבוץ גלויות prophets. This fact of sense of appreciation and thanksgiving to Hashem for this miracle.

has indeed been the beginning of the redemption in that it has brought Jews together in our ancient קיבוץ גלויות ingathering together – קיבוץ גלויות homeland and begun the process of collective connectedness as is the meaning of the exiles to the land. How appropriate it is that this booklet is dedicated in memory of and as a tribute to our dear friend Anthony – Chaim Avraham David ben Mendel, whom we all miss so much. This journal gives us a deeper understanding of Yom Ha’atzmaut and hence a greater appreciation for the privilege of the State of Israel. Anthony loved Israel. He visited very often and took his family there on a numerous occasions. He also supported on an ongoing basis some important causes in Israel. Anthony was one of the small group of pioneers who were the first to go on the inaugural Bnei Akiva Kfar Haroeh program in Israel when he was in grade 10 in 1987. Furthermore, all of us know what a great connecter Anthony was. During his life and especially during his illness he was always surrounded by so many circles of friends. He loved us, his friends, and we loved him. He was always connected. Anthony also connected us –he was our shadchan and for this alone we are forever grateful to him. He was an old and very close friend of both of us and we were at primary school together (Laurence) and spent our Muizenburg holidays together in December during our teenage years (Shelley). He knew us both for many years and hence put us together. We miss him terribly. It is also so appropriate that this journal has been sponsored by Mark and Stacey Uria both exceptionally close friends of Anthony and themselves deeply connected to Israel.

נשמה for his עליה May all the Torah studied in this journal and the deeper appreciation of Itsrael tha ensues be a great and a source of comfort to his family and friends.

10 An Article Of Faith? Rabbi Levy Wineberg – Rosh Kollel Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel

Many of us recite daily the 13 articles of faith as articulated by the Rambam. All of us are aware of them. Surely we have occasionally stopped to ponder on the Rambam’s choice of what to include and what to exclude.

W hy, for example is it not an article of faith that Hashem hears man’s prayers; or that He accepts man’s offerings? Why is charity, or the sanctity of Shabbat, or of Eretz Yisrael, not enshrined as an article of faith? The answer must be that the Rambam does not list “Great & Important Precepts”. Were that the case, the list would comprise at least 613 elements. After all, who is to say that “sending a mother bird away from the nest” is less important than eating matzah at the seder, for example? The Rambam is, rather listing “Ikkarim”, f oundations and pillars of faith. Take away any one of these, and Judaism cannot stand as a religion. Take away “Torah is Divine”, f or example, and what kind of Shabbat are we left with? Certainly not a Shabbat that is a Brit Olam, an eternal covenant between Hashem and His people. Certainly not a Shabbat ttha is deserving of the sacrifice that our people have exercised in its observance over the millennia since Matan Torah. So the details of all the mitzvot stand on the principles enshrined in these 13 Ikkarim. Now let us test this proposition: Is it also true of “I believe with perfect faith in the coming of Moshiach”? Is Shabbos inconceivable without belief in the coming of Moshiach? Are kashrut, matzah, shofar, korbanot, etc., are any of them diminished by one’s failure to believe fully in the coming of Moshiach? If we were to compile a list of Ikkarim, would the belief in Moshiach be among them? What is the logic behind Rambam’s counting the belief in Moshiach as an Article of Faith? The answer lies in our better understanding the role of the Messianic era in the value system of Judaism. We tend to see this era as either a) a consolation prize for the oppression and hardship that our people have endured through thousands of years; b) reward for our efforts in serving Hashem despite all odds and opposition; c) vindication of Hashem’s truth and justice. The era of Moshiach is of course all of the aboeve and mor . But none of this captures the central point about Yemot HaMoshiach

ונודע שימות המשיח ובפרט כשיחיו המתים הם תכלית ושלימות בריאת עולם הזה :(In the words of the Tanya (ch. 36 It is well-known that the era of Moshiach, particularly“ .שלכך נברא מתחילתו (וקבלת שכר עיקרו באלף השביעי) after the resurrection, is the goal and fulfilment of the creation of this world. It was, from its beginning, created for this [=state]. “ Let’s read that again: “It was, from its beginning, created for this state”. All the thousands of years of existence that preceded it, including allt the H avoda ashem of all those millennia, were a preparation towards the main goal: to create a redeemed world, a Messianic world. Could one have served Hashem all those millennia without being aware that this was the end-goal? Certainl y. But imagine the following scenario:

11 Two chess opponents face each other across the chess-board. They are brilliant logicians with prodigious memories. They are repositories of thousands of exquisite chess moves, of removing horses and knights, of castling, of turning pawns to brilliant advantage. Just one problem though: They have no king on the board, and they never saw a king used in chess. Would you say that they lack knowledge of one chess piece or that theye ar missing the point of the game: the checkmate? Every Shabbat that one observes must be viewed as a prelude to “the day that is altogether Shabbat and tranquility, for eternal life”, as certainly as every move on the chessboard, lehavdil, must be geared toward checkmating one’s opponent. It is in this sense that belief in Moshiach is an Ikkar in Judaism, in fact an Ikkar in a more fundamental sense: most Ikkarim serve as the value-infrastructure of Torah-life, while belief in Moshiach is its very point and purpose.

כל ימי חייך ,(How differently we may now see the wisdom in the statement of Chachamim (cited in the Haggadah . ”all the days of your life, to bring (us) to the days of Moshiach“ ,להביא לימות המשיח

12 Halachot Pertaining To Yom Ha’atzmaut Rabbi Shlomo Glicksberg – Rosh Kollel Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel

Question 1: Is it permissible to celebrate an engagement party on Yom Ha’atzmaut with music and dancing? Is one allowed to extend the party (including the music and dancing) in the following night? 1. The days between Pesach and Shavuot are days of sorrow. Therefore, the medieval rabbis wrote that, during this time period, it is the custom not to get married. At the time, people got engaged via the process of Kiddushin. It w as not the custom to forbid engagements between Pesach and Shavuot. 2. In our days, when engagements do not involve Kiddushin, it is obvious that it is permissible, as the Shulchan Aruch HaRav and the Aruch HaShulchan wrote. 3. The reason for allowing the engagement feast, according to the Rishonim, is because an engagement is not a significantly happy event. This would seem to be the reason why the Magen Avraham emphasized that one should not have dancing. 4. Several modern poskim inferred from the Magen Avraham’s words that one should also not have music that is suitable for dancing. 5. However, our case refers to an engagement that is being held on Yom Ha’atzmaut. Therefore, the relevant topic is whether music and dancing are allowed on Yom Ha’atzmaut. 6. This discussion appears to be tied to another question discussed by the poskim: whether one can shave or have a haircut on Yom Ha’atzmaut. The rabbis disagree as to whether the joy of the day cancels out the mourning customs thate practiced ar during Sfirat HaOmer. 7. Rav Nissim held that one could be lenient, but Rav Ovayia Hedaya held that Yom Ha’atzmaut was a day of thanks, not a day of joy, and so did not override the customs of mourning. 8. However, even if we are stringent with regards to haircuts, we should be lenient regarding dancing. Firstly, the prohibition against dancing is not explicitly found in any of the sources from the Rishonim from which we derive the laws of mourning; its earliest source is in the Magen Avraham. Secondly, it seems even from the words of the Magen Avraham that he allows dancing for the purpose of a mitzvah, because he specifically disapproves of recreational dancing. While an engagement party is not a mitzvah, a party celebrating a miracle is, as the Chaye Adam and the Mishna Brura ruled. 9. Therefore, one can say that, because most poskim allow dancing at a party that is linked to a mitzvah, one can also allow dancing at this type of party. According to this, the party must specifically be celebrating God’s wonders. If it is only to celebrate the engagement, it is not allowed. 10. In general, the fact that a party is for the purpose of thanking God for His miracles gives it the status of a mitzvah; and so it might be possible to extend the dancing into the following eveni ng. This is because the mitzvah grants the status, not the day itself. 11. The question then becomes: if the engagement party is on Yom Ha’atzmaut and therefore can have music and dancing, can it be extended into the following evening? One can have an engagtement par y any time

13 during the Omer has long as there is no music or dancing. Therefore, we need to clarify whether the fact that the party began at a time that allowed music and dancing is enough to allow the music to be extended into the next evening. 12. There is a general halachic principle that, when an activity starts at a certain time, it carries the status of being in that time even if it extends into the next day. This principle is disputed, but most poskim agere on it. 13. The question is whether this is one overarching principle that applies to every case of defining an activity’s status by its starting time (referred to by the poskim as “obeying the beginning” and not “obeying the present”), or whether perhaps different cases follow different rules and so there is no central theory. 14. After studying the matter, it seems that there are several different rules that generate the same result. I will try to differentiate three situations in which the principle of “obeying the beginning” was applied by the poskim; in the context of this description we can understand the exceptions and extrapolate the Halacha. a. “An obligation that has been created” – sometimes an obligation is generated by beginning the process. Once one has begun the first day or eaten the first kezayit, the duty cannot be uprooted by the day’s end, and so it can be fulfilled on the following day. However, this means that, in a case where there is no obligation, such as an engagement party, this principle does not apply and so cannot be used to justify extending dancing into the night after Yom Ha’atzmaut. b. “Obeying the beginning” – we learn from Bilam’s behaviour that, if one begins an action in its appropriate time, one can continue to perform it even after the time has passed; the correctness of the time isthe de fined by starting point. In practice, even though there are some poskim who have made use of this principle, most disagree with it. Even some of those who permit its use were careful to point out that the leniency was only to be relied on in an emergency, or only invoked it to justify someones actions. Therefore, it seems we cannot use this logic in our case of Yom Ha’atzmaut. c. Adding on to Shabbat and Yom Tov – a Shabbat or Yom Tov meal that extends into the next night seems to retain all the laws of Shabbat. However, it appears to me that this does not mean, i n general, that a meal that lasts into the night extends all the properties of the previous day, especially regarding things that are forbidden the following day, such as eating meat on Rosh Chodesh Av or dancing during the Omer. Shabbat specifically has the power to grant all its properties to its extension, such as allowing meat to be eaten in the Nine Days. Similarly, when an obligation to be happy is created, such as a wedding on Lag BaOmer , the obligation lasts even into the following night when dancing is forbidden – the laws of the Omer cannot uproot this duty. However, in a case like Yom Ha’atzmaut when there is no obligation of happiness, one cannot extend the dancing past the time when happiness is explicitly allowed. 15. Therefore, it appears that, if one holds an engagement party on Yom Ha’atzmaut, one should finish the dancing before nightfall. 16. Yom Ha’atzmaut davening in a house of mourning - Iyar 5772

14 Question 2: How does one daven the Yom Ha’atzmaut service in a house of mourning? Does one say Hallel? Does one say the extra Psukei D’zimra of a holiday? Does one read the special Haftara for Yom Ha’atzmaut? If wte assume tha one can hold Yom Ha’atzmaut prayers in a house of mourning, can the mourner lead the davening? Can he daven with everyone or must he leave the room? The davening on Yom Ha’atzmaut, as practiced by the Chief Rabbinate in 5710, 5711 and 5714, includes several additions, the most obvious of which is the saying of Hallel. The common feature of all these additions is that of joy. Therefore, we must deal with the questions of whether it is permitted to say prayers of happiness in the house of a mourner, or if perhaps this is one of the obligations from which the mourner is exempt. After all, a mourner is obligated to say Birkat Hagomel or the blessing on experiencing a miracle. 1. The question of saying Hallel in a house of mourning is discussed by the poskim in the context of Rosh Chodesh and Chanukah. 2. There are several reasons among the Rishonim as to the reason why we do not say Hallel on Rosh Chodesh in a house of mourning. 3. Rabbi Yitzchak of Vienna writes in Or Zarua that the reason is one should not speak of happy things in a house of mourning. 4. The Rokach brings an additional reason: Hallel includes the verse “The dead cannot praise God” – praising God in a house of mourning, where the soul of the deceased lingers, is considered “mocking the unfortunate”. It would seem from the Rokach’s words that the main issue is saying this specific verse. The Acharonim who cite the Rokach view his words as an independent reason, even though his language seems to refer to the general reason (see 3) why we do not say Hallel in a house of mourning. 5. One should consider an additional reason brought by the Rishonim – that the problematic verse is “God made this day; let us rejoice and be happy on it”. The practical difference would be whether one can say psalms that are joyful, but do not contain the above verses. 6. It would seem that if the problem is these specific verses, one could suggest saying Hallel and omitting them. This is especially relevant on Rosh Chodesh, when we skip part of Hallel anyway; the Gemara in Taanit does not specify which parts to skip. 7. Another reason is brought by the Rokach: he says that if people do not pray with the rest of the community, they are not considered part of the community. 8. Thus, there are several situations in which the reason can impact on the practical outcome: a. When the deceased did not die in the house of mourning b. When there are no actual mourners or the mourner has left c. Saying Hallel and omitting the verses mentioned above d. The psalms of the Shabbat and Yom Tov Psukei D’zimra can be said even by an individual

15 9. Several poskim have noted that the Rokach’s reasons do not stand up to criticism. For this reason, the Noda B’Yehuda wrote that it seems that one should only omit Hallel if all the reasons apply. 10. The poskim distinguished between Rosh Chodesh and Chanukah, in that saying Hallel on Rosh Chodesh is only a custom, while saying Hallel on Chanukah is a rabbinic obligation. Therefore, one should definitely say Hallel in a house of mourning on Chanukah. 11. However, the Admor of Munkatch wrote that, because it is our custom to say a bracha on Hallel, one must say Hallel in a house of mourning even on Rosh Chodesh, i.e. the fact that we have the custom to say the blessing makes the Hallel into an obligation. 12. In practice, the Magen Avraham ruled against the Tanya and Shibolei Leket; he agreed with the Maharil that one should not say Hallel in a house of mourning, neither on Rosh Chodesh nor on Chanukah. 13. However, the Magen Avraham distinguished between Chanukah and Rosh Chodesh with regards to saying Hallel after the minyan is over - he held that on Chanukah each person should say Hallel in their house on their own. 14. In contrast, Rabbi Akiva Eiger held that one should say Hallel in a house of mourning on Chanukah. The Shulchan Aruch Harav ruled that one does not say Hallel on Rosh Chodesh in a house of mourning, but people should sa ythemsel it by v es afterwards; however, on Chanukah, Hallel should be said, but the mourner should not lead the davening. Most Ashkenazi poskim rule this way, and many Sephardim have the same custom. 15. As a compromise between the different views, one could use the option brought by the responsa of the Noda B’Yehuda, Pitchei Tshuva, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch and Gesher Hachayim, that the mourners leave the room. If the people davening can be moved to another room this is ideal; if not, the mourner should go to another room and the minyan will say Hallel without him. According to this method, which is paskened by many Acharonim, one can say Hallel in a house of mourning in theory. 16. This method could be used to allow Hallel to be said on Rosh Chodesh as well, but according to the substance of the law one should not say Hallel. 17. It is unclear whether the status of saying Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut is more similar to Rosh Chodesh or Chanukah. 18. When the chief rabbis of Israel first instituted Yom Ha’atzmaut during the early years of the establishment of the state, they were in doubt as to whether a bracha should be said and so decided that Hallel should be said without a bnrachae . O could say that this decision meant that saying Hallel was not an obligation like on Chanukah, but a form of praise like on Rosh Chodesh. 19. Therefore, those who hold that one should say Hallel on Chanukah in a house of mourning because of its status as obligatory would say that it should not be said on Yom Ha’atzmaut due to its optional nature. However, some people have the custom to say Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut with a bracha, and so they see it as more analogous to Chanukah.

16 20. From studying the words of the Chief Rabbinates who instituted Yom Ha’atzmaut, we see that there are not two but three views with regards to saying Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut. According to Rav Herzog, Rav Uziel and their faction, the Hallel said on Yom Ha’atzmaut is actual Hallel and not just praise, but no bracha is said. Rav Ovadia Hedaya held that it should be said as praise and not as Hallel, and it would seem that Rav Ovadia Yosef a greed with him. 21. According to this, it would seem that on Yom Yerushalayim where Hallel with a bracha has been instituted, it should be regarded as obligatory. Therefore, at least according to the Shibbolei Leket and Sefer HaPardes as quoted above, it should be said in a house of mourning. 22. However, according to the view that Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut is just praise, the situation is less problematic according to those who hold that the issue is the verses “the dead” and “this day”; one can just skip them, which one cannot do when one has to say Hallel, which must be said in its entirety without any change. 23. We must deal with the question of whether saying joyful psalms, even not in the context of Hallel, is allowed; this will also cover the issue of Psukei D’zimra. 24. According to the decision of the Chief Rabbinate in 5711, one should add the psalms said on Shabbat and Yom Tov to Shacharit. 25. In principle, a mourner can say psalms, even though he cannot say words of Torah. However, these psalms were specifically chosen for their joyous nature. Therefore, we need to re-examine the reasons we previously discussed a nd the implications. 26. According to most of the reasons, the verses can be said. Even though the first reason would seem to say that they cannot, the Noda B’Yehuda writes that the reasons are tenuous and so Hallel should only be omitted if they all appl y. Therefore, if one has the custom to add to Psukei D’zimra on Yom Ha’atzmaut, one can do so even in a house of mourning. If one is concerned about the first reason, the option of moving the minyan or the mourner to another room can be utilized. 27. The Chief Rabbinate decided that certain verses should be read in the tune of the Haftara. The issue is whether these verses can be read in a house of mourning; after all, a mourner may not read from Tanach, including from Tehillim. However, there is no problem if the mourner is not in the room.

17 The Collateral Impact Of Sinai, Jewish Destiny And The State Of Israel Rabbi Leron Bernstein - Managing Director of Yeshiva College Schools

There is a perplexing Gemara that gives an eerie insight into who we are as the Jewish People, what transpired when we were honoured with the crown of the Torah over 3300 years ago and perhaps, how this continues to ring true 3300 years later, being bestowed with the crown of statehood with the rebirth of the State of Israel in recent times.

WHAT’S IN A NAME? Our Gemara appears in Masechet Shabbat 89a where the Sages z”l explore the meaning behind the name of the mountain upon which Bnei Yisrael received the Torah on that auspicious and hopeful day over 3000 years ago. The Gemara inquires as to why, ‘Har Sinai’, w as named as such and a very telling debate between the Sages z”l ensues,

אמר ליה ההוא מרבנן לרב כהנא: מי שמיע לך מאי הר סיני? - אמר ליה: הר שנעשו בו נסים לישראל. - הר ניסאי מיבעי ליה! - אלא: הר שנעשה סימן טוב לישראל. - הר סימנאי מיבעי ליה! - אמר ליה: מאי טעמא לא שכיחת קמיה דרב פפא ורב הונא בריה דרב יהושע, דמעייני באגדתא דרב חסדא ורבה בריה דרב הונא דאמרי תרווייהו: מאי הר סיני - הר שירדה שנאה לאמות העולם עליו. והיינו דאמר רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא: חמשה שמות יש לו: מדבר צין - שנצטוו ישראל עליו, מדבר קדש - שנתקדשו ישראל עליו, מדבר קדמות - שנתנה קדומה עליו, מדבר פארן - שפרו ורבו עליה ישראל, מדבר סיני - שירדה שנאה לאמות העולם עליו, ומה שמו - חורב שמו. ופליגא דרבי אבהו, דאמר רבי אבהו: הר סיני שמו, ולמה נקרא הר חורב - שירדה חורבה לאמות העולם עליו.

One of the Rabbis asked Rav Kahana, “Have you heard what, ‘The Mountain of S inai’, connotes?” He replied, “The mountain upon which miracles [nissim] were performed for Israel.” “Then it should’ve been called, ‘Mount Nisai?!’ Rather, it means the mountain upon which a good omen [siman] took place for Israel”. “Then it should’ve been called, ‘Mount Simanai!’”

He then continued, “Why do you not frequent the academy of Rav Papa and Rav Huna the son of Rav Yehoshua who study aggadah?! For Rav Chisda and Rabba the son of Rav Huna both Wsaid, “ hat is [the meaning of] Mount Sinai? The mountain upon which there descended hostility [sinah] to the nations of the world over it (the Torah).”

And therefore, Rav Yossi the son of Rav Chanina said, “It has five names: …the Wilderness of Sinai, because hostility [sinah] descended to the nations of the world there. What was its [real] name? Its name was Chorev...”1

1The same phrase – linking ‘Sinai’ to ‘Sinah’ appears in Midrashic literature in Shemot Rabbah, Parsha 2, Siman 4. It appears once again in Parshat Yitro, in the Midrash Psikta Zutrata Ch. 19. Siman 18. This is the Midrash that the Torah Temimah quotes in his commentary on this verse. Interestingly, a precursor to this interpretation appears even earlier when Moshe encounters the burning bush, similarly named, ‘Sneh’. שמות פרק ג פסוק ב -"וירא מלאך יקוק אליו בלבת אש מתוך  וירא והנה הסנה בער באש והסנה איננו אכל:" פסיקתא זוטרתא (לקח טוב)- סנה. על שהיה עתיד ליתן תורה לישראל מהר סיני: הסנה. לשון שנאה, שירדה לעובדי כוכבים שנאה:

18 The first thing that strikes me about this Midrash is the progression, or rather digression. This is one of the most awe- inspiring and transformative moments in the history of the world. Is there space for any emotion other than hopefulness and optimistic promise? It is in that light that the Midrash begins, seeking to connect the name of the place where this revolutionary experience took place, to the inspirational open act of G-d – a ‘na eis’ – miracle! However, this is quickly rejected for something a bit ‘less’ ground-breaking, as the Midrash then connects the name to the word, ‘siman’ – connoting a positive omen – a foretelling of good tidings. This too is hastily rejected and the Sage z”l who proposed his suggestions is seemingly admonished for his ‘ignorance’ in not knowing the well-known answer to our question given by Rav Papa and Rav Huna, the experts in Agaddah. It isw then tha e encounter the far less optimistic interpretation which unfortunately fits in best with the phonetic cue of the word ‘Sinai’ – ‘Sinah’. A forewarning of hatred and hostility seems to be a central message that the Torah wished to impart to us on this auspicious day through the geographic location chosen for the giving of the Torah. Perhaps this is to imply that while the event in and of itself is one of beauty and prestige, the location – representing the context of the event – indicates that the pristine Torah’s ‘landing’ in the world has the potential to cause the opposite effect.

I chose to quote the entire Gemara and not just bring the final conclusion because I am nevertheless inspired by the initial optimism of Rav Kahana. One could say that he offered those initial positive interpretations of the name, knowing full well about the widely known and accepted interpretation of Rav Pappa and Rav Huna. At the risk of being humiliated, he attempted to try introduce a positive spin on the name before having to resort to the depressing conclusion of the Gemara that the interpretation is one which is mainly niegat ve. Perhaps a subtle lesson here that one should never jump to a negative conclusion, no matter how ‘accepted’ it is, before attempting to find the positivity and light that could be revealed from just a slightlye ndiffer t perspective.

“The mountain upon which there descended sinah (hatred) to the nations of the world over it (the Torah).” – Shabbat 89b

Why does this teaching unfortunately resonate so much with us? Why is it that these words of the Talmud have so sadly proven to be timeless? Only 70 short years after the most intense hatred swept the world and caused indescribable destruction, we as Jews face such disproportionate criticism and blind hatred – it is difficult not to look around at the imbalanced rhetoric of the world and ask this question.

Before we loo k at contemporary insights, I would like to return to the Gemara itself and investigate the explanations of this phrase given by the commentators.

Rashi comments on the Gemara, "שנאה לאומות העולם - שלא קבלו בו תורה." “Hatred descended to the nations of the world - Because they did not receive the Torah”

Rashi believes that this hostility emanates from the fact that the other nations did not receive the Torah. What is it about them not having the Torah that causes the hatred? What is the underlying motive? The following Midrash (Psikta Zutrata) identifies the motive as one of jealousy,

19 פסיקתא זוטרתא (לקח טוב) שמות פרשת יתרו פרק יט והר סיני. למה נקרא שמו סיני, שירדה ממנו שנאה לעובדי כוכבים, שהן מקנאין את ישראל בתורתן: “…because they are jealous of Israel with their Torah.”

There is some logic to this response. On the previous page of the Gemara, when Moshe ascends to receive the Torah, the angels are shocked that Hashem is giving the precious Torah to lowly man. They call to Hashem, pleading, “This hidden delight that You have kept concealed for 974 generations preceding the creation of the world, and now You are going to give it to flesh and blood?”2

One can perhaps understand the jealousy of the nations of the world upon realizing that they have now really lost out! Not only did they not get this, the greatest of all gifts from the Creator of the world Himself, but this is coupled with genuine ‘lack of buying remorse!’ From a young age we learn the Midrash about how each of the nations of the world rejected the Torah upon receiving the offer from Hashem.2 The taste of regret turns into envy which then manifests as hostility.

The Tiferet Yisrael takes this even further and says that when the nations of the world rejected this most delightful treasure of Hashem, they essentially rejected Hashem Himself. And so, with the acceptance of the Torah by Bnei Yisrael bringing them intimately closer to Hashem, the other nations, through their rejection of the Torah, cause an enormous rift in their relationship with Him.3 This rupture in the relationship is then the void that inevitably becomes filled by hate.

There are however other commentators4 who believe that the hatred stems not from jealousy of being in possession of the Torah, but rather because of how the Torah transforms us. Through the Torah we come to be different from others and this causes a jealousy which fuels a despisit w ng of tha hich is different and distinctive. The Torah places an enormous emphasis on the way that we as Jews should practically conduct our lives. We are instructed to modify the way we eat, the way we dress, the way we speak and even the way we think, through our commitment to consistently learning Torah as we connect to the wisdom of Hashem Himself.

2תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף פח עמוד ב אמרו לפניו: חמודה גנוזה שגנוזה לך תשע מאות ושבעים וארבעה דורות קודם שנברא העולם, אתה מבקש ליתנה לבשר ודם? 3עי‘ ע“ז ב, ב. 4ספר תפארת ישראל פרק כו ”מדבר סיני“ שירדה שנאה לאומות מכחישי ה‘. פירוש, כי ראוי היה המדבר לישראל. כי התורה היא המעלה העליונה, והיא הקרובה אל השם יתברך. ומי שמרחיק אוהבו וקרובו של אחד, מרחיק גם כן אותו שהוא קרוב לו. ולכך התורה, שהיא קרובו ואוהבו של השם יתברך, כאשר רחקו אותה עכו“ם (ע“ז ב ב), נתרחקו מן השם יתברך ריחוק גמור. ולכך בכל מקום נקרא ”מדבר סיני“, וזה השם ראוי יותר למדבר. ולכן הזכיר הכתוב זה השם בכל מקום. כי כבר אמרנו כי המדבר מקום מדת הדין, ומביא מדת הדין. וירדה שנאה לאומות, שהרחיקו את התורה. ולכן מזכיר תמיד ”מדבר סיני“, כי מה שירדה שנאה לעכו“ם הוא מיוחד למדבר ביותר.

4The Ran, in Drashot HaRan, Drush 7, writes that the hostility stems from the distance that is created by our distinct way of living. He ends off positively, that at .תולדות יעקב יוסף בראשית פרשת ויגש the end of days, when all nations believe in One G-d then that distinction and therefore hostility will dissipate. Also see

20 Rabbeinu Bachya is one commentator who posits this belief, רבינו בחיי ויקרא פרק כ (כו) ואבדיל אתכם מן העמים להיות לי. חכמת התורה חייבה לנו להיותנו מובדלין במאכלנו ובמשתנו ובמלבושינו, ומתוך שאנו מסוגלין במצות התורה הם מקנאים בנו, ומתוך קנאתם ישנאו אותנו, וכענין שדרשו רז"ל: (שבת פט א) הר חורב שמ ו, ולמה נקרא שמו סיני, שמשם יצאה שנאה לעובדי גלולים.

“And I will distinguish them from the nations to be for Me. The wisdom of the Torah obligates us to be distinct in our eating, drinking and dress. And because we are adorned with the Mitzvot of the Torah, they envy us, and because they envy us they come to hate us…”

However, with all these insights, it is still very difficult to explain the unrelenting an d disproportionate hostility that has been shown to the Jewish people throughout the ages. More than that, if, as seen in the above opinions, it is about our connection to the Torah, then why is there very rarely a distin ction made in treating religious Jews – holding up the Torah – from Jews who have drifted from their Jewish identity? We very rarely find that that distinction is made when it comes to the blind hatred of those who wish to do usne harm. O could perhaps say, that this points towards the infallible and deep connection between the Jew and the Torah – even if on the outside it is not apparent, every Jew always remains connected. However, the question largely remains.

There is one other, more contemporary, interpretation I came across that talks to this point. I found it in an article by Rabbi Mendel Weinbach zt”l quoting Rav Elchanan Wasserman zt”l.

“W hen our ancestors declared their willingness to accept the Torah, they were set aside from all the nations who had refused to do so and they embarked on a road of no return. Their unique identity as the chosen people would be preserved either by a Sinai adherence to Torah or by the sinah of the nations whose hatred would remind them of their unique mission.”5

According to this interpretation, the ‘sinah’ of the nations serves a pragmatic function in providing a harsh ‘wake-up call’ when it is necessary to bring us back onto the path of righteousness and connection to Hashem.

T his statement that we have based our discussion on is certainly a very strong statement and requires much consideration and thought, especially when placed within an historic perspective and then balanced with the appropriate basic human sensitivities. Can it be that hatred is ‘ordained’ and there is no recourse or potential for repair? I would certainly hope not and therefore personally would like to believe that the Sages z”l, in conveying this sentiment, were reflecting a sense of hostility born of a misperceived pragmatic reason – whether it be because of jealousy, fear of the other or any other flawed reasoning our enemies can conjure up. At the same time, who are we to posit what is ordained and what is not? With historical glasses, there does seem to be some sort of ‘supernatural’ hostility that the nations of the world have for Am Yisrael.

5http://ohr.edu/3533

21 When I first learnt this specific Midrash, chilling words from a very unlikely source jumped into my head. I remember coming across a certain quote many years ago – said by the ultimate anti-Semite, responsible for the destructive hatred of the Holocaust, and they have been etched in my mind ever since.

“Providence has ordained that I should be the greatest liberator of humanity. I am freeing man from the restraints of an intelligence that has taken charge, fromt the dir y and degrading self-mortification of a false vision called conscience and morality, and from the demands of a freedom and independence which only a very few can bear.” 6

Another quote from the same source - as disturbing, and very relevant to our discussion, “The Ten Commandments have lost their validity. Conscience is a Jewish invention, it is a blemish like circumcision.”7

What was the greatest shift that took place at Sinai, when the Torah came into the world? Really, it was the introduction of ethical monotheism that taught that might is not necessarily right, that good should triumph over evil andt wha the precise definitions of morality and an upright way of life look like. The second president of the United States, John Adams, said it so profoundly,

“I will insist the Hebrews have [contributed]e mor to civilize men than any other nation. If I was an atheist and believed in blind eternal fate, I should still believe that fate had ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing the natioTns ... hey are the most glorious nation that ever inhabited this Earth. The Romans and their empire were but a bubble in comparison to the Jews. They have given religion to three-quarters of the globe and haved influence the affairs of mankind more and more happily than any other nation, ancient or modern.”8

We live in a world where we take a basic sense of morality and justice for granted, but before Sinai the world was a very different place. Could it be that it is for this reason that the world has an u nfailing resentment for the Jewish People? Could it be that, just as the kids on the playground giving in to their base instincts by planning anarchy resent the mature and secure child who spoils their ‘fun’ by doing the right thing and advising against hurt and abuse, so too the nations look upon us? Did the Sinah of Sinai emerge from the resentment the rest of the world now felt having to now be conscious of their actions, sensitive to the needs of others in a world that was now home to a moral compass? From the sentiments we shared above of probably the most destructive anti-Semite in history, this certainly seems to be a central thesis of this ideology.

This is after all who we are! We are proud, grateful and unapologetic to be summoned for the most lofty of all missions – making this world we live in a f ar better place.

6Rauschning, Hitler Speaks, p. 222 7Rauschning, Hitler Speaks, p. 220 8From a letter to F. A. Van der Kemp [Feb. 16, 1808] Pennsylvania Historical Society

22 ישעיה מב:ו-ז אֲ נִי יְהוָהקְרָאתִיָך בְצֶדֶ קוְאַחְ זֵקבְּ יָדֶ ָךוְאֶצָּרְ ָך וְאֶתֶּ נְָך לִבְרִ ית ﬠָם לְאוֹר גּוֹיִם: לִפְ קֹחַ ﬠֵ ינַיִם ﬠִוְרוֹת לְ הוֹצִיא מִמַּסְ גֵּר אַסִּיר מִבֵּית אכֶּלֶ ייֹשְׁבֵ חֹשֶׁ ְך: “I am the Lord; I called you with righteousness and I will strengthen your hand; and I formed you, and I made you for a people's covenant, for a light to nations. To open blind eyes, to bring prisoners out of a dungeon, those who sit in darkness out of a prison.” (Yeshayahu 42:6-7)

The Creator of the World formed us for the sole purpose of being a ‘light unto the nations’. This is why we e xist. According to the Sforno, it is for this reason that we are designated as, ‘The Chosen Nation’ (another motivation for hatred invoked by anti-Semites), not because of any claimed race superiority, but because we have accepted upon ourselves a superior mission – to bring light to the world.

ספורנו שמות פרק יט פסוק ו (ו) ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים. ובזה תהיו סגולה מכלם כי תהיו ממלכת כהנים להבין ולהורות לכל המין האנושי לקרוא כלם בשם ה'... And you will be to me a ‘Kingdom of Priests’: And in this aspect you will be treasured from everyone else, because you will be a Kingdom of Priests to understand an d to teach the entire human race to all call in the Name of Hashem…”

FROM SINAI TO STATEHOOD

And for what purpose if not for this, did we merit to regain sovereignty over our beloved homeland, Eretz Yisrael, in 1948? Paradoxically, the Sinah that emerged from Sinai became an unwitting agent to facilitate our return back to the mandate of Sinai in its fullest form, when Hashem granted us our beloved State of Israel. "This is the day which Hashem has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it"9

Rabbi Kook, our ideological forefather and the first Chief Rabbi of Palestine, blazed the path for revealing the sanctity in modern statehood and seeing our return to sovereignty as a continuation of realizing our prophetic mission endowed to us at Sinai,

“We were forced to leave the international political stage, although there was an inner desire that we do so until the glorious time when it would be possible to conduct a government without evil or barbarism; this is the era for which we long... Our souls have been sickened by the terrible crimes of governments during evil times. But now, the time has come; very soon the world will eswn eet and we will be able to prepare ourselves, for it will already be possible for us to conduct our government on the foundations of goodness, wisdom, uprightness and clear, Divine illumination...”10

9Tehillim 118:24 10Orot Ha-milchama, p.14

23 And yet, we cannot ignore the cycle of Sinah as it returns as if it is a law of nature11. What I find so telling and in line with the above thesis, is that the hostility rises up so precisely at our highest points of morality. When we strive for justice and goodness, it is at that exact juncture that the world gives in to the poisonous Sinah-tic critique. Col. Richard Kemp, the former commander of all British forces in Afghanistan commenting on Israel’s conduct during its wars unabashedly stated in an interview that, “No other army in the world has ever done more than Israel is doing now to save the lives of innocent civilians in a combat zone... When world leaders demand Israel do more, perhaps Israel should ask what more it can do.”

W henever Israel finds itself in the unfortunate space of having to defend itself and striving to do it morally12, it is then that the world single-mindedly focuses on every element of our defence that can be twisted and taken out of context to arouse hatred and attacks not on the State of Israel alone, but on Jews all over the world. It is near impossible to not see harsh anti-Israel sentiment as just a new face to the age-old anti-Semitism. Voices like that of Col. Richard Kemp are few and far bete ween. Ther are so many examples of the State of Israel being a bastion of morality and a model nation – including how it is always amongst the first to respond to tragedies all over the world and a leader in technology that uplifts the lives of so many in need. However – we live in a world that so quickly minimizes these achievements of the State of Israel to reframe the narrative into one of Sinah.

In a very strange and unexpected way, this could very well be a subtle reinforcement of the Religious Zionist vision that our Modern State of Israel is nothing less than the continuation of the platform for bring ing morality and civility to the world that was first established over 3000 years ago on a humble mountain called ‘Har Sinai’.

Echoing the words of the Ran5, may we reach a time very soon where the distinctions between the nations are positively blurred as all of humanity come to acknowledge the sovereignty of Hashem, allowing the Sinah13 that emerged at Sinai dissipate into distant memory. Until then, it remains our holy mandate to continue to bring down the values of Sinai into a world that so desperately needs them. ------Dedicated to Chaim Avraham David ben Mendel z”l, who was a true living example of the values of Sinai to family, friends and all those that knew him. We miss you dearly Chaimke.

11“The uniqueness of anti-Semitism lies in the fact that no other people in the world have ever been charged simultaneously with alienation from society and with cosmopolitanism, with being capitalistic exploiters and also revolutionary communist advocators. The Jews were accused of having an imperious mentality, at the same time they’re a people of the book. They’re accused of being militant aggressors, at the same time as being cowardly pacifists. With being a chosen people, and also having an inferior human nature. With both arrogance and timidity. With both extreme individualism and community adherence. With being guilty of the crucifixion of Jesus and at the same time held to account for the invention of christianity.” - A speech about the irrationality of anti-Semitism by professor Michael Curtis, of Rutgers University, 1987. 12This is the text on the card which Israeli soldiers take with them into battle: “Purity of Arms – The IDF soldiers will use their weapons and force only for the purpose of their mission, only to the necessary extent and will maintain their humanity even during combat. IDF soldiers will not use their weapons and force to harm human beings who are not combatants or prisoners of war, and will do all in their power to avoid causing harm to their lives, bodies, dignity and property. “We have a moral obligation to do whatever we can to prevent civilian casualties, and simultaneously face a moral obligation to protect our citizens.” - Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz 13I came across this very powerful quote in preparing this article, denoting the vicious cycle caused by hatred: “Hatred is a feeling which leads to the extinction of values” – Jose Ortega y Gasset (Spanish Philosopher).

24 The Omer Offering And The Holiness Of Eretz Yisrael Rabbi Alon Friedman – Director Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel and Associate Rabbi Beth Harav Glenhazel

The Omer offering is a mitzvah that many of us battle with. What is it for? How do we perform it? Is it applicable today? I would like to explore a few elements of this important mitzvah, focusing on the centrality of our Holy Land.

The number of mitzvot found in Parshat Emor is startling, 63 positive mitzvot-many of these mitzvot only apply in Eretz Yisrael. Let us focus on three of these mitzvot which are relevant to this time of year. Of course, I am referring to the mitzvot connected to the Omer.

The Torah States: Vayikra 23 י) דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּ נֵי יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲ לֵהֶם כִּי תָ בֹאוּ Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When (10 אֶל הָאָרֶ ץ אֲשֶׁר אֲ נִי נֹתֵ ן לָכֶם וּקְצַרְתֶּם אֶת קְצִירָ הּ you come to the Land which I am giving you, and you reap its וַהֲבֵאתֶם אֶ ת עֹמֶר רֵ אשִׁית קְצִירְ כֶם אֶל הַ כֹּהֵ ן: harvest, you shall bring to the kohen an omer of the beginning of your reaping.

יא) וְהֵ נִיף אֶת הָ עֹמֶ ר לִפְ נֵי יְהֹוָה לִרְ צֹנְכֶם מִמָּחֳרַ ת And he shall wave the omer before the Lord so that it will (11 הַשַּׁבָּ ת יְנִיפֶנּוּ הַ כֹּהֵ ן: be acceptable for you; the kohen shall wave it on the day after the rest day.

טו) וּסְפַרְתֶּ ם לָכֶם מִמָּחֳרַ ת הַשַּׁבָּת מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲ כֶם אֶ ת And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the (15 rest day from the day you bring the omer as a wave offering עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת תְּמִ ימֹת תִּהְ יֶינָה: seven weeks; they shall be complete.

טז) ﬠַד מִמָּחֳרַ ת הַשַּׁבָּת הַשְּׁבִ יﬠִת תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁ ים יוֹם ,You shall count until the day after the seventh wee k (16 וְהִקְרַ בְתֶּם מִ נְחָה חֲדָשָׁ ה לַ יהֹוָ ה: namely,] the fiftieth day, [on which] you shall bring a new meal] offering to the Lord.

יז) מִמּוֹשְׁ בֹתֵ יכֶם תָּבִיאוּ לֶחֶם תְּנוּפָה שְׁתַּ יִם שְׁ נֵי ,From your dwelling places, you shall bring bread, set aside 17 ﬠֶשְׂ רֹנִים סֹלֶת תִּהְ יֶינָה חָמֵץ תֵּאָפֶ ינָה בִּכּוּרִ ים לַ יהֹוָ ה: two [loaves] [made from] two tenths [of an ephah]; they shall be of fine flour, [and] they shall be baked leavened, the first offering to the Lord.

Three separate mitzvot are enumerated here: Korban Haomer (the Omer offering), Sefirat Haomer (the counting of the Omer) and Shtei Halechem (the two loaves brought on the holiday of Shavuot). The first and third apply only in the Land (and only when the Beit Hamikdash is standing), as the Torah states clearly,”When you enter the Land that I give you” and “from your dwelling places.” In fact Chazal use these two mitzvot as paradigmatic examples of the holiness of Eretz Yisrael.

25 “There are ten (levels of) holiness (with regard to location): Eretz Yisrael is holier than all other lands. And what is its holiness? The fact that we bring the Omer, Bikurim (first fruits), and Shtei Halechem from it, not from any other land . (Mishna, Keilim 1:6)

Concerning the second mitzvah, however there is a major dispute as to whether it applies today, in the absence of the Beit Hamikdash. The Rambam and others hold that Sefirat Haomer is independent of the other two mitzvot. Even when there is no Korban Haomer or Shtei Halchem, we are biblically obligated to count the 49 days. In contrast, the majority of poskim, including the Tur and Shulchan Aruch, hold ttha the counting is inextricably bound to the offerings, therefore our obligation to count the Omer nowadays is only Rabbinic to commerate what was done in the mishkan.

This explains two anomalies about Sefirat Haomer: 1) the fact that we do not recite the Shehechiyanu blessing. 2) The addition of the Harachaman prayer every night after the counting. The Rashba explains that Shehechiyanu is onl y recited on mitzvot that give us joy and pleasure. Nowdays, Sefirat Haomer gives us (at least it should give us) grief ,for it reminds us that the main component is missing: the divine service in the Beit Hamikdash. This also explains why we say “May the Merciful one (Harachaman) restore for us the Temple service to its place, speedily in our days”. S ince our counting is only rabbinically mandated nowadays, we turn to Hashem each night with a heartfelt plea to give us the opportunity to fulfil the mitzvah in its entirety, in the very near future.

Like so many aspects of the Shalosh Regalim (Three festivals), the mitzvot surrounding the Omer underscore the importance of Jewish agriculture in the Land of Israel. The harvesting of the Omer is so important that it even supersedes the Sabbath (Rambam,Temidim U’musafim 7:3-4) Rav Kook explains: “ this is a great tsi Jgn tha ewish agriculture in Eretz Yisrael emanates from the Holy source of this Holy nation:”(Ma’amarei Ra’ayah Vol 1 pg 179). There is one more aspect of the Omer that we have not yet touched upon. The Sefer Hachinuch (mitzvah 306) describes Sefirat Haomer as a countdown to the festival of Shavuot, the day of Matan Torah (receiving of the Torah). It is our way of preparing ourselves to receive the Torah anew. This aspect, as well, is deeply connected to the Holy Land. We mentioned above that the Shtei Halechem brought on Shavuot could only be made from grains harvested in Eretz Yisrael. Why is this, surely any grain could be used to bring the Shtei Halechem? I believe the reason for this is that the two loaves symbolize the Torah and one cannot attain a full understanding of the Torah outside the Land of Israel.

Chazal elaborate upon the supremacy of Torat Eretz Yisrael in numerous places. When Rebbe Zeira moved to Eretz Yisrael, he changed his ruling on a certain halachic issue, attributing his newfound insight to the special atmosphere of the Holy Land, saying “The air of Eretz Yisrael makes one wise” (Ba va Batra 158b).

One can learn great amounts of Torah outside of Eretz Yisrael, and become a tremendous Talmid Chacham (Torah Scholar). However, one can attain the ultimate level of closeness to Hashem-experiencing the Divine Presence which intrinsically comes along with Torah study-only in G-d’s chosen land. And this spiritual benefit is what enlightens a person to better understand Hashem’s Torah in Eretz Yisrael.

May we all merit to offer the Shtei Halechem this year in the newly rebuilt Beit Hamikdash.

26 Gevurot Geshamim The Real Power Utility – An Insight Into Early Sugyot Of Masechet Ta’anit Rabbi Ilan Raanan - Menahel Yeshiva College Boys High School

Introduction By the time this article goes to the publishers we most probably will be well into the switch of no longer saying the of the 2015 זמן Over the course of the first .עמידה of the ברכה insert at the beginning of the second משיב הרוח מסכת Kollel year students from Grade 7 & 8 who joined the Kollel for their Night Seder covered the first 9 pages of The beginning of this tractate discusses the practice of mentioning “Gevurot Geshamim” where we recognize .תענית The initial discussions of the .משיב הרוח ומוריד הגשם the great power Hashem exercises in controlling rain as we say first page of the tractate cover a number of topics:  When do we start mentioning this addition and what is the rationale that lies behind the different views? for this question when we should סדר המשניות  What is the point of departure in the careful order of the start mentioning this addition?  What is the precise syntax of the original Tanna’itic source? These topics, at first glance, seem only loosely connected and perhaps somewhat superficial; however once we probe a bit deeper into a fundamental question, the connection between these topics and depth of these discussions becomes more apparent.

Fundamental analysis: phrase of praise or prayer?

a fundamental analytical question that - חקירה When analysing a passage of Gemara it is often beneficial to pose a are essentially praise עמידה of the ברכות opens the doors to a new level of insight. It is well known that the first three are prayers where we ask Hashem to take care of our various needs. In the last ברכות to Hashem. The middle thirteen ברך of ברכה we essentially thank Hashem for what He has given us. The middle thirteen contain the ברכות three Reciting .לשאול Here we clearly ask for rain, what the Gemara distinguishes as .טל ומטר where we pray for עלינו of praise, so clearly ברכות takes place during the initial three ,להזכיר referred to by the Gemara as ,משיב הרוח the is added essentially to praise Hashem for His power to control the ever vital rain. However here is our משיב הרוח the analytical question: to what degree is this phrase of praise related to the ensuing prayer for rain? Does it exist as an indepe ndent phrase of praise or is the praise recognition of the power of Hashem that prepares the scene for praying for rain later on?

27 When do we start mentioning this addition? The first Mishnah of the tractate begins (Ta’anit 2a):

מאימתי מזכירין גבורות גשמים? רבי אליעזר אומר: מיום טוב הראשון של חג. רבי יהושע אומר: מיום טוב האחרון של חג. אמר לו רבי יהושע: הואיל ואין הגשמים אלא סימן קללה בחג, למה הוא מזכיר? - אמר לו רבי אליעזר: אף אני לא אמרתי לשאול, אלא להזכיר משיב הרוח ומוריד הגשם בעונתו. אמר לו: אם כן לעולם יהא מזכיר! From when do we mention the power of rain? Rabbi Eliezer says from the first day of the festival (of Sukkot). Rabbi Yehoshua says from the last day of the festival. Rabbi Yehoshua said to Rabbi Eliezer: “If the occurrence of rain during Sukkot is a bad omen (since it prevents us from being in our Sukkot) why should one mention this (from the beginning of Sukkot)?” Rabbi Eliezer replied to him: “I never said we should ask (for rain) but merely that we should mention that He causes the winds to blow and the rain to descend at the appropriate time.” Rabbi Yehoshua respotn ded: “If tha is the case one should make mention of this the entire year!” What is the fundamental difference between the views of these two Tana’im? Surely there was clarity that Rabbi Eliezer prayer of the middle thirteen! It makes ברך עלינו and not the ברכות of the first three משיב הרוח was referring to the however Rabbi Yehoshua seems to contend משיב הרוח more sense that Rabbi Eliezer was clearly referring to saying that this phrase of praise prepares the scene for praying for rain hence it is inappropriate to make mention of it over Sukkot. Rabbi Eliezer however views this as an independent phrase of praise, to which Rabbi Yehoshua counters that if that was indeed the case, the phrase should be recited daily regardless of the season.

Point of departure The Gemara (ibid.) immediately questions:

תנא היכא קאי דקתני מאימתי? - תנא התם קאי, דקתני: מזכירין גבורות גשמים בתחיית המתים, ושואלין בברכת השנים, והבדלה בחונן הדעת. וקתני: מאימתי מזכירין גבורות גשמים. - וליתני התם, מאי שנא דשבקיה עד הכא? אלא: תנא מראש השנה סליק, דתנן: ובחג נידונין על המים. ואיידי דתנא ובחג נידונין על המים, תנא מאימתי מזכירין גבורות גשמים. Where was the Tanna continuing from that he commences (the new tractate) with the question “from when (do we mention the power of rain)”? (Unless he is continuing from a prior Mishnah he should have commenced the Mishnah with the law that one must make mention of the power of rain. The Gemara answers) The Tanna continues the Mishnah (of Masechet Brachot) that teaches “one must mention the power of rain in the blessing of Resurrection of the Dead, one asks for rain in the blessing for the years and one separates between holy days and the mundane week during the blessing for knowledgea. (The Gemar probes further) If that is so, let him teach the timing of mentioning the power of rain there (in Masechet Brachot)!? (The Gemara answers) Rather the Tanna’s point of departure is Masechet Rosh Hashanah where we are taughtt tha w e are judged over (the amount of) water (we will receive over the coming year).

28 It is possible that this passage of Gemara could be a simple probe into the whereabouts of the necessary prior knowledge of the need to mention the power of rain. However if that was the case, the Gemara should tpress on tha the debate over the timing of mentioning the power of rain should be taught there in Masechet Rosh Hashanah! It is possible that there is more to this discussion than simply where this Mishnah should be taught. Masechet Brachot would be a fitting as an independent phrase of praise however the element of judgement taught in משיב הרוח point of departure for is a passage of praise that prepares the משיב הרוח Masechet Rosh Hashanah lends credibility to the notion that the scene for praying for rain!

Precise syntax of the original Tanna’itic source The Gemara (ibid.) next questions the syntax employed to introduce the discussion of when we commence saying :משיב הרוח וליתני מאימתי מזכירין על הגשמים, מאי גבורות גשמים? - אמר רבי יוחנן: מפני שיורדין בגבורה Shouldn’t the Mishnah (simply) teach “when do we mention rain”! Why do we (specify) the power of rain? Rabbi Yochanan said this is because rain descends with power. The Gemara continues with a very long and complex exercise in connecting various Biblical verses to show that rain is associated with the power of Hashem. We must bear in mind the precision of the Mishnah, both as a text written in a way that makes it easier to be remembered by heart, as well as a vehicle for many discussions that stem from the wording of the text. As mentioned earlier this could obbee a simple pr into the selected syntax of the Mishnah. However, we do find a Braita (a source that dates back to the times of the Mishnah yet was omitted from the final redaction of the Mishnah) cited on the very next page of our Gemara (2b) where the syntax is the simple “when do we mention rain”! Together with the seemingly “laborious” proof the Gemara provides preferring the added expression of “power” it would seem that here lies something much deeper.

is an expression that conveys much more than might. It is often used to connote holding back. The power גבורה referred to here isn’t the destructive force of inundating rain but rather the absolute control H ashem exercises over rain which, given our dependence on this vital source of sustenance, highlights the vulnerability of man and our dependence is משיב הרוח on Hashem that is the basis of prayer. Accordingly the specific s“ynpowertax o f of rain” indicates that a passage of praise that prepares the scene for praying for rain! further חקירה Taking this Give the wise knowledge and he will add wisdom תן לחכם ויחכם עוד :Shlomoh Hamelech in Mishlei (9:9) taught beyond what you provided him with. As we venture further into Masechet Ta’anit numerous discussions open up on a deeper level when we apply our fundamental analytical question. One will encounter discussions where the Gemara both as an independent phrase of praise and praise that is preparation for prayer yet the debate is משיב הרוח posits which aspect dominsate .

29 to gain a חקירה Keeping to the simple analytical question of two totally separate possibilities, see if you can apply the deeper understanding of the following Gemara later on in Ta’anit (4b):

רבי יהודה אומר העובר לפני התיבה כו'. ורמינהו: עד מתי שואלין את הגשמים? רבי יהודה אומר: עד שיעבור הפסח, רבי מאיר אומר: עד שיעבור ניסן! - אמר רב חסדא: לא קשיא, כאן - לשאול, כאן להזכיר. מישאל שאיל ואזיל, להזכיר - ביום טוב הראשון פסיק. אמר עולא: הא דרב חסדא קשיא +משלי י'+ כחמץ לשנים וכעשן לעינים. ומה במקום שאינו שואל - מזכיר, במקום ששואל - אינו דין שיהא מזכיר? אלא אמר עולא: תרי תנאי אליבא דרבי יהודה. The Mishnah cites the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah that we continue to mention rain until Shacharit of the first day of Pesach. The Gemara points out that this contradicts a Braita where Rabbi Yehudah maintains one continues until the end of Pesach? Rav Chisda reconciles the apparent contradiction that in the Mishnah Rabbi Yehudah rules one stops mentioning rain on the first day of Pesach and the Braita teaches one continues to ask for rain until the end of Pesach. Ulla challenges that is makes no sense to continue asking for rain once one has stopped mentioning rain. Consequently Ulla proposes that Rabbi Yehudah of our Mishnah maintains one stops to ask for rain at the beginning of Pesach when one stops mentioning rain and that the contradictory opinion in the Braita is the view of a different Rabbi who shares a similar name.

as a phrase of praise and who views it as a phrase of praise that משיב הרוח Between Rav Chisda and Ulla, who views is preparation for prayer?

תן לחכם ויחכם עוד!

30 Where’s The “I” In “Orthodox”? Rabbi Jeremy Katz - Avreich Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel and Senior Ram Yeshiva College Primary School

וַיַּ ֽﬠֲנוּ כָל־הָﬠָ ם יַחְדָּ ו וַיּאמְרוּ כּל אֲשֶׁ ר־דִּבֶּ ר יְהוָֹה נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה…: (יט, ח) The entire people responded together and said, “Everything that Hashem has spoken we will do…”

וַיַּﬠַן כָּל־הָﬠָם קוֹל אֶחָ ד וַיּאמְרוּ כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ ים אֲשֶׁ ר־דִּבֶּ ר יְהוָֹה נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ֽ ה: (כד,ג) ... “and all the words that Hashem has spoken, we will do.”

וַיִּקַּח סֵפֶר הַבְּרִ ית וַיִּקְרָ א בְּאָ זְנֵי הָﬠָם וַיֹּאמְ רוּ כֹּל אֲשֶׁ ר־דִּבֶּ ר יְהוָֹה נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה וְנִשְׁמָ ֽע: (כד,ז) He took the Book of the Covenant and read it in earshot of the people, and they said, “Everything that Hashem has spoken, we will doe an.”nd we will list

we will do and we will listen – at the - ”נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה וְנִשְׁמָ ֽ ע“ We all know that the Jews are praised for saying the words receiving of the Torah.

!In fact, they said it not once, but twice ?נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה וְנִשְׁמָ ֽ ע But did you know that prior to this, the Jews had already said Well, sort of. They said half.

ַ נֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה we will do. And, in Parshat Mishpatim, just a few pasukim before saying – ”נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה“ ,In Parsha Yitro, the Jews said ”.נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה“ again, the Jews said ,וְנִשְׁמָ ֽ ע upon receiving the Torah? And what נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה וְנִשְׁמָ ֽ ע What is the meaning of this? Why didn’t the Jews immediately say ”?נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה“ which couldn’t be understood with just the word נִשְׁמָ ֽ ע did they add by saying the word the first two times, the Torah stresses that they said it as a nation נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה Additionally, when the Jews only said the word .and the entire nation answered together - וַיַּ ֽﬠֲ נוּ ָ כל–“הָﬠָ ם יַחְדָּ ו “ ,united with a singular purpose: first, in Parshat Shemot and the entire nation answered with one voice. However, when -וַיַּﬠַ ן ”כָּ ל–הָﬠָ ם קוֹל אֶחָ ד “ ,Later, in Parshat Mishpatim ?no such unity of purpose is expressed in the pasuk. What is the explanation of this change ,נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה וְנִשְׁמָ ֽ ע the Jews said Many moons ago, when I was younger and I had more hair, I was weighing the pros and cons of becoming religious. One of my arguments against it was that I had assumed that being frum meant having to give up my individuality. Everyone follows the same rules – they wear the same black boxes on their arms and heads, they mutter the same words in prayer, they only eat certain foods, read the same books, and some communities even dress the same way. Where, I demanded to know, is there room to express myself? Until I was provided with the following mashal (parable): All buildings have certain basic requirements which they all share. They all need a foundation. They need concrete.

31 Steel beams. Windows. Doors. However, once the basics have been fulfilled, how the building ultimately looks, and what goes inside of it, is completely up to your discretion.

We can say the same thing about doing mitzvot. All emit zvot shar the same basic requirement: doing the action, – רצון ה regardless of whether or not you understand the meaning behind it. All one needs to know is that this is Hashem’s will. This is the “external” aspect of the mitzvah – the dry, mechanical, thoughtless part of the mitzvah that we all must do. Pick-up-the-lulav. Tie-your-left-shoelace. Say-this-bracha. Not a lot of room for creativity. However, there is an additional aspect to doing mitzvot. Trhis is the “inte nal” aspect of the mitzvah – the soul of the mitzvah, if you will. These are the kavanot (intentions) and the inner meanings of the mitzvah, which can be understood on various levels. Once one grasps one layer of meaning, he’s able to progress to the next level. The more he learns about it, the deeper his understanding, and the better his ability to fulfil it in shlamus (in total). Perhaps we can suggest that these two aspects of a mitzvah – the fundamental, exterior action, and the inner we will do – refers to essential – נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה וְנִשְׁמָ ֽ ע. ַ נֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה kavanot – are reflected in the usage of the words we will hear – is the understanding of the mitzvah – נִשְׁמָ ֽ ע fulfilment – the doing – of the mitzvah, whereas doesn’t necessarily mean hear, but can also mean שמע Rashi and other commentators explain that the word) understand). Only later, once Moshe began to .נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה At first, the Jews accepted the Torah on a superficial level – the level of and [Moshe] took the Sefer – ”וַיִּקַּ ח סֵפֶ ר הַבְּרִ ת ו יַיִּקְרָ א בְּאָ זְנֵי הָﬠָ ם“ teach them the actual Torah, as the pasuk states we will do the mitzvot ,נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה וְנִשְׁמָ ֽ ע HaBrit (Sefer Torah) and read it in the ears of the nation – did the Jews say and understand the deeper meanings behind them. For only by learning the Torah is one capable of appreciating a mitzvah’s reasoning and depth! There’s another fundamental difference between these two aspects of a mitzvah. In regards to the physical, active part of the mitzvah – we’re all equal. It makes no difference if you are the simplest Jew or the greatest Rabbi alive – we all must say the same words when we daven, we must put tzitzit on our garments, we must eat matzah on Pesach. However, the second aspect of mitzvot – the internal thought processes behind the mitzvah – are unique to each individual. Some people do the mitzvah with little thought other than wanting to get it over with and finished – like one who is paying off a debt. Others try to achieve lofty levels of intention, desiring nothing less than to connect to Hashem through sublime, mystical thoughts and hidden, kabalistic meanings behind the mitzvah. Most of us probably fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

the entire“ ,נִשְׁמָ ֽ ע without the word נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה This is why the pasukim inform us that the first two times the Jews said refers to the simple fulfilment of the mitzvah without any deep נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה ,nation answered together.” As we stated thoughts behind it. In this regard, every Jew is the same. Hence, they answered together – with one, unanimous the pasuk ,נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה וְנִשְׁמָ ֽ ע voice. Yet after Moshe took the Torah and read it to the nation, and the Jews answered doesn’t say that everyone answered “together” or “with one voice.” At this point the people accepted upon

32 themselves to go beyond the basic fulfilment of the mitzvot and agreed to understand their meanings and depth. And since every Jew internalizes the mitzvah on his unique level, the pasuk refrains from telling us that they did this “together.” Both aspects of a mitzvah are essential. The first – the need to fulfil the mitzvah – is a basic requirement that we must all do, young and old, smart atnd … less smar . This binds us as a nation and turns us into one, homogenous we – נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה Failure to do the mitzvah with its details will cause one to be lacking the ”.כלל ישראל“ entity called will do. Yet this alone isn’t sufficient. Hashem created all of us with unique capabilities and character traits. With these He expects us to relate to the mitzvah on our own level, by filling in the framework – the basic action – with our own .we will understand – נִשְׁמָ ֽ ע understanding and intentions. This is achieved through learning Torah – the This Shavuot may we all receive the inspiration not only to do mitzvot in their entirety, but to understand them on .נַ ֽﬠֲשֶׂ ה וְנִשְׁמָ ֽ ע - a more profound level

33 Four Different Ways To Mark Yom Ha’atzmaut, Or Not Rabbi Shmuli Kagan – Avreich Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel & Rabbi of Or Zaruah, Mizrachi Young Adults

When I was in Yeshiva in Israel the Rosh Kollel, Rabbi Dovid Miller, gave a talk preparing us for Yom Ha’atzmaut. This remarkably pious and knowledgeable man, from his appearance, may come across as one who does not celebrate the State of Israel’s independence with much fervour, but as is often true, especially with great people, one cannot judge a person’s inside based on their outside. We unfortunately place too much signitfi cawnce on wha e perceive on the surface, and from my Rosh Kollel’s thick and long “Brisker” payot; his black and white wardrobe; and his propped up black hat, one would expect a less enthusiastic talk about the unfortunately controversial topic of the establishment of the secular Jewish State. Knowing that Rabbi Miller never fails to surprise us with his broad and thoughtful outlook, I was intrigued to listen to his presentation on this topic, and I was not disappointed! Rabbi Miller observed that there are four general approaches to the day of Yom Ha’atzmaut: 1. I was fortunate to experience the joyful celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut at Yeshivot such as Gush and Yeshivat Ha’Kotel. One truly feels the festivity in the air while clean shaven men dance together waving Israeli flags while music pumps and voices sing out with deep gratitude towards Hashem for the miracle of Medinat Yisrael. The day is spent exploring our wonderful homeland, eating festive meals with family and friends. This form of celebration expresses one’s deep exuberance and tangible excitement towards this unique day which marks the beginning of our State. This is one way to mark the day and it makes sense, even to those who choose to mark Yom Ha’atzmaut in the second way… 2. There is a natural confusion and hesitation towards the founding of the Jewish state through mostly irreligious Jews and which continues to be maintained and led by men and women who do not keep Shabbat, or represent the Jewish people without a kippah on their head or a headscarf or sheitel covering their hair. Nevertheless, this confusion is generally over powered by the openly miraculous nature of the establishment and continuity of Medinat Yisrael. Many people struggle to cease their mourning behaviour during the sombre Sefirat Ha’omer period, but still realise that this was the day that Hashem Himself decided to give the Jews the privilege of setting up their own rule and government over their historic land. Jewish existence is full of curious occurrences! So on Yom Ha’atzmaut many people sing Hallel but wouldn’t listen to music privately; they have a festive meal consisting of Israeli food, but wouldn’t go get a haircut. This form of limited celebration though is still too much for those who choose the third way of marking the fifth of Iyar… 3. I remember walking through the streets of a town in Israel, noticing above me black flags stretching from the windows of some of the apartments. I asked someone what they were marking and she told me Yom Ha’atzmaut! Yes – there are those who view this day as an act of the Evil Inclination tricking the Jewish people to think that this is what Hashem wants, but in actual fact the establishment of the State of Israel is an enormous test of our ability to see through these “miracles” and not give in to this false expression and premature timing of Jewish sovereignty over our land. It is actually a day of mourning and supplication; a day of fasting and sackcloth; a day of repentance over our national mistakes and prayer for the real redemption! To many this attitude seems bizarre so there are many who neither celebrate nor mourn as can be seen by the next approach…

34 4. The fourth option of dealing with Yom Ha’atzmaut is really to not mark it at all. Business is as usual. There is nothing auspicious about the fifth of Iyar; nothing about which to openly celebrate and nothing to mourn over; no reason to even eat falafel or leave out the supplication prayer of Tachanun. Even though the anniversary of a relative’s death is marked with Kaddish and a candle; or a birthday inspires some form of gratitude and simcha, the anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel really encourages no behavioural change whatsoever. Rabbi Miller then admitted to us his opinion that one of these methods is Apikorsut. To hear such an expression emanate from such a gentle, warm-hearted person was surprising but when he told us which one, I was amazed. Apikorsut refers to an absence of belief in Hashem. All of these four methods have adherents who are religious Jews. Those who hang black flags are generally draped with long black coats and hats; found amongst those who do nothing on Yom Ha’atzmaut wear Tefillin and learn Torah for hours on end with passion and commitment. There are many irreligious people in all four camps but which religious Jews does my Rosh Kollel label, in a certain aspect as heretics? Rabbi Miller explained that he understood the first three options, even the one that mourned on Yom Ha’atzmaut, because at least they have noticed something unique about that day. All three expressions reveal a perspective of Hashem’s hashgacha, His providence and involvement in the day and in the State of Israel whether it’s a reason to celebrate it like a Chag or to fast on it like a national fast day. Their behaviour reveals they recognise Hashem’s Hand. Conversely, the fourth way is one which ignores Hashem’s participation in a day that has truly changed the Jewish people forever for better or G-d Forbid, for worse. Apikorsut is not believing in Hashem’s involvement and according to Rabbi Miller, these Jews who fail to react to what Hashem did on the fifth of Iyar is a blatant example of that. Judaism demands of us to respond to what happens to us or to what we see around us. We need to feed the hungry and gladden the bride and groom; we should feel sadness over tragic news and bless Hashem at momentous times in our life or when we eat a new fruit or wear new clothes. We must react to enticement by running away but be brave when we are faced with challenges we are forced to face. Hashem talks to and teaches us through what happens to us and it is incumbent on us as Jews to respond to that “conversation” in some way. Sometimes it will be silence and acceptance and sometimes it will be celebration. Yom Ha’atzmaut is opportunity to think about our relationship to Eretz Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael. It is a time to contemplate Hashem’s interaction in our personal and national lives. Not marking such an opportunity could be apikorsut at worst and a lost opportunity at best. May we celebrate this year’s Yom Ha’atzmaut with Moshiach and the Beit Hamikdash and may it remind us of Hashem’s continuous providence and care He bestows on us. Yom Ha’atzmaut Sameach!

35 Appreciating Israel - Look How Far We Have Come Rabbi Shmuel Bloch – Avreich Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel

It is terrible to take things for granted. Especially when it comes to the State of Israel.

Human nature, being what it is, is that when everything is already there and functioning effortlessly, we forget how difficult thi ngs really were, not that long ago.

However, to gain proper perspective and full appreciation of how far Israel has come, we need to understand the arduous challenges and immense predicaments that existed for the Jewish people just over 70 years ago. Imagine travelling through time back to 1945. World War 2 had just ended. Chaos, disorder and confusion reigned throughout the world. There was no normalcy for the Jewish people. Over 6 million Jews, a third of the entire Jewish people, had just been exterminated. Yeshivot were decimated all over Lithuania. Great Chassidic courts that numbered in the thousands now counted a few broken souls in their midst. Those Jews who did survive were homeless, jobless and living in constant agony over the fate of their relatives whose whereabouts were unknown. The trauma and suffering of the Holocaust was fresh and the pain was limitless.

In our generation, we have tremendous difficulty trying to imagine living in such a situatiotn wtha as a stark reality for our grandparents. Getting back in our “time machine”, let us now move to 1947. The Jewish people were trying to get their lives back together. The wounds and scars of the Holocaust were still fresh. All eyes were on the Land of Israel or Palestine as it was called then. Major efforts were underway to organise and expand the Jewish presence in the Land of Israel. At the same time, intense efforts by the British were undertaken to try and hamper and dissolve the Jewish presen ce in all areas of Israel. It is well known that the British vehemently opposed Jewish emigration to Israel. The notorious “White Paper” that restricted thousands of Jews from entering Israel was just one example of their terrible triumphs. Turning the ship, the “Exodus” back to Europe and preventing all its passengers- most of who were holocaust survivors - to enter into Israel was another. The hardships that the Jewish people endured during that time in Israel are beyon d our comprehension. Let our “time machine” move on to May 14 1948 / 5th Iyar 5708. David ben Gurion proclaimed the Declaration of Independence at the Tel Aviv Museum (now known as Independence Hall). At that moment the State of Israel came into being.

People who were old enough to remember that day, told me of the rejoicing and sheer ecstasy that was felt here in Johannesburg.

People cried openly in the streets and celebrated with bliss and exhilaration.

As we all know, the celebrations were short lived. Immediately, a coalition of A rab states declared war on the newly -founded State of Israel.

36 Despite being heavily outnumbered both in terms of soldiers and weaponry, Israel won the War of Independence. Hashem’s guiding hand of salvation was apparent to all. The State of Israel was here to stay. Let our “time machine” move to 1967. The State of Israel had existed for almost 20 years. Great strides were being made in all areas of Israeli life whether political, social or economical. The Torah world was slowly rebuilding itself and great Yeshivot such as Ponevezh and Mir and others began growing in numbers. Then war broke out again between an alliance of Arab states against Israel. Yet again, Hashem’s kindness and love for the Jewish people shone through and the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) won the war in six days.

Suddenly the Old City of Jerusalem was in Jewish hands and the Kotel was available to all. The Jewish and Gentile world took notice. This was an outright miracle, the magnitude of which was enormous. Jews started pouring in to Israel and the nascent Baal Teshuva movement started taking shape. Things were happening and the whole Jewish World could feel it. Let our “time machine” move to 1973. Again Israel won the Yom Kippur War. Then came the First Lebanon War in 1982. Israel was 34 years old. Despite the military situation, the country was growing in leaps and bounds.

Since then, Israel has had to rise up again and again to defend itself. Many wars were fought which go by different names such as the First Intifada (1987-1993), the Second Intifada (2000-2005), the Second Lebanon War (2006), the Gaza war (2008/2009), Operation Pillar of Defence (2012) and Operation Protective Edge (2014). Which brings us to the present day in 2015. While anti-Semitism in the form of hatred of Israel has spiralled out of control, and while Israel has to protect herself from enemies within and without, the country is thriving in so many ways.

There are literally hundreds of Y eshivot dotted around the country. The Mir Yeshiva based in Jerusalem is one of the biggest in the world with over 8000 students. Rabbi Raphael Shore in an article on aish.com, collated a small sample of what Israel has achieved . Israel has accomplished so much in so many fields and we need to be aware and take great pride in Israel’s achievements. Think for a moment and contemplate deeply these remarkable facts that Rabbi Shore gathered together. General  Relative to its population, Israel is the largest immigrant-absorbing nation on earth. It has absorbed 350% of its population in 60 years.  Since the founding of the State, Israel has won more Nobel Prizes per capita than any other country other than Switzerland. It has more laureates in real numbers than China, Mexico and Spain.  Israel has the 8th longest life expectancy (80.7 years), longer than the UK, US, and Germany.

37 Environment  Israel is the only country that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees, even more remarkable -- in an area that’s mainly desert.  Over 90% of Israeli homes use solar enerrgy for hot wate , the highest percentage in the world.  Israel is ranked in the top five Cleantech countries of the world, and operates the world’s largest desalinization plant.  Israeli companies are producing the largest solar energy production facility in the world. Science & Technology  Israel leads the world in the number of scientists and technicians in the workforce, 63% more than the U.S. It also has the most physicians and engineers per capita.  Israel’s scientific research institutions are ranked 3rd in the world.  Israel is ranked 2nd in space sciences.  Israel produces the 3rd most scientific papers per capita, and the most in stem cell science.  More Israeli patents are registered in the United States than from Russia, India and China combined (combin ed population 2.5 billion). Israel leads the world in patents for medical equipment.  Israeli companies invented the Drip Irrigation System, discovered the world’s most used drug for Multiple Sclerosis, designed the Pentium NMX Chip technology and the Pentium 4 and Centrium microprocessors, created Instant Messenger (ICQ), and Israeli cows produce more milk per cow than any other in the world! Business  Israel has the 3rd highest rate of entrepreneurship among women in the world.  Israel has attracted the most venture capital investment per capita in the world, 30 times more than Europe  Israel has more NASDAQ-listed companies than any country besides the US -- more than all of Europe, India, China and Japan combined.  In proportion to her population, Israel has the largest number of startup companies in the world. In absolute numbers, Israel has more startups than any country other than the U.S. Take a few moments and ponder the fact of where the Jewish people were in 1948 and where we are now in 2015. Could those Holocaust survivors in 1948 have ever contemplated how far we have come in only 3 generations? Our imaginary time machine has traversed almost 70 years of Jewish History and has illustrated conclusively that Hashem will never desert us. He never has and He never will. As Yom Ha’atzmaut this year beckons, we need to realize how much we have to be grateful for and we must never take Israel’s achievements for granted.

“Hodu LeHashem Ki Tov Ki Leolam Chasdoh” - “Give thanks to Hashem for his kindness endures forev er.” (Tehillim/Psalms 118)

38 Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut - an halachic overview Rabbi Joel Kenigsberg - Student in the Selwyn and Ros Smith & Family –Manhigut Toranit program at Eretz Hemdah. After matriculating from King David with eight distinctions – he came to Israel and learnt for seven years at Yeshivat Hakotel, anden is curr tly in his 3rd year of learning in the program. The Manhigut Toranit Program is a five year post Smicha, to enable Torah excellence as well as giving these Rabbis tools to equip them for the challenges that our society are facing. After the program, all of the graduates will serve in different communities throughout the Diaspora.The Director of the program Rav Doron Podlashuk was also instrumental in founding the Beit Mordechai Kollel.

In 1949, one year after the declaration of Independence, the establishment of Yom Ha’atzmaut as a national holiday was accompanied by these words by the council of the Chief Rabbinate led by Rav Uziel and Rav Herzog: “The fundamental turning point that has occurred by the declaration of our independence in Eretz Yisrael, with Hashem’s mercy upon us to save us and redeem our souls, obligates us to establish and accept upon ourselves for all future generations the date of the declaration of the State of Yisrael, the 5th of Iyar each year, as a day of celebration1 of the “Atchalta d’Geulah” (beginning of the redemption) of the Jewish people…” 2 In that year the Chief Rabbinate also established the custom of saying Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut without a bracha. 26 years later, after the victory in the Six Day War and in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War, the council of the Chief Rabbinate was reconvened at the instruction of Rav Shlomo Goren and voted to institute the recitation of Hallel with a bracha on Yom Ha’atzmaut that year and in all future years.3 What were the halachic factors which led the Chief Rabbis to conclude that Yom Ha’atzmaut is a worthy enough cause to recite Hallel with a bracha? Of course, any halachic ruling of this nature will necessarily be influenced by the hashkafic question of how one views the state of Israel from a Torah perspective - as a fulfilment of “Atchalta deGeulah”, the beginning of the redemptive process as envisioned by our prophets, or simply a tremendous political and military achievement. Our aim in this essay is not to settle this debate, but rather to focus on some of the halachic arguments for and against the recitation of Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut. Saying Hallel The majority of Poskim who deal with this issue begin their discussion with an analysis of the Gemara in Pesachim (117a): וחכמים אומרים נביאים שביניהן תיקנו The Sages maintain: The prophets among them enacted that להם לישראל שיהו אומרים אותו על כל Israel should recite [Hallel] at every epoch and at every trouble פרק ופרק, ועל כל צרה וצרה שלא תבא עליהם לישראל, ולכשנגאלין אומרים ,may it not come to them! — and when they are redeemed — אותו על גאולתן. they recite it [in thankfulness] for their delivery

1 The halachic question of establishing a new Yom Tov requires lengthy analysis and is beyond the scope of this essay. For more see Rav Nachum Rakover’s Hilchot Yom Ha’atzmaut veYom Yerushalayim. 2 National Archives 8562/651 תשל“ד Chief Rabbinate council decision, 25 Nissan 3

39 From this Gemara we learn the obligation to recite Hallel anytime that the Jewish people achieve salvation from persecution and destruction. However it is not immediately apparent whether the Gemara intends to establish Hallel as an ann ual commemoration of the deliverance, or simply as a once-off obligation at the time such a miracle occurs.

Rashi, in explaining what is meant by “every trouble” mentioned by the Gemara, cites Chanukah as an example. Since Hallel was established by the Sages on the 8 days of Chanukah as an annual commemoration of the salvation of the Jewish people,4 the implication of Rashi’s words seems to be that we are dealing with a yearly obligation to be repeated on the anniversary of the miracle.

Another source which seems to indicate likewise is the Gemara in masechet Megillah5 which asks why Hallel is not said on Purim. The impetus behind this question is the logic of the Gemara in Pesachim we quoted above. Clearly here too the question of saying Hallel does not affect the year in which the salvatioon to k place, but every year henceforth.

Thus it would seem that the saving of Jewish lives that occurred on the very first Yom Ha’atzmaut should warrant saying Hallel each year afterwards. Yet there may be those who wtould argue tha in the absence of a Sanhedrin we no longer have the ability to establish new takanot and create new festivals as was the case with Purim and Chanukah.

The answer to this claim is found in a careful reading of the Gemara’s words. The Gemara states that the prophets already enacted for Israel that they should say Hallel whenever they are saved from distress. In other words, the recitation of Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut would not constitute a new enactment, but rather the fulfilment of an ancient enactment by the prophets. Once the correct conditions are fulfilled, the potential enactment can come into effect.

The Chatam Sofer6 notes that in the case of Chanukah (and Purim7) the requirement to recite Hallel is actually from the Torah. He learns this from the Gemara in Megillah (14a) which states: תנו רבנן: ארבעים ושמונה נביאים Our Rabbis taught: 48 prophets and 7 female prophets ושבע נביאות נתנבאו להם לישראל, ולא prophesised for Israel, and none of them subtracted from or פחתו ולא הותירו על מה שכתוב added onto what is written in the Torah, except for the reading of בתורה, חוץ ממקרא מגילה. מאי דרוש the Megillah. From where did they derive [this obligation]? Rabi אמר רבי חייא בר אבין אמר רבי יהושע Chiya bar Avin said in the name of Rabi Yehoshua ben Karcha: If בן קרחה: ומה מעבדות לחירות אמרינן from slavery to freedom we recite songs of praise – how much שירה - ממיתה לחיים לא כל שכן. !more so from death to life

The Gemara learns the institution of Purim from a kal v’chomer, thus making it a Torah requireme nt. If the Torah gave us a Yom Tov to celebrate Pesach, when we were released from slavery to freedom, how much more so are we required

4 According to this logic it would seem that we should say Hallel on Purim as well, and in several places the Gemara questions why this isn’t the case. The Gemara gives 3 Different answers to this question: Either because the miracleo of Purim to k place outside the land of Israel, or because the Megillah itself constitutes a unique form of Hallel for this holiday, or because we remained servants of Achashverosh at the end of the Megillah story. None o f the above reasons would seem to apply to Yom Ha’atzmaut. 5 14a 6 Orach Chaim 208, Yoreh Deah 233. 7 Were it not for the reasons listed by the Gemara (Megilla 14a) Hallel would be recited on Purim as well.

40 to celebrate and give thanks when a miracle occurred by which we were saved from death to life! The Chatam Sofer therefore concludes that salvation from the threat of destruction warrants an obligation on our part to say Hallel – as a requirement on a Torah level.

The Netziv8 argues that the above kal v’chomer applies only at the time when the original miracle occurs. By contrast in future years the obligation would be rabbinic in nature. However we note that he still agrees that i n practice the obligation of Hallel remains every year as a commemoration of the miracle. The Entire Jewish People? As we have seen, when Am Yisrael is saved from a life-threatening situation there is a need to recite Hallel, and according to some this is even a Torah obligation. However several Rishonim mention an important limitation to the scope of this ruling, which may bear weight on our discussion regarding Yom Ha’atzmaut. The Gemara in Archin9 lists 18 days on which Hallel is recited, including the various chagim, along with Chanukah. However the language of the Gemara is unusual. It states “These are the days on which the individual recites Hallel.” The dayse in question ar ones on which undoubtedly all of Am Yisrael are to recite Hallel. What are we to learn from the wording - “the individual”? An answer is suggested by Tosfot:10

דאפי‘ צבור שאין שם כל ישראל Even a community that does not constitute the entire nation of יחיד קרי להו משום דאמרינן בערבי Israel is called “individual” since we said in Arvei Pesachim – [The פסחים(דף קיז.) נביאים אמרוהו [prophets among them enacted] that Israel should recite [Hallel ותיקנו להם לישראל שיהו אומרים !at every epoch and at every trouble — may it not come to them אותו על כל פרק ופרק על כל צרה — and when they are redeemed, they recite it [in thankfulness] וצרה שלא תבא עליהן וכשנגאלין אומרין אותו על גאולתן ולכך נקט for their delivery. Therefore here it says “individual” since when יחיד דכי ליכא כל ישראל אין גומרין the entire nation is not affected, Hallel is not recited except for on אותו אלא באלו הימים אבל לגאולת those days [listed here by the Gemara], but where the redemption כל ישראל אומרים אותו לעולם .affects the entire nation of Israel, [Hallel] may be said

Tosfot, as well as the Behag11 understand that the word “individual” comes to exclude when salvation occurs for the entire nation. Although the Gemara in Pesachim explains that we establish Hallel on any day on which salvation occurred (and not just the festivals listed by the Gemara in Archin), this is only when the deliverance occurred for the entire Jewish people (or at least the majority of the nation). Anything less is considered to be of an “individual” nature. This view is also take n by the Chida,12 who claims that this is the reason why the Gemara in Pesachim was omitted by the Rif, Rosh and Rambam respectively. In addition he quotes the opinion of the Meiri that in such a case one may recite

8 Ha’emek Sheelah Vayishlach 26 9 10a 10 Sukkah 44b 11 Hilchot Lulav 35 12 Chaim She’al 2:11

41 Hallel (even an individual by himself) but the bracha should be omitted. Accordingly, this is the approach taken by Rav Ovadya Yosef13 regarding Yom Ha’atzmaut. He rules that Hallel should be said without a bracha since the rescue of the Jewish population with the victory in the war of Independence affected only the approximately 600,000 Jews living in Israel at the time – a minority of the entire nation. What About Chanukah? There is an obvious difficulty with the proposition raised by Tosfot, Behag and the Chida (that we require salvation affecting the entire Jewish people to obligate the recitation of Hallel) from the miracle of Chanukah. This miracle ostensibly did not affect the entire Jewish people. How then could the sages have established the recitation of Hallel as a result? In dealing with this question, Rav Ovadya Yosef14 quotes the Rav of the Chida, Mahari Navon who explains that the salvation of Chanukah was unique. Here, he admits, neither the entire Jewish nation nor their majority were under threat, however the Beit HaMikdash was. And since every member of the Jewish people had a belonging and connection to the Beit HaMikdash, this fact was enough to define the miracle of Chanukah as one which affected the entire Jewish people. Even if we accept the notion that Hallel is only recited for salvation affecting (at least) the majority of the Jewish people, there may still be room for it’s recitation (with a bracha) on Yom Ha’atzmaut. The case may be argued in one of two ways. 1. What Constitutes a Majority of the Jewish People? The Gemara in masechet Horayot (3a) teaches that when it comes to calculating the majority of the Jewish people for halachic matters, only those in Eretz Yisrael are taken into account. The Gemara’s discussion is related to a korban broug htthe by S anhedrin when they issued an erroneous ruling which caused the majority of the Jewish people to sin. However the Gemara explains that the “majority” for this matter is defined by the residents of Eretz Yisrael only. In se veral other places the “majority” of the community is similarly judged according to the residents of Eretz Yisrael. Thus the Rambam writes in his commentary to the Mishnah15:

לפי שבני ארץ ישראל הם אשר Since the residents of Eretz Yisrael are the ones who are called נקראין קהל, וה‘ קראם כל הקהל ”community”, and Hashem called them “the entire community“ ואפילו היו עשרה אחדים, ואין חוששין למי שזולתם בחוצה לארץ even if they are just ten individuals, and we don’t take into כמו שבארנו בהוריות .consideration those in chutz la’aretz, as we explained in Horayot

Based on the above sources and others, Rav Shlomo Goren16 and Rav Moshe Tzvi Neriah17 ruled that for any halachic matter where we require the entire community, only those living in Eretz Yisrael are taken into account. Therefore if we ask if Yom Ha’atzmaut affected the entire Jewish people living in Israel at the time, the answer becomes a resounding yes.

13 Yebia Omer 6:41 14 Ibid. 15 Masechet Bechorot Chapter 4 16 Pg 625 Torat HaMoadim 17 Hilchot Yom Ha’atzmaut veYom Yerushalayim, “On Establishing Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut” Pg. 187

42 2. Yom Ha’atzmaut – Salvation for All Yisrael A second argument that could be made is to suggest that Yom Ha’atzmaut affected the entire Jewish nation, in the simplest sense of the term. This is the approach taken by Rav Meshulam Roth18 who writes that it is clear that the miracles and salvation of Yom Ha’atzmaut affected the entire Jewish nation, that the establishment of the state and political independence constituted redemption from slavery to freedom anadn ource deliver from our enemies constituted being released from death to life. In order to explain we can differentiate between two types of salvation which we commemorate on Yom Ha’atzmaut. On the one hand we remember the miraculous victory of the war of independence in which our newly-formed army overcame enemies far greater in number and in strength, and the 600,000 Jews who lived in Eretz Yisrael were saved from the threat of annihilation. However on a deeper level the very establishment of the State provided safety from persecution on a far greater scale than the war that took place in 1948. The creation of the State meant that Jews all over the world who found themselves under threat had a safe place to go and escape. It meant that refugees from the Holocaust were no longer left wandering from country to country, sometimes to end up in prisons or aboard sinking ships. And it meant that the Jews had a way of protecting themselves from threats of persecution the world over. Thus writes Rav Ovadya Hodaya19: “Even though not all the Jewish people were in Eretz Yisrael and the troubles and wars were in Eretz Yisrael and only here were the residents surrounded by enemies on all sides... nonetheless the salvation relates to the ene tirJ ewish people in the Diaspora. Before the establishment of the State, Eretz Yisrael was sealed offto the Jewish people... and without the establishment of the State we would still be wandering and persecuted amongst the nations vof the world...E en those who didn’t suffer and still don’t face persecution at the hands of foreign rulers... each Jew has the opportunity whenever he wants to return to his homeland, to the land of his forefathers...” Supernatural Miracles Another objection raised to the saying of Hallel is based on the opinion of the Maharatz Chayut in his commentary to the Gemara in masechet Shabbat (21b). He writes that regarding Chanukah, Hallel can only be recited because of the miracle of the oil, something that was completely supernatural. The military victory, unlikely as it may have been, could always have been explained in natural terms, thereby limiting us from reciting Hallel as a result. Several difficulties exist regardi ng this approach. Firstly how are we to explain Purim? The Gemara in Chullin explains that the name of Esther is an allusion to a verse in the Torah in which we are told that Hashem’s face will be hidden. The entire nature of the Purim miracle was one which occurred through natural means, yet a festival was established, and were it not for one of the three answers given by the Gemara, Hallel would be recited as well. Secondly, the Gemara in Pesachim upon which we have based our discussion, stated that the prophets established that Hallel should be recited for “every trouble” from which Am Yisrael is redeemed. There is not even the slightest hint or allusion to a requirement that the salvation be beyond the realms of nature.

18 Kol Mevaser 1:21 19 Shut Yaskil Avdi 6:10

43 An Incomplete Redemption Another objection raised by many is that while the establishment of the State was accompanied by great deliverance for the Jewish people, we are still far from the complete redemption. On a physical level we remain surrounded by enemies who wish to destroy us and the security situation in the State of Israel is far from stable. On a spiritual level, while there is much to be thankful for and the explosion of Torah learning taking place in the State of Israel is unprecedented (perhaps in all of Jewish history) we still find ourselves far from the ultimate vision of the prophets. We may have reached “Atchalta deGeulah” but is that enough? Rav Shaul Yisraeli gives two answers in dealing with these concerns:20 1. The Shulchan Aruch21 states that one whose father dies and leaves behind a great inheritance is required to say two brachot: “Dayan HaEmet” over learning of the tragedy of a parent’s death, and “Shehecheyanu” over his newly-found fortune. Even though the sorrow of mourning far outweighs the good fortune, nonetheless the happiness does not disappear. The two emotions are not nullified by one another. Even if one ist to say tha the State of Israel is at fault and is the cause of the physical and spiritual maladies to which we bear witness, our happiness and thanksgiving need to remain intact, alongside our disappointment and yearning for a greater fulfilment of our redemption. 2. Furthermore, we need to differentiate between our obligation of thanks towards HaKadosh Baruch Hu to how we have taken hold of the gift with which we were presented. An outpouring of chessed from Above is always a nisayon – it may be that the State has not fulfilled it’s potential, it may be that we have not lived up to our expectations, but that in no wamy exempts us fro giving thanks to Hashem for the opportunity and in no way detracts from the gift with which we were presented. Conclusions On Yom Ha’atzmaut we commemorate the salvation of Am Yisrael which was brought about by the establishment of the State - miracles which had bearing on the lives of the entire Jewish people. We have seen that there is great halachic basis for the recitation of Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut and this has been the practice of many great halachic authorities.22 The arguments for and against making a bracha on this Hallel are based on several halachic considerations and are not necessarily a reflection of one’s commitment (or lack thereof) to the State of Israel. The Gemara23 explains that Chizkiyahu could have been the Mashiach, but he was punished for not singing songs of praise over the miracles which were done for him. As religious Jews, we are obligated in finding the correct response to the events which take place around us. Whether one reaches the halachic conclusion of saying Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut or not, it is crucial that we acknowledge and find the appropriate way of giving thanks to Hashem for the tremendous gift we received with the establishment of the State of Israel.

20 Zeh Hayom Asah Hashem, “Letter to a confused youth” Pg. 59-60 21 Orach Chaim 223:2 22 Rav Meshulam Roth, Rav Goren, Rav Neriah, Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook. Also (without a bracha) Rav Ovadya Yosef, Rav Ovadya Hodaya, Rav Herzog, Rav Uziel. 23 Sanhedrin 94a

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