Parshat Tazria-Metzorah No 1670: 3 Iyar 5777 (April 29, 2017)
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Please show your support and join as a member or renew your membership at this time.
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Press Release: RZA Aryeh Fellows Direct University of Maryland Israel Week
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RZA Aryeh Fellows Direct University of Maryland Israel Week
RZA Aryeh Fellows Yonina Keschner, Shoshana Kott, Yardena Sultan-Reisler, Adina Lerner, and Stephanie Raphael are directing the University of Maryland Israel Week. Activities include a Shabbaton, Tekes Ma'avar, lecture from renowned journalist Lucy Aharish, and showing of the movie Mekonen.
In the words of RZA Aryeh Fellow Adina Lerner, "We chose to have a wide array of programming including the movie Mekonen. Not only does it address the topic of Zionism, it also addresses the topic of race. Students today are very interested in social activism, and we felt as though students who are perhaps less interested in Zionism but more interested in social justice might attend the showing because of the topic."
Kol HaKavod to our fellows for arranging this!
The RZA-Aryeh Fellowship is a new initiative of the RZA-Mizrachi to strengthen the mission of Religious Zionism. Fifty college and graduate school students from around the country spent their winter-break in Israel where they studied Torah and attended intensive seminars devoted to Religious Zionism education. Now that they are back in America, the Aryeh Fellows are focused on their year-long Manhigut (leadership) projects designed to bring the message of Religious Zionism to communities across America.
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Introducing the RZA Art Contest for Yom Yerushalayim!
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Greetings,
One of the exciting initiatives we have planned to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem is a National Art Contest for Children.
Please see the poster below for detailed instructions about how to participate. All artwork should connect with the theme “
Yerushalayim HaBenuya K’Ir Shechubra Lah Yachdav” - “When Jerusalem is built up, it is a united city.”
To the Students
:
When you are ready to submit your artwork please scan your entry and
email it to our office (
office@rza.org). Nothing should be
mailed to our office. All art will be judged online. Upon receipt we will send you a confirmation email.
The top winners will receive cash prizes and will have their artwork featured on the RZA-Mizrachi website. Framed certificates will also be presented to the top winners in the contest.
To the General Public:
If you know of people who are available to join our committee and assist in expanding awareness of the RZA-Mizrachi Children’s Art Contest and encouraging the participation of schools, synagogues and Jewish Community Centers in your local city, please let us know. Committee members might include art teachers in your local day school, principals, special activities coordinators, artists and those with a passion for the arts.
We have a curator/chairperson who is working closely with committee members to help coordinate and achieve maximum participation. Our goal is to have a committee member in every major city in the United States. The committee member may also initiate local award ceremonies.
Please distribute the attached flyer to your local area schools, synagogues, JCC's and any other Jewish Institutions you think would benefit from joining the RZA-Mizrachi Children’s Art Contest. We are happy to mail you copies of the poster as well.
With warm regards,
Rabbi Gideon Shloush Sheryl Intrator Urman
National Director, RZA-Mizrachi Chairperson
gshloush@rza.org
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Artwork submitted may be used for RZA purposes in connection to the Art Contest.
Winning entries will have their name and grade featured along with their artwork on the RZA virtual Art Exhibition.
ENTRY MUST INCLUDE YOUR JPEG SUBMISSION, see flyer for complete details.
Questions? Call 212-465-9234.
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RZA-Mizrachi Manhattan Shabbaton
June 16-17
Location:
The Jewish Center
131 West 86th Street
New York, NY 10024
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Order your Yom Yerushalayim buttons today!
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SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR
YOM YERUSHALAYIM
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As the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem approaches, our support of Israel is more important than ever.
Please reply to this email to order your Yom Yerushalayim
"United with Jerusalem" buttons.
These buttons are perfect to hand out at your Yom Yerushalayim celebrations.
$36 per 100 buttons.
Please contact our office at
212-465-9234 or office@rza.org
to order!
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Here's what One Shul did to Promote Yom Yerushalayim Buttons to their Community:
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Getting Ready for Yom Yerushalayim!
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We are pleased to introduce a new initiative. Each week we will feature new items and materials to help you prepare for Yom Yerushalayim.
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Check out these videos for your
Yom Yerushalayim celebration!
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Video: Six Days of Miracles (10:09)
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Video: What does it Mean to be a Zionist Today? (2:30)
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Programming Idea for Yom Ha’Atzma’ut, Yom Yerushalayim, or Shabbat Scholar in Residence
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There may be no Jew in history with a more well-rounded resume of leadership positions in the Jewish community.
Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen served as a soldier in Israel's War for Independence (in the Old City of Jerusalem, no less), as a captive, as a chief chaplain (in a Jordanian prison, and later in the IDF Air Force), as a law school graduate, as a legislator, as a deputy mayor of Jerusalem, as a chief rabbi of Haifa, as president of the religious courts in Haifa, as a decisor, as a fund raiser for Israel bonds and the UJA, as a dean of two prestigious post-graduate religious institutions (Machon Harry Fischel, and Ariel, which he founded), as the chief representative of the Israel chief rabbinate to the Vatican in Rome and to the church of England, and above all, as a unifier who was personally friendly with his comrades in arms Yitzchak Rabin and Arik Sharon, and many others, having built relationships with people ranging from Rav Kook, when a child (spending a lot of time on the Rav's knee, and not just at the brit), with the Chazon Ish as a teen-ager, then with the iconic Rabbi Soloveitchik, the iconoclastic rabbis of Chovevei, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe, etc., and above all with secular Jews and even Arabs. He got his Arab captors to dance with the Jewish prisoners in wartime when in a Jordanian prison. How often has
that happened even in peacetime since then?
A recent biography by Professor Yechiel Frish and Rabbi Yedidya HaCohen has just been translated from the Hebrew to English by Urim, at the suggestion of a nephew of his, Rabbi Aaron I. Reichel, Esq., who also participated in the editorial process and added an entire chapter on his uncle’s activities abroad.
The book was dedicated by RZA Presidium member Martin Oliner, and Reva Oliner. Rabbi Reichel offers a presentation in person on the intriguing topic of nearly 100 ironies associated with Chief Rabbi Cohen, who was ironically referred to by a prominent world-famous rabbi (May 14, 2008) as in effect "the chief rabbi of the world" (even though (1) he was never universally known outside of Israel, and (2) he never served as chief rabbi of any entity more than a large and diverse city or an air force, although, in still another irony, during one period he served as the only person ever to serve as chief rabbi of all of the Jews of Israel -- the
Ashkenazi Jews
and the
Sfardim (April 2003).
Reichel also offers to serve as a scholar in residence in your community to discuss his 3 inter-related recent books – also on Rav Cohen’s inspirational father-in-law,
The Maverick Rabbi (Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein), and on Harry Fischel (Goldstein’s father-in-law), who played a major role, mostly posthumously, in Rav Cohen’s life. Plus motivational speaker Rav Yisroel Roll’s newly released book on baseball as an inspiration to Judaism,
Step Up to the Plate, which Reichel supplemented.
Attached is a cover of the book on Rav Cohen, and below is a link to the Israel Chief rabbinate’s official prayer for Yom Yerushalayim, as written by Rav Cohen, and as sung by a chazzan with a whole symphony orchestra.
Cantor Avremi Kirshnbaum תפילה לירושלים מילים הרב שאר ישוב כהן – YouTube
חג שמח
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbZOBYdNgsU
Background:
http://izionist.org/eng/prayer-peace-jerusalem/
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Live English Broadcast On Yom HaZikaron
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Passaic Community Celebrates
Yom Yerushalayim
Guest Speaker:
Rabbi Solomon F. Rybak, RZA Chairman
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Yom Yerushalayim Honor Roll
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Over 200 have signed up!!!
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Dear Friend of Religious Zionism,
One of the initiatives we are planning, in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the re-unification of Jerusalem, is an “Honor Roll” to be signed by the leadership of congregations and schools across the country.
1) Please have your leadership inform us if they want to be included on our Honor Roll. (We will include the names of all participating institutions in the media).
2) Please share this Honor Roll with institutions in your community and encourage participation.
3) Please arrange to display this Honor Roll in the lobbies of your Shuls and Schools. Click here to print out a copy of the poster OR kindly email us to let us know if you’d like us to mail you a hard copy flyer or poster.
Over 200 Shuls and Schools have signed up. If your community is not yet on our list please let us know.
Rabbi Gideon Shloush Presidium National Director
Mr. Martin Oliner
Religious Zionists of America - Mizrachi Rabbi Leonard Matanky
gshloush@rza.org Dr. Ernest Agatstein
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CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL LIST
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We are pleased to announce a new initiative: Each week, we will (translate and) feature a d’var Torah from a different Rosh Yeshiva of a Dati L’umi Yeshivat Hesder in Israel. Our goal is – until we get there ourselves – to bring Torat Yisrael closer to America.
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The Grace of G-d in Tzaarat
By Rav Ro’i Cohen Rav at Yeshivat Binot in Raanana, Israel
Translated by RZA Aryeh Fellow Yaakov Ellenbogen
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The Midrash Tanhuma in Parshat Tazria (13:9) writes: “‘When a man has on the skin of his flesh’ (Vayikra 13:2). The verse says ‘You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; evil will not travel with You’ (Tehilim 5:5) . This teaches that G-d does not seek to incriminate a person, as it says ‘As I live, says G-d, I do not seek the death of the wicked’ (Yechezkel 33:11). What does he seek? To vindicate His creations, as it says ‘G-d was pleased for his righteousness’ sake’ (Yeshaya 42: 21). In order to vindicate His creations, and not to charge them.
One can see a similar phenomenon with regards to Adam HaRishon, when his Creator gave him Gan Eden and commanded him, He said eat from some things, and to not eat from the Tree of Knowledge “For on the day that you eat from it you will surely die” (Bereshit 2:17). When he violated the commandments of G-d, a sentence was passed, and upon the coming of the Sabbath it was nullified. He began to talk with him, as Adam may have repentented, as it says “And Hashem G-d called to Adam and said to him ‘Where are you?’”And the name Hashem shows the presence of the aspect of divine mercy, as it says “Hashem, Hashem, merciful and gracious” (Shemot 34: 6). The aspect of divine mercy was put ahead of the aspect of divine justice, so that Adam would repent. This is as it says ‘You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,’ meaning that G-d does not want to incriminate a person.”
What is the relevance of this lesson in connection to the verse “When a man has on the skin of his flesh” (Vayikra 13:2)?
The picture is completed by another part of the Midrash (13:7): “Another interpretation: ‘When a man has on the skin of his flesh—’ why does the Torah not say ‘Speak to the Children of Israel,’ as it says in all other sections of the Torah, and rather says ‘When a man has on the skin of his flesh?’ This is as the verse says ‘You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness.’ But another verse says ‘My counsel will stand and all that I desire I will do.’ One who hears this second verse may say ‘Perhaps there will be a distortion of justice above.’ Rabbi Tanchuma says: ‘What does all that I desire I will do mean? That G-d does not want to incriminate any person. As it says I do not seek the death of the wicked (Yechezkel 33:11). This shows that You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness.’”
In other words, the Torah was not written in clear conditional language, saying “If a person has on the skin of his flesh,” rather it is written in a more firm manner, which presents skin lesions as things which will surely come. It is on this that the Midrash asks: why? And answers, that when G-d seeks to punish a person, He does not do this out of anger and vengeance, rather He does it out of the desire to correct his actions. G-d prefers to give a person skin lesions more rather than killing them. And since “there is no righteous person in the land who does good and has not sinned” (Kohelet 7: 20), we are forced to have lesions as part of our spiritual healing.
However, why were lesions specifically chosen as the most appropriate punishment that required atonement?
In the laws of blemishes which disqualify Kohanim from working in the Mishkan, the torah commanded: “Speak to Aaron and say: ‘One of your descendants throughout the generations that has a blemish, he should not approach to offer the bread of his G-d” (Vayikra 21: 16-17). Why does the Torah forbid a physically blemished Kohen from working in the Mishkan and the Beit Hamikdash? What did this poor man do that caused him to be removed from holy work?
Rabbi Moshe Cordovero explains, in accordance with the Zohar, that an exterior blemish is only an exterior manifestation of an inner, spiritual, blemish.
Nowadays, the concept of psychosomatic illnesses is clear and familiar. It has been shown that a person with high self confidence is more resistant to disease. It is also known that that nervousness can lead to diseases such as ulcers, and even cancer, chas v’shalom.
This is also true in our case: Lesions are essentially a “flooding” of the spiritual blemish, which is caused by sin, to the outer body. A person who has sinned clouds his soul and damages it. “It was taught in the house of Rabbi Yishmael: Sin confuses the heart of man.” And now, when G-d wants to cause a person to repent, he signals to him through skin lesions, the stains of the soul.
However, it seems that there is another level of understanding here: The sins of the nation of Israel are not essential to them, rather they are external and alien to their nature. “Israel, even though she sinned, is still Israel,” “Regardless, they are called sons.” Sin does not have the power to defile the deep innermost fundamental core of a Jewish person.
Lesions do not harm a person’s inner nature, but their outsides. “When a man has on the skin of his flesh,” on the outermost shell of his reality. Lesions signal that the outer layer of man— and not his soul, G-d forbid!— is contaminated, and that he must wake up and clean it, in order to prevent the same confusion of the heart, the same spiritual sealing and blockage in the future.
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R. Ro’i Cohen is a teacher in Yeshivat Binot, a Hesder Yeshiva in Ra’anana. A graduate of Yeshivat Hesder Naharia (also known as yeshivat Nahar Deah), R. Hacohen teaches Gemara and other topics in Yeshivat Binot. In addition to this, he also runs a Torah learning group called Binot, which consists of young couples, many of whom are in the yeshiva already.
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We are pleased to feature a different Religious Zionist rabbi each week from around the country to share a Dvar Torah.
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Parshat Tazria-Metzorah Rabbi Daniel Feldman
Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva University Rabbi of Ohr Saadya in
Teaneck, NJ
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The theme of lashon hara lurks unmentioned but deeply felt in the background of our double parshah of Tazria-Metzora. The parshiyot describe a malady, tzara'at, which expresses itself physically but is attributed by the Rabbinic literature to spiritual causes. Most prominent among these is that of lashon hara, or derogatory speech.
Strikingly, this prohibition is not limited to speech about human beings. In particular, it is forbidden to disparage the Land of Israel, a transgression known as dibat ha-Aretz, the sin committed so tragically by the meraglim.
Both of these prohibitions prompt a fundamental question. When it comes to lashon hara, we are taught that it is forbidden to speak negatively even when one is speaking the truth (assuming the subject does not pose a danger to anyone). This seems difficult to understand. It is one thing to prohibit overt slander. However, what can be wrong with relating facts? If the person in question deserves the criticism, why is it wrong to express it? Similarly, if one has genuine complaints about the land of Israel, why is it wrong to state them?
One reason that lashon hara is prohibited even when it is "true" is that often it is not actually true. Even if the elements are factual, they lack context. This can be the case even when the speaker believes he is providing all the relevant information. it is almost impossible, when talking about human beings, to paint an entirely accurate picture and to include all the details that inform their actions. There is always more that is unsaid that gives greater clarity to the story.
If we truly value the people in our lives, we understand that the sum total of their character always exceeds the detail that is irking us at the moment. If we fully appreciated them, whatever we were complaining about (again, assuming we are not referring to someone who poses a danger) would often not make it to our radar screens.
The same is true about the land of Israel. There is always something to complain about, a detail that we would wish to change. But if we had a sense of appreciation for the magnificent gift G-d has bestowed upon our people, we would find ourselves unable to focus on our irritations.
As we look to next week's commemoration of the anniversary of Israel's independence on Yom HaAtzamaut, we have an opportunity remind ourselves of how miraculous and providential our national existence has been.
Is also an opportunity to reinforce the notion that Chazal have taught us that our license to hold on to the Land contingent on our ability to see the best in each other and not to be consumed by unwarranted hatred. Through our sensitivity to the twin prohibitions of lashon hara and dibat haAretz, we do our parts towards earning the promise of a complete redemption, speedily in our days.
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Introducing the New RZA-Aryeh Fellowship!
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The RZA-Aryeh Fellowship is a new initiative of the RZA-Mizrachi to strengthen the mission of Religious Zionism. Fifty college and graduate school students from around the country have been invited to spend their winter-break in Israel where they will be studying Torah and attending intensive seminars devoted to Religious Zionism education. Upon their return the Aryeh Fellows will focus on their year-long Manhigut (leadership) projects designed to bring the message of Religious Zionism back to communities across America. We are excited to profile a different “Aryeh Fellow” each week.
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Brandon Lurie was born in sunny Los Angeles around 23 years ago. He attended Maimonides Academy and then Yeshiva University High School of Los Angeles (YULA). At YULA Brandon garnered a tremendous sense of commitment to Eretz Yisrael and the State of Israel and poured his enthusiasm over into leading his galil of Bnei Akiva Los Angeles. Following his 4 year tenure at YULA, he attended Yeshivat Hakotel for one year. In Hakotel, Brandon fostered an event deeper connection to the Land of Israel and it's people. Being fully immersed in the Israeli culture revealed a new beauty of living in Israel to Brandon. Following his stint in yeshiva, Brandon headed back to North America where he voyaged into Canada for two years at McGill University only to ultimately transfer to New York University. Brandon is currently a senior in NYU majoring in History with a minor in Judaic Studies.
Brandon plans on moving to Israel permanently as soon as he graduates from NYU. Brandon plans to take his enthusiasm and passion for religious Zionism he's fostered through his years of education and share it with the larger New York community through this time as an RZA fellow.
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Check out some of these incredible events that our Aryeh Fellows are hosting in their communities and college campuses!
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Save the Date - Yeshivat HaKotel Dinner
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Yeshivat HaKotel will be hosting their 50th Anniversary dinner on
Tuesday, Yom Yerushalayim, May 23,
at the Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York City. Mr. and Mrs. Louis Drazin of Montreal will be honored for their many years of support and devotion to Yeshivat Hakotel. The program will include a Tefila Chagigit, Dvar Torah by our Dean of Students Rabbi Reuven Taragin, and music by Eitan Katz.
For those unable to join the mission to Israel, this is an incredible oppertunity to celebrate Yom Yerushalayim here in the United States.
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Yom Yerushalayim Invitation
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Watch this video invitation from the iconic paratroopers who liberated Jerusalem in 1967. They invite you to join them for a once in a lifetime opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Yom Yerushalaym, May 22nd-May 25th. More details below.
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Join us for Yom Yerushalyaim!
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Please ask your Shul Rabbi and local school to include this in their weekly emails. Make sure to join us for this once in a lifetime opportunity!
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In light of the UN Security Council vote, our support for Yerushalayim is needed now more than ever. Register now for this once in a lifetime opportunity. Join Jewish people from around the world as we gather in our holiest city to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem. The time is now. Show your support!
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Dear RZA-Mizrachi Friends,
We very much look forward to having you take part in our Mizrachi World Movement's "This Year in Jerusalem" Mega-Mission over Yom Yerushalayim. Our aim is to bring thousands of people (including rabbinic and community leaders) from hundreds of communities from across the global Jewish community to learn, experience and celebrate together at this momentous time in Jewish history.
Please see below a personal invitation from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, one of the global leaders of the mission, inviting you to join him on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
More details about the program can be found at the following link -
www.mizrachi.org/YY50
- including the draft schedule, highlights, pricing options and booking procedure.
Please note the following:
1. There are 10 hotel options, with a price range depending on hotel choice. Each hotel package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner (excluding Wed evening). The hotel packages also include the entire 4 day program at discounted rates.
2. There is also an option for people who are not staying in hotels - if they have their own accommodation - to join for the 4 day program, at a cost of $630 per person. It does not include hotel, breakfast and dinner, but does include transport from central meeting points to and from all the venues, lunch each day, and participation in the full program.
3. For those shuls/communities/groups who wish to bring missions and want to extend their trip either before or after our 4 day mission, that can also be arranged by contacting us at
YY50@mizrachi.org
, and we - together with our partners - will put together a tailor-made package for your group.
Looking forward to celebrating together – in Jerusalem – on this historic occasion.
With excitement and anticipation,
Rabbi Gideon Shloush Rav Doron Perez
Mizrachi – Religious Zionists of America Mizrachi World Movement
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Please encourage your community leadership to include the paragraph below in your Shul and School Announcements:
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem. On May 22-25 be front and center for a mega-celebration in Israel in partnership with the Religious Zionist of merica (RZA) and World Mizrachi. Individuals and communities from around the world will participate in this once in a lifetime opportunity. Celebrating 50 years of a reunited Jerusalem on Yom Yerushalayim. See www.mizrachi.org/YY50.
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Click below to see our video!
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POINT OF VIEW Be Happy – And Fix What is Wrong! By Zevulun Orlev
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Yom Ha’atzma’ut, the day of our joy, gives us an opportunity before the seventieth year of the existence of the State of Israel to crystallize and clarify the national aspirations which we have yet to fulfill
The issue of national security is of primary importance, we are dedicated to it with all our souls and we expend all our efforts to support it, both as a nation and as individuals. There is no doubt that we will continue with our efforts to increase our strength so that our enemies will never get the best of us. On the other hand, the desire to maintain the Jewish character of the country in its sovereign mechanisms is unfortunately a broad consensus only within our own ranks. There is always room for a greater effort, especially to try to embed our yearning in the education and the culture of the entire nation, by pleasant methods based on internal peace in the land.
Stability and Guarding Life
I would like to list four challenges which we have not been successful in meeting, and which can help us guarantee our future as individuals and as a community.
(1) Governmental Stability – The government in Israel is characterized today by elements of instability and constant change. Our ability to rule is defective because of a governmental culture that is based too much on improvisation and gut reactions, a lack of proper planning, uncertainty, an inability to see beyond the horizon, frequent changes in the law, frequent reforms, and a lack of confidence that the government will keep its word.
Enough is enough! We have reached maturity. The stage of “startup” and the techniques of “trial and error” and “trust me” that were necessary when we established the state and settled in must come to an end. We have had enough of improvising and “see if you can get away with it” in running the country. The time has come for the citizens to feel security and operational stability, such that businessmen and investors will be taxed on a stable basis. The citizens want the law to be treated as law, without any mockery.
(2) Maintaining the Principle of Protecting Lives – “You shall live through them” [Vayikra 18:5]. We are shocked, and rightly so, about every soldier who is killed and about every victim of terrorism. On the other hand, we are willing to accept some 370 deaths a year from traffic accidents. We are apathetic about thousands of deaths from infections in hospitals. However, we regularly dedicate our efforts to campaigns for contributions to save a single sick person by sending him or her abroad for a very expensive operation. And does anybody pay attention to dozens of fatalities a year in construction accidents and to more than a hundred children a year who die in home accidents, drowning, or heat exposure when left in locked cars by their parents? And what about the thousands of people who remain handicapped as a result of all of these accidents?
Enforcement and Social Justice
(3) A Need for a Revolutionary Improvement in Enforcement – We have an exemplary system of law in terms of international standards. The government and the Knesset throughout their generations have created a legal system that provides a good basis in all walks of life. However, the weak link in all of this is the disgraceful governmental contempt for enforcing the law. In many areas there is almost no enforcement. Examples are transportation (when is the last time you saw a police car patrolling the roads?) and urban planning and construction (when have illegal buildings been destroyed as an appropriate reaction to the “jungle” of unregulated construction, except of course at such high-profile sites as Migron and the Ulpana Hill in Beit El?). Anybody who believes that a complaint to the police about theft, burglary, neighborhood disputes, and the like will receive prompt attention is not living in this country.
(4) Social Justice and Reduction of Poverty and the Social Economic Gap – The time has come for us to relinquish our world records in these subjects among the developing nations. The evils are not moral, and they are a danger to our national robustness. Can we really expect somebody who because of his address and/or the fact that he is from a poor family is fated to be part of yet another generation of poverty and lack of resources to serve the country as a citizen who contributes to the general good?
The root of our evil is the relatively low number of public servants in all walks of life (police, judges, physicians, and more) as compared to the OECD developed countries. We have become a “free nation.” Everybody is free to make up his own mind, and the government is free not to enforce the need for individual responsibility among its citizens. Is that what we mean by the line “to be a free nation in our land” in the national anthem, Hatikva?
The Community and the Individual
The time has come to strengthen the values which have brought us to the stage where we are. We must “recalculate our route” in terms of life and culture, which as of now puts great emphasis on personal achievements, and move on to providing support for the sovereign and nationalistic objectives and to strengthen mutual social responsibility.
I do not have any intention of ruining the joy of the coming holiday. Rather, I have come to awaken our souls so that we will live in a more perfect and a more pleasant land. The joy of Yom Ha’atzma’ut should include our aspiration to mend the faults, the evil, and the failures. Let the joy and thanksgiving lead us to a great hope that we will be able to accomplish our goals. Let us rise up to a higher level than before.
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As Shabbat Approaches
“On the Eighth Day his Flesh will be Circumcised”
By
Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg, Rosh Yeshiva, Kerem B'Yavne
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In his book “Mo’adei Har’iyah” Rabbi Moshe Tziv Neriya writes about some ideas which he received from the linguist Meir Medan (page 319), who quotes what Rav Kook said during the Pesach Seder when the “Cup of Eliyahu” was filled.
In the special “Harachaman” prayers added to the Grace after Meals on the occasion of a brit, we first ask the Holy One, Blessed be He, to send to us “His anointed one, who goes in perfection.” This refers to Machiach, the son of David. We then ask Him to send us “A righteous priest who is concealed.” This is a reference to Eliyahu. However, as we know, Eliyahu comes before the Mashiach. Why then do we reverse the sequence in our request from G-d?
After discussing the matter, Rav Kook said that the proper sequence is indeed for Eliyahu to come first as the harbinger of the arrival of Mashiach Ben David, but that the footsteps of Machiach will appear first. And they are felt before the footsteps of Eliyahu. In other words: the early physical stages of redemption – ingathering of the exiles, rebuilding of the land, high production of fruits – will be visible before the full redemption comes and before the spiritual awakening and the process of repentance which will be part of the arrival of the Mashiach.
Rav Kook added that this is what appears in the verse, “Help Your people... and shepherd them and lift them up forever” [Tehillim 28:9]. First “shepherd them” with good pasture from a physical point of view, and only afterwards “lift them up” in a spiritual sense.
From other sources in the writings of Rav Kook we see that this idea appears in other places in the Torah, and it is also repeated in the Prophets. It is written in the Torah portion of Nitzavim, “And G-d will bring back your captives and show you mercy, and He will return and gather you from among all the nations where your G-d has scattered you. If your outcasts have been driven to the ends of the heavens, G-d will gather you from there and from there He will fetch you. And G-d will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed...” [Devarim 30:3-5]. Only after the physical return to the land is it written, “And your G-d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring...” [30:6]. And even though this passage begins with the statement, “You will return to your G-d and listen to His voice...” [30:2], Rav Kook explained that the very fact that we return to the land is in the spirit of repentance: “The general awakening of the people to return to its land, its essence, its spirit, and its traits contains within it a spark of repentance.” [Orot Hateshuva, Chapter 17].
“And this is even clearer in the words of Yechezkel (Chapter 36). The passage begins with a declaration that the fact that Yisrael is in exile is a desecration of G-d’s name. This is because the other nations see it as support of their position that G-d has rescinded His covenant with Yisrael and has made a covenant with another nation. But this cannot be tolerated, and therefore it is written, ‘I do not act for you, O House of Yisrael, but rather for My holy name... And the other nations will know that I am G-d... And I will take you from the nations, and I will gather you from all the lands, and I will bring you to your land.’ [36:22-24]. Only after Yisrael returns to their land will a process of repentance begin. ‘I will sprinkle holy water over you and you will be cleansed from all your impurities, and I will purify you from all your idols.’ [36:25].”
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ZIONIST CHASSIDISM
Treasures in the Walls
By
Rabbi Rafi Ostroff, Head of the Religious Council of Gush Etzion
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“Houses full of Every Good Thing”
The Rebbe of Husiatyn discussed the unique remarkable phenomenon of nega’im – physical blemishes – that appeared in the homes of Eretz Yisrael. There are two kinds of homes: physical homes and spiritual homes. When the people entered Eretz Yisrael, they found houses where the Canaanites lived and also houses of idol worship. They were commanded to destroy the houses of idol worship, but the physical homes of the previous inhabitants were a blessing, as is written: “And it will be, when your G-d brings you to the land which he promised to give to your fathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaacov, to give you great and good cities which you did not build, and houses full of good things which you did not fill.” [Devarim 6:10-11].
The simple interpretation of this passage is that G-d gave us gifts when we entered the land – the houses of the Canaanites.
The Zohar writes that the houses of the Canaanites were built on impure foundations, and in order for them to be destroyed they were struck with nega’im (Tazriya, page 50). But this is contrary to what is written in the Midrash as quoted by Rashi (14:34) – that the blemishes were good news for Yisrael in that they would find treasures in the walls, hidden there by the Canaanites.
The Jewish Foundation of Moderation
Here is how the Rebbe explains the words of the Zohar:
“The main reference of the Zohar is to the cultural buildings of the other nations. The culture of the nation includes almost every facet of life in general: Faith and beliefs, education, economic behavior, structure of the society, art, literature, and special behavior traits. The cultural edifice of the Canaanites was founded on wrong opinions and evil faith, on impurity and abomination. And nega’im were sometimes sent into physical homes in order to wake the people up with respect to these matters. The blemishes were a symbol of the moral blemishes within the cultural edifices of the Gentiles... to show that a person from Yisrael is not allowed to build his home on foundations of the other nations and in their spirit. A home of Yisrael must be built only on a foundation of holiness and purity, justice and righteousness.”
At times we are so caught up in viewing ourselves as part of the world of culture that we forget that we have our own unique traits. The only proper way to adopt the culture of other nations, if we do this at all, is after a strict process of filtering and criticism. The treasure that the Jews found in the Canaanite houses is their ability to build their new spiritual homes on a strong basis of Judaism, without mixing in any waste of the culture of the other nations.
This treasure is a unique trait of Eretz Yisrael, as is noted by the Ramban, that nega’im will appear in houses only in the land, even though at first glance there does not seem to be any connection to the land, because the land is a heritage of G-d, and “the holy G-d dwells within it.” (Vayikra 13:47). The Rebbe explains:
“The entire issue of blemishes of the houses was meant to wake up Yisrael and to have them look at the goal of building in the land. They were meant to recognize their obligation to base the construction on the foundations of Judaism. And therefore, the laws of blemishes in the home did not apply until they had carefully considered the situation so that each and every one could identify his own needs. It was necessary for everybody to be familiar with what was his – that is, that he should be aware of the essence of Judaism and how this is most relevant for him.”
From 1939 to 2017
The Rebbe wrote the above material in the year 5699 (1939), a long time before one could say about his generation what can be said about our own – that we live in relative comfort and we have the time to worry about our cultural possessions. With G-d’s blessing, as the 69th anniversary of Yom Ha’astma’ut of the State of Israel approaches, we live in a generation which can find a moment to pause and to look around at the foundations of the edifice which we built from the cultural point of view. What achievements have we accomplished in literature and art? What style of art is most prominent in the Tel Aviv Museum of Art or among the students of Betzalel? Does this express the unique essence of the nation of Yisrael, or have we adopted Canaanite or European culture in our midst? What spiritual houses are we building for the next generations of the Jewish nation? As far as I am concerned, it is remarkable to see how the Rebbe found the time to think about a topic that is still relevant today, decades after his time. The Rebbe ended his essay as follows:
“All of this can teach us an important lesson for today. The physical buildings in Eretz Yisrael, no matter how important they are for settlement efforts, are important and desirable, no matter who does the building... However, the spiritual construction must be done as directed by men of Torah and faith in order that it will stand on holy foundations. We must struggle as hard as we can [using spiritual and moral weapons] (this comment appears in the original article) to make sure that the foundations of the spiritual edifice in Eretz Yisrael will be our Torah and our faith [for they are our life and our source of long lives].
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THE ROOTS OF FAITH – Basic Tenets of Jewish Philosophy
Statehood
By
Rabbi Oury Cherki, Machon Meir, Rabbi of Beit Yehuda Congregation, Jerusalem
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Aristotle (in his essay “Politics”) defines mankind as a political animal (see the Kuzari, by Yehuda Halevi, 1:35). The need to live in a community is so essential to man that no serious philosopher ever proposed returning to the primordial state where man was completely alone without any links to some kind of society and therefore to its highest form of expression, the state.
However, it is still difficult to define a state. The attempt by Jean-Jacques Rousseau to describe a “social contract” where every individual surrenders a measure of his personal freedom in return for the desires of the community is not very clear. When was a referendum held where the people agreed to take part in this contract? It must be that political life is based on creating an imaginary entity which has no real existence in the worlds of feeling or the intellect, which can be called “the state.” The Rambam writes that political life is founded on imagination: “If [Divine] abundance would only appear to one who has an imagination, this would be relevant to those who lead the states.” [Moreh Nevuchim 2:37].
The state also has a utilitarian meaning: “If not for fear of authority, every man would swallow up his colleague alive” (see Avot 3:2).
However, the very fact that an entity exists which controls the lives of human beings creates a degree of discomfort for the Jew of faith. After all, G-d is the King, and any attempt to establish an alternative authority in the form of the state can be interpreted as a revolt against the Kingdom of G-d! The fear of such a phenomenon is the internal kernel of the approach of the Rebbe of Satmar, who viewed the establishment of the State of Israel, even if it would be religious, as a revolt against G-d.
It is true that this opinion has been rejected by the halacha, since establishing this state is a positive mitzva from the Torah (Ramban’s comments on the Sefer Hamtizvot, Positive Mitzva No. 4). But the wariness of transforming the sovereign power into a replacement for divinity is worthy of deeper study. In the same blessing of the Amidah where we ask G-d to give us back our kingdom, “Return our judges and our advisors to us as in the beginning,” we also ask at the same time, “And reign over us, G-d, all alone.” Thus, the earthly kingdom must be organized in such a way that the Divine Kingdom is reflected from within it. And for this reason government authority is not vested in a single power but is shared by the four basic ruling entities: the king, the judges, the priests, and the prophets. (in Hebrew, this is – Melech, shofet, kohen, navi – which forms an acrostic of the word “Mishkan” – the Tabernacle.)
Among the other nations, the purpose of the separation of powers is to prevent one branch of the government from taking complete control, but for the nation of Yisrael the purpose of the separation of powers is to declare that the sovereign power belongs to G-d alone, and He is the only source of merciful leadership for our nation.
The task of the State of Israel is to be “the basis for the Throne of G-d in the world” [Rav Kook, Orot, page 160], and to serve as an inspiration for the entire world.
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NATURE AND THE TORAH PORTION
Doves and Young Pigeons
By
Dr. Moshe Raanan, Herzog College and the Jerusalem College for Women
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"And when the days of purity are over for a son or a daughter, she shall bring a one-year-old sheep as an Olah Sacrifice and a young pigeon or a dove as a Chatat Sacrifice, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, to the Kohen" [Vayikra 12:6].
In my article for Tazriya-Metzora 5772 (issue 1469), I asked why in all the descriptions of a sacrifice of a bird in the Torah the dove ("tor") is mentioned before the pigeon ("yonah"), except for the Chatat of a woman who has given birth.
The Baal Haturim writes, "In all the other places the dove appears before the pigeon, except here. This is because only one bird is sacrificed, and one who finds a pigeon should not take a dove since the dove's mate will mourn and refuse to take another mate." This implies that in general, when a pair of birds is sacrificed, a dove should be preferred over a pigeon, but when a single bird is sacrificed as in the case of a woman who gives birth, the pigeon is the preferred choice.
Yellow and a Golden Color
In this article I will address a different question, the definition of the ages of young pigeons and doves. It is clear that the term “bnei yonah” refers to a young bird, but we can try to understand the criteria for ages of pigeons and doves and ask why these ages are relevant for sacrifices.
The following appears in the Mishna: “That which is suitable for doves is prohibited for pigeons and that which is suitable for pigeons is prohibited for doves” [Chulin 1:5]. The Gemorra explains the criteria that can be used to differentiate between the two birds:
“The rabbis have taught us: We might think that all the doves and all the pigeons are suitable. However, it is written, ‘From among the doves’ and not all the doves, and ‘from among the pigeons’ and not all the pigeons. This excludes when both types start to be yellow. From what age are the doves suitable? It is when they become golden in color. From what age do the pigeons become unsuitable? It is when they become yellow.” [Chulin 22a].
Our sources give us various criteria for the limits of the times when the birds are considered mature or young, but it is not easy to translate these criteria into life cycle stages we are familiar with today. The difficulties pertain not only to language elements but also to the possibility that during the time that has passed since the Mishna was written the colors of domesticated birds might have changed as a result of a process of selection.
The traditional commentators are quite uniform in their interpretation of the stages of development of pigeons and doves mentioned in the Gemorra and the Mishna. Rashi comments in Chulin: “The beginning of yellow – when the feathers around the neck begin to turn yellow, both birds are prohibited, since they are no longer considered young.”
In a later passage, Rashi describes the limits of unsuitability in a slightly different way: “Doves whose time has not yet come – As appears in the Mishna, they become kosher when they are golden in color and they are unsuitable before that. This corresponds to the fact that doves refers to old and not young birds. Young pigeons implies that they are young and not old, and they become unsuitable from the time that they become yellow.” [Chulin 112b].
We see from this that Rashi feels that “the beginning of turning yellow” is the same as “when they become yellow.” This is a stage characterized by a yellow color of the feathers around the neck. In addition, it seems that the commentator in Zevachim 68b does not differentiate between yellow and gold: “Doves whose time has not yet come and young pigeons whose time has passed ... From when are doves suitable? When they become golden. And when do young pigeons become unsuitable? When they get yellow feathers of gold around their necks.”
Rabbi Bartanura uses slightly different language in commenting in Chuilin: “The beginning of yellow – This is when the bird begins to show pretty yellow feathers around its neck... But pigeons which are so young that if a wing is pulled off from them no blood comes out are unsuitable because of their young age.” In his commentary on the Mishna, the Rambam interprets the term “yellowing” differently: “The beginning of yellowing is when the colors of the feathers begin to change. For pigeons, they are no longer considered young and they are therefore unsuitable. For doves, they have not yet reached the stage of maturity and they thus cannot be considered adults, and they are therefore not kosher.”
The Best Time for Eating the Birds
I do not have an explanation of my own for the terms “yellow” and “golden,” but I will briefly describe three main approaches adopted by researchers. (1) The limit is the stage when the bird moves from down (fine feathers) to regular feathers. This occurs very early, during the first days that the chick is alive. (2) The limit is linked to the transformation from a uniform cover of feathers to a differentiation of colors. This occurs at an age of about three weeks, close to the development of the ability to fly. (3) The stage of yellowing comes very late (after about five months), at the same time as the bird becomes sexually developed.
In order to decide which of the above approaches is right, we should first discuss the main difference between pigeons and doves. The fact that pigeons were domesticated but the dove has not been domesticated and the different sizes of the two species have almost certainly impacted on the way they are used for food, and probably also on the way they were brought as sacrifices. Doves were caught as adults, and at this point they are tasty, and that is the way they were eaten. Pigeons were gathered in dovecotes and eaten as chicks since the adults are less tasty. To this day in many places young pigeons are still considered a delicacy.
There is no reason to assume that the age of a sacrifice would be different from the optimal age for eating, especially since a Chatat Sacrifice is eaten by the priests. We can thus link the signs given by the sages to this difference between pigeons and doves. We can thus assume that the limiting factor is the ability to fly. This would correspond to criterion (2) above. The factor that shows the maturity of the doves is the development of a “golden” color, which can be seen in the coloring of the mature bird. This is what is called the stage of “flying” in the Tosefta.
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STRAIGHT TALK
Six Milestones from Egypt to Jerusalem
By
Rabbi Yoni Lavie, Manager, "Chaverim Makshivim" Website
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When several people congregate in a small space, we might ask: How are they connected? Is it a coincidence that they all happen to be in the same place at the same time, or is there a link between them? When the subject is not people but holidays, we can be even more confident that there is some basic reason for their close proximity, and we face a challenge of determining what it is. The fifty days of the Omer between Pesach and Shavuot is the most densely populated time of the year, and this period contain within it six very special days! Some of them are ancient – Pesach and Shavuot – and some were only instituted in the last generation or two – memorial days for the Holocaust and for the war casualties of Israel, Yom Ha’atzma’ut, and Yom Yerushalayim. Is it pure coincidence that all of these special days are concentrated in the time of the counting of the Omer? What is the common link among all of these occasions?
The Trek to Mount Sinai
The connection between Pesach and Shavuot is immediately obvious. These two holidays are linked together by the count of the Omer. If we ask a child when the Torah was given he might well reply that it was the sixth of Sivan, but this date does not appear in the Torah at all! Shavuot is the only holiday in the Torah which is not identified by a date on the calendar. When does the holiday come? It is on the fiftieth day of the count of the Omer! What does this mean? We can also ask: What is the relationship between these two great holidays?
On Pesach we were given physical freedom, and we became a free nation. There can be no doubt that this is a revolutionary historical milestone, but we must also remember that it was just the first basic step, no more than a vessel which it was necessary to fill with the appropriate contents. And that is the role of Shavuot, the day that the people who had left Egypt were given a spirit and a path – the Torah, which gave them instructions about how to live. The fact that no date is given emphasizes to us that even if the first step was organized by heaven the second step depends mainly on our actions. For the event to take place it was not enough to sit idly by and wait for a specific date. We were required to go on a journey of mending our ways and purification for a full fifty days. Every day had its own spiritual labor to be accomplished, and anybody who missed even one day would find it hard to continue counting through until the end.
Two Levels
The same relationship exists between the two holidays which were established in our generation: Yom Ha’atzma’ut (Israel Independence Day) and Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Liberation Day). On the fifth of Iyar 5708, the State of Israel was born as a sovereign nation in its own land. This was a historic moment and the start of a new chapter in the life of Yisrael, which could finally stand under its own independent power at the end of two thousand years of terrible exile. But even this great event was not the final chord of our life history. It served only as the framework for the second and more substantial level – Yom Yerushalayim, when Jerusalem was once again reunited. This represents our spiritual goal, including the Temple. In this case too, we are in need of tremendous amounts of labor, sweat, and patience in order to climb to the second level and not get trapped along the way.
Where are we at this point in time? Evidently, with respect to both pairs of holidays that we have described the nation of Yisrael is somewhere on the path, on a continuum between the first level – physical existence – and the second level – the spiritual essence and content. As an illustration, there are very few families in Israel which do not celebrate the Pesach Seder on some level, but many fewer people take care to celebrate the holiday of Shavuot. Huge crowds of citizens celebrate their joy of what happened on Yom Ha’atzma’ut, but many fewer take the trouble to see Yom Yerushalayim as an important holiday.
Thousands of years ago, the Torah described the final objective: “I led you on two levels (kommemiut)” [Vayikra 26:13]. The sages taught us that the two levels are different in character. The first came to us as a result of a heavenly push, but we are still climbing to reach the second level.
Is there any danger that we will get stuck along the way? Certainly, the danger exists. This is true both at an individual level and in general. Every baby who was ever born has encountered his or her own private “Pesach” or “Yom Ha’atzma’ut.” But the fact that he lives and breathes merely means that he exists. Will he also become a “man?” Will he also be privileged to reach the status of “Yom Yerushalayim” or “receiving the Torah” in his own life? The same questions can be asked about the nation as a whole. Will it merely live in a country that will be a “safe haven” from the evils of exile and from the “village jungle” of the Mediterranean area? Or will the nation manage to climb to a higher level and truly establish “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” [Shemot 19:6] that will be a source of light for all the nations? This question is still open and awaits an answer.
The Alternative and the Price
For all those who were born during the last 69 years, the situation where we live in a sovereign Jewish state with our own army is all we have ever known. We are not familiar with any other possibility. However, together with Yom Ha’atzma’ut there are also two other memorial days that can help us remember that this is not the only possibility. The Heroes and Martyrs Day reminds us of the possible alternative. For two thousand years of exile, every king or landowner could arbitrarily decide one fine morning to expel, rob, or forcibly convert all the Jews under his control, and the Jews had no power to resist such moves. We were the objects of horrible humiliation, always weak and separated from our own land. The peak was reached about seventy years ago, when millions of our people were led to the slaughter while an apathetic world watched in silence. The memory of the Holocaust sharpens our awareness of the alternative to the existence of the State of Israel. Do people still complain that our country is not yet perfect? Okay, go ahead and complain, but don’t forget to give heartfelt thanks at the same time, because this is infinitely better than the possible alternative.
The fourth of Iyar, Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism, marks the heavy price that we paid in order to establish the State. Twenty-two thousand men and women sacrificed their lives on the altar of its founding. However, we should look for a deeper understanding of the famous motto, “By their death they gave us our lives.” Such a heavy price obligates us to do much more than to establish a life of mundane existence and to set up a country that will merely be “one more” out of a hundred just like it. Paying such a heavy price so that there would be a Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael obligates us to be the harbingers of a great message to the rest of the world as “a light to the nations.” Every one of us is personally obligated to live a great and highly significant life. We must see Memorial Day not as a day of weakness and sorrow but rather as a day filled with glory and greatness, which helps to raise Yom Ha’atzma’ut to a much greater spiritual level than we considered before.
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The Religious Zionists of America is the US affiliate of the 115 year old World Mizrachi movement. The goal of the RZA is to instill in the American Jewish community a commitment to religious Zionism, the preservation of Jewish political freedom, the enhancement of Jewish religious life in the land of Israel, and the promotion of aliyah. For more information, visit https://rza.org.
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A direct and compelling headline
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