Today is Iyar 5 - Israel Independence Day

[Spectator]

Thank G-d, the Jewish state in the Land of Israel was restored 62 years ago.
Happy Independence Day!
May we merit a complete redemption soon!

[Spectator]

The State of Israel
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/8744

by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed

An important stage in the redemption of Israel.

On the fifth day of the Hebrew month of Iyar 5708, according to our counting (May 14, 1948, according to the other nations), when the establishment of the State of Israel was declared, the Jewish nation merited to once again fulfill the mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel, after nearly two thousand years of exile.

As a result of the declaration and the implementation of sovereignty over parts of the land, we began to fulfill the mitzvah of Eretz Yisrael being in our control and not in the control of other nations. True, before the establishment of the state, every single Jew who lived in the Land of Israel fulfilled the individual mitzvah of settling the land. Nevertheless, the essential aspect of the mitzvah, namely, its more general facet, that the land be ruled by the Jewish nation and not by foreigners, remained unfulfilled. Even during times when many Jews lived in Eretz Yisrael, as long as the land was under foreign rule, we did not merit the fulfillment of the general mitzvah.

Likewise, the sages decreed that one who sees the cities of Judea in ruins says: "Your holy cities have become barren," and tears his garment. The general rule is that as long as sovereignty over a part of the land is in the hands of non-Jews, then that part is considered to be in ruins, and one tears his garment upon seeing it. If, however, such areas were under Jewish rule, even if the majority of its inhabitants were non-Jews, then they are not considered to be in ruins; and one does not tear his garment upon seeing them (Beit Yosef, Bach, Orach Chaim 561:2).

Thus, Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah HaKohen Kook, z.tz.l., would emphasize that on Independence Day we merited to fulfill the mitzvah of settling the land.

Once, at the Independence Day festivities at the Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva, a prominent rabbi spoke about the great value of the establishment of the State of Israel, for since that time many yeshivas were started and it became easier for religious Jews to keep Torah and mitzvot. Therefore, he concluded, we must be happy and thank G-d for the establishment of the state.

Our rabbi and mentor, Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah, took pains to add and emphasize that the very essence of the establishment of the state was itself a tremendous event, it being one of the greatest mitzvot in the Torah. Subsequently, without doubt, other mitzvot would be fulfilled, for the fulfillment of a mitzvah begets another mitzvah.

In summary, the establishment of the State of Israel itself is of great consequence, and not just as a means to perform other mitzvot. Additionally, the establishment of the state and the blossoming of its desolate areas is an important stage in the redemption of Israel.

For many generations, we were forced into a situation where we could not fulfill that mitzvah, for we lacked an army and weapons that would facilitate the conquering of our land and establishing sovereignty over it. It follows that the creation of Israel's military power before the establishment of the state, and its strengthening and consolidation in the creation of the IDF, allow us to fulfill the mitzvah. Thus, the very existence of the army is a necessary means of fulfilling the mitzvah to settle the land, in addition to the mitzvah of saving Jews from their enemies.

And so it will be until better days arrive, when the prophetic vision of Isaiah is fulfilled (2:2-4):

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all the nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say: Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the G-d of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth Torah and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations, and shall decide among many people. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

[muman613]

Shalom Spectator,

For the most part I agree with Rabbi Melamed. The IDFs mission should be the protection of the Jewish people from all enemies. If this were the IDFs true goal I would be very happy. Unfortunately the force has been used against the Jewish people on several occasions recently. I sure hope that those ugly scenes we witnessed a few short years ago will not happen again. But with the current political climate in Israel I have an overwhelming fear that the IDF will be used to expel Jews from their legal homes in a brutal fashion.

I realize Rabbi Melamed is making up for the statements he was alleged to have said concerning members of the IDF refusing orders if they violated Torah law.

Let us all request from Hashem a wind of change to come to the leadership of Israel. When the world is turning away from him is the time for Israel to turn to him.

[Spectator]

Yes Muman, there is a danger that IDF will be (mis)used against the Jews again. But IDF is not an autonomous force, it is fully subordinated to the political establishment. So I think the concern is not about the army but the state itself.

Actually, there are two main approaches in Judaism to the state (if we don't take into account a small anti-Zionist minority): 1) A great holiday, the beginning of redemption, and 2) a remarkable event with great potential but it is up to us whether it will turn out to good or not. Rabbi Melamed definitely belongs to the first camp.