The Hallel Debate: Sephardic Perspectives on Yom Haatzmaut

Every year there is a major debate amongst the religious community as to how much emphasis Yom Ha'atzmaut should be given in the synagogue. In most prayer books there are special prayers to be said on the evening of Yom Ha'Atzmaut which includes parts of Leha Dodi and tehillim, one sung to the tune of the HaTikva.

While many Ashkenazi haredim will not acknowledge Yom Ha'Atzmaut, amongst the Sephardim the debate is more about the nature of the day. During the day there is a debate amongst Sephardim about whether to say Hallel with a blessing or without.

While many Ashkenazim antagonists of Zionism will declare that we can not celebrate such 'secular' events, this appears to have little basis for this in historical fact. There have always been many days added throughout Jewish history where the authorities have instructed they be commemorated in prayer and with the recitation of Hallel.

In the US, two of the oldest synagogues in America (both Sephardi), Mikveh Israel of Philadelphia and Shearith Israel of New York, actually omit tahanun (another significance of a joyful day) and recite Hallel.

Amongst the Sephardi authorities in Israel there is almost complete agreement that Yom Ha'Atzmaut is a joyful day which should include prayers of thanks and gratitude.

full article here http://cgis.jpost.com/Blogs/sephardiperspective/entry/the_nature_of_i_yom

Monday May 05, 2008

Posted by Ashley Perry (Perez)

* Note Comments at the bottom of article are quite insightful as well.

Anyone who lives in Eretz Yisrael is considered a Tzaddik

In honor of Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut I wanted to include some words honoring all Am Yisrael who have fought hard for the ability for me and my children to be here in Eretz Hakodesh. The excerpts are taken from the amazing work Eim Habanim Semeichah, 1943 authored by Rabbi Yisachar Shlomo Teichtal an Orthodox Rabbi writing while in hiding during the Holocaust

Anyone who lives in Eretz Yisrael is considered a tzaddik (righteous individual) even though it does not seem that way. For if he was not a tzaddik, the Land would vomit him out as it says, And the Land vomits out its inhabitants (VaYikra 18:25) Since the Land does not vomit him out he must be considered a tzaddik, even though he is presumed to be wicked 114

114 Chesed LeAvraham, Ma'ayan 3, Nahar 12 * It seems to me that there is a Talmudic source for the words of this divine Kabbalist whose every utterance was said with Ruach HaKodesh. It can be found in Avodah Zarah (26a) in the statement," Come and see the difference betwee the theives of Babylonia and the highway robbers of Eretz Yisrael..."

Nachal LeYisrael written by a great Torah scholar for Eretz Yisrael cites this Chesed Le Avraham and adds the following

Thus, it is cleast that we do not properly understand the true nature of the inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael with our physical eyesight. For man sees what his eyes behold while Hashem sees the heart. Therefore we cannot judge or degrade specific individuals and certainly not the entire community even those who do not find favor in out eyes and do not act in a manner befitting our nation

The author adds that we see from Chazal that the omnipresent is pleased by the acts of today's builders (reffering to the Chalutzim as he demonstrates in length in chapter 3 of his book), then it is certainly forbidden to slander them. Hence he who is not careful to guard his tongue about this, does not guard his soul from troubles. He will be included in the decree all who provoke me shall not see it (Be Midbar 14:23). May Hashem protect us from them and their associates. (Eim Habanim Semeicha page 27, 28)