Yom Haatzmaut

After so many years passed without God’s word coming to fruition, God’s name became increasingly desecrated in the world, and the enemies of Israel decided that there is no chance that the Jews would ever return to their land

When the State of Israel was established, on the fifth of Iyar in 5708 (1948), the Jewish people fulfilled the mitzva of settling Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel).

A historical application of a word found in this week's Parshat Beha'alotkha in Jewish communities throughout the world, showing how it clearly also applies to celebrating Yom Ha'Atzma'ut in our time.

It sounds complicated to declare new holidays, but it's actually not at all. Similarly to allow haircuts and music during the Omer also is simple. Just declaring Hallel with a bracha is more complicated, but an historic return to the forgotten background of the "6 Day War" helps clarify that, as well.

It is a well-known Torah truism that a third destruction, following those of the First and Second Holy Temples, will never occur. There will be no Exile following the beginning of the Redemption that we have been experiencing these recent decades and more.

Our independence day is a happy day, but is it a holy day? We established a state but why do we see it as a day of some special spirtual event?

Though the Hebrew calendar date of Israel Independence Day was decided upon by the Israeli government a year after the establishment of the State, their choice of day - the 5th of the Hebrew month of Iyar - received a divine stamp of approval in that this very day filled the missing link in a Rabbinic puzzle of centuries.

When the Jewish Nation hesitates at important crossroads in history, it may be because we have to relearn how to use our unique national strengths – each of which is suited for a different generation.