YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Beshalach
Afterwards, the Israeli flag serves like the US placing its flag on the moon in 1969/תשכ"ט; as a symbolic, even legal gesture of ownership. Similarly, the Israeli flag is a symbol of the Jews returning to our ancient homeland - and settling there in OWNERSHIP of our land, thus fulfilling the mitzvah of "and you shall CONQUER the Land and settle in her" (Bamidbar 33, 35).
In a 7 page sermon written and read by Rav Kook at the Flag Ceremony inducting the (what was thought was identical to the Israeli flag!) flag of the Jewish Brigade into the Hurvat R. Yehuda HaChasid synagogue (Jerusalem, 1925/תרכ"ו), Rav Kook expresses several additional points of importance of our national flag (I found and published it in Otzrot HaReiya vi, pp. 262-270, found also on the website of Asif, just Google: אסיף קוק דגל ארי שבט ).
Rav Kook cites there an important midrash that it was Israel who initiated the flags in the desert, and G-d out of love, accommodated that wish (Tanchuma Bamidbar 14), just like in modern times. G-d even goes so far as to say there that the nations have flags, but He only loves the flags of Israel (where nationalism davka brings universal benefit, not the opposite, Bamidbar Rabba 2, 3). In addition, G-d loves our flag which DIFFERENTIATES Israel from the nations (ibid), precisely another role of the Israeli flag. Another midrash claims that we actually invented the concept of national flags, afterwards COPIED by gentile nations (ibid, 2, 7). If flags bring out national pride for other nations, how much more so G-d's Chosen Nation should be proud of our flag, Holy Land, Holy Language and role as the "Light for the Nations" (e.g. just this week, Israel made the Guiness Book of World Records, by having the most altruistic kidney donors- although ironically, at first they didn't want to accept it because it's Israel, who they thought was "immoral"!).
How can many not notice that we actually pray 3 times a day that G-d should please "raise the flag to gather our exiles" (""ושא נס לקבץ גלויותנו), which is precisely the expression of our flag of the Jewish State, dedicated from the outset to gather the exiles.
It's interesting to note, the predecessor of the modern Israeli flag was given as a gift from the King to the Prague Jewish community over 650 years ago, in recognition of the Jews who helped fight off a Dutch invasion. The flag features a Jewish star surrounding the Dutch hat, as a symbol of military victory. All of the great rabbis of Prague, including the Maharal, the Shela, R. Yonatan Eibshitz and the Noda B'Yehuda, prayed under that flag in that synagogue, and how much more so they would be proud of a Jewish flag, based on the blue-and white TALLIT, representing the Jewish State fighting off, with the help of the G-d of Israel, an Arab invasion in the Holy Land.
Rav Kook actually mentions there an idea later publicized by Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (Nefesh HaRav, p. 99 ), deeming the Israeli flag as a symbol of Kiddush Hashem, which adorns military caskets, Yom HaZikaron & military ceremonies, the sanctifying G-d's name, which the IDF does on a daily basis.
De-facto, over the past century, respecting the Israeli flag has become a custom of Am Yisrael and a universal symbol of the Jews, and like all minhagim & symbols, should be respected. That Star of David which was once a badge of shame in the Holocaust, has turned into a badge of pride as a symbol of Judaism, and that G-d has redeemed His nation. We are proud as Jews to stand out with our Magen David Adom, as unique and different from the Red Cross and Red Crescent. How much more so when the Israeli flag adorns our victorious fighter planes, reminding our Jihad-minded enemies that despite their battle-cries, the G-d of Israel is the One and Only.
All this and much more (found in my Hebrew sefer, "להרים את הדגל") serve as an important alternative view to that raised by R. Moshe Feinstein (Igrot Moshe Or.Ch. 46) in the 1950's who saw the Israeli flag as secular and preferred not to bring it into a shul. One can only guess whether R. Moshe Feinstein would have changed his opinion, were he to have known the Israeli flag is precisely designed to be like the tallit (which surely has a place in shul), and seen the aforementioned ideas (especially the Ramban, the Maharal's precedent, and the previously unpublished Rav Kook extensive article on the flag), just as he changed his opinion over time, to be much more pro-Israel over the years (especially after meeting Menachem Begin, as seen in my sefer, most of which can be found in 4 articles by Googling: אסיף דגל ישראל ארי שבט). In fact, I heard from his son R. Dovid Feinstein, that eventually the Israeli flag WAS featured IN THE BEIT MIDRASH at ceremonies at R. Moshe's own yeshiva high school MTJ.
Shabbat Shalom, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)
Rabbi Ari Shvat
Lectures at various yeshivot, michlalot and midrashot. Has published many books & Torani articles and is in charge of Rav Kook’s archives.
Ein Aya Understanding the Beauty of Shabbat - Tasting the World to Come
Ein Aya Shabat Chapter A Paragraph 15
Shoftim Can a Sheitel be Prohibited Because of Avodah Zarah?
A Background Discussion about the use of Indian Hair
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
