Yom haAtzma'ut

A few years back, when Yom haAtzma'ut was also celebrated on Thursday 3 Iyyar, my father asked me what I thought about not saying Tachanun or saying Hallel. The choice of 5 Iyyar as the point at which we gained atzma'ut, independence, is itself not perfectly compelling. It was not the date we were given independence, or the date the war was won, but the date we made a declaration. No overt miracles. So even a full Zionist could question changing the liturgy for 5 Iyyar. And 3 Iyyar doesn't even have that much!

I replied that quite the contrary. Why is Yom haAtzma'ut celebrated early this year? Because the government has an office of the rabbanut , which did not want to establish a commemoration that would lead to Shabbos violation. The government doesn't want to take responsibility for celebrations on Shabbos, or on Friday that could run into Shabbos and violate its laws.

Is not the existence of a country that adapts its commemorations for the sake of the Torah not extactly what we should be celebrating?

Rav Dovid Lifshitz spoke more than one year on the dual meaning of "atzma'ut". Yes, we gained our "atzma'ut" our independence, our ability to be a fully capable and productive individual nation. However, "etzem" not only refers to an individual, it is also a bone or core. For observant Jews, Yom haAtzma'ut recalls what can only be considered a huge gift from the Creator, but only half of the task is done. The Jewish essence, the "etzem" is not yet manifest. We must respond to His gift.

Having a country that works to preserve Shabbos is one thing. Having one that doesn't even need to, quite something else.

PS: In Rav Dovid Lishitz's minyan on a year where Thursday was both an early Yom haAtzama'ut and BaHa"B, we said Tachanun, Selichos, and afterward Hallel without a berakhah.