Much has been written and will probably continue to be written about the virtue of the commandment to settle the Land of Israel. Many issues, articles, and writings deal with the longing of the soul and the strong desire of the Jew to set foot on the soil of the Holy Land. And indeed, in the ancient books it is mentioned that this commandment is one of the most important and greatest. Come and learn from the punishment of Moses, his supplications and requests to cancel the decree, and understand how precious the commandment to settle the Land of Israel is.
The opinion of the Gra's zt"l regarding the issue of immigration to the Land and the journey of his disciples, including the Rebbe from Shiklov to the establishment of Ofra in our Holy Land, is well known. Indeed, there is no point in exaggerating the virtue of this mitzvah.
And yet it is known that the greater the virtue of the mitzvah, the greater the power of the 'Sitra Achra' in that very matter. The mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel had great power, and still has, to change some people's minds and their religion.
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The State of Israel, unlike 'Eretz Yisrael', is celebrating sixty-seven years of existence and survival this year. The State of Israel has reached 'retirement' and pension age. From now on, it will probably be granted discounts on property tax payments and public transportation, but these are certainly not good reasons for celebration, certainly not in its current state.
Year after year, the citizens and the Knesset celebrate the Independence Day of the State of Israel, year after year they smile, rejoice and wave. This day, which comes in the middle of the routine after Passover, is a day of anticipation and a day of 'national pride' with all that this implies. The 'brothers' from "that" house, the people in sandals and the holey kippah, exaggerate, and lose their sanity on this great and 'holy' day. Entire customs that have their roots and foundation in the Holy Mountains are changed from their original meaning and religious laws are trampled in honor of this fine day that has long since ceased to occur on its original date, postponed or brought forward.
Loud music, chants and dancing during the days of the countdown, and neatly shaved mustaches during days of mourning. Everything is permitted, and even more so in honor of the historic event that began with the declaration of the old man from Sde Boker sixty-seven years ago.
And they are even angry. Angry at the ignorant Haredim who despise everything sacred, despise national mourning days on Memorial Day, and pride days on Independence Day. "How is it possible?" a scoundrel in his twenties, with wild whiskers and beard, asked me, "How is it possible not to see the visible miracles, the opening of the gates of heaven and the gathering of the exiles? – This is obscurity!" He paused and continued on his way, on foot, from here to there. I wanted to answer him and tell him about another flag that hangs in the windows of my house, its color is orange. But he moved away and it was good that he did, preventing me from lying.
But it seems that as time passes and the years go by, even they, the celebrants, already understand that there is not so much to it. The joy, it seems, is more about the wasted day off and in no way about the essence. Because there is none.
What are you celebrating, my dears?
About fifty thousand criminal incidents a year that are recorded in Tel Aviv alone? About twenty-three thousand cases opened each year (equivalent to two and a half cases every hour!) due to self-use of dangerous drugs? About three hundred and eighty-seven thousand people who have been victimized by online crime? About nearly one thousand (!) percent crime in the Neve Zohar settlement? (There is such a thing, check.) About sixteen thousand cases of 'serious assault' a year? About police data that at any given moment in Israel there is a stockpile of fifty tons of dangerous drugs? About a forty-three percent increase in prisoners incarcerated in Israeli prisons? About three hundred and sixty thousand reported crime cases a year? About one hundred and seventy thousand property offenses? About what, my dears?
And perhaps you will say about our alarming security situation? Don't forget, we are only in a short 'ceasefire' with Hamas, which went for a few minutes to get some more ammunition and cover the damaged tunnels with concrete. And maybe about a prosperous economy? Maybe about the fact that every third child in Israel goes to bed hungry? Continue with data? Not worth it.
Dear friends, you really have nothing to celebrate, you got the date wrong. The original Independence Day was celebrated in thousands of Jewish homes in Israel about two weeks ago when we declared 'our freedom holiday', the true freedom and independence from slavery in Egypt and our being a people who submit to their God and do His will. The people who engage in Torah and enslave themselves to their Father in Heaven.
This is true freedom, my dears, this is true independence, it does not belong to the masses of the people, it belongs to its chosen ones - and it has already been celebrated.
