Is Yom Haatzmaut a Halachic holiday? Are we allowed to add holidays to the calendar? The Ramban writes that Yeravam commited a sin by adding a holiday to the Jewish Calendar. On the other hand, we have post-Biblical holidays such as Chanukah that commemorate miraculous events.
The Chatam Sofer writes that we are biblically obligated to mark the anniversary of a miraculous event (as we do with Chanukah). The Chayei Adam writes similarly about a Purim Sheni he celebrated.
Thus the question becomes, is the establishment of the State of Israel a miracle to be celebrated? Is this redemption? Are we on a path towards Moshiach?
Salvation does not have to be complete to celebrate what has been accomplished – in a mere 71 years no less!
Recorded at OU Israel’s L’Ayla Rosh Chodesh Iyyar 5779 Women’s Event sponsored in memory of Mrs Linda Pruwer-Brachfeld, מרת חיה סאשא בת ר’ יוסף הלל.
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