The following is a combination of two articles which YWN published in the past:
In 2012, YWN reported that Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZATZAL announced after shachris on Independence Day, that if one wishes to honor the day one should immerse oneself in Torah study “for Torah protects us from those wishing to harm us”.
Rav Ovadia added that Baruch Hashem today, the center of Torah study is in Eretz Yisrael, where there is simply more Yiras Shomayim, and more baalei tshuva.
There are batei medrashim that hold a “Yom Shekulo Torah” today, on Independence Day.
In 2010, YWN reported that Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZATZAL announced that one is permitted to recite Hallel on Independence Day without a bracha. Rav Ovadia adds it is preferable to push off the recitation of Hallel until completing the davening, since one should not insert tefillos into the prescribed text.
He explaied that gedolim have voiced various opinions regarding the recitation of Hallel, since Chazal did not insert it into the tefilla for this day we are not accustomed to do so but one cannot discard the miracles resulting in the establishment of the country and the ability of Jews to return to their Homeland.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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13 Responses
“but one cannot discard the miracles resulting in the establishment of the country and the ability of Jews to return to their Homeland”
Anything some of the gedolim that post here (i.e. Akuperma, HaKatan, et al) want to add to this?
Rav Gifter Ztz”l also said that if one recited Hallel for three years and now wants to stop, he requires התרת נדרים.
Baruch HaShem I was zocheh to recite hallel w/o a brachah today by moving to a shul that does so from a shul that doesn’t. I do this every year.
What bothers me most about my regular Nusach sfard shul is that not only do they not say hallel (PERHAPS forgiveable) but they recite tachanun( unforgiveable). Is the return of Jewish sovereinty to Eretz Yisrael less significant than
the presence of a mohel in shul who is going elsewhere to do a bris for a family nobody in the shul knows?
#3: The Chazon Ish DAVKA said tachnun.
ravizzy – I’m not sure if you are aware but Tachanun is a process of doing teshuva and thereby growing closer to Hashem… it’s not some bothersome chore which we should mumble complaints about why it was put in the tefila.
This “Jewish sovereignty” which you refer to has resulted in many great things but has also resulted in thousands of Jews getting forcibly kicked out of their homes by other Jews, hundreds of thousands of Sefardim and millions of their descendants being forcibly uprooted from their Torah way of life, sanctioned gay marches in Yerushalayim, v’chulei v’chulei. Maybe we need tachanun to do teshuva on these things? Very big people have said Hallel, and just as many if not more big people have ruled not to. Let’s all just do according to what our own community/rabbanim do and live and let live. The thing I hate most about this holiday is that it makes so much unnecessary sinat chinam amongst frum yidden
ravizzy: i hope you are being sarcastic. incase your not, its brought down in halachah that you dont say tachnun when theres a mohel in shul. not saying tachnun on idependence day is not brought down…
Chuck Schwab: i heard that r’ ahron leib shteinman davka davened shemonei esreh…
Not sure about the hallel thing but I’m a huge fan of the blue and white cookies most frequently found in young israels.
GG yekke,
the Chazon Ish said Tachanun EVEN if there was a Chosson etc. That’s what he meant by “davka”.
Returning to our own homeland can only be said if it is ruled a”p torah. If not it’s not our own, it is occupied by reshuim who hate the our torah, hate our god and hate everything that has to do with das
8, It’s “more” assur to say tachanun in the presence of a groom, then to say hallel on Yom Haatzmaut.
If Chacham Ovadia said its permissible we should be grateful to Hashem for the miracles to create the state of Israel so we recite hallell when big miracles like this happens
MDshweks, I find it difficult to believe that Rav Gifter said that. He paskened (in writing) that making a takana of reciting hallel in our times is against halacha.
I want seconds of the blue and white cookies.
Ehrlicyid— think u should do a quick Navi review & check out how often “reshaim ” ruled Eretz Yisroel.