During his Independence Day drasha delivered on Wednesday night in the Jerusalem Great Synagogue, Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita explained that “physical (gashmiyus) independence without spiritual (ruchniyus) independence is worthless”, adding the spiritual independence is of superior importance between them. The rav added that today the “kibbutz galiyos” is underway as we see Jews returning to Israel from around the world, stating today, “most Jews in the world live in Eretz Yisrael”.
Rav Yosef explained there should be a hakoras hatov for being able to live in Eretz Yisrael and to fulfill mitzvos, adding “If not for the soldiers and the establishment of the state would we be able to sit and learn Torah? Would we be able to educate our children? What was here 80 years ago? They are the shluchim of HKBH and in their merit we sit and study Torah. We must have hakoras hatov to HKBH”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
Chazal say that if not for General Yoav’s prowess in war, Dovid HaMelech would not have been able to learn Torah. And if not for Dovid HaMelech’s learning Torah, Yoav woud not have been successful in war.
So? How are the chareidim here going to spin this absolute truth?
Is that really true that most Jews nowadays live in Eretz Yisrael? If so, shouldn’t that have halachic nafka mina’s, such as making shemittah d’oraysa?
True we always need hakoras hatov but help me out over here, there was no torah before 1948?
And to what do we credit the bit of torah in America?
Just asking.
5. Nice-sounding question, but easy answer. he’s not saying you need an army (in any place) to protect Torah; he’s saying in EY, specifically, we need the army to defend the Land.