וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. דַּבֵּר אֶל כׇּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם קְדֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי ה' אֱ-לֹקֵיכֶם. (ויקרא יט, א-ב)
We have brought the principle of the Tur and the Shlah HaKadosh numerous times in shiurim, that when a festival occurs during the week, it is hinted to in the parsha preceding (and following) it. The hint to the festival of יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת is easy to find in the upcoming parsha. אַחֲרֵי מוֹת קְדֹשִׁים, the reason we celebrate יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת in the first place is because of all the קְדֹשִׁים who sacrificed their lives to ensure the continued existence of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael.
I am not only speaking about the last two and a half years of war since October 7. Neither am I speaking only about the last 78 years since the establishment of the State of Israel, nor the last 150+ years since שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן. I am referring to the entire period of 3260 years since we became a nation after יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, during which the cumulative sacrifice of countless קְדֹשִׁים has resulted in us celebrating יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת this year.
R' Bachyei (ויקרא יט, ב) asks "Why is the passuk קְדֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי ה' אֱ-לֹקֵיכֶם immediately followed by the passuk אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ (שם, ג)?"
שֶׁיִּתְבּוֹנֵן כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד עַל יוֹלְדָיו וְיָעִיד עֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁיָּעִיד הַבֵּן אֶל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ שֶׁהֵם לוֹ כְּעֵין הַבּוֹרֵא, וְיָעִיד עַל הַבּוֹרֵא שֶׁהוּא הָאָב הָעֶלְיוֹן יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁחִדֵּשׁ עוֹלָמוֹ.
What does it mean to be קָדוֹשׁ? It is to cast your eyes upon those who gave birth to you and give testimony to them. That a child will testify that their father and mother for them are likened to the Creator. And they will testify that the Creator is the Supreme Father, may His name be blessed, Who constantly renews His world.
R' Bachyei is giving us an incredible chiddush, that to be holy is … to remember from whence you came. If you live your life in constant recognition that you are an additional link in a long chain, threading back to HKB"H himself, you will never lose sight of who you are and that your original source is holiness.
In this shiur I would like to touch briefly on יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת. The primary focus of the shiur, however, will be on Am Yisrael and what a truly remarkable people we are.
The Shulchan Aruch (אורח חיים, סימן תכח) lists different rules that define the Jewish calendar - on which days of the week the festivals and Rosh Chodesh fall out, which haftarot we read on specific occasions, etc.
In סעיף קטן ג, the Shulchan Aruch brings a very interesting "algorithm" which is based on the אתב"ש cipher. As you know, אתב"ש is an encoding system which works by substituting any letter in the alphabet with its "opposing letter", on the opposite end of the alphabet. For example, the first letter from the beginning of the alphabet א is substituted with the first letter from the end of the alphabet ת (i.e א-ת). The second letter from the beginning of the alphabet ב is substituted with the second letter from the end of the alphabet ש (i.e ב-ש) and so on, ג-ר, ד-ק, ה-צ, ו-פ, etc.
The Shulchan Aruch says that, using this אתב"ש cipher, together with the festival of Pesach, we can determine which days of the week other festivals fall out during the year.
The day of the week that א' of Pesach falls out will always be the same day of the week that "ת" - תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב falls out. For example - this year, the first day of Pesach was on Thursday, therefore, this year, Tisha Be'Av will fall out on a Thursday.
The day that ב' of Pesach falls out will be the same day of the week that "ש" – שָׁבוּעוֹת falls out.
The day that ג' of Pesach falls out will be the same day of the week that "ר" – רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה falls out.
The day that ד' of Pesach falls out will be the same day of the week that "ק" – קְרִיאַת הַתּוֹרָה (Simchat Torah) falls out.
The day that ה' of Pesach falls out will be the same day of the week that "צ" – צוֹם (Yom Kippur) falls out.
The day that ו' of Pesach falls out will be the same day of the week that "פ" – פּוּרִים falls out.
עַד כָּאן the Shulchan Aruch.
But hang on, Pesach is seven days not six. What about the seventh day? Is there no festival corresponding to ז' of Pesach?
The Sfat Emet (עמ' 234, תרמ"א ד"ה "חנוכה ופורים") writes וּמֵחַג הַפֶּסַח מְקַוִּים אָנוּ לִהְיוֹת עוֹד חַג, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "כִּימֵי צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם אַרְאֶנּוּ נִפְלָאוֹת". The Sfat Emet says we do not yet know what the seventh day of Pesach corresponds to, but we live in hope of another chag, a chag filled with miracles like those in יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם. This was written in the year 1881.
Neither the Shulchan Aruch (1563), nor the Sfat Emet (1881) knew what the seventh day corresponded to – because it hadn't happened yet! So, the Shulchan Aruch simply omitted it, while the Sfat Emet (perhaps with Ruach HaKodesh) voiced a fervent wish for some future, unknown event related to the Geulah.
Many years later, on the 29th of November 1947, the UN approved the partition plan for Palestine and the establishment of a Jewish state. Six months after that, on Friday afternoon, 14th May 1948 at 16:00, eight hours before the expiration of the British Mandate, Ben Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel.
In truth, the declaration should only have taken place upon expiration of the mandate, Friday night, midnight, 15th May. However, since that was already after Shabbat had commenced, it was decided to bring the declaration forward in order to prevent חִלּוּל שַׁבָּת. It therefore ended up that the official date set for the State of Israel's Independence Day was on Friday 14th of May 1948, for which the Hebrew date is ה' אייר, which is also the yahrzeit of Theodore Herzl z"l. Purely "calendarically" speaking, however, the State of Israel commenced on ו' אייר. It was only out of respect for Shabbat that this date was changed.
In subsequent years when ה' אייר fell on Fri/Shabbat it was similarly הֻקְדַּם to the Thursday before, in order to prevent חִלּוּל שַׁבָּת. This was formulated in Israeli law (חוק יום העצמאות, ה'תש"ט).
As we can see, the date of יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת was determined purely by practical considerations out of respect for Shabbat, with no other ulterior motives or reasoning. No "Kabbalists" were involved in determining this date. Even though the government of the new State of Israel was predominantly secular and had no qualms holding יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת celebrations on Shabbat ו' אייר – the actual date – they refrained from doing so out of respect for Shabbat.
However, neither the UN (who planned the mandate to end on Friday 15th May at midnight), nor Ben Gurion (who decided to bring it forward to Friday 14th May at 16:00) knew why they made these decisions. They made them for whatever reasons they had. However, it was neither the UN nor Ben Gurion orchestrating these events, it was HKB"H. The establishment of the State of Israel and יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת HAD to be on ה' אייר and not the real date ו' אייר. Why?
Getting back to our Shulchan Aruch above. What does the seventh day of Pesach correspond to according to אתב"ש?
HaRav Binyamin Blech שליט"א in his sefer " The Book of Passover" (2005) says, following the above pattern –
The day that ז' of Pesach falls out will be the same day of the week that "ע" – עַצְמָאוּת falls out. The day of the week that the last day of Pesach falls out will always be the day of the week יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת falls out (unless it is הֻקְדַּם because of Shabbat). For example, the last day of Pesach this year was on Wednesday and יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת is on … Wednesday.
This correlation would never have existed if יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת would have been declared on its real date ו' אייר.
This is not chance - it is Divine planning. Pesach took place in year 2448 from בְּרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם, 3260 years before the first יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת in the year 5708, and already back then it was ordained that the seventh day of Pesach would correspond to יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת, as the Sfat Emet said with Ruach HaKodesh כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "כִּימֵי צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם אַרְאֶנּוּ נִפְלָאוֹת".
It all hung on a hairsbreadth of eight hours. What was the clincher that insured that this prophecy would in fact take place? Respect for Shabbat!
R' Bachyei above continues his perush about remembering where we came from –
זֶהוּ שֶׁהִזְכִּיר מִיָּד, אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ וְאֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ, כִּי מִצְוַת הַשַּׁבָּת עֵדוּת וּמוֹפֵת עַל חִדּוּשׁ הָעוֹלָם.
All the denigrators within Am Yisrael of the (secular) State of Israel don't have the faintest clue what they are talking about. This was not כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי of secular, non-religious פּוֹרְקֵי עֹל, this was entirely אֶצְבַּע אֶ-לֹקִים.
What a "strange" יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת it is this year (and it may get even "stranger" between the writing of these words [Tuesday] and the time you read them). Our entire conception of the world has altered since last year יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת. In one short year, the entire world has been turned upside down … and it's all because of us, Am Yisrael (or at least that is what the antisemites are claiming – and they are not wrong. It is all because of us, but not because we [or Bibi] are "scheming", but because HKB"H is "rearranging" the world for Am Yisrael).
HKB"H is bringing the Geulah and this is part of the process of בֵּרוּר, clarification. All the things that were hidden and "below the surface" are now sublimating and becoming visible.
The "empire" of Edom is crumbling before our very eyes. The "homeland" of Edom, Europe (or should I call it "Atlantis"), is rapidly sinking into the sea (of Islam). The last bastion, Hungary, has just fallen. The "colonies" of Edom, Canada and Australia are not far behind. America will follow (first it was LA, now New York, and it will continue). Russia is a shadow of the world power it once was, sinking in its war with Ukraine. The galut of Edom is ending, being taken over by Yishmael, (Islam) who are the proxies of China (it is a multitiered structure of proxies within proxies).
Their destruction of Edom is progressing rapidly. Europe has woken up too late. NATO is crumbling before our very eyes. The only obstacle to China's strategic plan was the unexpected appearance of Donald Trump. They tried to get rid of him, first with COVID and when that didn't succeed, with attempted assassination. The standoff between Donald Trump and China, מִלְחֶמֶת גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג is what we are seeing unfold now. The gematria of "מִלְחֶמֶת גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג" is "סִין דּוֹנַלְד טְרָמְפּ גְּאוּלָּה".
This is the backdrop to this year's יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת celebrations. We need to look a layer below the surface to understand what is really going on here. Bibi is not calling the shots, neither is Trump, nor Iran, nor China. HKB"H is unravelling His plan that began 3260 years when we became a nation after leaving Egypt.
We should not be concerning ourselves with Bibi, Trump, Iran and China. We should be concerning ourselves ONLY with Am Yisrael and readying ourselves for the Geulah.
Despite what we observe on the "surface", Am Yisrael are a nation of קְדֹשִׁים. On the surface it seems that Am Yisrael has never been more fragmented and divided, but that is an illusion. We need to peel away the outer layer and look deeper and we will discover the heart of Am Yisrael.
The heart of Am Yisrael is the י"ב שְׁבָטִים. Twelve "forces", each distinct and unique from one another, each travelling our own individual path (like when we crossed יַם סוּף in separate lanes), achieving our separate purposes in life that HKB"H intended for us. There is little to unite us, except for One thing שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אַ-לֹקֵנּוּ ה' אֶחָד.
We all need to excel in what we do best. Study and teach Torah, fly fighter jets and guard our borders to prevent attack, innovate in hi-tech/science and engage in commerce, farm cherry tomatoes and bug free lettuce, protect the weak in society, maintain law and order, educate future generations, feed and clothe the population, inspire with art/music, settle the land and build communities and cities, save lives and heal the sick in body and mind, rebuild the Beit HaMikdash.
We have ALL these forces already in Am Yisrael, both in the State of Israel and worldwide. Despite our small numbers, we excel wherever we are, both in good things and in bad (we even excel in being criminals, Rachmana litzlan, e.g Madoff, Epstein, Bugsy Segal, etc.). The goyim look at us with envious eyes – the root of antisemitism.
The biggest mistake we make is thinking that Am Yisrael should be a "melting pot". Am Yisrael is NOT a melting pot. Each שֵׁבֶט has our own purpose and "sings our own song", with our own resonating frequency. We should not be trying to "remake" each other or to "outrun" each other, thus turning our individual songs into a cacophony.
Instead, we should let every שֵׁבֶט do what we excel at, respecting each other and not looking down upon other שְׁבָטִים. We need to appoint leaders that do not play us off against one another, but who facilitate symbiosis, combining our individual songs into a harmonious symphony.
Am Yisrael is not a competition, it is a mission. It begins with recognizing from whence we came, learning our history and discovering who we are, individually as שְׁבָטִים and together as a nation. In the last two years there has been an incredible awakening and return to our core. This will only intensify at the Geulah approaches and HKB"H washes a wave of reconciliation over Am Yisrael, softening our hearts of stone. It is bringing us to the realization that we are all קְדֹשִׁים and that we all do not serve ourselves, but combined in harmony, we serve the Supreme Father in Heaven, Who is orchestrating the world in lieu of the Geulah – for us!
As we all collectively bring our Korbanot "Chagiga" this יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת, let us remember from whence we came 3260 years ago. Let us remember those who preceded us, those who "created us" and made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could be where we are today. Let us give thanks to them and to the Father of fathers, Who created all of us.
Let us learn from the founding fathers of this great country who did their minimum hishtadlut by respecting HKB"H and His Shabbat and thus cemented the path toward Geulah that was ordained at the beginning of time.
We are privileged to be living in this generation - we are actively living history on a biblical scale. With this privilege comes responsibility.
Those who are not already in Eretz Yisrael need to return to their core, which includes relocating to the "land of their core". We need to have the emunah, make the hishtadlut and HKB"H will be מַשְׁלִים. Those of us who are already living the pre-Geulah here in Eretz Yisrael, need to facilitate קִבּוּץ גָּלוּיוֹת by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and smoothing the absorption process, welcoming our brothers and sisters with open arms.
Doing shlichut and outreach and bringing entire communities to our ancestral homeland in integral units, not just as individuals. We need to reframe the culture of dispute in Eretz Yisrael, steer it away from the destructive path of שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם towards one of mutual respect, even though we do not agree on everything. We need to marginalize those who seek anarchy and reject reconciliation, regardless of their status and power in society.
We need to focus more on the new generation. A generation that everyone mistakenly thought was spoiled and materialistic, which instead turned out to be a generation of heroes, idealists and hungry for their roots. This generation is the hope of Am Yisrael, we need to help and guide them to reach positions of power and if we cannot, at least step aside and not stand in their way. This generation epitomizes R' Bachyei's chiddush above – they know from whence they truly came and they do not suffer the same chains of "exile/assimilation misconceptions" many of their parents do. In truth it is we who are the spoiled, materialistic generation, not them.
Anyone who is not optimistic about the future is not realistic. HKB"H loves His people and is working to bring about what He promised in the words of the prophets as we speak, minute by minute. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת שָׂמֵחַ and Shabbat Shalom
Eliezer Meir Saidel
Machon Lechem Hapanim
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