The Soul of Israel's Independence

To call the anniversary of the birth of the modern state of Israel "Independence Day" is a misnomer in many respects. As a Jew who grew up in America the phrase connotes the severing of ties between the American colonies and Imperial Britain, risking life, fortune, and sacred honor, to paraphrase the American Declaration of Independence. But what happened on the 5th of Iyar, 5708 (May 14th, 1948) was something the likes of which the modern world had never seen.

Rabbi Marc D. Angel, quoted on Arutz Sheva by Hillel Fendel, sums it up this way:

Israel is the only example in the history of humanity of an ancient nation exiled from its land, forced to live (often under horrific conditions) as a minority group scattered throughout the world--who after nearly 2000 years returned to its ancestral land, revived its ancient language, and re-established its historic culture. Israelis--and all members of the Jewish people--understand that we are living in a unique period of history. Israelis are happy not only because they are thriving intellectually, culturally, scientifically, militarily; but because they understand that their lives mean something, that they are pioneers in restoring the honor and strength of the Jewish people after centuries of powerlessness and disgrace…

For nearly 2000, Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel, was not under Jewish sovereignty. It was the province of one empire after another, a battleground in one war after another. All the while a small Jewish population clung to the holy cities waiting for the return of their nation who were scattered to the four corners of the earth. And now it is happening. Once again the Nation of Israel is asserting its sovereignty in Eretz Yisrael. So we are not in fact celebrating Israel's "independence." We are celebrating its revival and redemption.

And who are these pioneers today? The are people like the Fogels, who were slaughtered by arabs in cold blood in their home, on the Sabbath. Though Eretz Yisrael was brought back to life by socialists, who drained the malaria infested swamps and irrigated the dormant desert, the People of Israel have no real life in the land, no real strength, no lasting honor without Torah. The early pioneers of Israel rejected Torah, but it is carrying out the will of the G-d of Israel, it is the sanctification of His Name that is our purpose for being in the land. This is why Eretz Yisrael only blooms and yields its bounty when it is in our hands.

Today, Israel's pioneers live in places called Shiloh, Itamar, Beit El, Ariel, and Kiryat Arba and every other community in Judea and Samaria, which the world, and even ignorant Jews who hold no love for Eretz Yisrael, call the West Bank, or even worse..."occupied territories." They are continuing the process of reclaiming the land from the desert, from the years of exile.

It is the hills of the Shomron the Prophets of Israel said would hold our vinyards in the time of our return...and now they do. What sets these new pioneers apart is that they are reclaiming the land not just with tractors and irrigation lines. They are doing it with Torah. They are the future, they are the image of what Israel will become in the full bloom of our redemption from this final exile. When Torah is firmly reestablished in Eretz Yisrael, and when those of us still preparing ourselves for the journey home return, a Chilul HaShem like the murder of these beautiful, innocent members of our People will not go unanswered by their government.

The following video was posted at Arutz Sheva today. This is what it means to live a life of Torah, and to be, "a light unto the nations." This is the best of the soul of Israel's rebirth and redemption.

Chazak v'amatz.