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On Israel Independence Day (Yom HaAtzmaut), we celebrate three sacred ideals:
- The mitzva to settle the Land.
- The redemption of the Jewish people.
- The sanctification of God’s name.
The Mitzva to Settle the Land: The State of Israel was declared on the 5th of Iyar, 5708 (May 14, 1948). The Jewish people were now blessed with the ability to fulfill the mitzva of settling the Land.
Even before the establishment of the State, any Jew living in the Land fulfilled the mitzva on an individual level. Nevertheless, the primary mitzva is communal in nature, requiring the Land to be under Jewish sovereignty. “And you shall take possession of the land and settle in it” (Numbers 33:53). “Take possession” refers to conquest and sovereignty. “Settle in it” refers to ensuring it is not desolate.
We were not able to fulfill this mitzva for centuries, as we had no army or weapons with which to conquer and settle our Land. However, in modern times, thanks to God’s kindness, the spirit of nationalism was aroused, and Jews began immigrating and settling the Land. We organized and established an army for defense, and battled foreign rule. When the British mandate ended, our representatives declared the establishment of the State of Israel. Since then, the Jewish people can once again fulfill the communal mitzva to settle the Land, even if we do not yet control the entire Land. (For more about this mitzva, see 17:1-16 above.)
The Redemption of the Jewish People: On Israel Independence Day, the Jewish nation attained freedom, transitioning from foreign subjugation to political independence. Before the establishment of the State, we were unable to protect ourselves from our enemies. Now we have our own country, we can protect ourselves (thank God). Independence Day is also a day of deliverance for Jews still living in the diaspora, providing them with a country always prepared to welcome them, and which works on their behalf in the international arena. Before the State of Israel, the non-Jewish world paid almost no attention to the murderous antisemitism and persecution in many countries. Forty years later, even the Soviet Union was forced to become more flexible and allow Jews to emigrate from behind the Iron Curtain. This would have been inconceivable before Israel's existence.
The establishment of the State of Israel was redemptive from a spiritual perspective as well. In modern times, the Jewish people have experienced a spiritual crisis. When Emancipation opened up the doors for Jews to become citizens of developed countries, assimilation became extremely appealing. As a result, Jewish diaspora communities have weakened and shrunk. Only in the State of Israel is the Jewish population on the rise. Additionally, the percentage of Jews who feel connected to their heritage is higher in Israel than in any other Jewish community. Finally, Israel provides spiritual salvation by allowing for the ingathering of exiles. Israel's very existence makes assimilation unnecessary, as Jews are the majority here.
The Sanctification of God’s Name: With the establishment of the State, the shame of exile ended. For many generations we were victims of degradation, plunder, and murder. It was a tremendous desecration of God’s name, because we are known by God’s name. When we are humiliated, God’s name is humiliated with us (as explained in Ezekiel 36.). True, the prophets of Israel had prophesied about the return of the Jewish people to their Land. However, with so many years passing without the prophecies being fulfilled, the desecration of God’s name grew. Antisemites were certain there was no longer any chance the Jews would return to their Land.
A miracle occurred, and the biblical prophecies were realized. The establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 was a tremendous, awe-inspiring sanctification of God's name. This was strengthened during the Six Day War of 1967, when we had the privilege of liberating Jerusalem and all the holy sites in Judea and Samaria.
The process of the ingathering of the exiles and of making the desert bloom was given a tremendous boost in May 1948. This was the beginning of the final redemption.
