Chodesh Tov! Iyyar, The Second Month of the Jewish Calendar, a Month of Miracles

The title may be confusing for some. The Jewish Year as most know starts at the end of the summer on Rosh Hashannah, the first of the Month of Tishrei, but when counting the year by month, we begin with Nissan, the month of Miracles and spring. That's why Iyyar is the second month.  My friends and I will be meeting at Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh tomorrow for our monthly prayers.  There are two days to this Rosh Chodesh, which happens a few times during the year, and I chose the second for our Women's Prayers.

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh Rosh Chodesh Iyar

Thursday, May 1, 2014, 1st of Iyar 5774, 8:30 amTour of Tel Shiloh & Dvar Torah, Short Torah LessonPlease come and invite family, friends and neighbors
תפילת נשים ראש חודש אייר בתל שילהיום ה' 1-5 א' אייר תשע"ד 8:30יהיה דבר תורה קצר וסיור בתל כדאי לבוא ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנותMark your calendar, and join us. You're welcome to join our facebook page. Tel Shiloh is open to visitors daily. Tours can be arranged through the Shiloh HaKeduma, Ancient Shiloh office. Email visit@telshilo.org.il  or phone 02-994-4019.

Iyyar is an amazing month, full of contrasts. First of all, the entire month is in the restricted Sefira period, the forty-nine days we count from Passover until Shavuot, seven weeks times seven.

During the period of Sefirat Ha'omer, we refrain from certain forms of festivity as an expression of mourning for the tragic deaths of Rabbi Akiva 24,000 disciples, which occurred during these weeks. The Shulhan Aruch mentions that we do not conduct weddings, or cut our hair during this period. The Magen Avraham (commentary to the Shulhan Aruch by Rabbi Avraham Gombiner, Poland, 1637-1683) further adds the prohibition of listening to music...Sefirat Ha'omer, by contrast, is actually a very auspicious time. So much so, that the Ramban, in his Torah commentary (Parashat Emor), speaks of these weeks as *a kind of "Hol Ha'mo'ed" in between the two festivals of Pesah and Shavuot.

On the 18th of Iyyar is Lag B'Omer, meaning the 33rd of the Omer period. It's a day of celebration. And since 1948 there have been other days of celebration, Yom Ha'atzma'ut, Israeli Independence Day and Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day since Israel's victory during the 1967 Six Days War.

Not only was the 1967 Six Days War a miracle of survival for the young and weak (by human standards) Jewish State, but the miraculous, meaning G-d facilitated, victory brought us the liberation of our Biblical, historic Homeland, Judea, Samaria plus the Golan, Jordan Valley and the Sinai.

It's very clear that this victory and its resulting border changes was all of G-d's planning, because the IDF had only aimed to "keep status quo." The Eshkol Labor secular Leftist Party Government had sent messages to Jordanian King Hussein begging him not to join Egypt and Syria in the attack on Israel. For weeks leading up to the war, Egypt's Nasser had been publicly threatening to destroy the State of Israel and sweep it into the sea. He ordered the United Nations Peace Keeping Forces to abandon ship, which they promptly did.

No country, that's right no country came to Israel's aid. The world just watched and waited to see the young Jewish State destroyed, but G-d had other plans.

Considering that the 5th of Iyyar is Israeli Independence Day, and the 28th of Iyyar is Jerusalem Day, both between Passover which celebrates our Biblical exodus from slavery to Pharaoh in Egypt and Shavuot the Holiday celebrating G-d's giving us the Torah, the foundation of Judaism, I'd say that supports the idea that the Omer period is  "*a kind of "Hol Ha'mo'ed" in between the two festivals of Pesah and Shavuot."

This should all be another reminder to us that we're not in charge. G-d is, and we should praise and thank G-d at all opportunities and occasions. Yes, that includes saying Hallel with a blessing on Israeli Independence Day.

Shiloh is among the Biblical sites liberated in the 1967 Six Days War

What are the ideas expressed in Hallel? The Gemara (the Rabbinic debates on the Mishnah) tells us that Hallel includes five major themes (Pesachim 118a)1. The Exodus from Egypt2. The splitting of the Red Sea3. The giving of the Torah4. The revival of the dead5. The difficulties preceding the Messianic Age In other words, Hallel deals with all of Jewish history from the birth of our nation to the establishment of the Messianic Era. In Hallel we express our joy at past miracles and our faith in future miracles.http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Liturgy_and_Prayers/Siddur_Prayer_Book/Shabbat_and_Holiday_Prayers/Hallel.shtml 

Joining The Discussion

Jameel has a post on A Simple Jew about Religious Zionism after Disengagement. He brings up some good points. And here's my comment:

Things were never really simple, but now they are even less so. I'm sure I'm not the only one to make more of a point differentiating between G-d's actions and man's.
That mean that I thank G-d and have no problems saying "Hallel" on Yom Ha'atzma'ut, but I think it's a moral imperative to oppose all evil decrees, acts etc. of the government.

Why, on Yom Ha'Atzma'ut, I say Hallel With a Bracha

I just returned from Yom Ha'Atzma'ut (Israeli Independence Day) evening prayers. In Shiloh it includes a rousing and enthusiastic Hallel with a bracha (blessing.)

As far as I'm concerned, we should be saying Hallel with a bracha, but I have trouble celebrating, worshipping and respecting the State of Israel and the people in government.

G-d has been very good to the Jewish People; therefore He definitely deserves our saying Hallel and treating Independence Day and Jerusalem Day, in just over three weeks, as Holy Days.

To compare today with Biblical Times, I'd say that we're suffering the worst of Kings Saul and Solomon.

Just like King Saul persecuted David, because he knew that David would succeed him, the government has declared Jewish settlement in our Biblical Heartland a danger to the state. Idealistic patriots have been arrested for trying to protect our Land. Some have been jailed or kept in "house arrest," frequently far from their homes.

Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron villages were destroyed by the government in an attempt to break our spirit. But just like King David never lowered himself to the depths of his predecessor, we do our best to stay strong and on our Land. King Saul tried to have him killed, and when David had the opportunity to kill Saul he didn't.

The problems with King Solomon were different. He thought that he was strong and smart enough to bend G-d's Law. Even though he knew that "...Moses warns that the king should not have too many horses or too many wives (Deut. 17:17)," he didn't follow the Law.

At the end of King Solomon's life, he repented and wrote Kohelet, Ecclesiastes.

Kohelet - Chapter 1
Show Rashi's Commentary
1. The words of Koheleth son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2. Vanity of vanities, said Koheleth; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
3. What profit has man in all his toil that he toils under the sun?
4. A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth endures forever.

Finally, he realized that all the finery, all the materialism is worthless. One must impress G-d and not other nations.

We have a government that isn't interested in eternity, just the here and now. They don't follow Jewish ideals; they want to impress other nations. In the process, not only do they endanger the very state they are supposed to protect and develop, but they've perverted and distorted the morality of others like a parody. They're like men dressed in drag exaggerating the foibles of women. It may look funny on stage, but, as we saw during last summer's war, it can be very tragic.

But we have a democracy, don't we? And in a democracy, the people choose the government. So if that's the case, our problem is with our fellow Israelis, not G-d.

Somehow we must find a way to renew their spirit and faith in G-d. The "pintele Yid," that spark of Yiddishkeit, yearning to be a true Jew, is in everyone. The problem is that sometimes it is hidden so deeply in the psyche of a person, that it isn't discovered in their lifetime.

At the same time, we must help our youth and those exiled from their homes heal. And of course, we must work on ourselves, making the good stronger and diminish our weakness. None of us are perfect.

We have to reach out and strengthen each other and those further away from us. Just like King David said in the T'hilim, Psalms, included in the Hallel Prayer, Chapter 115:

9. Israel, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
10. House of Aaron, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
11. Those who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
12. The Lord, Who remembered us, will bless; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron.
13. He will bless those who fear the Lord, the small together with the great.
14. May the Lord add upon you, upon you and upon your children.
15. Blessed are you to the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
16. The heavens are heavens of the Lord, but the earth He gave to the children of men.

What we need is a King David. We've been suffering from "a King Saul" and a "King Solomon." I guess G-d doesn't see us as ready for King David. It's our job to get the Nation ready.

It isn't easy, and it won't be. We must continue to thank G-d for all He has given us. And we must work even harder.

Chag Sameach!

Hallel on Yom HaAtzma'ut

I took the picture at the big anti-Disengagement demonstration in Tel Aviv.

Lamrot HaCol, Despite it all

Bli neder, I'll write more about celebrating Yom HaAtzma'ut, but it's Friday morning and I have shopping, cooking and cleaning to do!

Here are links to a few reasons:

Parashat Tazriah-Metzora: Waiting for a Sign

By Rabbi Nachman Kahana

and

Shiurim for Yom Ha'Assmauth