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Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon
                Ask

                 the          Do the customs of mourning
               Rabbi          during Sefirat HaOmer


                              apply to Yom HaAtzmaut?




                  here are different customs as to   HaRabbanut HaReishit, page 878     Weddings
                  when, during Sefirat HaOmer, to   note 83 and see Shachar Ahalelcha   III,   According to Rav Yitzchak Nissim (ibid.),
          T apply the customs of mourning.       paragraph 36).                         it is permissible to get married on Yom
             According to all opinions, the fifth of                                    HaAtzmaut, because   it  is a  day  on which
           Iyar – Yom HaAtzmaut – is one of those   We can suggest a new idea too. There are   a miracle occurred and so the customs of
           days that we do apply   the customs of   those who say that Rabbi Akiva’s students,   mourning do not apply. However, the  Yaskil
           mourning. These customs of mourning   for whom we   mourn during the Omer,   Avdi (III:10:2:7-8) rules that it is forbidden
           include not being able to marry, have a   died in Bar Kochba’s rebellion (Rav Moshe   to marry on Yom HaAtzmaut, since the
           haircut,   dancing and listening to music.   Tzvi Neria – Emunat Itecha 41,   page 5).   essence of the  miracle was not the declara-
           Are these prohibitions allowed on Yom   In other words, they died while trying to   tion of the State but either the day of the
           HaAtzmaut?                            establish a state.                     ceasefire or the day of the UN’s  decision.

           Shaving                               According to this, all our mourning is   In practice, the accepted custom is not to

           If a person makes a simcha during the Omer,   based on the fact they were not able to   get married on Yom HaAtzmaut.
           such  as  a  Brit Mila  or  Sheva  Berachot,  he   establish  a state.   Therefore, we  could
           is  allowed  to   shave  (Rama  493:2).  This  is   certainly say the customs of mourning   Celebrating Yom
           because it is a festival for him and so the laws   do not apply on the day we did establish   HaAtzmaut when it is
           of mourning do not apply   (Shulchan Aruch,   a  State!                      not the 5th of Iyar
           Orach Chaim 559:9).                                                          Usually, Yom HaAtzmaut is not celebrated
                                                 In practice, since Yom HaAtzmaut is a day   on the 5th of Iyar (but close to it). This
           We can therefore apply a kal vechomer. 1   of rejoicing, we do not mourn and it is per-  is to avoid   desecrating the Shabbat with
           On a day which is itself a festival, such   missible to shave.  One can even shave before   celebrations and ceremonies. This is an
           as Yom HaAtzmaut, it is permissible   nightfall in preparation for Yom HaAtzmaut   exalted expression of the the  State of Israel’s
           to shave (Rav Yitzchak Nissim – Yayin   (Shachar Ahalelcha III,  paragraph 37). Like-  independence and a huge Kiddush Hashem
           HaTov II, Orach Chaim paragraph       wise, it is permissible to dance and listen to   (Sanctification of God’s Name)!
              11; Rav Avraham Shapira – Sefer    happy music (ibid. paragraph 40).
                                                                                        Indeed, this is true independence – a deci-
                                                                                        sion by the ‘Kingdom of Israel’ based on
                                                                                        considerations of   the Jewish Shabbat. So
                                                                                        on whatever day that is each year, that is the
                                                                                        day we recite Hallel and do not  observe the
                                                                                        customs of mourning.

                                                                                        _____________________________
                                                                                        1  Literally 'light and heavy'. It is one of the principles of
                                                                                        determining halacha. Simply, it means that what applies
                                                                                        in a less important case will certainly apply in a more
                                                                                        important one.


                                                                                        Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon is
                                                                                        the Chairman of  the Halacha
           Kobi Gideon (GPO)
                                                                                        Education Center

           Photo of Rabbi Rimon: Yehoshua Halevi                                                                     7
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