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From Disgrace to Praise





                Yom HaZikaron to Yom HaAtzmaut





                                            Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon



                om HaZikaron, the Memorial   The establishment of these memorial days   will be redeemed. “G-d will respond to you
                Day for the Fallen Soldiers of   on the 4th of Iyar attaches them to Yom   in a day of need” (Tehillim 20:2)” (Midrash
                the Wars of Israel and Victims   HaAtzmaut, which is celebrated the next   Shocher Tov 20).
        Yof Actions of Terrorism, was       day. This format, in which sadness and
        established on the 4th of Iyar, the day Kfar   mourning precedes joy, exists in many   The proximity of the days of remembrance
                                                                                for the Holocaust and the soldiers of Israel
        Etzion fell (May 13, 1948). In this battle,   situations, most notably the Pesach Seder   to Yom HaAtzmaut emphasize the point
        the last battle of Gush Etzion, the Arabs   – the evening of redemption which is
        massacred the Jewish soldiers, killing 127   founded on the principle of תּונ ְג ִּ ב לי ִח ְת ַמ   that the establishment of the State of
                                                                                Israel was not a simple matter and that,
        of them (only four soldiers survived the   ח ַב ֶ ׁש ְּ ב ם ֵּי ַס ְמּו, “Begin with disgrace and end
        battle). In 1951, the Israeli government   in praise.”                  to this day, its existence cannot be taken
                                                                                for granted. The State of Israel was estab-
        established this as a day of remembrance   Why is it important to reflect on redemp-  lished in the merit of those murdered in
        for those who fell in war defending the
        State of Israel.                    tion through a framework of disgrace that   the Holocaust and in the merit of those
                                            is followed by praise? When we begin   who fell in battles and terror attacks.
        But even before the fall of Kfar Etzion,   with disgrace, we feel and understand   In addition, remembering those who were
        the 4th of Iyar served as a day of remem-  the praise that follows far more deeply
        brance. My father, Rav David Rimon z”l,   than we would if we began with praise.   murdered in the Holocaust and those who
                                                                                died in battle teaches us how great the
        was one of the central figures involved   When we understand the price that we   miracle of our existence, survival and
        in Kofer HaYishuv, the fund responsible for   have paid to reach this joy, we cherish the   independence truly is – a miracle that
        raising money to finance the Haganah   joy immeasurably more and appreciate   accompanies us every day and at every
        before the establishment of the State. In   the suffering required to bring us to this
        1940, the leadership of the Kofer HaYishuv   place.                     moment. We are not always sufficiently
                                                                                aware of how the existence of the State
        proclaimed the 4th of Iyar as a “Heroes   The words of the midrash are well known:   of Israel is a unique expression of G-d’s
        Memorial Day” following the Arab attacks   “A parable of a father and son who were on   Divine providence over us: “Hashem has
        of 1936 in which hundreds of Jews were   a journey. The son became weary, and he   done great things with these people”
        murdered.
                                            said to his father: How far do we have to   (Tehillim 126:2). The reminder of Yom
                                            go? He replied: Remember this sign: When   HaZikaron before Yom HaAtzmaut empha-
                                            you see a cemetery, you are almost there.   sizes G-d’s providence and the dedication
                                            And that is what the Holy One, Blessed be   and sacrifice of those who fell. May their
                                            He, said to Yisrael: When you see many   memory be a blessing to all of Am Yisrael.
                                            troubles piling up, that is the moment you









                                                                                        Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon
                                                                                     is Head of Mizrachi’s Educational
                                                                                   Advisory Board and Rabbinic Council.
                                                                                    He serves as the Chief Rabbi of Gush
                                                                                   Etzion, Rosh Yeshivah of the Jerusalem
                                                                                  College of Technology and is the Founder
                                                                                   and Chairman of Sulamot and La'Ofek.
                                                                                            Join me at the
                                                                                      World Orthodox Israel Congress  Est.          1902
                                                                                        orthodoxisraelcongress.org  120 YEARS OF RELIGIOUS ZIONISM





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