Page 34 - HaMizrachi #29 Yom HaAtzmaut 2021 USA

HOLIDAY READING

Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel

Halachic Holidays?

ollowing the miraculous birth during the Second Temple Period. He record that a community can create a
of the State of Israel in 1948 cites a passage in the Talmud (Rosh ‘Purim,’ for themselves and for future
Fand the dramatic unification of Hashanah 18b), which relates that fol- generations, on a day in which they
Yerushalayim in 1967, the Chief Rab- lowing the destruction of the Temple, experienced a miracle. Rabbi Avraham
binate, together with leading authorities, Megillat Ta’anit, together with all of the Danziger himself celebrated the day and
established Yom HaAtzmaut and Yom holidays it describes, became null and his family were spared after a powder
Yerushalayim as full-fledged festivals, void. Accordingly, he rules that neither keg explosion destroyed a number of
with the recitation of special tefillot, a community nor an individual has the homes including his own, claiming the
including Hallel. authority to declare new holidays today lives of 31 people (Chayei Adam 155:41).
(Pri Chadash, OC 496:14). Over the centuries, tens of communities
The question, debated by many, was: and families have established ‘Purims,’
is it permissible to add new holidays The Chatam Sofer defended the prac- sometimes with the recitation of spe-
to the Jewish calendar? According to tice of instituting new holidays, arguing cial prayers, meals, and sometimes even
the Ramban, creating a new Jewish that even according to the opinion that reading from a special Megillah, writ-
holiday violates the prohibition of bal Megillat Ta’anit is null and void, the holi- ten to commemorate the event. (For an
tosif, “adding” to the mitzvot of the days of Chanukah and Purim were never exhaustive list, see Yom Tov Levinski,
Torah (See Ramban to Devarim 4:2). nullified. Accordingly, holidays created “Purim Sheni,” published in his Sefer
But throughout Jewish history, both to commemorate a miraculous salvation, HaMoadim, vol. 6, pp. 297-321).
communities and individuals who expe- patterned after Chanukah and Purim,
rienced a miraculous salvation estab- are indeed permissible. He concludes The Talmud (Sanhedrin 94a) relates
lished ‘Purims,’ festivals to be celebrated by noting how he and his teacher, Rabbi that King Chizkiyahu could have been
like Purim, in commemoration of the Natan Adler, were careful to observe made the Messiah but for the fact that he
miracle. ‘Purim Frankfurt,’ even when no longer failed to give praise upon the downfall of
living in Frankfurt (Teshuvot Chatam the wicked Sancherev, King of Assyria.
In the 16th century, the Jewish com- Sofer, OC 191). ‘Purim Frankfurt,’ also Chizkiyahu failed to give this profound
munity of Lepanto (today Nafpaktos, known as ‘Purim Vinz,’ celebrates the experience religious expression. We dare
Greece), established a holiday to give downfall of the wicked Vincenz Fett- not make the same mistake.
thanks to G-d for sparing them from milch who led a populist uprising and
imminent destruction and to publicize a pogrom against the Jews of Frankfurt Yom HaAtzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim
the miracle. Members of the commu- am Main in 1614, forcing them to flee possess profound religious significance
nity asked Rabbi Moshe Alashkar if they the city until the emperor personally and meaning. These are days of great
were justified in creating such a holiday, intervened. Even today, the Jewish com- Divine Providence – miracles and won-
like Purim, to celebrate this miraculous munity of Frankfurt celebrates the 20th ders – and deserve religious expression.
salvation. The Maharam Alashkar ruled of Adar, the day when Fettmilch and By celebrating Yom HaAtzmaut and Yom
that indeed community leaders have the his followers were hanged and the Jews Yerushalayim as holidays, we express
authority to establish such a day, and it is returned to their homes. Elsewhere, the our thanks for the tremendous gifts of
binding upon members of the commu- Chatam Sofer writes that establishing a the State of Israel and Yerushalayim.
nity – present and future – no matter holiday to mark a miraculous event is a
where they reside (Teshuvot Maharam Biblical requirement, and one who does Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel lives and
Alashkar, 49). not do so is in violation of not perform- teaches in Jerusalem, where he serves as
The Pri Chadash, Rabbi Chizkiyah ing a positive commandment (Teshuvot Rosh Kollel of the Sinai Kollel and Mara D’Atra
of Har Nof’s Kehilat Zichron Yosef.
da Silva, was upset with this practice, Chatam Sofer, YD 233).
and based his objection on Megillat The Magen Avraham (OC 686:5) and A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
Ta’anit, a list of 35 holidays observed Mishnah Berurah (OC 686:8) both mizrachi.org/speakers

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