Page 8 - HaMizrachi #29 Yom HaAtzmaut 2021 USA

TORAT MIZRACHI MIZRACHI EDUCATORS

Rabbi Reuven Taragin

What Covid Taught Us

About the State of Israel

risis brings out the worst and best We have also shown this in the extensive needs. We grew accustomed to needing
in people and peoples. Celebrat- and intensive vaccination drive. to work around governments to protect
Cing the anniversary of the found- our individual needs in situations when
ing of the State of Israel a year into and Working Together with the national authority was attacking or
hopefully emerging from the Corona a Common Goal even just neglecting us.
pandemic is an excellent time to reflect The vaccination drive has also shown Now, Baruch Hashem, we have returned
on what we have learned about ourselves our ingenuity and ability to work well to our own state. This does not mean
as a people and about Israel. On the one together as a people and country when our government is perfect, but it does
hand, we have been reminded of the spe- we share a common goal. The fact that mean it is our government – elected by
cial qualities of Am Yisrael as a people we managed to acquire and administer us and committed to our health and suc-
and on the other, about the challenges one of the world’s highest percentages of cess. Even if one is of a different political
of returning to and building a country vaccines so quickly is truly remarkable. persuasion and/or disagrees with the
after thousands of years in exile. government’s decisions, disrespecting
Benny Gantz and his party’s decision to its guidelines threatens the basic notion
Mi KeAmcha Yisrael join the Netanyahu government (after of its ability to play its critical national
We Value Human Life they had previously promised not to role.
join) is also a great expression of our
Judaism places a very high premium ability to prioritize the value of human Obviously, the State of Israel’s current
on life. We are commanded (not just life and our common goals. political instability and hostility has
allowed) to violate Shabbat and almost not helped matters. We can only hope
all of our mitzvot in the face of even a Where We Are Lacking that the recent election will help bring a
potential threat to human life. In fact, stable government that can strengthen
halacha brands one who is cavalier There is, unfortunately, another side our sense of statehood.
to the story. Sadly, as Corona dragged
about human life a rotzeach (murderer).
on for months, many people grew tired On Yom HaAtzmaut, we celebrate the
Israel has one of the world’s lowest of the restrictions and lost faith in the founding of our State. After a Corona
Covid deaths:infections ratios. One of government and its guidelines. We have year that has reminded us of our values
the reasons for this is our health profes- seen this from many different segments and unique abilities, but has also chal-
sionals’ devotion to helping the infected and sides of the political spectrum. lenged our sense of statehood, it is crit-
recover. This devotion is reflective of the Mass gatherings for funerals, protests, ical that this year’s celebration reinforce
value they and we place on saving and organizational and individual disregard our appreciation of the State of Israel
sustaining human life. for guidelines, and even document and of what the great zechut of having
forgeries. it demands of us.
Am Yisrael as a whole also showed
its appreciation for human life at the Feelings of tiredness and even loss of
beginning of the pandemic, when we faith are very understandable and there
respected the guidelines of the first clo- are many government decisions that
sure and safely distanced ourselves from can definitely be criticized. That said,
our parents, grandparents and close rel- it is important to understand that the Scan here to join Rabbi Taragin’s
atives even during the chagim. only way to properly face national chal- WhatsApp group with daily Divrei Torah
lenges is by having a government that
As opposed to many countries who coordinates our joint efforts. As a people Rabbi Reuven Taragin is Educational
prioritized keeping their economy and in exile, we grew accustomed to living Director of Mizrachi and Dean of the Yeshi-
vat HaKotel Overseas Program.
travel/leisure open above protecting in countries run by governments often
human life, we have been consistent in antisemitic or at least unsympathetic A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
prioritizing human life. to their Jewish population and their mizrachi.org/speakers

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