Torah for Christians: Yom Ha'Atzma'ut

TORAH FOR CHRISTIANS

 SEASON THREE    EPISODE SIXTEEN

YOM HA’ATZMA’UT

          Ever since 1948, Yom Ha’Atzma’ut, Israel’s Independence Day, has been a major event in the Jewish world. The rebirth of the Jewish State is a cause of tremendous pride and has fundamentally changed how Jews view the world – and how the world views Jews.

          On this episode of Torah for Christians, we will examine just what the existence of Israel means: for Jews and non-Jews alike. I’m Rabbi Jordan Parr.

MUSIC

          Welcome to Torah for Christians. I’m Rabbi Jordan Parr.

          The founding of the State of Israel in May 1948 was indeed a momentous event. When the British troops left Mandated Palestine, they left behind a simmering battle ground between the Jewish settlers and the Arab population. This battle exploded into a war as the new State came into being.

          Somehow, the Jewish State survived, expanded its borders and has flourished since May 1948. Of course, while Jews almost universally celebrate the achievements of the State of Israel, there are others who do not. I respectfully disagree with them, and, in future episodes, we will discuss these disagreements. But not today.

          In this episode, we are not talking politics. Instead, we are discussing the reasons why Jews have always longed for a revival of Jewish life in Palestine and what that revival means to Jews and to many non-Jews as well. 

          We begin as we almost always do with the Torah, specifically Genesis, Chapter 12. For some inexplicable reason, God commands Avram, Abraham, to leave his ancestral home and journey to the land that God will show him. This land, of course, is Canaan, later known as the Land of Israel. God promises Abraham that he will become the father of a great nation. In Genesis 13.14, God promises Abraham the land, from the north to the Negev, from the east to the Sea. Later, Jacob dreams of a ladder reaching up to heaven, where God is standing. God promises Jacob, in Genesis 28.14, that Jacob’s descendants will spread from the Sea to the east, from the north to the Negev. Yes, this promise, called in Hebrew a Brit, a Covenant, is not explicit in its boundaries, except for the western Sea, the Mediterranean, but the boundaries generally are taken to be from roughly the Lebanese border to Eilat, at the base of the Negev, and from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River. God’s promise of the land encompasses modern Israel’s borders, as well as the West Bank and perhaps the Golan Heights.

          Jumping way ahead in Jewish history, the Babylonian Exile saw thousands of Jews head off in bondage to Babylonia, modern day Iraq, while a smaller contingent of Jews escaped to Egypt. We all know the words of Psalm 137, “By the waters of Babylon, we lay down and wept when we remembered Thee, Zion.” Several hundred years later, Jews could be found throughout the Roman Empire as well, from Jerusalem to Gibraltar, throughout the Mediterranean Basin. Yet, until the destruction of the 2nd Temple, Jewish life was centered in Jerusalem, no matter where Jews lived. Daniel, for example, opened his window in the 2nd Century, BCE and prayed thrice daily towards Jerusalem, a custom that we Jews still observe today. 

          Messianism also plays a huge role in the Jewish love for Israel. Malachi, the last of the Prophets, prophesied that God would send Elijah the Prophet to proclaim the great and terrible coming of the day of Adonai. This is one of the earliest prophecies to mention Elijah as the forerunner of the Messiah, a descendant of King David, who will come to redeem Israel, resurrect the dead and bring a millennium of peace to the world.

          The idea of bodily resurrection deserves a closer look in our discussion. Part of the Jewish belief in resurrection, a belief that was prevalent in Judaism well before the birth of Jesus, is that resurrection is to take place in Jerusalem. The lucky Jews were buried on the Mount of Olives, a hill to the east of Jerusalem. Jews are buried there, even today. Those of us not so fortunate will experience our bones rolling from our graves through fantastical tunnels to Jerusalem, where we will be reunited with our souls in the World to Come.

          Without a Jewish presence in Jerusalem, there would be no place to roll. And even during the darkest of eras, there has always been a Jewish presence in Jerusalem, often penniless and living off the charity of Diaspora Jews, but present, nonetheless.

          Clearly, the Torah instructs us that the Land of Israel is the place that God promised to the Jewish people. This underlies the modern Jewish devotion to Israel and is also why many 19th Century European Jews revived the idea of Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel, an idea which led to the founding of the Jewish State in 1948.

    At the end of our worship on Yom Kippur, as well as at the end of the Passover Seder, we conclude with the phrase “Next Year in Jerusalem!” Now while it is an incredible experience to be in Jerusalem for the Jewish holidays, especially these two, we are not expressing our hope for a family trip to Israel. Instead, we cry out because we pray that this really will be the year and the Messiah will come and return us to Jerusalem.

          Summing it up, the Jewish attachment to Israel is as much to the Biblical promise as it is to the Modern State. Jews support the modern State of Israel, not just because Jews live there and need our help, but because we see it as the first step towards fulfilling the Messianic hope that one day, God will return all Jews to the Land of Israel. When that happens, the idea of the State of Israel will be irrelevant.

          Many Christians also support the modern State of Israel, but for vastly different reasons. We’ll talk about that in a moment. I’m Rabbi Jordan Parr and this is Torah for Christians.

BREAK

 Welcome back to Torah for Christians. I’m Rabbi Jordan Parr. Before we return to our discussion of the Yom Ha’Atzma’ut, I want to thank you for listening to this podcast. Please remember to review and rate this episode on Apple, Spotify, Facebook, or whatever service you are using. Also, please go back and listen to previous episodes if you have not done so already. A transcript is also available on our Buzzsprout feed. And now, this and many previous episodes are available on our brand-new YouTube channel. 

And if you would like to read my weekly Torah Study, please go to Bible Stories They (Never) Taught You in Religious School, available for free on www.Substack.com. I have also started another Substack page called Wednesday Torah, where I share random thoughts on the Jewish experience. Please subscribe to both.

          Many Christian groups, especially Evangelicals, also call themselves Zionists. But many Christian Zionists support the State of Israel because, according to their thinking, all Jews must return to the Land of Israel before Jesus can return. To fulfill this Biblical prophecy, one that does not exist in Judaism, Evangelicals must do all they can to support the State of Israel so that Jews worldwide will move there. Only then will Jesus return to save the world.

          So, for Jews and many Christians, Yom Ha’Atzma’ut, Israel’s Independence Day, is a time for great celebration. For Jews, it’s a celebration of the Jewish State and its continuous independence. For these Christians, each anniversary of the Modern State brings Jesus closer to his return.

          Outside of Israel, Yom Ha’Atzma’ut is often celebrated communally, not necessarily in the synagogue. There are some prayers that could be read on that day or on the closest Shabbat but rarely is this the focus. Instead, Jews outside the Land of Israel often join for what best can be described as a carnival, with games, music and Israeli food and folk dancing. Often, Israeli expatriates organize and lead these celebrations since, no matter where they live, Israelis usually have an unending pride in being Israelis.

          Within Israel, it’s an Independence Day celebration, quite like how we celebrate July 4 in America. There are parades, music, food, folk dancing and even fireworks. Everyone comes out, a true street party.

          But there is a very somber twist to the holiday. Virtually every Israeli family who has been in the country for any length of time has lost a family member to war or terrorism. The day before Yom Ha’Atzma’ut is called Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. At the start of the day, a siren sounds for one minute and the country comes to a standstill. Buses and cars stop on the roads, and everyone disembarks to stand in silence. Then, a second siren sounds at the end of the day, at nightfall. Again, the country stops. But when the siren stops, it’s Yom Ha’Atzmau’ut and the celebration begins. It is as if we recognize the ultimate sacrifice that these Israeli soldiers made by celebrating the cause for which they died. As the Psalmist says, “Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30.5)

          I want to thank you for listening to Torah for Christians. Please remember to rate and review this, and previous episodes on Apple, Spotify, or other streaming services. You can also like and hear us on Facebook and now, you can subscribe to the podcast on Youtube and read a transcript on Buzzsprout.

On the next episode, we will discuss the Song of Songs, everyone’s favorite Book of the Bible. If you want to know why we are talking about it now, you’ll just have to listen to the episode.

Finally, I have begun to publish a weekly Torah Study, called Bible Stories They Never Taught You in Religious School. It’s available for free on www.substack.com. You can also sign up on Substack for the newsletter to appear every Friday in your Inbox. You can also find my new column, Wednesday Torah there, where I offer weekly musings about life, the universe and everything.

          Have a wonderful week and remember; Hinei Mah Tov … L’hitra’ot, till we meet again. I’m Rabbi Jordan Parr and this is Torah for Christians.