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HALACHA OF THE WEEK:The 5th of Iyar when it is not Yom Haatzmaut In 1948 the British Mandate was scheduled to end on Friday night at midnight (May 14, 1945). On that same day, in the late afternoon, Ben Gurion declared the State of Israel, thereby avoiding desecrating Shabbat.
In 1950, when the 5th of Iyar - Yom HaAtzmaut was on Shabbat, the Chief Rabbis ruled that to avoid desecrating Shabbat, whenever the 5th of Iyar would fall on Friday or Shabbat, it would be moved back to the preceding Thursday (the 3rd or 4th of Iyar). In 2004, the chief Rabbis went one step further and ruled that if Yom HaAtzmaut fell on a Monday, it would be pushed off until Tuesday. This was done so that the preceding day, Yom HaZikaron would not be on Motzaei Shabbat/Sunday since the preparations for those ceremonies could also lead to desecrating Shabbat.
As a result of these decrees, the only time when Yom HaAtzmaut is celebrated on the 5th of Iyar is when it falls on Wednesday. (According to the Jewish calendar rules, the 5th of Iyar will never fall on Tuesday or Thursday!).
In his book Yimei Nisan v’Iyar, Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon writes that the holiday of Purim serves as a precedent for moving a holiday to avoid desecrating Shabbat. Because, when Purim falls on Shabbat (as did Shushan Purim of this year), the reading of the megillah is moved to Friday so that no one would violate Shabbat by carrying a megillah (as well as giving Matanot l’Evyonim); Al HaNisim is said on Shabbat, and the Seudah and Mishloach Manot are on Sunday.
Therefore, wrote Rav Rimon, not only is it permitted to move Yom Haatzmaut, but it is the truest expression of independence, and it is the greatest kiddush Hashem to preserve Shabbat by doing so.
But what about the day when the 5th of Iyar actually falls – this year on Shabbat? Are there any different halachot? The answer is that we won’t recite Tzidkatcha Tzedek at Mincha – because that prayer is in place of Tachanun. But other than that, all celebrations are moved to Wednesday night and Thursday.
DVAR TORAH There is a fascinating paradox that relates to the laws of tzara'at, the (metaphysical malady commonly mistranslated as "leprosy") that affected those who committed the sin of "lashon hara" [gossip].
On the one hand, only a kohen could determine if a person who displayed the symptoms of tzara'at was impure and had to be sent from the encampment "where he sits in solitude" (Vayikra 13:46). On the other hand, as the Talmud teaches, if the afflicted person "destroyed the evidence" and removed the discolored skin, he/she could no longer be considered impure.
Therefore, why send the person from the encampment? Since tzara'at wasn't a physical disease but a Divine punishment - it wasn't contagious! And if a person could remove the discoloration or adulterate its appearance - why not have the person locked in a cell under constant guard until the tzara'at disappears on its own?
HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky, z"l explained that the reason a person with tzara'at had to "sit in solitude" was a special gift from the Torah. Because the sin he committed of "lashon hara" is impossible to commit all alone. Therefore, the Torah instructed the kohen to send him away, NOT to avoid others, but to confront him, to consider his deeds, in the absence of all peer pressure and influence. And there, all alone, he had but two options, to continue to fool himself, to remove the discoloration and appear pure. Or, to be honest with himself, see his actions for what they truly were, repent, and grow.
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MAZAL TOV * to Roni Bell, daughter of Dr. Dean and Juli Bell, for being chosen as one of only 120 Chayalim MiTztaynim – soldiers of distinction recognized by the President of Israel and feted at a special ceremony on Yom HaAtzmaut. Click here for Roni's Yom HaAtzmaut message!
* Moshe and Shoshi Kahn on the birth of 2 granddaughters. The proud parents are Menucha and Naftali Brenner and Tzachi and Danielle Kahn.
* Rabbi Yitzchok and Dr. Esther Shkop on the birth of a grandson. The proud parents are Mr. and Mrs. Archie Shkop.
* Rabbi Yehuda and Yosefa Krohn on the marriage of their daughter Chana to Michael Altman.
REFUAH SHLAIMA * to Etai Rimel – Etai Yaakov ben Tzipporah, who is recovering in rehab * to Anne Maryles – Chana bat Baila
The Full day of Virtual Learning Programs on Thursday April 16th are sponsored by: Eddie and Shelley Stopek in commemoration of the yahrtzeit of Eddie’s brother Arthur Stopek – Dov Ber ben Tzvi Hersh z’l.
DAF YOMI – Mon.-Friday @ 7:30am; Sunday - TBA
3 MINUTE HALACHA – RECORDED Sunday-Friday
DAYTIME DIALOGUES
30 MINUTES OF PARSHA, Wednesdays 8:00pm
SEFER MELACHIM – Sunday 9:00am
