Question: The Knesset in Israel ordained that when Yom Yerushalayim (the 28th of Iyar) falls out on Thursday night and Friday, the national celebrations – like the parade as well as the official government celebrations are to be on Thursday (the 27th day of Iyar), so as to avoid the desecration of the Sabbath. Does that mean that we have our special prayers and the recitation of Hallel on the 27th of Iyar as well? 


Answer: The Chief Rabbinate has ruled that the special synagogue prayers are to be recited on the 28th day of Iyar – the actual time of the miraculous victory of Israel and the specific day of our liberation of Jerusalem – even though the governmental parade and celebrations are on the 27th. Marking a miracle should certainly be on the actual date when the miracle took place: this is the real meaning of our Shehechiyanu blessing thanking G-d for preserving us in life and bringing us “to this time” – the actual time or day of the miracle; this is also the meaning of the blessing on Hanukkah, “In those days and in this time,” this time meaning this date. 

It is quite possible that on the celebration of Yom Haatzmaut however, when the 5th day of Iyar falls out on Friday, would be different. First of all, Yom Haatzmaut does not mark a specific date of military victory and/or Jewish salvation (as in the day of the splitting of the Reed Sea, the day of Hanukkah and Jerusalem victory, but it rather marks a date chosen by the Israeli provisional government – in actuality David Ben Gurion to declare Israel as the State. Hence the day established by Knesset may very well have greater significance vis a vis Israeli Independence Day than it does vis a vis Yom Yerushalayim. Moreover individual Israelis – who do not work on Yom Haatzmaut and are used to family barbecues and hikes until late in the day on Yom Haatzmaut – are more likely to desecrate the Sabbath in celebrating Israeli Independence Day then they are on Yom Yerushalayim.