ots@ohrtorahstone.org.il

Question: The Knesset has changed the celebration of Yom Haatzmaut this year from Sunday evening and Monday to Monday evening and Tuesday so that there will not be a desecration of the Sabbath on the prior evening of Yom Hazikaron. When ought we say Hallel - on the fifth day of Iyar which is Monday morning or on the day established for us to celebrate Yom Haatzmaut this year which is Tuesday morning (the sixth day of Iyar)?

Answer: I believe that the celebration of Israel Independence Day on the fifth day of Iyar occurred because David Ben Gurion, the Chairman of the Provisional Government of Israel, declared Israel an independent state on that day. The Talmud (B.T. Pesahim 117a) declared that the prophets who were saved by the splitting of the Reed Sea enacted the recitation of Hallel whenever a tragedy occurred to the Israelites and they were redeemed from impending destruction. The commentary Rashi explained that this was the situation regarding Chanukah, when the Greek-Syrian armies threatened to destroy us and the Hellenists emerged victorious. The war from which we emerged victorious was the Holocaust, because it is clear from Hitler's Mein Kampf that Hitler's number one enemy was the Jews. When Ben Gurion established the Jewish state, he proved Israel truly defeated Hitler and Nazism despite the tragic loss of six million sacred martyrs.

Therefore, I would submit that the Halacha is as follows: On Yom Yerushalayim, which is an established miracle because we won a military victory on the 28th day of Iyar, that is always the day on which we must recite Hallel, whatever the Knesset decision may be regarding the day of celebration for the liberation of Jerusalem. But since it was a declaration of the state which determined the miracle of our victory, it is the declaration of Knesset as to when Hallel should be recited as well as when the day should be celebrated.

If you have a question for Q & A, send it to ots@ohrtorahstone.org.il . We cannot guarantee that all questions received will be answered in this column.

Previous 'Q&As':
Relating to

• Rabbi Riskin addresses the subject of kitniyot
• What is included in the prohibition against idols?
• Using the father's name or the mother's?
• Perfoming a Pidyon HaBen
• Wedding Customs
• Throwing away pamphlets with the Name of G-d
• Swimming on Shabbat
• Times of Shabbat Meals
• If 28 Iyyar - the actual day of the liberation of Jerusalem- falls on a Friday, when do we celebrate Yom Yerushalayim?
• On the permissibility to use canola oil and products containing "liftit" for those who do not eat "kitniyot" (legumes)
• Is dessert considered to be included within that meal, or should a separate blessing be recited for it? 
• Conversations at a house of mourning
• Bar Mitzvah Celebration while parent is in mourning
• Attitudes toward soldiers after disengagement 
• Questions concerning the insertion of "And give dew and rain for blessing" in the Amidah prayer.
• Teshuva:What is the most important thing for an individual to work on?
• Questions of faith vis a vis the disengagement
• Mixed Seating at a wedding
• What written material requires geniza?
• When is one permitted to shave – if at all – during Sefirat Haomer?
• Should visitors to Israel keep one or two days of Yom Tov
• The balance between the mitzvah of drinking on Purim and the importance of balanced sobriety
• Eating before Shul on Shabbat
• Laws of Mourning
• Halachic Status of Smoking
• Pikuach Nefesh on Shabbat
• Laws of Maaser
• Laws of Lashon Hara pertaining to the 'listener'. 
• Reprimanding a fellow davener who is chatting during davening
• The definition of "joyous occasion" that one is not permitted to take part in during the "three weeks"
• Tay Sachs and other genetic testing for students
• tircha detzibura - causing hardship to the congregation
• Grape Juice for the "Four Cups"
• Kashrut in anothers home
• Studying secular subjects on Shabbat
• "Torah u'Maddah" and "Torah and Derech Eretz"
• Etrog Jam
• Commonly asked questions about Friday night kiddush
• Source of various customs of waiting between eating meat and milk
• Comfort declaration at Shiva house
• Recitation of Av Haarachamim
• Mayim Acharonim
• Amira lagoy
• Maaser Kessafim
• Where to light Hannukah lights
• Women dancing with sefer torah
• Individual's feeling of security
• Differing Berachot when male/female born
• Eating dairy meals on Shabbat
• Visiting Israel and the security situation
• Playing football on Shabbat
• Shmitta laws
• Kitniyot on Pesach
• Driving throught Judea, Samaria and Gaza
• Inebriation on Purim
• Travelling to India and vegetarian food
• Laws of mourning
• Expressing disapproval of chillul shabbat
• Interpretation of dreams
• Women's Minyanim
• Refrigerators on Shabbat
• Succah
• Tzeddaka
• Muktsa and Marketing campaigns

Return to Ohr Torah Stone