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Shabbat Parashat Bamidbar 5783Parashat Hashavua: The Significance of a Flag and a TallitHarav Yosef CarmelThe Zionist Movement chose its flag in 1897 at the 1st Zionist Congress in Basil, and the State of Israel adopted it in 1948. It contains two stripes around a star of David in light blue (techelet) over a white background. The flag was chosen due to its connection to Jewish tradition. Let us contemplate the flag’s significance, especially its color and its two stripes. Techelet has a very special place in Jewish tradition. The midrash tells us that techelet (from tzitzit) is reminiscent of the sea, which is reminiscent of the sky, which is reminiscent of the Divine Throne (Bamidbar Rabba 4:13). The sky actually has no color; it and the sea are clear. Judaism believes in one invisible G-d. Therefore, it is no surprise that techelet resembles the Divine Throne and the existence of the Divine Presence, which is not palpable or visible, in our specific lives and throughout the world. Techelet is also the most appropriate color for the period between the splitting of the sea and the revelation at Sinai. The two techelet stripes on the flag represent that all Jews make up one nation, which consists of people with different shades and opinions. When they all come together as they should, the color that normally looks like techelet is actually clear. Techelet is also the color of an important mitzva object – the tallit garment with tzitzit on its corners. Most tallitot have stripes on them, which is the true reason behind the flag’s similar image. Even if the founders of the Zionist movement did not intend it, I believe it was in their subconscious thoughts. The entire Nation of Israel gather under the “wings of the Divine Presence” like children who gather under their father’s tallit during Birkat Kohanim. [We will now greatly condense, due to this forum’s space limitations, Rav Carmel’s retelling of a story he took part in during the Yom Kippur War. We can call the story, “The Tallit that Saved.” We recommended seeing the full story, in Hebrew or English – please contact our office at info@eretzhemdah.org.] Top of page
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We daven for a complete and speedy refuah for: Nir Rephael ben Rachel Bracha Arye Yitzchak ben Geula Miriam Neta bat Malka Meira bat Esther Together with all cholei Yisrael
to the memory of: for our homeland Prof. Yisrael Aharoni z"l Kislev 14, 5783 Rav Shlomo Merzel z”l
Mr. Shmuel & Esther Shemesh z"l Sivan 17 / Av 20 Mr. Moshe Wasserzug z"l Tishrei 20 ,5781 R' Eliyahu Carmel z"l Rav Carmel's father Iyar 8 ,5776 Mrs. Sara Wengrowsky bat R’ Moshe Zev a”h. Tamuz 10 ,5774 Rav Asher & Susan Wasserteil z"l R' Meir ben Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld z"l & Mrs. Sara Brachfeld z"l Tevet 16 ,5780 R 'Yaakov ben Abraham & Aisha and Chana bat Yaish & Simcha Sebbag, z"l Rav Yisrael Rozen z"l Rav Benzion Grossman z"l R' Abraham & Gita Klein z"l Iyar 18, /5779Av 4 Rav Moshe Zvi (Milton) Polin z"l R' Yitzchak Zev Tarshansky z"l Adar 28, 5781 Nina Moinester z"l Nechama Osna bat Yitzhak Aharon & Doba Av 30, 5781 Rabbi Dr. Jerry Hochbaum z"l Adar II 17, 5782 Mrs. Julia Koschitzky z"l Adar II 18, 5782 Mrs. Leah Meyer z"l Nisan 27, 5782 Mr. Shmuel & Rivka Brandman z"l Tevet 16 5783/ Iyar 8, 5781 R' Leiser Presser z"l ben R' Aharon Yitzhak and Bracha, and members of his family who perished
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