Torah Tidbits This 'n That Phil Chernofsky

JONATHAN POLLARD 10,956+1626* days imprisoned • www.jonathanpollard.org

Revisiting Shel Silverstein's

Zebra Question I asked the zebra Are you black with white stripes? Or white with black stripes? And the zebra asked me, Or you good with bad habits? Or are you bad with good habits? Are you noisy with quiet times? Or are you quiet with noisy times? Are you happy with some sad days? Or are you sad with some happy days? Are you neat with some sloppy ways? Or are you sloppy with some neat ways? And on and on and on and on And on and on he went. I'll never ask a zebra About stripes

Again. This poem comes to mind when certain subjects are pondered. Let's apply it to attitude towards Medinat Yisrael and specifically, towards Yom HaAtzma'ut. Is the State of Israel something that we need and want to express our thanks and appreciation to G-d for? Or is it something to lament because of nonreligious and anti-religious elements in its founding and functioning during the past 72 years? First, on the down side. Yes, there are problems in its 72 year history since its establishment until today. This is not an objective piece, so we'll leave out examples. Let's just say, there are definitely back stripes. BUT... Look at the essence of our Statehood. Jews had not been sovereign in the Land that G-d gave us, for well over 2000 years, since the brief and tumultuous years of the early Chashmona'im. And for exactly the past 72 years, Jews have a HOME, without quota and without guest status. The is our Land; this is our Country. Shabbat is the national day of rest. Does everyone keep Shabbat properly? Not yet. But Shabbat is here to stay. Same with many aspects of a Torah life. As a tiny example, I remember being pleasantly surprised to read a large sign on the wall of the dining room in Dotan, where I did tironut (basic training). It said, Maintain proper separation between dairy and meat pots, dishes, and utensils - BIPKUDA, by military order. It didn't cite the Shulchan Aruch. There are so many things about the State to thank G-d for. Is our cup full? Not yet. Half full? Probably more than half. Certainly not half empty. Nothing will be fully full until the Geula Sh'leima. But don't reserve your thanks to HKB"H until then. On Pesach, we thank G-d for Y'tzi'at Mitzrayim and ask for the Geula of the future. So too on Yom HaAtzma'ut.