Table of Contents
đź“… Today in Jewish History
📅 Yom HaAtzmaut — Three Approaches and the Rebbe’s Perspective
Within the Jewish world, Yom HaAtzmaut has been viewed through different lenses. The Religious‑Zionist perspective emphasizes open gratitude for the establishment of the State of Israel, seeing it as a revealed miracle and a step in the unfolding redemption, often marked with public celebration and liturgy of thanksgiving. The Haredi anti‑Zionist approach rejects assigning religious significance to the day, arguing that political sovereignty established without submission to Torah and Divine kingship cannot be sanctified and at times viewing the day as spiritually dangerous. Between these stands a middle approach, which acknowledges the undeniable miracle and salvation of Jewish lives while refusing to confer inherent religious sanctity or redemptive meaning upon the political framework itself.
In a letter dated 1955 to an educator in Kfar Chabad, the Lubavitcher Rebbe articulated this middle path with precision. He affirmed that a great miracle unquestionably occurred, as “the many were delivered into the hands of the few,” saving thousands of Jewish lives, and taught—following the Baal Shem Tov—that such events must inspire Jews toward greater commitment to Torah and mitzvot. However, the Rebbe warned that when these events are used to justify behavior contrary to G‑d’s will, this constitutes profound ingratitude. He illustrated this with a parable of a king who graciously brings a coarse stranger into his palace—only for that person to deny the king’s authority and attempt to expel him. The message is clear: the miracle obligates humility, gratitude, and spiritual responsibility, not self‑rule divorced from Divine purpose. This view neither denies the miracle nor sanctifies the political day itself, but demands that its meaning be measured by its spiritual outcome rather than its symbolism.
📅 Today’s Yahrzeits
🕯️ Rabbi Avraham Moshe Zerach HaLevi Eidelitz
🕯️Rabbi Yeshayahu of Piek
🕯️Rabbi Meir Auerbach Author of Imrei Binah
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👤Their Background[1]
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🕯️ Rabbi Avraham Moshe Zerach ben Rabbi Meir HaLevi Eidelitz (Prague, d. 5540 / 1780)
Rabbi Avraham Moshe Zerach Eidelitz was one of the leading rabbinic figures of 18th‑century Prague, serving as a dayan and renowned preacher (darshan) during the era of the Noda BiYehudah. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised and educated by Rabbi Yonasan Eibeschütz, who treated him like a son. He devoted his life to teaching Torah publicly, producing generations of students, and was known for combining sharp halachic insight with ethical and aggadic depth. His principal work, Or LaYesharim, contains derashot and explanations on Midrash and ethical teachings and received warm approbation from the Noda BiYehudah, who praised its ability to elevate fear of Heaven and moral refinement. He lived in poverty but refused personal benefit, embodying humility and self‑sacrifice in communal leadership.
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🕯️Rabbi Yeshayahu ben Rabbi Yehuda‑Leib of Piek (d. 5559 / 1799)
Rabbi Yeshayahu of Piek (Piekary / Breslau region) was a meticulous Torah scholar remembered primarily for his scholarly contribution to the preservation of the authentic text of the Talmud. He authored the Additional Annotations to Masoret HaShas, focusing particularly on identifying and correcting distortions that entered the Talmudic text due to Christian censorship in early printings. His work reflects both broad mastery of Shas and exceptional sensitivity to textual integrity, and it became part of the scholarly effort that later informed standard Vilna‑style editions. Through this quiet but lasting contribution, Rabbi Yeshayahu strengthened the reliability of Torah study for future generations.
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🕯️Rabbi Meir ben Rabbi Yitzchak Auerbach (Poland–Jerusalem, 1815–1878) Author of Imrei Binah
Rabbi Meir Auerbach was a major 19th‑century halachic authority and communal leader. Born into a prominent rabbinic family in Poland, he served as rabbi and head of the beit din in several cities before making aliyah to Jerusalem in 1860. There he became one of the central figures of the Ashkenazi community, serving together with Rabbi Shmuel Salant and at times acting in his stead. Rabbi Auerbach played a decisive role in organizing unified Ashkenazi communal governance, supporting charitable institutions, and founding Meah She’arim, one of Jerusalem’s first new neighborhoods outside the Old City walls. His sefer Imrei Binah—commentary and responsa on Shulchan Aruch—became a foundational halachic work, particularly influential in shaping Minhag Yerushalayim, including the Jerusalem custom regarding musical instruments at weddings. Despite holding the highest communal offices, he refused a salary and supported the community from his own means, leaving a legacy of Torah, responsibility, and devotion to the yishuv in Eretz Yisrael.
[1] Please not that these historical notes were prepared with the assistance of Copilot Pro, an AI Research Agent, and have not been independently verified.
