Flying The Israeli Flag - It's An Attitude of Gratitude

   The Israeli flag was developed in many places at many different times.  Somehow, Jews everywhere have felt that the Magen David symbolizes Jewish Strength.   And drawing the Magen David onto a Tallit , to show that our strength is rooted in our connection to HaShem, happened so often that it seems to be in our genes.

   There is an excellent book for children, HaDegel by Uri Ophir, which explains the sources of each aspect of our flag - the meaning behind the colour techelet, the connection between the Magen David and the Menora in the Mishkan, etc.   

   The act of flying the flag, in and of itself, is also significant.  Obviously there is the "small" matter of pirsum ha'ness.   The day the British left Israel, 7 Arab armies, numbering approximately 11,000,000 soldiers, attacked Israel, with the realistic goal of finishing what Hitler missed.   There were onyl 600,000 Jews in Eretz Yisrael at the time, many of whom were holocaust survivors themselves.    Over the previous 12 years, the British mandatory Government had done their best to ensure that the Jews would be left defenseless, having killed many Jewish military leaders and confiscated any Jewish weapons they could.   They also handed over strategic posts and weapons to the Arabs.

    But HaShem had other plans, and the flag of  the Jewish State, declared less than 12 hours before the attack, represents the national victory.  

    Flying our flag is saying, "They tried to wipe us out, but HaShem saved us, not just as individuals, but as a Nation."

Flying the flag also says Thank You to many people, who risked and gave their lives as HaShem's messengers in creating the Jewish State.   We say thank you to the soldiers and the civilians, who settled the land in hardship. so that we can live here in comfort.   We thank the military leaders, who used their talents for the benefit of Am Yisrael.   And we even thank the politicians, whether we agree with them entirely or not, developed a country with plenty of bureaucracy, plenty of overhead, and even so, plenty of material benefits for Jews living in Eretz Yisrael.    

   I must share the fact that it does not bother me that some people fly the flag without putting all this thought into it.  First of all, as Hazal taught us, מתוך שלא לשמה, בא לשמה.    As the years go by, there is more and more demand for Torah in all circles.  There are learning group in many places of work and community centres, initiated by people with no religious background.  They know that it isn't just the laws of nature that keep us here and make us special.   

   Also, showing appreciation for  the people and the institutions of the army and government is a very important Jewish value.   If the frogs who went into the ovens in Egypt deserved special mention for their unconscious self-sacrifice, how much more so do the men and women who knowingly risk their lives to protect each of us.  So too we must show gratitude to the people in power, (for example, people such as Stanley Fisher) who changed their entire life plans, gave up on honour, comfort and more,  in order to benefit Am Yisrael.