History ~~
Mount of Olives - Historical and Spiritual
The Midrash teaches us that the branch carried back to Noah's Ark after the flood by the second dove, marking the "renewal of life" and the return of humanity to the surface of the earth, was plucked from the slopes of the Mt. of Olives. Cont'd
This is the Day that HaShem Has Made
A DAY OF THANKSGIVING
"This day that G-d wrought, we will rejoice and be happy with it." (from the Hallel prayer, Psalms 118, 24) The Medrash teaches that Rabbi Avin asked, "Are we to rejoice with 'G-d' or with the day He wrought? In Song of Songs, it is explained: 'We will rejoice and be happy with You' - with G-d and with Your salvation.'"
On this day, we are to rejoice with G-d Who has made this day for us. On this day, G-d broke the yoke of the nations from around our neck and removed the rule of the nations from His holy land. It was on this day that G-d tore down the 2,000-year-old partition separating the People of
Israel from the Land of Israel. We returned to rule our Land, and our Holy land returned to us.
This is a day of Hallel (praise) and thanksgiving. We give praise to G-d for His wonders and for the great and Divine providence He showed us. Our victory over our enemies during the War of Independence in 1948 was close to being a clear miracle. It was a war of the few against the many, and the victory was clearly not totally natural. For this great goodness alone we thank G-d.
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