91 Comments

I had no idea that there was a custom of a siren and standing in silence until we made Aliya some 20 years ago. I never thought that deeply about it, and instinctively stood and said Tehillim during the moment of silence and have been doing so ever since. I talk with Hashem and thank Him for this beautiful land, but remember all those who sacrificed to bring us to this place, this moment (and because I am who I am, I beg Him to send Mashiach so no more of us need to suffer). My underlying thought is that this is a moment of unity, where everyone in Israel is thinking about the same thing. This is a beautiful opportunity to turn to Hashem, for surely our unity resonates with Hashem. At the time of our first siren, and in fact, really until reading this article, I didn't think that there was a controversy or that my saying Tehillim during the siren could be offensive to some. I still don't believe there really is a controversy. I think that when the sirens sound, regardless of your beliefs, there is a moment where we all think about those who lost their lives in the building of this modern nation. Reactions to the siren might be different, but there is no doubt that the sound of it has the impact of turning your thoughts to its intended purpose. And in that way, and for those moments, we are a united people.

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Let those who stand silent continue that and let those who say Tehillim continue that. Both are expressing respect in their own manner.

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In the village of Endingen in Switzerland, church bells were needed in times of danger. However, since there was no church in the village, the shul got...church bells!

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If you would like to start a new mourning custom that has "conceptual support" (read: irrelevant support) in traditional Judaism, I would submit that the Neturei Karta does a better job by burning Israeli flags. After all, the halacha is שורפין על המלכים. And by turning the Israeli flags upside-down, they are conceptually fulfilling כפיית המטה. 

But in all seriousness, I don't see the need to defend goyishe customs that you yourself admit were not rooted in Judaism, your irrelevant ramozim notwithstanding. Just say that you proudly follow the custom of your country, whether Jewish or not. If somebody can light fireworks on Fourth of July, the silence of Yom Hazikaron is no worse than that.

As for Tehillim, it seems that you are unaware that Tehillim is prayer, instead imagining it to be a magical "mystical" incantation of sorts. Do you say Pesukei Dezimrah? Do you say Hallel?

(I also want to note that this post is a copy from 2018 https://rationalistjudaism.blogspot.com/2018/04/standing-for-siren.html)

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I had no idea the custom was just over a 100 years old and that it originated in South Africa. I'm about to go out of my home so as to stand in public at the sound of the 8pm siren.

Too many lives lost.

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Reading Tehilim (part of Tanah) is a study of Torah if done with understanding

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Apr 26, 2023·edited Apr 27, 2023

Every time you mention "pouring lead" is a fresh reminder of how little you know about the Charedi world. (To explain: What percent of Charedim do you think has actually ever "poured lead" - half of one percent? Less? More Americas per capita believe the moon landing was faked or the world is flat. As we dont say "Americans" believe this, we don't speak of pouring lead practiced by "Charedim.")

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Apr 25, 2023·edited Apr 25, 2023

I think people just say Tehillim when they don't know what else to do . . .

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"This is not the same as the actual reason why they do not stand for the siren, which is that they do not want to identify as part of Zionist society."

Indeed. Which is why none of the commenters with an opposing viewpoint have actually addressed the halachic arguments stated in this post.

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רצונו של אדם זהו כבודו (ספר חסידים קנב ע"פ ירושלמי פאה א,א).

If that's what the soldiers wanted when they were alive, the least we can do is give it to them. You can read Tehillim the whole day long if you want, why do it just at that time?

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"(Note that in this post I am just addressing the purported arguments that charedim give for not standing quietly during the siren. This is not the same as the actual reason why they do not stand for the siren, which is that they do not want to identify as part of Zionist society.)"

Funny, I've attended chareidi Yeshiva Ketana, Mesivta, Beis Medrash, Post BM Yeshivos, Kollelim, and shuls all my life. I've read Chareidi literature from pashkivilim to Jewish Observer for years, and I've heard thousands of hours of hashkafa shiurim in person and on recording from the full gamut of chareidi lecturers.

And the ONLY reasoning I've ever heard - and consistently hear - for specifically not standing for the siren is some version of not wanting to to identify with Zionistic society and their agenda laced institutions and rituals.

I guess Medrash Shmuel is somewhat of an outlier in this.

Either that or Natan finds it more convenient to make up realities which he feels he has a good comment on, than to actually try to comment on existing realities.

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Vayidom Aharon is not a traditional Jewish response to tragedy. In fact, it is the exact opposite. Aharon was special, he was not allowed to express his pain, he needed to stay quiet and not express his pain.

Ramban writes quite clearly that the non-Jewish names of the months are used to fulfill a prophecy, not to follow the Goyim

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I'm not aware of any chareidim who say Tehilim for those who passed on (besides the universal custom of saying specific Psalms at a funeral). What chareidim will do is study Torah in memory of the niftar.

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Utter chutpah to take demand that the zionishe medinah financially support yeshivas & families but not to show hakorat hatov, especially to those who gave their lives. W/o the IDF, arab butchers would slaughter every chareidi as fast as every chiloni.

The issue is not the origin of standing silently for 2 minutes. The issue for many chareidim is who decided on the 2 minute standing. It is the same reason why very few charedim will say the Mi Shebairach L’Tzahal. I just don’t understand their reasoning. Is their hate for anything the Medina draws up stronger than their turning to Hashem to protect the IDF who is defending them? The idea that they will be protected no matter what b/c they sit and learn died in 1939.

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Standing for the siren and thinking about the fallen is a good custom. I like it. It's not worth arguing about it and analysing who stands and who doesn't and why. It's a waste of time. Slifkin neither won nor lost this round. Let's honor the fallen and not argue who does and who doesn't. It's in bad taste.

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Apr 27, 2023·edited Apr 27, 2023

"Of course, if I was in public, I would nevertheless stand in silence out of respect for others."

I can't speak about you personally, but I know many people tell themselves that they are "respecting others", when the reality is they just don't have the guts to do anything otherwise. As Ogden Nash put it in a poem, "Which is Mine - Tolerance or a Rubber Spine?"

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