The essence of Yom HaAtzmaut is thanking and praising HaShem for meriting us to return to Eretz Israel and to establish in it a sovereign state. Let us clarify our outlook regarding "the next stage" in Israel's redemption.  
 

There are two approaches to this issue. One approach claims that we must make an active effort in order to make progress, namely to utilize every legitimate means in order to attain leadership according to the path of the Torah and the Mitzvot, and in this way to prepare the nation toward the direction of the coming of the Moshiach. On the other hand, there are those who claim that we should suffice with prayers, and that should not take a hand in leadership or in making progress, but we must wait until HaShem will radiate enlightenment from Heaven and teach wisdom to the erring until all will be fit for the complete redemption. 
 

Our goal is to substantiate the first approach, and we will open with the words of HaRav Kook in Shemonah K'vatzim (Kovetz 7, section. 201):
 

The question arises: how is it that our generation merited redemption? The simple answer is: it merited it since it involved itself in the greatest Mitzvah of all the Mitzvot, in the Mitzvah which is weighted against (equal to) all of the Torah in its entirety, since it engaged itself in the redemption of Israel. And not only did it engage itself, but it exerts itself and will continue to exert itself ceaselessly on our redemption, and this G-dly strength uplifts it and heightens it in deliverance…

In order to explain the words of the Rav, we will first say: it is known that the early Sages (among others the Maharal in his preface to Netzach Israel) wrote that the root of all the salvations is the salvation from Egypt, and therefore when we wish to learn the ways of the redemption in general, we must look closely at this first redemption.
 

One question regarding the redemption from Egypt is: why did the Torah refer to the first Yom Tov of Pesach by the term "Shabbat" as in the verse "on the day after the Shabbat" (Vayikra 23:11) – giving an opening to the Tzeddukim and the Beitussim to misinterpret the timing of Sefirat HaOmer? (see Menachot Ch. 10 Mishna 3.) Why didn't the Torah use an explicit term such as "on the day after the Festival"?
 

And behold, Chazal said (Pesachim 117b, Beitza 17a) that there is an essential difference between Shabbat and Yom Tov: Shabbat is "constant and established", its holiness is determined from Above and is not dependent on Israel, but it preceded Israel and is not dependent on any human action. In contrast, the beginnings of months and the Festivals are determined by the Sages of Israel who sanctify the times. According to this, the Ari Z"L and the Maharal explain that the Torah uses the term "Shabbat" regarding the Yom Tov of Pesach in order to imply that the nature of the redemption from Egypt had the quality of "Shabbat." The redemption did not come about as the result of "awakening from below" since Am Israel did not take action in order to be redeemed. HaShem "skipped over" all the stages, and in one moment Israel were redeemed through "awakening from Above."

This is true not only regarding the first Yom Tov of Pesach, but also regarding the seventh day of Pesach as well: Chazal explain (see for example the Zohar, part 2, 72b) that when Israel stood on the shore of the Sea, the "guardian angel" of Egypt accused: "They are idol worshippers and they (too) are idol worshippers." At the crossing of the Sea, the idol of Michah crossed with them (Sanhedrin 103b). So why does HaShem save Israel and drown the Egyptians? At that moment HaShem acted toward Israel with supreme kindness: "And I shall favor him who I will favor, and I shall have mercy upon him who I will have mercy upon." – "even though he is not worthy" (Brachot 7a).
 

The Tzemach Tzedek writes in his book "Derech Mitzvotecha" (on the Mitzvot of biur Chametz and eating Matza) that the inner meaning of the turning of the sea into dry land is that HaShem's concealed guidance was revealed at the splitting of the sea, that even those not worthy of redemption are redeemed. And this is what is implied by the verse "HaShem will fight for you and you shall keep silent", as the Zohar says (Parshat Beshalach, 47b) that this does not depend upon your prayers – to the contrary "speak with B'nei Israel and let them travel" - this is not the time for prayers but for actions (see Ohr HaChayim there).

Regarding the verse "Six days you will eat Matzot and on the seventh day will be an assembly to HaShem your Lord" (Devarim 16:8) the Gemara says (Pesachim 120a): "Just as (eating Matza on) the seventh day is reshut (discretionary) – so on the six days it is discretionary." Chovah is mandatory and compulsory, whereas reshut implies that the redemption is not dependent on or necessitated by human action. Here too is an indication that the redemption from Egypt had the quality of "awakening from Above" (nevertheless there is an obligation to eat Matza on the first night, since on the night of the Seder, Israel performed the mitzvot of Pesach and circumcision, "by your blood you shall live" in the manner of "awakening from below").
 

Nevertheless, under this kind of guidance, where everything is directed from above through HaShem's kindness, there is drawback, as HaRav Kook says in the same Kovetz (ch. 12):
 

"No salvation is truly complete, except the one in which he who was redeemed acted himself for its manifestation."
 

Apparently the meaning of the Rav's words is: a salvation which comes only from HaShem without action on the part of man himself has no permanence. And there are many sources and proofs for this from the words of our Rabbis.
 

First, the Ari Z"L explains that the elevated and lofty enlightenment which B'nei Israel achieved on the night of the Seder was taken from them the following day, and from then on they were required to advance stage by stage during the days of the Sefirah, and to reach this level independently on the Festival of Shavuot, and only in this way could they have received the Torah. Similarly, the Yerushalmi (Challah ch. 2 halacha 1) brings an opinion that Yeravam ben Yo'ash expanded the borders of Israel even beyond the conquest of Yehoshua bin Nun. However this did not endure long, since this conquest was not by virtue of Israel's merits but because of their degraded spiritual condition, and therefore it didn't last.

This is implied by the verse "Elokim will favor us and bless us, He will cause His countenance to shine with us selah (Tehillim 67:2)". As the Alsheich wrote on this, when Middat HaDin (the attribute of judgment, which is expressed by the name "Elokim") says that HaShem must bless us, then "He will cause His countenance to shine with us selah" – eternally. However, when the blessing comes from Chessed and not as a reward for our deeds, it has no permanence.
 

And so the Torah says about Pinchas (Bamidbar 25:13) "And he and his descendants after him shall have a covenant of priesthood forever." Rashi wrote: "It is rightful that he will receive his reward" and the explanation of Rashi's words is as we have explained: since Pinchas acted of his own powers and was willing to sacrifice himself, therefore his reward is deserved from Din and not from Chessed, and therefore the reward is eternal – a covenant of priesthood forever."
 

And this, evidently, is the meaning of the Rav in the aforementioned sentence:

"No salvation is truly complete, except the one in which he who was redeemed acted himself for its manifestation."
 

This principle - that specifically when it awakens from below, the redemption is a complete and eternal one – can be found in additional sources. We will quote a few of them:
 

1.  Nefesh HaChaim (Sha'ar 1, ch. 9):
 

And therefore at the moment of the splitting of the Red Sea, HaShem, blessed be He, said to Moshe: Why do you cry to Me? Speak to B'nei Israel and let them travel. That is to say: it depends on them – if they will be in the strength of faith and confidence and will travel to the sea assuredly and without fear through their powerful trust that it will certainly be split before them, then in this way they will bring about an awakening from Above which will perform a miracle for them, and it will be split before them.
 

3. In another place (Sha'ar 3, ch. 12) HaRav Chaim MiVolozen explains the Gemara in Hullin (7b):
 

"There is none other than Him" – Rabbi Hanina says: and even sorcery. A certain woman attempted to collect the dust from under the feet of Rabbi Hanina (in order to use it for sorcery against him). He said to her: Take it, it will not help you, since it is written: There is none other than Him. And Rabbi Yohanan said: why are they (sorcery) called keshafim? Since they deny (makchishin) the Heavenly entourage! However, Rabbi Hanina is different since his merit is great.
 

And this is surprising - how could Rabbi Hanina rely upon his merits? The Nefesh HaChaim explains:
 

Certainly Rabbi Hanina would not have regarded himself that his merits from his Torah and good deeds were so great that he was confident that the witchcraft of the sorcerers would not harm him. But the fact is that the powers of the impure Merkava have no power in and of themselves, G-d forbid, only what HaShem determined to be their powers from Above, from the powers of the nature of the stars and celestial bodies etc., and therefore even Rabbi Hanina did not rely on the merit of his holy Torah and abundant deeds. Only he knew and understood in his soul that this is the faith which was in truth imbedded in his heart, that nothing besides HaShem has any power at all. And he attached himself in the holiness of his thought to the Master of all the powers, the One Master who fills all the worlds, and there is no other control, and no other power exists. Therefore his heart was confident that the work of the sorcerers which draw from the powers of the impure Merkava would have no power over him. This is what the Gemara says: It will not help you, as it is written: There is none other than Him.

That is to say, that Rabbi Hanina's connection, and the power of his faith in the Creator was complete – he believed with all his essence that there is no power at all besides HaShem, and in this way he "neutralized" those sorcerers.
 

4. In masechet Rosh HaShana (Ch.3, Mishna 8): "'Make yourself a serpent and put it on a pole, and it will be that everyone who was bitten will look at it and live.' Does the serpent kill, or does the serpent heal? Rather, when Israel gaze upwards and subordinate their hearts to their Father in Heaven they were healed. And if not, they would perish.
 

5. The B'nei Issachar ask (Ma'amrei Hodesh Elul, Ma'amar 1, par.4): according to the aforementioned principle, we must ask why wasn't the world created through awakening from below, since if there is only awakening from Above, the thing will not last. And he answered: according to the Midrash, HaShem advised with the neshamot of the tzaddikim and created the world (Bereshis Rabbah 8,7). And it is also said (1,4) that the intention to create Israel preceded the creation of the world, as it says (Tehillim 74) "Remember Your flock which You acquired long ago." It becomes clear that also in the creation of the world there was a dimension of awakening from below.
 

6. The Gemara says (Brachot 60a): "A woman who gives seed first gives birth to a male, and a man who gives seed first, she gives birth to a female." And in Hassidut a lucid interpretation is given (see Kedushat HaLevi on Parshat Tazriya): "A woman who gives seed first" – this is when the abundance comes through the deeds of the tachtonim (lower world) who receive the bounty in the aspect of a woman – then she "gives birth to a male", about whom is said "like a man is his might". Here there is no accusation, G-d forbid, and the abundance endures. But if "a man gives seed first" – that is (allegorically) HaShem Himself awakens the abundance upon His nation Israel then "she gives birth to a female" as they said "his strength is weakened like a female" (Brachot 32a) because, G-d forbid, there is an accusation.
 

Now let us return to the words of HaRav Kook which we opened with. The Rav presented the question: How is it that our generation merited redemption when all the generations prayed and yearned for the redemption? But apparently this was not enough. Actual deeds are required – working for the redemption. This is the answer of the Rav – "since it engaged itself in the redemption of Israel." In the completely practical field of settlement in all parts of our land, and in the field of nationhood. And thus it merited redemption, and this is in the aspect of "Moshiach ben Yosef." 
 

The Rav's words at the beginning of Orot Eretz Israel are well known: "Eretz Israel is not an external thing, an external acquisition for a nation, only as a means for the purpose of its general consolidation and the maintenance of its physical or even spiritual existence. Eretz Israel is an integral unit tied in a life-bond with the nation, intertwined by inner qualities with its existence." The Land is not just a geographical territory in which to settle, but through it is realized the inner virtue of Am Israel, which cannot be fully manifested in the diaspora. The enterprise in the settlement of the land and the establishment of the state is in and of itself engagement in Israel's redemption.
 

Additionally, the Rav wrote (Orot Israel 6,7) the famous statement: "The State of Israel is the foundation of the seat of HaShem in the world, that all its aspiration is that HaShem will be one and His name will be one, and this is truly the most lofty elation." The establishment of the state is an essential factor of a stage in the redemption, however we cannot suffice with the return of Israel to our land, and we are obliged to progress to the stage of creating a state which operates in the spirit of Torah and Emunah – this is the next stage in the redemption.
 

So can we suffice only with prayers? If so, what is the difference between the previous generations and the generation which merited?
 

On this the Rav spoke when he wrote in the Shemonah K'vatzim: "And not only did it engage itself, but it exerts itself and will continue to exert itself ceaselessly on our redemption, and this G-dly strength uplifts it and heightens it in deliverance…" Certainly we must also pray and entreat intensively for the speedy completion of the process of our redemption, but we cannot suffice with this: even though we are still a minority, we must continue to actively engage in the redemption, and in this way we will merit the complete redemption. 

And of course, all the ways in which we act at the practical level must be according to three conditions:
 

1. According to the Halacha which is passed down to us from generation to generation.
    


2. Through receiving advice from Israel's Torah leaders, who will delineate the proper course which will bring about Kiddush HaShem, and not, G-d forbid, the opposite, in a way that also those who are far from Torah and Mitzvot will taste and see that HaShem is good, and will desire to connect with the path of the Torah.


3. All our actions must be for the sake of Heaven and not for one's personal benefit.

Each and every one of us must act in order to make the Name of Heaven beloved by his fellow man, and to show that "it is not in the sky" and in this way to advance to the next stage. If we will engage in prayer as well as in action, then undoubtedly - as we open an opening from below - so HaShem will open from Above, and we will merit the complete redemption very speedily, Amen.
 

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