Does the Israeli Flag have Kedusha? Rov Yoseph Dov Soloveitchik reveals in the book, “Nefesh Harov”, that there is a passage in the Shulchan Aruch that relates to the sanctity of the flag of the state of Israel.

The Shulchan Aruch in (Y.D. 352) rules “that one may not bury the deceased in expensive shrouds.” Later in Y.D, 364, it is ruled “If a Jew is found murdered, he is to be buried as he was found, in his bloody clothes without any shrouds.” The Shach (a commentary) explains the reason for this Halacah is, “since this Jew was murdered, we bury him as he was found, in order to kindle G-d's wrath against the enemy that killed this Jew.” This means that G-d sees how this person was buried without the usual burial shrouds, and arouses G-d's compassion to avenge the spilled Jewish blood.

Rav Soloveitchik applies this idea to the Flag of Israel as well. Towards the end of the Israeli War of Independence, the UN set a specific date by which the Israeli State and the Arab states could seize territories. By that date, any parcel of land captured by Israel, verified by raising the Israeli Flag on that spot, would remain under Israeli control, and any parcel in Arab hands would remain outside the border of the new State of Israel. During this period a great deal of Jewish blood was spilled in an attempt to raise the Israeli Flag over these parcels, to acquire the land for the new Jewish State.

Many heroic Jewish fighters sacrificed their lives to raise the Israel (Jewish) Flag. Therefore Rav Soloveitchik felt the Israeli (Jewish) Flag had the sanctity and status of a murdered Jew's clothing, for it symbolized spilled Jewish blood. Thus, when the Israeli Flag flies, it arouses G-d's divine compassion for the Jewish People anywhere it is seen.

Let the Israeli flag fly forever.