Rav Avigdor Miller on Hanging a Flag The Fourth of July

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Q:
Should a religious Jew hang a flag out on July 4th?

Rav Avigdor Miller:

If you want to do it today, I say yasher koach.

Do you know why? Because all the reshaim are trampling on the flag, and they’re trying to desecrate America. You know why they’re burning the flag? You know why they’re desecrating the flag? Not because they’re good goyim trying to improve America; it’s because they are reshaim gemurim; the liberals are trying to ruin everything. And when that wicked Supreme Court permitted burning the American flag, and saying that the states cannot make a law against it, it was a desecration of America.

After all, America is a good country. We came from countries where we were persecuted, and this country gave us all the rights. I would say we should kiss the ground of America.

I was in Europe for some time; I went to study in the yeshiva in Slobodka. And when came back, I saw even more that this was a blessed country; it’s a gift from Hashem to us. Shouldn’t we appreciate it?!

And therefore I say a Jew should hang out the flag. Yes; today, yes. I won’t say you’re a sinner if you don’t, but I think it’s a good thing to hang out the flag today. It’s not a contradiction, not a contradiction to being a frum Jew by any means. We hang out the flag from this shul on the Fourth of July.

{Matzav.com}


19 COMMENTS

  1. That was from a Q & A in 1991.

    There is a question now, however, since the so-called ‘Supreme Court’ a few years ago legalized toeivah ‘marriage’ due to the רשע Kennedy, if what Rav Miller says would still apply.

  2. Daas Torah doesn’t change. We still have to appreciate and show appreciation to the country that lets us be frumme yidden without a problem. One can walk in the street with a Tallis Tfillin while holding a Sefer Torah or a lulav with a menorah on his car and no one says boo.
    My flag stays up long after the 4th for this reason alone!

    • No one says boo? Please open your eyes. The tide has turned and they are definitely saying boo (and more). We also needed to show hakaras hatov to Europe at one point (and even Egypt!). That doesn’t mean we should stay there! Be smart and get out while you can. The future of the jews is in Eretz Yisorel!

  3. Yes. And we can sit and learn Torah all day without the government harassing us to join the army. For that alone, it’s worth displaying our hakaras hatov. Only a young fool makes an aliyah.

  4. Hakaras Hatov

    Every year, Rav Pam z’tl would display a flag on July 4th.

    One year in his older years, his granddaughter from out of town had a date on July 4th out of Rav Pam’s house and she asked her grandmother if Zeidy could not put out the flag this year since she found it not to be the “yeshivish” thing to do and she was embarrassed if the boy would see it.

    Her grandmother said, “Don’t worry, Zeidy is weak today he doesn’t have the strength to put it out today.”

    So, when the boy rang the bell there was no flag up.

    Rav Pam answered the door and he said to the boy, “Excuse me, would you mind helping me put out the flag for July 4th? I’m too weak to do it myself.”

    And Rav Pam, together with the boy, put out the flag like he did every year to show his hakaras hatov.

    So, in honor and memory of Rav Pam, may you enjoy the July 4, Independence Day, even though it may not be the “yeshivish” thing to do, and cherish our ability to be free to learn Torah, do Mitzvos and openly, proudly and loudly proclaim our Emunah in Hakadosh baruch Hu!

  5. Since the USA today is עובר on שבע מצות בני נח by legitimizing תועבה, it is a different matzav than it was in the time of Rav Pam or Rav Miller זכרונם לברכה.

    • Eliyohu HaNavi ran in front of Achav H’Rasha for Kovod Malchus . And unlike us to the US government, Eliyohu didn’t owe Achav any Hakaras H’tov

      • So did you go run in front of President Obama?

        You are now saying something different than what Rabbi Miller said.

        Rav Miller didn’t say what you are saying. I guess he didn’t hold that that type of argument applies to our different circumstances.

  6. So did you go run in front of President Obama?

    You are now saying something different than what Rabbi Miller said.

    Rav Miller didn’t say what you are saying. I guess he didn’t hold that that type of argument applies to our different circumstances.

  7. Now with Trump slowly getting rid of the liberals in Supreme Court I would hang two flags. One America can and one Trump 2020

  8. These types of quotes are taken out of context. The Rav said America was a “good country”. It is no longer!!! Government sanctioned perversion, killers going free, corrupted laws, a grossly obese and opiate-addicted populace, etc. Jews owe a great hakarat hatov to America for being a safe haven for a while but it is now time to leave!!!

  9. Ifthe was Rav around now it would be probable he would say STOP flying the flags and take them down.
    The recording was from 27 years ago
    America still had some basic minimal values in ’91
    He would have been the first to proverbially spit at our present culture
    Rav Miller held yidden should vote for Bush in ’92 ,even though Clinton was supposedly considered more pro Israel,

    Chacham,
    Did you know Rav Miller ? I did

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