Yom Hatzmut -What The Gedolim Held

At the Knessia Gedola (Agudah) in 1936, there was a fierce debate between the Gedolim whether to accept the Peel Commission for partition of Palestine.

The Polish (Chasidic) Gedolim supported  Chalukah, thereby supporting establishing a Jewish state in part of Palestine.

The Litvishe & Hungarian Gedolim opposed Chalukas Ha’aretz and thereby were against the establishment of a Jewish state. (by insisting for the whole, chances of this to happen was nil)

Reb Moshe Sternbuch Shlita (Teshuvos  V’Hanhogos 2: 140) writes he heard this from R Y.B. Soloveichik zt”l (Yerushalayim) and wrote it down exactly as  heard.

R. Elchonon Wasserman &  R. Ahron Kotler zt”l  were very upset and were about to step out of the Knessia & Agudah. R.Chaim Ozer zt”l convinced them not to do so and to remain there.

The Brisker Rav zt”l was also very angry for even discussing the issue. He held establishing a State is a גרם שפיכת דמים.

 R.A. Kalmenowitz zt”l asked him why he was making such a big deal of it. The British Government couldn’t care less what the  Rabonim at the Knessia will decide.

The Brisker Rav answered him

  “  We find in Gemoro that the Ribono Shel Olam runs his world according to the Psak of the רוב (majority). At the Knessia there are רוב גדולי ישראל They are debating whether to accept part or to insist for the whole of Eretz Yisroel, but they all agree for the establishment of a Jewish State. 

He, therefore, fears  the Ribono Shel Olam

will make it happen,  and a Jewish State will be born.