Meged, Aharon. Hagadath Ha’Atzma’uth [“The Hagadah of Independence.”]

(ISRAEL, STATE OF).

Moshe Shoham

Tel Aviv

1952

FIRST EDITION. Replete with numerous photographic illustrations. Elegant Hebrew typography. Ornamental frames in color. Printed in blue, green and yellow.

Issued on behalf of the Israel Defense Forces and based upon the style of the traditional Passover Hagadah, this scarce, original text innovates a service for the State of Israel’s Independence Day. However, the tensions inherent in manipulating the traditional liturgical forms (even to the drinking of four cups of wine), resulted in controversy, and the State’s religious authorities demanded the suppression of the edition. Also objectionable apparently, was the self-glorification of the might of the Israeli military; viz. Lo al yedei mal’ach velo al yedei saraf… ki im al yedei…Tzeva Haganah LeYisrael…” [“Not by an angel and not by a Seraph but rather by the Israel Defense Forces…”]