Let Freedom Ring (July 4th)

Some celebrate July 4, and others don't. And it's not really our discussion today as to if one should or if one shouldn't. All we are going to discuss today is that R' Yerucham Levovitz who we quote often here tells us that in the beginning of Parshas Shlach quoting Rashi that the moraglim, the spies were juxtaposed to Miriam, because they did not take Mussar from Miriam's lashon hara, they too went ahead spoke lashon hara, and terrible things transpired. R' Yerucham Levovitz tells us from here that the job of a mussar focused person is to always look to take practical things from the situations and the experiences that he is involved in. So, with July 4 being today, and it is American Independence Day, I would like to propose something practical that we can take from it. July 4, Independence Day is the day that the Continental Congress signed a document the Declaration of Independence that freed, officially, freed America, the 13 colonies from Great Britain. Now, here's my question on the Founding Fathers: They were free already. They were 1000s of miles from Great Britain. So then why exactly are they writing a document to declare freedom? They were already free? Perhaps the answer is, is that you may be free and your people, including yourself might think that you are free, but it is important to declare freedom. It's important to make an official announcement, today I am here by free. I think that's important in our mussar study. It's important in our daily lives. We may think things or know things but it is important to make them official. Here I am declaring I don't stand for the Yetzer Hara I am declaring freedom. I encourage all of us on July 4 today, whether you are celebrating or not, you should declare freedom, let freedom ring, and exclaim loudly to the Yetzer Hara give me liberty or give me death.