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Batya Writes:
Once I became Torah observant, I couldn't understand how some religious Jews could ignore the mitzvah of yishuv ha'aretz.
Robin responds:
One will ignore something that he feels is beyond his ability or something that will indicate that he/she is not a good Jew.
I think it's important for each and every Jew to declare in principle that Eretz Yisroel is the Biblical birthright of Am Yisroel and that is relevant to our times as well. By extension, expulsions of Jews from the Land are bad and the Roadmap Plan is bad. Even if actual Yishuv Eretz Yisroel is difficult for whatever reason, this declaration connects us to Eretz Yisroel. Stating this fundamental principle of Judaism is easier to do than going on Aliya and is perhaps the first positive step in that direction. It engages the Diaspora Jew in our struggle rather than disengages and unites this Jew to the masses in Eretz Yisroel who believe and live this fundamental truth. This act of Unity is crucial and necessary for the redemption process. No Jew will be left behind....Just as the Kohanim and Leviim daven for the Masses of Bnei Yisroel to keep the Mitzvah of Truma and Maaser for their own sustenance the Jews of Eretz Yisroel must daven for the Masses in Chutz Laaretz to connect to the Land to the best of their ability for their own survival (the physical survival of the settlers on the Land as well as the spiritual survival of the Jew in the Diaspora).
Batya responds:
Remember with tshuva, first you admit your sin. Most chutz l'aretz Jews won't admit that they're sinning. You recognize that you should be in Aretz; that's important.
Robin responds:
Mipnei Chataeinu. The Jew is Eretz Yisroel at times is hard on the Jew in Chutz Laaretz because they don't realize, unless it happens to them personally, that at times they are not in control of whether they are able to be in Eretz Yisroel. G-d controls the world. It is possible that G-d wants a person to live outside of Eretz Yisroel. From all of the Avos only Yitzchok had the commandment to stay in the Land. Yaakov was forced to leave the Land to escape from Eisav and to find a wife. In fact the entire Bnei Yisroel were born outside of Eretz Yisroel. Avraham left the Land of Israel because of the famine though some commentaries said he should not have left.
I wouldn't focus on the sins of the Jew in the Diaspora because I don't know the whole story. Some Jews may be sinning others may not be. Only G-d is Bochen Balev to judge ones sins. G-d will judge each individual wherever they live. Perhaps there is a Jew in Eretz Yisroel who is sinning by living there and should really be in Chutz Laaretz because it is G-ds will that he be there. Whether or not one lives in the Land of Israel is not the issue. We are connected to it whether we live there or not. It is a Statement of fact and not one that tells a Diaspora Jew what to do. A believing Jew has to internalize the fact that the Land is his as a gift from G-d and has obligations that go along with it and that is part and parcel of being a Jew. Each person then has Bechira Chafshis about how and where to lead their life.
I of course will do whatever I can to encourage and promote Aliya and G-d willing may it happen again for me and the rest of my family.
Batya writes:
wonderful
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2 comments:
Aliya is the key mitzvah in order to do others. I've been in Israel since 1970 and just can't imagine any other life.
There is not Mitzva that I know of that one must live in the Land of Israel. But as you say it is impossible to keep many Mitzvoth without living on the Land. If we are so concerned about the Mitzvoth then lets talk about the Mitzvah of Shemittah since that Mitzvah ensures living in security in the Land. Alone, living on the Land is insufficient. It must come with acknowledgement that we are obligated in keeping the Mitzvoth and that is part and parcel of the Covenant. We need a desire to keep our obligations on the Land specifically Mitzvoth teluyot Baaretz. If we ignore our responsibilities then we forfeit our right to the Land.
Has anyone other than this blog been discussing Shemittah and how it could be done without Heter Mechirah, or importing earth from other places and using that earth to plant in lieu of the existing soil of Eretz Yisroel, or without Pruzbul. That is, can we envision keeping the Mitzvah of Shemittah without all the Takanot and circumventions of Badatz, Heter Mechirah and Takanah of Pruzbul.
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