Q. Hi Rav Shvat, bezH I’m planning Aliya soon, but when speaking to others about the topic, I hear from many that “Israel needs diaspora Jews”. I was wondering what you think: is that a legitimate concern which should deter from aliya, or is it just an excuse? A. That’s great that you’re planning aliya and really actualizing your ideals, and I wish that all Jews will learn from your actions! The old joke goes that a Zionist is a Jew, who asks a 2nd Jew to give money to help a 3rd Jew who lives in Israel! Thank G-d that’s generally no longer true where the economic and religious advances in modern Israel should stop seeing Eretz Yisrael as the begging weak and less-religious younger brother. On this level, I think that it’s already clear that Israel serves a purpose and helps American Jews at least as much as vice-versa. When Israeli officials and yeshivot turn to Jews abroad to help, we are also doing them (!) a favor to involve them in the building of Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael and Torat Yisrael, and we should no longer see ourselves or be seen as “nebech shnorers”.
Similarly, the excuse that “Israel needs diaspora Jews” is precisely what you said. It’s an excuse. Like I heard from someone who said he doesn’t make Aliya because he’s an only child and his elderly parents need him, but then his parents made aliya, and he’s still stuck in galut! Similarly another friend of mine said he doesn’t make Aliya because he’d have difficulty making a living, and then he suddenly became a multi-millionaire, but he still never made Aliya! It’s true and worthy that Jews in the diaspora help Israel, and we surely should appreciate their help and brotherhood (which are obviously more idealistic than the aid we receive from President Trump). But to be honest, the truly supportive Jews abroad are almost totally the affluent and influential Reform, Conservative or religiously unaffiliated (notwithstanding a Jared Kushner, Senator Lieberman or David Friedman, who are a relatively insignificant handful of individual Orthodox) in America (and surely not Australia, England or South Africa, where the political aid and influence facilitated by Jews there is relatively negligible!). These relatively assimilated millionaires aren’t even considering Aliya anyway, so that’s really not the same segment! Also, the average Jew living in Israel helps the State even economically much more via his taxes and army service, compared to the average orthodox Jew abroad, who understandably donates mostly to his local shul and day school, and less to Israel. Again, for the less affiliated, the most we can hope for is economic donations and political pressure, but Aliya is clearly not on their agenda anyway. They’re donating more to the Republican or Democrat party, and are not the ones asking your question.
As for the orthodox, they should know very well that I cannot pay another Jew to lay tefillin or hear shofar for me, for my obligations are personal, and our own soul has an individual need for each and every mitzvah. Rav Kook (Shmu’ot HaReiya p. 107) cites Bava Batra (14a) that R. Yanai planted 400 vineyards in Eretz Yisrael, to teach that here too, you can’t ask your students or pay another Jew to do your mitzva. Yes, regarding the mitzva of settling the Land of Israel, there is (!) also (!) the national aspect, which to a certain extent can be done via support from afar, but מצוה בו יותר מבשלוחו”” (Kidushin 41a), “his mitzva is greater than his messengers”. True the Avnei Nezer of Sochotchov (Resp, O.Ch. ii, 535, 10) brings that for a Jew abroad to build a factory in Eretz Yisrael is a partial mitzva, but even he stresses “the main mitzva in its entirety is for those who live in Eretz Yisrael and prosper from her wealth”. This is already clear from the very source of the mitzva, “והורשתם את הארץ וישבתם בה” (Bamidbar 33, 53), where the Ramban stresses that Am Yisrael as a nation must rule Eretz Yisrael (v’horashtem), must build her, and also must dwell in her (“v’y’shavtem”, Tosafot l’Mitzvot Aseh, 4, see also Resp. Yeshu’ot Malko, Y.D. 66, who stresses that all of the aforementioned parts are necessary). Just as one cannot claim he loves his wife but just doesn’t want to live with her, so too, one cannot claim he loves Eretz Yisrael, but just to visit when it’s convenient, or be buried with her (see Orot Er. Yisrael 1).
Sending money and asserting political pressure on American politicians is surely better than nothing, but let’s be intellectually honest and not look for excuses: for the orthodox, the real mitzva is Aliya and they know it! 🇮🇱 Shabbat Shalom! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)