Trumpeldor’s border, the Rivash’s answer to a 16-year-old looking for a cause, and moving your family tree to its final destination.
The source of the mitzvah to live in Eretz Yisrael is found in this week’s parsha, “You shall clear out the Land and settle in it, for I have given you the Land to occupy it” (33, 53). The halachic definition is elaborated by the Ramban (ibid, and Tos. Aseh 4) and subsequently all halachic authorities (Pitchei Tshuva Ev.H. 75, 6, “all poskim, rishonim and achronim”), “Don’t leave her in the hands of other nations (והורשתם), nor barren ( “וישבתם”) Our sages even EQUATE this mitzvah with all the other mitzvot COMBINED! (Sifre Dvarim 12; Tosefta Avoda Zara 5, 2). But we must ask, what makes Aliyah and settling the Land of Israel so unique that warrants it such a high halachic and hashkafic status (e.g. see: https://www.yeshiva.co/ask/7189)? The Ramban (Shabbat 130a · gemara) offers a very logical explanation: This is unique as the only mitzvah which is not just for me but for all of the nation of Israel, and his students’ student, the Rivash (Resp. 101) elaborates, this is even not just for my generation but for all future generations. When Yosef Trumpeldor and a handful of 18 year-olds went to settle in Tel Hai (1920/תר”פ), their clear intention was to establish the border of the forthcoming State of Israel as far north as possible, so the eventual partition plan should give the Jewish State from that point south. They were told by Jabotinsky that it’s suicide to live so far away, where there’s no way to send reinforcements if they’re attacked by Arabs. In fact 8 of the 18 year-olds, including Trumpeldor, were killed on one day by Arab terror, but those idealistic young people not only didn’t break, but they called up friends, and eventually set up an even greater city in memory of their comrades, Kiryat Shmoneh. Their youthful fortitude decided the northern border of Israel to this day a century later, that it includes the entire Galil panhandle, from Tel Hai and south. They didn’t settle there in order to become wealthy or because there’s a nice view, but in order to DECIDE the FUTURE borders of Israel FOR US ALL, AND FOR ALL FUTURE GENERATIONS. Most mitzvot are basically for myself and my spirituality. Of course there is supposedly a kabbalistic aspect, but simply speaking, if I lay tefillin, it doesn’t visibly influence a Jew in Australia. On the other hand, when settling the Land of Israel, it is realistically and clearly removing the Land from the gentiles and transferring it to Jewish hands (Rashi, Gittin 8b). It’s not only an individual mitvah but is a national and (hopefully) eternal one as well. Being that it is prohibited to sell land in Israel to gentiles (Rambam Av.Z. 10, 3-4; Sefer HaChinuch 339; Ramban above), that Jewish ownership should inevitably have eternal ramifications. On a personal note, at the age of 16 I was looking for a “cause”, how to be remembered and leave my mark on the world, even 500 years from now. This Rivash provided me with the answer. Many of the readers here already made or are considering that historic decision, of making Aliya, thus moving their FAMILY TREE to its permanent and FINAL DESTINATION. This is a mitzvah, just like Trumpeldor, not just for you as an individual but for all of Am Yisrael, and not just for your generation, but for all of your future descendants, as well. When many Jewish families moved from Russia to Poland, and from there to Germany and then from Germany to America, they all knew that just as the previous galut was temporary, so will their next exile be transient as well. Yes, many Jews celebrated America’s 250th birthday last week, as America had been the best exile for Jews ever. Nevertheless, as all galuyot, all historically sensitive and especially believing Jews, knew that America is also no permanent haven, for we eventually will return home (Devarim 28, 65, for “if they would find a resting place in exile, they would never return to Israel”, Breishit Rabba 33, 6). Just as all of the major Jewish communities from eastern and western Europe, from Asia and Africa, over 1 decade (1940-1950) collapsed, mostly moving to Israel, there is no doubt that eventually the same destiny will happen in America as well. We hope that American Jews will make Aliyah out of ideal and religious motivation, but the present sudden and surprising anti-Semitism throughout the world, including America, may also bring our brothers back to Israel a lot sooner than they expected or planned. Let me put it this way: Every Jew who will be around in the Ge’ula will have had 1 great-great grandfather or grandmother who had the guts to make that historic decision, thus saving their FAMILY TREE FOREVER, moving it to her FINAL and ETERNAL destination. America is the final major exile, and now is the time. That’s a pretty heavy and historic decision, which, like Tel Hai, was or will probably be made by an idealistic 18-26 year old with foresight, as well as national and familial responsibility and guts! It could be YOU! Shabbat Shalom! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)
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