24 August 2014

Aliyah to the Land of Israel

28 Menachem Av 5774

Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi...

Parshas Re’eh

In [last] week's parsha, it says:

כי יכרית ה, אלהיך את הגוים אשר אתה בא שמה לרשת אותם מפניך וירשת אתם וישבת בארצם.

"When the Lord your G-d will cut down the nations, which you come to drive them out from before you, you shall drive them out and dwell in their land." (12:29)

An explanation on this called the Midrash Sifrei comments, “Perform a mitzvah stated in this context and in it’s merit the Lord you G-d will cut down the nations. And in the merit of you coming, you will drive them out.”

Another commentary called the Malbim says that, “The words, ‘which you come to drive them out’ are superfluous. The Torah could have just said, ‘When the Lord you G-d will cut down the nations from before you’. Therefore, our sages understood that when we perform the mitzvah of coming to the land, Hashem will cut down our enemies and we will succeed in driving them out.”

How appropriate is this for our current situation? The only way to defeat our enemies is to move to Israel. This is from a natural and supernatural point of view. From a natural point of view, the more Jews in Israel, less chance of the Arabs driving us out. After all, their ultimate goal is to outnumber us and defeat us. From a supernatural perspective, when we show Hashem that we are willing to sacrifice for his land, he will intervene and help us.

It is impossible to fulfill all of the Torah's commandments except in Israel. The only reason we do them out of Israel is to remember them. Therefore, [last] week's parsha provides us with two reasons to make aliyah. For our own spiritual benefit and for the benefit of all of the Jews. Whichever reason you choose, the important thing is to return home.
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A word to the wise...

Those tasked with assisting those requesting to make aliyah with government-provided funds have a responsibility to determine if it is a good investment of the people's resources. They have to try to discern how good a risk the investment will be by judging the applicant's commitment and perseverance. If the applicant communicates a will to succeed no matter what the obstacle or adversity, he will likely be approved, because this is what is required to survive and succeed in Eretz Yisrael. Those who come across as ambivalent will need to be discouraged in order to ascertain their true level of commitment. Perhaps even the applicant does not know at this point.

Even many of those who were deemed acceptable risks will eventually disappoint as they prove lacking in staying power and commitment. They give up, return to their foreign lands and then bash those who dared to help them. They cry about how they or their families lives were ruined and how they were "lied to" or that life in Eretz Yisrael was "misrepresented." Their egos prevent them from admitting the truth - that they just didn't have what it takes. They didn't have enough faith and trust in HKB"H. In consequence of that, it will be impossible for them to recognize that leaving Eretz Yisrael and returning to the Diaspora is the single biggest mistake of their lives.

HKB"H is no less able to provide for His sons and daughters in the holy land which He designated as "home." In fact, even logic dictates that He be more able and more willing to provide and HE DOES, but in such a way that we learn very deep spiritual lessons which enrich our souls rather than our bank accounts.

If a Jew really, really wants to make aliyah to the Land of Israel, today, nothing is stopping him and nothing stands in his way and nothing will prevent his success except his own ego, lack of commitment, or lack of faith and trust in HKB"H.

12 comments:

  1. This is pretty harsh, fanatical even. There are all kinds of factors in aliyah success, family financial assistance and facility in learning a foreign language being some of the biggies. There's also the mysterious effects on children. I have known more than a few families where the kids went off the derech from the experience and some where they almost did so they returned. And the aliyah people often do make terrible exaggerations about the help available. You have to operate with seichel in this life. Hashem doesn't promise anyone success in making aliyah. I don't know where you get your definition of emunah but that one isn't normative.

    That post was terribly lacking in compassion and it was full of judgement of others without standing in their shoes.

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  2. Israel - are you referring to the part written by Rabbi Mizrachi or to the part that I added at the end?

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  3. The end; although his part is questionable too. You have Religious Zionist scholars who talk like that, but plenty of non-religious Zionist scholars who oppose that kind of talk. R' Soloveitchik, no anti-zionist, said you should live where you can do the most good.

    The idea that Hashem provides in accordance with your faith is non-normative. The basic definition of emunah is belief that what Hashem does is for the best and that His Torah is true. (see R' Yona)

    Besides that faith today is very weak. You can't fabricate it. So guilting or shaming people into pretending to have more faith than they really do is a recipe for disaster.

    Living in the land is not the primary weapon against our enemies. Living a Torah life is, and you can do that in Radin, Poland as the Chofetz Chaim did.

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  4. Those excerpts from Rabbi Rayatz shiurim.
    There are two stages of the "heel of Mashiach" they are connected to those psykim from Tehilim :"Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants, I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people" 88.51
    and "your enemies dishonor you, they dishonor your Mashiach"
    The first stage begun with secularism where secular subjects were implemented in yeshivot and it gave push to non believers generation after generation. These generations will bring many tragedies in the world. They are the ones who say "let's be free" (democratic), they are the ones who read the line "Hashem will rebuild Jerusalem and will gather all the exiles " back words, because they say lets gather the exile and then those who came as aliya will rebuild Jerusalem.(Can you show me any proof that in 66 years of state of Israel existence was it even mentioned that Israeli government priority objective is to build a Third Temple. As far as I know we are talking about only aliya of the new serfs to the system, but the real purpose of Jew in Eretz Israel is to build a Temple). So Rebbi Rayatz says that this approach will lead that community to the new catastrophe not just physical but the spiritual one, even more bigger then any Jewish people experienced before, similar to the distraction of the both Temples. Let's Hashem protect us from those people and from those who follow their crowd.

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  5. Israel said: "The idea that Hashem provides in accordance with your faith is non-normative."

    What do you mean by "non-normative"? That most Jews don't believe it; that most Jews don't live that way or that it's not a legitimate Jewish concept? And before you answer, I refer you to Mesillat Yesharim where the Ramchal very explicitly teaches it. And I'm sure he's not the only one.

    Israel - the fact that you are reading this and (over-reacting to it) is because the message is meant for you. Now, you can choose to denigrate the message and/or the messenger, or you can take some time to mull it over, check it out and maybe let it change you for the better, as it's meant to do. You can learn something from it that will lift you out of your self-imposed rut or you can dig yourself deeper, but I warn you, it is not Hashem's plan that you should live out your life in this rut, so if this doesn't help, He'll just send something less pleasant to do the job.

    That's how it is. He is closing up shop in the exile and vacate orders have been issued to Diaspora Jewry - some have an earlier date than others, but in the end, no one will be left behind. One way or another, every Jew will come home. There's extra points if you do it voluntarily instead of waiting to be forced.

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  6. Israel - Re: Chofetz Chaim, what if he had been born in Poland in 1938 instead of 1838? These are different times. The exile is ending. The geulah is arriving.

    And of course, Rav Mizrachi is referring to the enemies surrounding Eretz Yisrael who are intent on wiping out the Jews there. However, it would appear that you feel you bear no responsibility for your brothers in the Holy Land, eh? Do you think Hashem is going to reward you generously for sitting on foreign soil, empowering Eisav with the kedushah generated by your Torah and mitzvot while your brothers struggle against an evil enemy to maintain the homeland for Jews who do not have your luxury of choices. That what you think?

    Do you not understand that Eisav must go the same way that Egypt did and as long as Jews are sitting there, happy to empower the tumah with the kedushah of Torah and mitzvot on foreign soil, it will just go on and on and on and therefore, the answer to this problem is the same as it was in Egpyt? Those who want to leave will leave and those who do not want to leave will disappear in the plague of darkness.

    Yechezkel, chapter 20...

    I shall take you out of the peoples, and I shall gather you from the lands in which you were scattered, with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with poured out fury. ...And I shall separate from you those who rebel and those who transgress against Me; from the land of their sojournings I shall take them, but to the land of Israel they shall not come, and you will know that I am the Lord.

    It's just words. If you receive them with a spirit of rebellion, they will harden your heart. If you will receive them in the spirit in which they are given - for the glory of HKB"H, the sanctification of His Name and the honor of the Torah - they can break your heart and help you make teshuvah.

    You can call it "extreme" or "fanatic" or whatever you like. It doesn't nullify the truth.

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  7. dear Devash,shalom

    The confidence in HASHEM must be demonstrated in all the parts of the life of each one. The faith must be LIVED.
    Most people have fear and they feel insecures because(in my opinion), They do not dare to trust IN HASHEM. The fear conquers them
    I think the same thing that you
    I do not understand those who contradict your point,that is based in our prophecies.it is the truth.thanks for you dedication.
    always forward. kind regards.

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  8. Hashem doesn't promise anyone success in making aliyah. I don't know where you get your definition of emunah but that one isn't normative.


    NO,HASHEM "ONLY" PROMISED US HIS BENDITION IF WE OBEY ALL HE TOLD US.
    REMEMBER THE FAIL ON THE CONQUIST OF CANAAN. THEY PAYED A HIGHER PRICE FOR THEIR FAIR.FOURTY YEARS IN THE DESERT!! IT WAS AN ACT OF COWARDICE.
    THE TRUST EXPEL THE FAIR.AND THE ACTION TAKE OFF THE FAIR.

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  9. To Anonymous 1:10 -- Your ratzon is incredible and inspiring.

    I agree that an oleh does not get nearly the support indicated.

    I made aliyah before Nefesh B'Nefesh. The shaliach, up to the old tricks of the secular Leftists, tried very hard to force me onto a Shomer Tzair kibbutz rather than sherut leumi, like I wanted (Plan A). In the end, all I could do was settle for being on a kibbutz that claimed to be religious, but other than not driving on Shabbat, everyone did as they pleased. I thought I could go to Bar-Ilan university after doing the kibbutz ulpan, but their ulpan was geared toward learning alef-bet only (duped again!), so there went Plan B. Sparing you the details, the kibbutz was a heartless, hypocritical place.
    Funnily enough, all of us who were olim (as opposed to tourists)-- from Russia, France, and Iran -- ran away to the only places ready to accept us: chareidi yeshivot and seminaries.

    So I never did sherut leumi, attend Bar-Ilan U., or find a good Hebrew ulpan (directly BECAUSE OF the aliyah and klitah officials), but things worked out wonderfully well anyway.

    (Although the weeks between leaving kibbutz and finding a seminary were miserable and horribly lonely and I went into a depression. Just being honest. But it was all because I was unintentionally resisting the direction Hashem was pushing me in, though I did not realize that at the time. When I started going with His will, things got much better.)

    By the way, all the other olim who escaped ended up doing really well, too. Meaning, when I ran into them later, they were really happy with their lives.

    I also think that trying to convince people that you can have an American lifestyle in Israel is misleading and ultimately harmful. (Devash doesn't do this, but many aliyah cheerleaders do.) Materially speaking, you can live in Israel better than has ever been possible, but it won't be like America and it's not supposed to be. I personally do not have anything like an American lifestyle, but it suits my personality, so that's okay.
    Well, I guess this was all my own two cents.

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  10. To Anonymous 1:10 -- Your ratzon is incredible and inspiring.

    I agree that an oleh does not get nearly the support indicated.

    I made aliyah before Nefesh B'Nefesh. The shaliach, up to the old tricks of the secular Leftists, tried very hard to force me onto a Shomer Tzair kibbutz rather than sherut leumi, like I wanted (Plan A). In the end, all I could do was settle for being on a kibbutz that claimed to be religious, but other than not driving on Shabbat, everyone did as they pleased. I thought I could go to Bar-Ilan university after doing the kibbutz ulpan, but their ulpan was geared toward learning alef-bet only (duped again!), so there went Plan B. Sparing you the details, the kibbutz was a heartless, hypocritical place.
    Funnily enough, all of us who were olim (as opposed to tourists)-- from Russia, France, and Iran -- ran away to the only places ready to accept us: chareidi yeshivot and seminaries.

    So I never did sherut leumi, attend Bar-Ilan U., or find a good Hebrew ulpan (directly BECAUSE OF the aliyah and klitah officials), but things worked out wonderfully well anyway.

    (Although the weeks between leaving kibbutz and finding a seminary were miserable and horribly lonely and I went into a depression. Just being honest. But it was all because I was unintentionally resisting the direction Hashem was pushing me in, though I did not realize that at the time. When I started going with His will, things got much better.)

    By the way, all the other olim who escaped ended up doing really well, too. Meaning, when I ran into them later, they were really happy with their lives.

    I also think that trying to convince people that you can have an American lifestyle in Israel is misleading and ultimately harmful. (Devash doesn't do this, but many aliyah cheerleaders do.) Materially speaking, you can live in Israel better than has ever been possible, but it won't be like America and it's not supposed to be. I personally do not have anything like an American lifestyle, but it suits my personality, so that's okay.
    Well, I guess this was all my own two cents.

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  11. Thanks, as always, for your contribution, Dassie.

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