Israel: The Ideal Place to Live |
In Parshat Behar, Vayikra 25:38 we read: “Ani HaShem Elokeichem asher hotzeiti etchem m’Eretz Mitzrayim latet lachem et Eretz C’naan lehiyot lachem l’Elokim”. “I am your God who brought you out from the Land of Egypt to give you the Land of C’naan to be a God for you”. This pasuk sounds a lot like the first of the Ten Commandments (Shmot 20:2): “Anochi HaShem Elokecha asher hotzeiticha m’Eretz Mitzrayim mibeit avadim”. “I am your God who brought you out of the Land of Egypt from the house of bondage.” In Parshat Behar, God elaborates on the first commandment and gives the reason why He took the Jewish people out of Egypt, to inherit the Land of Israel and to be their God. Rashi, basing himself on the Talmud in Masechet Ketubot 110b, derives from here the concept of the importance of living in the Land of Israel. The Land of C’naan will be given to the Jewish people as a reward for observing the mitzvoth. The pasuk ends with the words “to be a God for you” since God will be the God of those who live in Israel. However, one who departs from the Land of Israel and actively distances himself from it is considered as one who worships idols. Since a nation’s prestige is bound up with the size of its population, those who add their numbers to foreign lands are in a sense honoring foreign gods. When King David had to flee (Shmuel I, 26:19) leaving the Land of Israel to go to Moav, he considered it as if someone was forcing him to serve idols “…for they have driven me out this day from being joined to the inheritance of God saying, Go and serve other gods.” The Rambam in Hilchot Melachim 5:9 (Laws of Kings) says that there are very few circumstances that would allow a Jew to leave the Land of Israel once they were already living there. The exceptions would be to study Torah, to get married, to escape idol worship or to do business. However, the Rambam stresses that these should all be temporary trips, what today many would call “shlichut”. In the Israeli newspaper “Yediot Achronot” it was recently reported that 14,400 olim (new immigrants) are expected to arrive in Israel in 2007. The only problem is that 20,000 Israelis are expected to leave Israel and seek permanent residence somewhere else in the world. Our mission is not just to spread the love of Israel throughout the world (which was successfully done last week at New York’s Salute to Israel Parade). Our mission must be to teach Israelis to appreciate the State of Israel and understand what a privilege it is to be able to live here.
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