The Land I Will Show You, sec. 3, chapter 2

The Decree of Exile vis-à-vis the Mitzvah to Reside in Eretz Yisrael

May 08, 2023

(For the previous chapter of “The Land I Will Show You, click here. For the ToC, click here.)

It has been explained in the previous chapter that the reality of exile restricts the mitzvah of residing in Eretz Yisrael, either in principle or in practice. Rabbi Yoel of Satmar asserted even more: It is not the fact of exile that restricts the mitzvah, but rather the decree of exile temporarily voids the mitzvah. Since the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed exile on the nation of Israel – for their good and the universal good – it is impossible to say that there is a mitzvah to reside in Eretz Yisrael in the era of exile. Exile and residence in the land are mutually exclusive. We will bring excerpts of his words, and then we shall explain what seems correct in this matter.

Exile is a decree from heaven:

But the clear truth in this matter: No one would doubt that exile is a decree from Him, may His Name be blessed, as is explicit in many verses and in many countless places in the Gemara and Midrash.[1]

Exile is a decree from on high, and for the good, and therefore it is impossible to say that all of Israel should come to Eretz Yisrael before the coming of the Messiah:

And the reason for the exiles in explained in the Gemara Pesachim (87b)… “So that proselytes are added to them”… to publicize the faith also among the other idolaters… that the exile in all the lands of the nations is necessary so that there be Torah and worship of Hashem in all the lands, to purify that air of the whole world so that it is ready for the dwelling of the Shechinah.[2]

The exile is necessary to save from Gehinnom.[3]

The holy Shelah (Deuteronomy sec. 15), too… wrote… “The dispersion was for the good so that the holiness spreads in the whole world to know and worship Hashem… also the exile of Israel that the Holy One, blessed be He, dispersed them in this world, was for the good”… see there that he discussed this at great length… If so, it must be that although he wrote at such length to make people cherish coming to the land, his intention wasn’t that everyone should come to Eretz Yisrael, since he himself also spoke at length about the need for Israel to be dispersed in exile in the diaspora, so that holiness spreads throughout the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, did this for the good of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the good of Israel and for the benefit of redemption.[4]

Accordingly, it is impossible to say that there is a mitzvah to reside in Eretz Yisrael in the era of exile:

But it is difficult, how do the Ramban and his group hold that there is a mitzvah to reside in Eretz Yisrael even during the time of exile, since it is a decree from heaven to be scattered among the nations, how could there be an opposite mitzvah to reside in Eretz Yisrael… since we can’t know who exactly should go, who will ascend the mountain of Hashem to Eretz Yisrael and who should be dispersed to the diaspora, how is it possible to say that there is an obligation of a mitzvah in something that we don’t know who to obligate in that mitzvah and who to exonerate… rather, it is certain that the One Who destines man’s steps arranges causes so that every single person goes where he should be… there is no commandment nor prohibition nor obligation, and thus the matter remains dependent on the supreme providence…According to this, we need to understand the opinion of Ramban and his group that there is a mitzvah to reside in Eretz Yisrael even in the time of exile, and he writes that every individual is obligated by it – how could we obligate at a time that the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed exile?[5]

Even Ramban didn’t intend that there is a mitzvah in practice to ascend from outside of the land to Eretz Yisrael, but only that those who live in Eretz Yisrael are fulfilling a mitzvah:

And this is the opinion of the Ramban regarding the exile, that although certainly due to the decree of exile it is impossible that there should be an obligation to ascend to Eretz Yisrael, but the mitzvah is not completely null, and he isn’t exonerated based on the law, and the obligation is still incumbent on every single individual Jew, but we are powerless such that we cannot do our obligations due to the decree of exile… if so, those who merit to reside in Eretz Yisrael are indeed fulfilling the mitzvah… and in truth in all the words of the Ramban it isn’t mentioned that he is obligated to ascend to Eretz Yisrael, but rather all his words revolve on the point that it isn’t a temporary mitzvah… for even in the time of exile this mitzvah is relevant, since the mitzvah is not null, and at least those who reside in Eretz Yisrael fulfill this mitzvah, it is certainly an established mitzvah for all generations… and the obligation is incumbent on every single individual – but it is deferred.[6]

The conclusion is that there is no commandment during the time of exile to ascend to Eretz Yisrael:

Therefore, according to this, since during the time of exile we have no command about traveling to Eretz Yisrael, since so did His wisdom decree to be in the diaspora… and since according to the letter of the law there is no command in this matter, no obligation or prohibition, it all depends on divine providence… we don’t know who needs to be in Eretz Yisrael… we must rely only on our Father in heaven that our intentions should be for the sake of heaven, and then Hashem, may He be blessed, will guide our steps in the way of truth to do our mission that is incumbent upon us.[7]

To summarize the opinion: The Holy One, blessed be He, decreed exile, for a good purpose; it is impossible that there be a mitzvah in opposition to the decree and in opposition to the good; therefore, it must be that there in no mitzvah to reside in Eretz Yisrael during the time of exile, and even Ramban didn’t intend that there is.

(For the next chapter of “The Land I Will Show You,” click here.)

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Ha'Aretz asher Areka

Unapologetics

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