[Avodah] Seeing the Swiss Alps

[Moshe Feldman]

R. D. Schoemann wrote on Areivim:
> I'd rather see pictures and remain in the Holy Land. It's warmer,
> cheaper and faster.
>
> As somebody who actually saw the Swiss Alps (and even spent a week
> skiing on them as a teenager) all I can say is that the hills and
> mountains in Eretz Yisroel are just as lovely if not more so.

The gemara in Moed Katan 14a says that one is not permitted to leave
EY for the purpose of sightseeing.

On Tue, Dec 9, 2008 at 6:03 PM, Prof. Levine <llevine at stevens.edu> wrote on
Areivim:
>  His [RSRH's] writings reveal a poetic soul that never ceased to be
> delighted by the wonders of creation. Typical of his attitude is the
famous
> remark attributed to him, upon returning from a visit to Switzerland. "Now
I
> can answer properly when Hashem asks me in the world of truth, 'Did you
see
> also My Switzerland?'

As RSRH did not live in EY, we don't know whether he would have said
that had he lived here.  I have never heard an EY gadol encourage
people to leave EY in order to see the wonders of nature.  I also note
that David HaMelech wrote Barchee Nafshee about the wonders of EY.

On a personal note, I have done a good amount of mountain biking in EY
and have found the views to be spectacular.  There is a tremendous
amount of topographical variation in such a small country.

Kol tuv,
Moshe
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