[Avodah] yishuv EY

[Shoshana L. Boublil]

 Subject: Re: [Avodah] yishuv EY
> To: "Eli Turkel" <eliturkel at gmail.com>, "avodah" <avodah at aishdas.org>
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> So, how do they explain the posuk 'vatovou vatetamu es artzi' ?

Last I heard, many rabbis used this pasuk to refer to those who live their 
lives in Chutz La'aretz, but when they are dead (Avi Avot HaTum'ah) - that's 
when they remember Israel and come to be buried here.

If there was any kind of source and truth to the idea that fearing sins 
would exempt one from coming to Israel, rabbis, from Rambam to the GR"A, 
including Sh"A and others, wouldn't state categorically that a woman/man can 
force their spouse to make Aliyah.

BTW, Rav Zeira that was quoted has an interesting tale connected to him and 
Israel.

His rabbi, Rav Yehuda, was concerned with going to Israel.  Despite this R' 
Zeira made Aliyah from Bavel.

In fact, it was about him that it was said "Ama Peziza".  The story is that 
when R' Zeira reached the river, the ferry had just left, and he had to wait 
for it to return to carry him across.

Rav Zeira didn't wait.  He jumped in the river and swam across.

When asked why, he said: Moshe Rabeinu wasn't Zocheh to come to Israel b/c 
of a sin he did.  Who can guarantee that while waiting for the ferry I 
wouldn't commit a sin and forfit the right to enter Israel?!

He later fasted to forget Torah Chutz La'aretz...

Rav Zeira was apparently more concerned about sins he might do in chutz 
L'aretz which would prevent him from making aliyah, and he had no concerns 
about any sins he might perform in Israel.  Food for thought.

Shoshana L. Boublil