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<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">I'll post, shortly responses to the sources
brought here concerning R' Chaim and others, but I came across a book that is
relevant to this topic called "The Return to Jerusalem: The renewal of the
Jewish Settlements in Eretz Yisrael during the 19th century", by Prof. Aryeh
Morgenstern.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">(<SPAN class=a><FONT size=2><FONT
color=#008000><SPAN dir=ltr>he.wikipedia.org/wiki/אריה_מורגנשטרן</SPAN>
)</FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">Prof. Morgenstern concentrates on Talmidei
HaGra, led by R' Menachem Mendel of Shklov, who came to Israel following the
passing of the Gr"a, with the purpose and intention to build Israel as a way of
bringing the Ge'ula closer.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">The book contains a letter (or a reference to
it) written by R' Menachem Mendel in 1820, where he refers to the rebuilding of
Jerusalem as "Atchalta De'Ge'ula".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">Interesting enough both R' Menachem Mendel and
the Chatam Sofer considered the earth quake in Tzefat to be a result of Not
building Jerusalem, or as the Chatam Sofer wrote: "Yerushalayim Gavta Et
Kevoda".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">The book connects between 2 threads, as
apparently the Gr"a explained that the 3 shevu'ot refer only to Beit HaMikdash
itself, but they can (and should) rebuild Israel and prepare what is needed for
the Beit HaMikdash.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">Shoshana L. Boublil</FONT></DIV>
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