Masaay: Living in Israel

It is on this Shabbat, parashat masay that the mantra of every religious Zionist lies; ve’horashtem et haaretz viyshavtem bah, and you shall inherit the land, meaning you will conquer the land, and you will dwell in it. It is the Ramban, Nachmanides, who did move from Spain to Israel, who wrote, "in my opinion this is a positive commandment, a mitzvat aseh."

The Ramban asserts that our parasha commands us to live in Israel, and that this is a mitzvah incumbent on all Jews at all times. Rashi, however, says that the verse actually does not command us to live in Israel, but rather should be read in a different manner. Ramban reads it as two command clauses. Inherit the land AND live in it; two mitzvah’s. Rashi reads it as an if-then clause; Inherit the land from its inhabitants so that then you will be able to exist in it. Because, writes Rashi, if you do not chase out the inhabitants, you will not be able to exist, to sustain yourselves in it. According to Rashi, there was once upon a time, or perhaps there is a mitzvah to conquer Israel, but there is no text that says it is a mitzvah to live there. Living there is just something you do when you get there. The mitzvah is in the conquering.

But given the Ramban’s words, can one justify living here in America? The Talmud says, and the Rambam codifies it, that if one needs to make a living, one may leave Israel, although not necessarily on a permanent basis. Furthermore, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, zatzal wrote that although there is a mitzvah to live in Israel, it is not one of those mitzvoth you have to go out and do. If you do it, you do it. If not, you have made no violation. It is like the mitzvah to slaughter meat. There is no mitzvah to eat meat, but if you do so, you need to shecht it properly and then you get a mitzvah. Another approach is offered by the Avnei Nezer, a more recent author who wrote that if you can’t fully support yourself in Israel, then you are not really living there. Living there means to live under the divine guidance of Israel, not to get dole outs from America. One who cannot make a living in Israel may live elsewhere, at least until such time that can do so. Nonetheless, living in Israel is certainly an admirable goal.