The supremacy of living in Israel TB Ketubot 110

No other people in the world have ever been exiled from their homeland and have returned back home. No people have ever been exiled from their homeland and returned except the Jewish people. We have not only done it once which would be exceptional, we’ve done it twice! Through halahka and midrash, the rabbis inculcated the importance of living in Israel, yishuv Eretz Yisrael-יִשׁוּב אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. Starting with today’s daf TB Ketubot 110 until the end of the massekhet, the rabbis emphasize in different ways the supremacy of living in Israel over living in the Diaspora.

Making aliyah is a mitzvah and the Mishna teaches that a spouse can compel the other to join him/her in observing this mitzvah. “All may force their family to ascend to Eretz Yisrael, i.e., one may compel his family and household to immigrate to Eretz Yisrael, but all may not remove others from Eretz Yisrael, as one may not coerce one’s family to leave. Likewise, all may force their family to ascend to Jerusalem, and all may not, i.e., no one may, remove them from Jerusalem. Both men and women may force the other spouse to immigrate to Eretz Yisrael or to move to Jerusalem.” (Sefaria.org translation) Living in Jerusalem, the holy city in the world for us Jews, is preferable than living any other city. “The mishna taught: All may force others to ascend to Jerusalem. The Gemara asks once again: This phrase comes to include what case? The Gemara answers: It comes to include a move from a pleasant residence elsewhere in Eretz Yisrael to a noxious residence in Jerusalem.” (Sefaria.org translation)

There’s a penalty to be paid for not wanting to live in Israel. “The Sages taught: If the husband says that he wishes to ascend, i.e., to immigrate to Eretz Yisrael, and his wife says that she does not wish to ascend, one forces her to ascend. And if she will not do so, as she resists all attempts to force her to make the move, she is divorced without receiving her marriage contract, i.e., she forfeits her rights to the benefits outlined in the marriage contract. If she says that she wishes to ascend to Eretz Yisrael and he says that he does not wish to ascend, one forces him to ascend. And if he does not wish to immigrate, he must divorce her and give her the marriage contract.

 “If she says that she wishes to leave Eretz Yisrael, and he says that he does not wish to leave, one forces her not to leave. And if she does not wish to stay in Eretz Yisrael and resists all attempts to force her to stay, she is divorced without receiving her marriage contract. If he says that he wishes to leave Eretz Yisrael and she says that she does not wish to leave, one forces him not to leave. And if he does not wish to stay in Eretz Yisrael, he must divorce her and give her the marriage contract.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Anybody who has lived in Israel even for short period of time appreciates the rich Jewish life that can only be lived there. There are mitzvot that can only be observed in the land of Israel and nowhere else. “§ In relation to the basic point raised by the mishna concerning living in Eretz Yisrael, the Sages taught: A person should always reside in Eretz Yisrael, even in a city that is mostly populated by gentiles, and he should not reside outside of Eretz Yisrael, even in a city that is mostly populated by Jews. The reason is that anyone who resides in Eretz Yisrael is considered as one who has a God, and anyone who resides outside of Eretz Yisrael is considered as one who does not have a God. As it is stated: “To give to you the land of Canaan, to be your God” (Leviticus 25:38).

“Gemara expresses surprise: And can it really be said that anyone who resides outside of Eretz Yisrael has no God? Rather, this comes to tell you that anyone who resides outside of Eretz Yisrael is considered as though he is engaged in idol worship. And so it says with regard to David: “For they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave to the inheritance of the Lord, saying: Go, serve other gods” (I Samuel 26:19). But who said to David: Go, serve other gods? Rather, this comes to tell you that anyone who resides outside of Eretz Yisrael is considered as though he is engaged in idol worship.” (Sefaria.org translation)

The rabbis wanted to build and increase the Jewish population in our homeland despite the hardships it would entail. This desire had the intended impact upon the Jewish psyche. At no time in history was the land of Israel bereft of any Jewish population and only for short period of time during the Hadrianic persecutions were there no Jews living in Jerusalem. In fact during many periods of history the Jews were the majority of people living in Jerusalem. All throughout her history, Jews return home to Israel. Zionism is just the modern fulfillment of an age long desire to rebuild the land of Israel.

Just as we grapple whether to observe this mitzvah or that mitzvah, I believe that we should also wrestle with the mitzvah of living in the land of Israel. You may choose to remain where you are or you may choose to make aliyah. The choice is yours. The rabbis are asking us to consider the observance of this mitzvah seriously.