It doesn’t seem to work on some politicians TB Baba Batra 158

The rabbis praised every aspect of living in the land of Israel to encourage aliya. On daf TB Baba Batra 158 we learn a story even the air of the land of Israel has an salutary effect on people. The topic under discussion is inheritance. If a house collapses upon an only son and his mother and we don’t know who died first, then we don’t know who are the inheritors. If the mother dies first, the son inherits his mother’s property and then passes it to his inheritors, for example his children. If the son dies first, the mother’s family inherits the property she brought into the marriage.

“MISHNA: If the house collapsed on a son and upon his mother, and it is unknown who died first, the following claims arise: The mother’s paternal family claims that the son died first, and therefore they inherit from the mother, and the son’s heirs claim that the mother died first and her son inherited from her, and therefore they inherit from the son. In this case, both these Sages and those Sages, Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel, concede that they divide the property between them. Rabbi Akiva said: In this case I concede that the property retains its previous ownership status. Ben Azzai said to Rabbi Akiva: We are already troubled by those cases where Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel are in disagreement. But do you come to bring upon us a disagreement with regard to the case where they agree?

“GEMARA: The mishna states that according to Rabbi Akiva, the property retains its previous ownership status. The Gemara asks: In whose possession does the property remain? Rabbi Ila says: It remains in the possession of the mother’s heirs. Rabbi Zeira, when he was still in Babylonia, said: It remains in the possession of the son’s heirs. When Rabbi Zeira ascended to Eretz Yisrael, he adopted the opinion of Rabbi Ila, whereas Rabba, in Babylonia, adopted the opinion stated by Rabbi Zeira. Rabbi Zeira said: Conclude from this incident that the air of Eretz Yisrael makes one wise (אַוֵּירָא דְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַחְכִּים), as when I ascended to Eretz Yisrael I accepted the opinion of Rabbi Ila, who was also from Eretz Yisrael, whereas Rabba, who remained in Babylonia, accepted my former opinion.” (Sefaia.org translation)

The Rashbam ד"ה אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ אַוֵּירָא דְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַחְכִּים explains that Rabbi Zeira reached this conclusion about the special “power” of the air of Israel as follows: Rabbi Zeira said to himself, “Ever since I came up to the Land of Israel I have put my heart (i.e. made great effort and toil in my Torah study) to find fault with my earlier ruling, and to be certain that my conclusion is the pure truth of the matter.”

Too bad some of Israeli politicians don’t make a great effort to evaluate their stances and their consequences so that the air of Eretz Yisrael doesn’t make them wise.