Friday, November 15, 2013

The "Why don't you live in Israel question?"

  • There comes a time in any American Yeshiva kid's sojourn of learning in Israel when the question arises (or should arise!) in his mind as to why doesn't everybody (or, at least, people whom he would - and should! expect to consider such issues)  make aliyah. One of thoughtful talmidim, Sruli Baum, who is currently learning (well! B"H) in EY and I had the following FB conversation on the topic:
  • Thursday
  • Sruli Baum
    Sruli Baum
    I would like to know any reasons for one not to make aliyah. Please let me know. Thank you
  • Thursday
  • Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer
    Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer
    In the good old days we would have had a written correspondence on this, which we would both cherish. Alas for the advent of this ephemeral technology!
    There are two schools of thought (broadly speaking).
    One maintains that the value of living in Israel surpasses all other values. To put it somewhat oversimplified, it would be better to be a falafel vendor in Eretz Yisroel than a Rosh Yeshiva in Chu"l.
    The other maintains that one must consider one's purpose in life and then decide where to live in order to best accomplish that purpose.
    About thirty years ago I went through the process of first considering which school of thought appeals to my mind and heart. It was the latter.
    It was (and still is) clear to me that my mission in life is one that, on the one hand, many talented people in EY are engaged in fulfilling, and far fewer in Chu"l.
    On the other hand, that mission in its personalized version for me, requires the capacity to transcend societal boundaries that, since then, have become ever more difficult to transcend.
    The state of Orthodox society in Israel is such that such transcendence is virtually impossible. It is still possible in Chu"l. There is almost no milieu in EY in which I can be as authentically - and, I hope, effectively - myself as in, for example, MTA.
  • Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer
    Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer
    And, there is almost no milieu in EY in which there is not an abundant over-supply of people with similar missions - albeit with different goals and methods, but sufficiently similar so as to create an appearance of over-supply - whereas in Chu"l that saturation point has not been reached.
  • Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer
    Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer
    That being said, of course, I love EY b'lev va'nefesh, and am so depressed every time I have to leave it. But to the extent that it is possible for flawed human logic and emotion to perceive, I believe this is fulfilling, in my case, Ratzon Hashem.
  • Today
  • Sruli Baum
    Sruli Baum
    Did you make that decision?
    Did you make that decision at 18/19 years old?
  • Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer
    Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer
    I'm not that young.
    Around age 22-23 (I will be 52 this Adar Aleph).
    Yes, my decision.
  • Sruli Baum
    Sruli Baum
    Were you already on that path when you made the decision?

7 comments:

  1. So if one is a baker in the USA and could be as successful a baker in EY, than he should move?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Not necessarily. There are other aspects to life besides one's livelihood.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for articulating the two sides, rabbi.

    While I try to live by "Libi b'mizrach..." sometimes it's difficult to reconcile the pull in both directions. Keeping perspective is key, and it's what I tell the young men I speak to upon their return to galut after having > 1 year of some rebbi convincing them that their doomed to fail if they remain in ChuL; the argument for the Holy Land is so strong, but they need to be cognizant of who they are and where they can be the best oved HaShem.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Rabbi:

    Your question as to If or If Not to live in EY is not so difficult.

    Our ancestors had no idea where they going when they left Egypt, but Hashem did. He took care of our ancestors. Their clothes did not wear out and they had food and water when they needed it.

    Are you so certain that Hashem won't provide for you and your family?

    I live in Israel. I can honestly tell you that not a day goes by that Hashem has not acted on my behalf.

    This is your Land, Hashem gave it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and He has allowed His People to Return.

    Trust in Hashem and He will provide for you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Trust in Hashem and He will provide for you!

    The issue here was not one of Bitachon.

    ReplyDelete
  6. i agree with rygb approach. in fact given what i felt was my lifes mission i no longer keep shabbos.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous of Monday, November 18, 2013 9:07:00 AM,

    :-)

    ReplyDelete