We Don't Choose Aliya: We are Chosen
by Shmuel
Over twenty years ago, I purchased land in Shomron with the intent to
develop it. During this period I was litigating my claim to the land and
fighting to register it in the Israeli Land Registry. About a year and a
half ago I suddenly felt the urgency to focus full time on developing this
land, to fulfill the mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Israel, and without planning,
made Aliyah with my family.
Rav Nachman Kahane, the Mei Menuchos told me that there are two forms of
Aliya: Aliya to the Torah and Aliya to Israel. With Aliya to the Torah,
people don't just go up and take an Aliya, they must be called up by the
gabbai. So too, with Aliya to Israel, the individual has to be called up,
kaveiyochul, by the gabbai in shomaim that declares such and such should
come up. Similarly, when someone leaves Israel, it is the decree from above.
If we are not necessarily, inherently worthy, perhaps the adage that Eretz
Yisroel nikneh b'isurin, implies that despite our unworthiness, we can be
beaten and kicked in the teeth by our master, but we will stubbornly cling
to him and serve him. It is this stiff-necked characteristic that endears us
to him and permits us not to be thrown out, at least for the time being. I
recently asked my children individually, ranging in age from 3 to 13, if
they were prepared to return to the comfortable American life that we
maintained. Each one in turn, despite having endured the loss of
friendships, the comforts of America and the difficulty of learning a new
language opted to remain in Israel. My six year old eloquently stated that
if Hashem gave us this land, we must live here and die here. In the United
States, both I, and my wife, a real-estate attorney, worked 10 hours a day
to afford yeshiva education for our children and a two-week vacation in
Israel. Now we subsist on 20% of what we made in America. As it turned out,
the quality of life became excellent and it is more like living in a
bungalow colony all year.
If Hashem wanted all of us here, he wouldn't make living here feel like
riding a bronco in a rodeo. Rav Kahana also said that not everyone could go
to the kodsei kedoshim, not everyone to the Heichol, and not everyone to Har
Habais, etc. The concept of kedusha is this separateness, as only Moshe went
on Har Sinai, Aaron closer, etc. There is a place for everyone and while no
one even Moshe can face Hashem face to face, we all aspire to get as close
as we are able to and worthy of. There is a place for the Kohanim, another
for the Leviim, and another for the Yisraelim. They all have their place,
their individual functions, and one could not function without the other.
You know the fisherman story?
Two fishermen were fishing in an idyllic setting. After a while, one
fisherman went to the second, and told him that he is a very important
executive in a Fortune 500 company, makes a great deal of money, and without
fail takes two weeks off to fish in this most beautiful spot on earth. The
other fisherman answered that he's not an important executive, doesn't make
a lot of money, but he fishes in this same spot every day.
The question is which fisherman you want to identify with. You may be doing
very important work and are busily in demand around the globe. If you
stubbornly decide to uproot yourself, I believe that you will feel like the
second fisherman. You will be able to visit Kever Binyamin or Kever Shmuel
Ha'navi every day. You will be able to savor every day, what you only
infrequently are able to enjoy. This privilege is what we have been praying
tearfully for the last two thousand years. Of course, it is hard: it is
meant to be that way.
The Vilna Goan said that the land of Israel is like a Princess who has the
magical power to appear extremely beautiful or extremely ugly. She peeks
through the curtain before meeting prospective suitors. Those that are
unworthy see her as the most ugly hag. Those that are worthy see her the
epitome of beauty and of perfection. In the same way, some people come here
and see the unbearable burden while others come and welcome the burden as
well worth the rewards. It sometimes takes time to develop that second
vision. For those that are here, hang on and those who aren't here yet, I
implore you to join us.
B'ahavat Yisrael,
Shmuel
