Parashat Toldot - Where do we Belong?

The Torah in Parsahat Toldot describes how after the death of Avraham Avinu, famine descended upon the land and its inhabitants were faced with the sole predicament of survival. Yitzchak, like his father, shared the dilemma of contemplating leaving the Land of Canaan (Eretz Yisroel) to seek out provisions for sustaining his family. However, unlike Avraham, Hashem instructed Yizchak not to descend from the land and travel to Egypt (26:2). Rashi opines that Hashem was in tuned to the fact that Yitzchak was instinctively drawn to repeat his father's actions and indeed was planning to travel to Egypt during the span of the famine; however, Hashem was adamant that Yitzchak not travel to Egypt - solely because he was considered an Olah Temima - (a pure Korban Olah) and that Chutz LaAretz was not Kdai - was not fitting or appropriate for him.

When you give this Rashi a second glance, you are struck with realization of Rashi's interesting choice of words of: Eino Kedai lecha - it is not fitting for you. One would of thought a bit harsher language forbidding Yitzchak from leaving Israel, would have been more appropriate (e.g. Asur Lecha Leireid) - and a more formidable reason would have been given for the prohibition instead of the seemingly simplistic reasoning that it was just inappropriate.

Perhaps, Rashi's precise language contains the very underlying message of Yitzchak's injunction. We often spend so much time invested in the mental gymnastics debating and equivocating whether Yishuv Haaretz is Biblical or Rabbinic. We often get so engrossed in the intellectual pursuit of categorizing Yom Haatzmaut and the status of Medinat Yisroel that we often neglect the very fundamental question of: Where is it most Kdai (most fitting and appropriate) for a Jew to be living.

We have altogether neglected the fundamental questions of: Where will our destiny and fate be actualized. What environment allows us most effectively to grow spiritually and connect with our historical chain of our ancestry? What atmosphere would best facilitate that growth, that being, that yearning of being Temimot? We all know the answer. We just don't allow ourselves the ability to admit it.

"Eino Kdai Lecha" - It is not worth it Yitzchak. Yes, there are sacrifices to make. Yes, sometimes it seems to be much easier on the other side of the border - but we are olot temimot - we have a mission - personally and nationally and it hardly can be accomplished living elsewhere.