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From: teitz@aecom.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Aliyah
Message-ID: <676@aecom.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 22-May-84 17:03:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: aecom.676
Posted: Tue May 22 17:03:47 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 30-May-84 08:29:38 EDT
References: <485@ihuxt.UUCP>, <1908@utcsstat.UUCP>
Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY
Lines: 24

There is a Tosafot in the end of Ketubot ( Kesubos, for those of Ashkenazik
persuasion ), the exact location of which I don't remember, which states that
Jews should not move back to Israel. The reason given is that in Israel there
are many laws in which we are not expert, exactly those laws which are dependent
on the land ( ie. tithing ). It is better, according to Tosafot to live outside
Israel, rather than live in Israel and possibly transgress these laws, some of
which are punishable by Karet ( Karais ), which loosely translates as cutting
off, early death and the extinction of the transgressor's family ( this pun-
ishment is in G-D's hands only, so it cannot be verified ).

There are those who say this particular Tosafot is a mistake, possibly by a 
printer or copier, who misunderstood what was intended. However, we still
see a valid arguement for not making aliya. This doesn't mean we shouldn't,
but rather, if someone does not go on aliya, it should not always be 
attributed to a lack of belief.

I, too, am planning aliya in the future, so don't think this is a cop out.
Rather, it is a defense for those who do not want to go on aliya. Besides,
what is so great about Israel that everyone should flock there. There is 
a Midrash, I know not where, that says, G-D blessed the Jews by spreading
them all over the world so that no one would be able to destroy us all.

			elli teitz.