מצוות לגור בארץ
מצוות לגור בארץ
According to contemporary terminology the word “Aliyah” (עלייה) referred to Ascension upon the holy land. It didn’t imply being a citizen of a government.
When a certain group of Jews mention the 3 Oaths (שלוש שבועות), they never seem to explain the source (מקור) of the Oaths which is why they won’t tell you that the שלוש is really שֵׁשׁ since each שבוע has two parts to it. You will not find these Oaths found in Sifrei Halakha (ספרי הלכה) – Books that discuss Jewish laws. You won’t find it in the Shulchan Aruch or any of its variants like Shulchan Aruch Ha-Rav. This speaks volumes about the certain cultural movements based on the שלוש being the dominant aspect of Judaism.
And if these Jews will tell you the מקור of the Oaths, they will show how the Gemara (Ketubot 110b) continues with things pertaining to the significance of living בארץ ישראל.
“כתובות קי:ב
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן לְעוֹלָם יָדוּר אָדָם בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲפִילּוּ בְּעִיר שֶׁרוּבָּהּ גּוֹיִם וְאַל יָדוּר בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּעִיר שֶׁרוּבָּהּ
יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁכׇּל הַדָּר בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל דּוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ וְכׇל הַדָּר בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ דּוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לָתֵת לָכֶם אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים
Ketubot 110b
§ In relation to the basic point raised by the Mishnah concerning living in Eretz Yisrael, the Sages taught: A person should always reside in Eretz Yisrael, even in a city that is mostly populated by goyim, and he should not reside outside of Eretz Yisrael, even in a city that is mostly populated by Jews. The reason is that anyone who resides in Eretz Yisrael is considered as one who has a God, and anyone who resides outside of Eretz Yisrael is considered as one who does not have a God. As it is stated: “To give to you the land of Canaan, to be your God” (Leviticus 25:38).
So I ask you, why haven’t you made the decision to live in the land that Hashem wants you to be in. Eretz Yisrael is the holy land in God’s blue earth. This is where the temple will be rebuilt.