Vayoel Moshe-Satmear Rebba
The Divrei Yoel concludes his ‘oath’ teshuva, criticizing not just Mizrachi but also the Aguda movement for having association with the Zionists.
He cites the well known verse from Proverbs ‘a bride blinds the eyes of the wise’, the monetary gifts Aguda and many yeshivas and Kollelim in Israel cause them to be blind to the association and associate praise and ultimate support they are providing the Zionists.
Now i will quote from the 2nd teshuva, on ‘Yishuv Eretz Yisroel’.
He says that Ritzba and Ramban were the only Rishonim who said its a Mitzvo Midoasraisa to live in Isreal.
The Rashba holds its Midrabanan.Whilst according to Divrei Yoel the Shulchan Aruch doesent mention it. The Rambam doesn’t say its a Mitzva. The Ritva quoting from tosafos Rabbenu Channanel says the Mitzva doesent apply at all anymore as the decree of Galus we are unable to go back to Isreal with all the economic circumstances (although the Maharit says that Tosafos never said that).
The Radvaz disallowed a person to go to Egypt (as it says ‘do not go back on the road to Egypt’) especially the same way, but allowed people to go to Chutz La Aretz.
The Slah and Sefer Charedim clearly mention the Mitzva to live in Isreal a condition we keep the Torah and Mitzvos correctly.
Yaavetz cites the spiritial perfection of its current Jewish inhabitants, disallowing his sons to go there till they got a secure Parnassah there.
Sla Hakodesh cites a story of a man who had cohabitation with his wife abnormally, so they expelled the man from the Land of Isreal.
Indeed Ramban says at the end of his Teshuva ‘ if you live there and sin, rebel, go after desires, you will be ‘destroyed and ‘vomited’ (Pentateuch, and from Prophets)– the the verse ‘you come to see my face who asked you to trample on my courtyards’ emphasizes this).
Meil Hatzaddaka holds the mitzva of living in Israel doesent apply if you cant find Parnassah, as you or especially your young children could fall in robbery.
Chasam Sofer is very upset with people living in Isreal and living off charity.
Forbidding leaving Eretz Yisroel is mentioned in Bava Basra, but the Rishonim hold the reason is not because you transgessing Mitzvas Yishuv Eretz Yisroel, rather says the Rambam and Rashba and others ‘you are removing yourself from mitzvos.
Theres is also the analysis of the Ramban and the Rambam why one holds its a Mitzvo Midoraissa.
It is known that when David conqured Aram Zovah, he was reprimanded for not conquring all of Isreal. According to Ramban (based on a sifrei) he was punished for leaving aside the Yishuv Eretz Yisroel, according to Rambam he was reprimanded for not eliminating (‘yacharim yachrim’) the 7 nations, (he holds like Rashi the ‘Yevusi’ was the name of one the 7 nations unlike Ramban who hold like Radak who says it was the name of a individial).
There is also the phrase ‘conquer the land and possess it’ according to Ramban the double Loshon indicates there is a Mitzva to enter the Land and fuffil Yishuv Eretz yisoroel. According to Rambam and Rashi its just a Havtacha (reassurance).
He asks the question Avnei Nezer asked why was Yaakov scared(when he enterd Isreal). The reason being he feared the Zechus of Eisavs Yishuv Eretz Yisroel. Eisav was a Noachide and surely had no reason to get Zechus for that before Mattan Torah. He answers citing that Reshaim are rewarded in this world for the few good deeds so they can get Gehonim in the Next World.
He cites examples of Dor Haflagah who although had Ben Odom La Chaveiro unlike the Dor Hamabul– they were scattered unlilke the Dor Hamabul who were destroyed. He also cited Nebuchadnezzar’s reward for running to deliver the message to Hezikiah (recieving a reward of conquer), and the reward to King Achav and King Omri for there Yishuv Eretz Yisroel initiates. They were rewarded in this world. So to with Eisav he recieved his reward in this world for his his tithing salt and grain, and his Kibud Ov V’Eim (which may have applied to the ovos who kept Kol Ha Torah Kuloh before Mattan Torah) which was linked to his Yishuv Eretz Yisroel, to drive him out the World to Come. This proves Yishuv Isreal is conditional on us keeping Torah and Mitzvos.
There is a Sifrei that says living in Eretz Yisroel is Kneged all the Mitzvas. It is brought in Yoma and Nidda and a Yerushalmi, you can’t learn Halachos from, Mishna,Tosefta, Sifrei, Sifra that are Neged the Talmud Bavli.
In other places in Bavli it says Tzitsit, charity, Torah, and Shabbos are Kneged Kulom of all the Mitzvos.
In addition it says Ezra never left his teacher Baruch Ben Nuraia in Bavel to go to Isreal till he received his permisson from him, as Torah Dochas the building of the Beis Hamikdash. So surely the mitzvos in Chutz La Aretz arent pushed aside for Yishuv Eretz Yisroel, if they arent mantained in Isreal.
He cites the Zohar which is clear that doing Aveiros and thinking your Mitzvos will save you is wrong. Sin feeds the Klippos and Sitra Achra, and causes the mitzvos you do like Yishuv Eretz Yisroel to be accounted for a sin, whats more the Klippos recieve strength from the Mitzvos you do,
There is a famous Gemara in Kesubos that states ‘one who lives in chutz la aretz is if he has no G-d’. The word ‘its as if’ prove that someone in Chutz La Aretz who keeps all the Torah can appear to be ‘as if’ he doesent have a G-d when in fact he does, whilst someone in Isreal who doesent keep the Torah can appear ‘as if’ he has a G-d when in fact he does not.
Whats more the Zohar in Parshas Behar and Yisro says this applies due to the fact he cant offer Korbanos, which according to most opinons and sceanorios cant occur till Moshiach arrives.
Another commentator explains aswell this only applies to a Ben Eretz Yisroel, someone born in Chutz La Arez would not be. The G-dless aspect mainly applied before the destruction of the Temple, when most cites were Tamaie free, and idol free, not now, in addition Minim (jewish renegades) are worse then idol worshipers as you can lower them in a pit unlike goyim who you can only remove the ladder ( Talmud Avodah Zoroh).