metoo

Here are the words of Shulchan Aruch YD 267 84: עבד שאמר לעלות לארץ ישראל כופין את רבו לעלות עמו או ימכור אותו למי שיעלהו שם רצה האדון לצאת לחוצה לארץ אינו יכול להוציא את עבדו עד שירצה ודין זה בכל זמן אפילו בזמן הזה שהארץ ביד עובדי כוכבים:
“When a slave asks his master to move to Eretz Yisrael, we compel his master to move there with him or to sell him to someone who is moving there. When a master living in Eretz Yisrael desires to move to the diaspora, he cannot compel the slave to move with him against his will. This law applies in all times, even in the present era, when the land is ruled by gentiles.” That does sound very straightforward. “In all times, even in the present era…” doesn’t seem to leave a lot of wiggle room.
The Avnei Nezer quotes this psak in his long teshuva about יישוב ארץ ישראל nowadays.
As to why the medinah came into being through secular Jews, I have heard two additional suggestions: 1) to avoid kitrugim, just like מלכות בית דוד came into being through Yehudah and Tamar, Rus, and all the rest of them 2) יכין רשע וילבש צדיק (ב”מ סא:)

if the steipler said not to publicize the letter, he probably had a good reason (or reasons) for saying so. Could it be that his high praise for NK was one of them? Was the praise only meant for the recipient’s eyes, and no one else’s? Please note, too, that he is unequivocal is his psak to vote in israeli elections – something his NK “friends” would disagree with, to say the least. Final point – is the NK he praises the same NK that exists today? Did NK, 40 years ago, also want Iran to attack Israel? Just asking …