Answers About Israel You Always Wanted To Know (part 4 of 13)

The Merit of The  Land

36) Is studying Torah in the USA the same as in Israel? Is there an advantage to learning Torah in Eretz Yisrael and not in Chutz La’aretz?

Studying Torah in Israel is superior in every way to learning Torah in USA/Chutz La’aretz.

Michtav MeEliyahu, volume 3, pages 191-196

            There is no Torah like the Torah of Eretz Yisrael (Sifrei, Eikev).

            The air of Eretz Yisrael makes one wise (Bava Basra 158b).

One who studies Torah in Eretz Yisrael receives a large amount of  diving assistance and special influence…we see with our own eyes how youngsters who study in Torah flourish in Eretz Yisrael. They advance in their studies, succeed in acquiring knowledge in all of Shas Talmud and achieve more than others achieve in their Torah education in other lands.

37) How do we learn from Avraham Avinu, that moving to Israel and change a person’s fortune for the better?

Talmud Bavli, Rosh HaShanah 16b

…changing one’s location [also annuls an evil verdict], as it says “Hashem said to Avram, ” Go forth from your land לך לך מארצך ” (Bereishis 12:1), and only then I will make you a great nation…it was the merit of the Land of Israel זכותא דארץ ישראל that helped him.

38) Can the merit of Israel help a person defeat his enemies? Why was Yakov Avinu scared of Evil Eisav? Who is safer today, the Jews living in Israel or the USA?

In our times, we can see that the Jews in Israel are in a much better and secure environment compared to the rising violence and anti-Semitism in the USA. The merit of living in Israel clearly is working.

BeReishis Rabbah 76:2

Yakov was very frightened and he was very distressed (Bereishis 32:8)…He was frightened יראה  that he may have to kill his brother and he was distressed ויצר  that he might be killed…Yakov said, all these years Eisav has dwelt in Eretz Yisrael; perhaps he  is coming against me with the strength of living in Eretz Yisrael ישיבת ארץ ישראל.

39) Is there an advantage to being born in Israel?

The Sechina rests with him and he has confidence to stand up for G-d.

Mechilta, Yisro, Mesechta DeBaChodesh 4

Why did the Shechina rest in Binyamin’s portion?…all the other tribes were born outside the Land, while Binyamin was born in Eretz Yisrael. 

Esther Rabbah 7:8

What did Mordechai say to those who said to him, Why do you transgress the king’s command? (Esther 3:3)…Mordechai replied to them…all the tribes were born outside the Land, while my ancestor was born in Eretz Yisrael…Haman said to them tell him that his ancestor bowed to my ancestor [Eisav]…Mordechai replied, Binyamin was not yet born…

 40) How is Moshe Rabeinu at a disadvantage for not entering Eretz Yisrael?

Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 119b

In the future Hashem will make a feast for the Tzadikim…After they eat and drink they will give the cup of blessing  כוס של ברכה  to Avraham Avinu…He will say I will not recite the blessing because I begot Yishmael…Yitzchak…He will say to them I will not recite the blessing because I begot Eisav…Yakov…I will not recite the blessing because I married two sisters…Moshe…he will say to them, “I will not recite the blessing because I was not privileged to enter Eretz Yisrael, neither during my lifetime nor after my death…

41) Does rain fall in the world in the merit זכות of Jews living in Israel?

Yes.

Talmud Yerushalmi, Taanis 3:3

Rain falls in the merit of three things: in the merit of [Jews living in] the Land [of Israel], in the merit of acts of kindness [in Israel]  and in the merit of suffering “Yesurin” יסורין [in Israel].

42) Can a person be rewarded for NOT slandering Israel?

Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 94a

Why was that Rasha Sancheriv king of Assyria privileged to be called the great and noble Asnappar (Ezra 4:10)? It is because he did not slander Eretz Yisrael, as it says, “Until  I come and bring you to a land like your land (Melachim II, 18:32).”

43) Can a sinner succeed and flourish in Israel?

Yes, if they build the Land of Israel.

Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 102b

…why did Omri deserve kingship? It is because  he added a city onto the Land of Israel…the mountain of Shomron… (Melachim I, 16:24).

Eliyahu Rabbah, Parshah 10

Once Eliyahu HaNavi was sitting before the Sages…why was Omri, and army general and king of Israel, different from all those who proceeded him? For the other wicked kings did not pass their kingship to their sons, until Omri came along and had three descendants sit on his throne…I told them, “His reward was because he added a great city to the Land of Israel…

44) If someone escapes from a rabbinic court after being sentenced to death, the court of the city in which he  was caught does not retry him. They carry out the verdict of the first court, since the first court was unable to exonerate him.

What happens if the convict flees to Israel from Chutz La’aretz?

The court in Israel retries him. The merit of Israel will come to his aid and the Judges may find a way to acquit him.

            Talmud Bavli, Makkos 7a

If one who has been convicted  in court flees from the Land of Israel to Chutz LaAretz, we do not  retry him after we apprehend him. But if he flees from Chutz LaAretz to Eretz Yisrael, we retry him, because the merit of the merit if Eretz Yisrael [perhaps it will help the judges to find a way to acquit him, Rashid].

Rambam Mishneh Torah, Sefer Shoftim, Hilchos Sanhedrin 13:8

When a person was sentenced to death by a court in the Diaspora and fled to a court in Eretz Yisrael, we reopen his case at least. If he comes before the same court who sentenced him in the Diaspora, we do not reopen his case, even though they sentenced him in the Diaspora and now they are in Eretz Yisrael.

45) If a couple in the USA is having fertility issues, what is one thing that may help?

Move to Israel, Aliyah.

Ramban, BeReishis 16:3

“After ten years”, this is the established period for a woman who has lived with her husband for ten years without giving birth. When this happens he is obligated to marry another …the years of living outside the Land of Israel are not included in the count, for Avraham was not told “I will make you into a great nation (Bereishis 12:2) until he came into the Land of Israel…the years spent living outside the Land of Israel are not included in the ten year count for anybody in the world…if a man has lived with his wife outside the Land of Israel…and they come to Israel, we give them ten additional years from the time they enter the Land, for perhaps they will  be built up with children in the merit of the Land. This is what Avraham and Sarah did…