Should Every Single Jew Move To Israel Right Now?

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]Should every single Jew move to Israel right now? Reb Chaim Kanievsky answers this question along with Reb Elyashiv and along with nine other most hottest questions about Aliyah. But before we get to that, I want to show you a modern-day prophecy.

[00:00:21]>> [music] [music] >> Welcome back to the podcast. My name [music] is Aaron Solkol and you're watching Parsha Inspired. In this video, we're going to unpack some of the most common questions that were asked to Reb Chaim Kanievsky, Reb Elyashiv, and we'll see how they answer about the question of whether or not Jews should be moving to Eretz Yisrael right now. [music] And furthermore, what if you're a rabbi of a community, should you move? What if you're a manhal of a large Jewish school? What if you're a kiruv outreach professional who has hundreds, if not thousands, of students in chutz la'aretz? What if you're taking care of your elderly father? What if you are a successful doctor who has lots of patients who need you in chutz la'aretz?

[00:01:52]Should you be moving to Eretz Yisrael?

[00:01:54]What if you support yeshiva institutions in Eretz Yisrael? and by moving to Eretz Yisrael he won't be able to support them. We'll deal with all these questions one by one.

[00:02:05]Let's dive in.

[00:02:06]I asked Maran the Reb Chaim Kanievsky the following question year 5775 on behalf of a respected Chassidic group, Rabbi Blankslater from the United States. The Rebbe lives in the United States. He lives such a spiritual life despite living in the center of materialism in the city of blank.

[00:02:29]This one could almost say that he lives a life of Eretz Yisrael in America. He despises American materialism and resents the fact that he lives there.

[00:02:38]>> [snorts] >> For many years he has yearned to move to Eretz Yisrael, but since he is like a father and shepherd to around 80 families of his Chassidim, this is not an easy decision for him to make.

[00:02:50]Due to his feelings of responsibility towards his followers he's uncertain whether he is permitted to move to Eretz Yisrael and forsake his flock.

[00:02:58]He requested that Maran should guide him in the right direction.

[00:03:03]Maran replied, "They should all move to Eretz Yisrael.

[00:03:06]His Chassidim should also move there." I asked Maran if the Chassidim do not wish to move to Eretz Yisrael or unable to do so, should the Rebbe should the Rebbe still move there?

[00:03:16]Maran replied, "He should move there."

[00:03:20]The next question we're going to deal with is should a person who's in Kiruv in Chutz L'Aretz, should he move to Eretz Yisrael when he's needed so much in Chutz L'Aretz? Let's take a look. A certain Kiruv of Torah outreach worker is very successful in bringing our Jewish brethren closer to Hashem and his Torah in the distance in a distant city in the United States. He would like to know if he can move to Eretz Yisrael.

[00:03:46]However, in his town there's only one shul, one Jewish community, and he runs them and takes of everything.

[00:03:54]Due to the responsibility that rests on him, he is uncertain whether he is permitted to move to Eretz Yisrael.

[00:04:00]Therefore, he would like to ask Maran whether he may move or whether he must stay where he is. Maran wrote to me the following reply.

[00:04:08]It is a mitzvah for him to move to Eretz Yisrael.

[00:04:12]What happens if this person who wants to make aliyah runs a school with hundreds of kids and he is the most important person in his community? Let's take a look.

[00:04:25]My friend from England would very much like to move to Eretz Yisrael. He has eight children and runs an educational institution with hundreds of children.

[00:04:32]The heads of the institution insist that he remain as no one else could run the institution as in the successful way that he does. They say that he is irreplaceable. I asked Rabbi Elyashiv in the winter of 5770 whether he needs to take into account what the heads of the institution are telling him.

[00:04:49]Rabbi Elyashiv replied, "This is a consideration." I then asked, "Should he move to Eretz Yisrael or not?" Rabbi Elyashiv replied, "This is undoubtedly a consideration not to be taken lightly." Later that day, I visited Maran, Rabbi Chaim, and asked him this question. Maran replied, "The institution should find someone else." I asked Maran, "Is it a correct for him to move to Eretz Yisrael in the current situation?" Maran replied, "Ask my father-in-law, Rabbi Elyashiv." I told Maran, "I've already been to his father-in-law and he said that it is a consideration but he did not come to a conclusion." Maran replied, "Then you are exempt. He may come to Eretz Yisrael." I went from there to visit Rav Steinman and told him that my friend is very happy with his children's education in England. He would like to ask whether he should be concerned about the education in Eretz Yisrael.

[00:05:39]Rav Steinman replied, "He need not be concerned about it. It will be good." I asked Rav Steinman, "If so, what would be a good time for him to move to Eretz Yisrael. If Steiner replied, the sooner the better.

[00:05:51]You see, the real question over here is, are we required to move to Eretz Yisrael? And if you ask most people, they'll say, well, it's a machlokes. You know, and that doesn't really give any finality. But Rav Chaim gave finality.

[00:06:05]Take a look at this next clip.

[00:06:07]I visited Maran in 5775 with a man who had moved to Eretz Yisrael from the United States.

[00:06:12]He told Maran that before he moved to Eretz Yisrael, many people told him that it's forbidden to move nowadays, but we must wait until the Mashiach comes and move then. He asked Maran if this is correct. Maran said, chalila.

[00:06:25]It's a mitzvah to move to Eretz Yisrael.

[00:06:26]He asked Maran whether it's a biblical mitzvah that applies today. Maran replied, yes.

[00:06:32]The rabbi of a community in Chutz L'Aretz who wishes to return to Eretz Yisrael. I asked Rav Chaim as follows.

[00:06:39]Ruvein, an avreich from Eretz Yisrael, went to one of the gedolei hador who told him to move abroad, where he would become a rabbi of a community, the head of a school, and Rosh Yeshiva of an evening kollel.

[00:06:52]With Hashem's help, he was very successful over the years and built up Torah there. He would now like to return to Eretz Yisrael, mainly because he wants to bring up his children and educate them in Eretz Yisrael. The godol whom he asked previously is currently unwell, so we cannot ask him for his opinion on this matter. Ruvein would like to know whether he may return to Eretz Yisrael and fulfill the mitzvah of of living in Eretz Yisrael. And if so, he would like to know whether he is required to find a replacement, or whether he should ask one of the heads of the community to deal with this instead. Or, is he required to continue in his position abroad? And if so, for how long? Maran told me that he should certainly return to Eretz Yisrael and is not required to find a replacement.

[00:07:42]I asked Maran the following question.

[00:07:43]The rabbi of a community in Chutz L'Aretz has elderly parents who live with him. He would like to move to Eretz Yisrael and fulfill the mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael.

[00:07:52]However, his parents want him to remain with them in Chutz L'Aretz, and his community members also want him to remain there and continue serving as the rabbi.

[00:08:01]Is the rabbi required to listen to his parents and community members and remain in Chutz L'Aretz? Maran replied, he does not need to listen to them, and he may move to Eretz Yisrael.

[00:08:11]I asked Maran the following question. A person from abroad came to Eretz Yisrael for Yom Tov, and in the middle of the second day Yom Tov, he decided to settle in Eretz Yisrael.

[00:08:21]Is he required to recite Havdalah immediately, put on tefillin, and recite the weekday mincha, despite having recited kiddush the previous night and davened Yom Tov prayers until now? So, get the question.

[00:08:36]The person lives in outside of Eretz Yisrael, and he comes here for Yom Tov, and on the second day Yom Tov, he decides to stay in Eretz Yisrael. Maran wrote to me the following. Yes, this is how the Chazon Ish ruled. A few months later, I asked Maran what the halacha would be in the opposite case.

[00:08:55]Someone from Eretz Yisrael went abroad for Yom Tov, and on the second day of Yom Tov there, his Issur Chag, after putting on tefillin privately and davening the weekday prayers, he decided to settle outside of Eretz Yisrael. Is he required to observe Yom Tov, recite the Yom Tov mincha, and recite Havdalah again in the evening, despite having already recited Havdalah after the first day of Yom Tov?

[00:09:20]Maran wrote me the following reply.

[00:09:23]Yes.

[00:09:24]When I asked Maran this question orally, he replied, yes, this is correct.

[00:09:28]However, Maran added, but he is crazy.

[00:09:31]So, he is exempt from all mitzvahs for wanting to leave Eretz Yisrael and settle in Chutz L'Aretz. He's considered crazy.

[00:09:38]I asked Maran, "According to this, he should be required to recite the Yom Tov night Kiddush in the middle of the day, as the previous night he recited Havdalah and not Kiddush." Maran replied, "He is exempt from all mitzvahs. He is crazy."

[00:09:53]So, if in fact it is a mitzvah that you're required to move to Eretz Yisrael, so what would happen if you are supporting yeshivas in Eretz Yisrael?

[00:10:05]Would that override your commandment to move to Eretz Yisrael? Let's take a look at this next clip.

[00:10:11]I asked Maran the following question. A certain Torah observant doctor from America is one of the greatest experts in his field in the world and is very successful. He is the sole supporter of the entire yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael.

[00:10:24]His son is the Rosh Yeshiva. He would very much like to move to Eretz Yisrael, but if he does so, he will need to stop supporting the yeshiva. There are about 50 students in the yeshiva. He asked me to ask Maran whether he is permitted to move to Eretz Yisrael.

[00:10:40]Even if he is permitted to move, is it worthwhile for him to do so? Perhaps the merit of supporting the Torah learning of so many students is greater, especially now that the yeshivas are experiencing financial difficulty.

[00:10:52]Maran wrote me the following reply. He should move to Eretz Yisrael.

[00:10:57]I wrote the following explanation of Maran's reply. I think Maran's reason for his ruling is that the mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael is a biblical mitzvah that even applies today and is certain that he will be able to fulfill this mitzvah. However, if he remains in Chutz La'aretz, who knows whether he will be able to continue supporting the yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael.

[00:11:14]Who can guarantee that he will always be in the same financial position as he is in now?

[00:11:19]Is his income guaranteed? He is not in control of his livelihood. Furthermore, perhaps he will have great financial success in Eretz Yisrael and won't be able to continue supporting the yeshiva.

[00:11:28]Therefore, he He a situation of certainty before him, fulfilling the mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael, and a situation of uncertainty, his livelihood. So, should he take hold of a certain situation and move to Eretz Yisrael?

[00:11:43]Furthermore, the mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael is incumbent upon him, and he should make sure to fulfill those mitzvahs that are incumbent upon him.

[00:11:50]However, he's not obligated to support Torah in the manner in which he chooses.

[00:11:54]He could continue supporting Torah according to his ability. Is a person required to earn a living increase his income merely to fulfill the mitzvah of tzedakah and supporting Torah in a more mehuder manner. If he moves to Eretz Yisrael and finds that he earns less and is unable to support yeshivos, Hashem will have no claim against him as he performed the mitzvah and Hashem decreed that his livelihood would diminish. If Hashem wishes that the yeshiva should continue, we'll find another supporter for it. On the other hand, if Hashem wishes that the yeshiva should close, Hashem will cause it to close even if the doctor remains in chutz la'aretz. Therefore, he should not become involved in Hashem's calculation, but should do what's incumbent on him. I showed Maran what I had written and asked him if these are indeed reasons why he ruled this way.

[00:12:42]Maran wrote to me the following reply, "Correct." He told me orally, "Correct.

[00:12:46]This is the halakha. The halakha is that he must come to Eretz Yisrael."

[00:12:49]I visited Maran with a man who related that he had moved to Eretz Yisrael 7 months ago, but his children were experiencing difficulties with their studies and he was having difficulty educating them. He would like to know whether he should return to chutz la'aretz or remain in Eretz Yisrael. Maran replied he should remain in Eretz Yisrael. He gave him a blessing that his children should succeed in their studies and that he and his wife should be successful in educating them.

[00:13:13]I asked Maran the following question. A woman opened the letters she received in the mail and discovered that her husband had won a ticket to chutz la'aretz from a raffle in which they had participated.

[00:13:23]Since she heard that Maran holds that it is forbidden to go to Chutz La'aretz on a pleasure trip.

[00:13:29]She would like to know whether she is permitted to rip up the ticket if she can do so without her husband knowing about it. In this situation, there was no option of giving the ticket to someone else was permitted to travel to Chutz La'aretz. There was also no option of exchanging the ticket for its cash value.

[00:13:43]Maran replied, yes, she's permitted to rip it up.

[00:13:46]I visited Maran on Marcheshvan 5779 with a bochur from abroad. I related to Maran that the bochur had been learning in Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael for 2 years, but his parents want him to return home to study a profession and begin his life.

[00:14:03]For a long time, they have been putting excessive pressure on him to do so.

[00:14:08]However, the bochur wishes to remain in Eretz Yisrael and learn in Yeshiva until Pesach.

[00:14:13]I asked Maran whether he needs to listen to his parents in this matter.

[00:14:18]Maran replied, one cannot make someone leave Eretz Yisrael to go to Chutz La'aretz. The bochur was extremely worried what his parents' reaction would be as they were very strict and insist that he do as they say.

[00:14:30]They are not the type of people who ask rabbinic advice about such matters. When he returned to Yeshiva, he asked his rabbis how he should inform his parents about what Rav Chaim Kanievsky told him.

[00:14:41]Amazingly, 2 days later, when he was feeling scared, hesitant, and confused, the bochur called his father. When he was about to tell his father what had happened, his father told him that he asked advice from a certain rabbi who decided on his son's behalf that it would be worthwhile for him to remain in Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael until Pesach.

[00:15:01]In Tammuz 5774, our wicked enemies from Hamas began shooting rockets at several places in Eretz Yisrael. From the first day the sirens were heard, many people began to experience terrible fear.

[00:15:14]I asked I was asked to seek guidance from the Gedolim as to whether it is correct to be afraid and whether I should be it should be worthwhile traveling to Hutz L'Aretz at this time.

[00:15:25]When I asked Rav Steinman this question, he smiled and said to me, "What would happen if all the Jews leave Eretz Yisrael?" He added that there is no need to leave.

[00:15:37]And gave his blessing that everything should be peaceful. Maran told me, "Tell him those who are afraid should come to Bnei Brak." I told Maran that they do not want to come to Bnei Brak. They either want to remain in Beit Shemesh or fly to America. Maran replied, "Instead of America, they should come to Bnei Brak."

[00:15:52]I asked Maran the following question. A certain Talmud Chocham who lives in Eretz Yisrael has a student who lives abroad and asked him to come to be a sandek at a bris of his son. Should he go abroad for this purpose? Maran replied, "It is not worthwhile." A couple in their 30s live in the United States and have two daughters and two sons. The husband would very much like to move to Eretz Yisrael. However, the wife finds this very difficult as her mother and her family help her considerably with looking after the children. And in Eretz Yisrael, she has no close family to assist her.

[00:16:29]The wife is prepared to move to Eretz Yisrael on condition that they do not have any more children. She finds it extremely difficult to deal with her four young children and claims that if they would have more children and no help from her mother, the situation would be unbearably difficult. The husband believes that the education his children will receive in Eretz Yisrael is superior to that in Chutz L'Aretz.

[00:16:53]Additionally, his wife's family are not Chareidi and he wants to minimize their influence on his children. The husband would like to know the Torah approach to this matter. Would one say that since he already has fulfilled the mitzvah of having children, he should agree to his wife's condition? She is stubborn and there is no chance of influence influencing her to change her mind in the foreseeable future. Or should he remain in Chutz L'Aretz and with Hashem's help, they will have more children.

[00:17:19]They have plenty of funds available and assume that the situation will be the same in Eretz Yisrael. They are not concerned with this at all. Maran wrote to me the following reply.

[00:17:29]The Halacha is like Rebbi Yeshua, that a person should continue to have children even after having fulfilled the biblical command to have one son and one daughter.

[00:17:40]The one who provides children also provides sustenance.

[00:17:44]After receiving this reply, I asked Maran the following question. The couple would like Maran to provide them with a clear ruling whether they should move to Eretz Yisrael or remain in the United States. They are prepared to do whatever Maran says.

[00:17:58]Maran replied wrote to me the following reply. They should move to Eretz Yisrael.

[00:18:04]I asked Maran the following question. A couple who lives in Eretz Yisrael asked me to ask Maran what they should do. For the past 5 years, they have arranged a camp for girls from Europe, England, Austria, Switzerland, and France in the French Alps. The camp is designed to ensure that levels of tznius, modesty, and dress behavior are maintained even in a camp. Girls come from there from every year from the best families. The camp has saved and built up many girls in a spiritual sense over the past few years. The Alps are a seven journey seven-hour journey from Paris.

[00:18:37]They have never encountered any problems of anti-Semitism there. However, in the view of the present situation of frequent terror attacks in France and other places, they would like to know whether there's anything to be concerned about this year, as there are Jewish hotels in the vicinity, and whether they should go there as usual, as those who are performing a mitzvah come to no harm. If they are permitted to travel there, can they fly during the nine days to set up the camp, which begins two days after Tisha B'Av? At first, Maran replied, they should move to Eretz Yisrael. I replied that they all live in Eretz Yisrael, but would like to travel to the to save the girls. Maran replied, "They do not need to travel to Israel. They do not need to. They do not need to." Two weeks later, I turned to Maran to ask him the following question.

[00:19:22]The couple would like to ask that although they might not need to travel, this is a major source of their livelihood. So, they would like to know whether they're permitted to travel or whether they should be concerned about the terror attacks that have taken place during the past few weeks, especially in France.

[00:19:35]Maran replied, "Hashem should help, but it's not correct to travel during the nine days." I asked Maran if they should travel before the nine days. Maran replied, "Yes." So, there you have it, my friends. Rav Chaim Kanievsky was very clear about moving to Israel. So, next time you ask your rov, "Should I move to Israel?"

[00:19:53]And if he doesn't say yes, you could ask him what Rav Chaim Kanievsky would say and why in fact does he disagree.

[00:20:01]So, thank you for watching. Shabbat Shalom. Please comment. I'll try to read the comments. Until next time.

[00:20:08]Chazak u'baruch. Shalom from just outside Jerusalem.

[00:20:15]>> [music]