Judge:	Welcome! I understand you lived a full Jewish life in the world you just left.
Yisroel:	Yes, sir.
Judge:	You set aside time for Torah learning?
Yisroel:	Every day.
Judge:	You were faithful in your business dealings?
Yisroel:	Perfectly.
Judge:	Did you anticipate salvation?
Yisroel:	Absolutely.
Judge:	How?
Yisroel:	I believed each day that the Mashiach would come to end the golus and bring the geula.
Judge:	Where was it that you lived?
Yisroel:	(proudly) Monsey.
Judge:	Where is that?
Yisroel:	(surprised) New York State.
Judge:	What land is that in?
Yisroel:	(confused) Land?
Judge:	The land of which nation?
Yisroel:	(uneasy) W-well... America.
Judge:	I see. (pause) Why didn't you live in the Land of Israel?
Yisroel:	(slightly alarmed) I don't know; so many problems there and everything....
Judge:	Did you never learn that a full Jewish life is possible only in the Land of Israel?
Yisroel:	(nervous) Well, I learned it theoretically. But so many frum people, great rabbanim and everybody, were living in America.... I figured it wasn't something we had to do now.
Judge:	Who?
Yisroel:	Huh?
Judge:	Who were the great rabbis you used as your models for this?
Yisroel:	(shaky) Well, there's Rabbi -, and Rav .....
Judge:	Did you ever talk to them about it?
Yisroel:	About... ?
Judge:	About why they didn't live in the Land of Israel, but remained in a land of exile.
Yisroel:	(squirming) Not really. I guess they have their reasons. Leaders can't just abandon their followers.
Judge:	How many followers did you have?
Yisroel:	(uncomfortable) Well, a few... I've given some shiurim, and...
Judge:	And?
Yisroel:	(panicky) And I had some influence on...
Judge:	Yes?
Yisroel:	(defensive) Well, I was doing a lot of learning, and doing a lot of good things, and giving a lot of charity, and who knows if I could have done all those things in Eretz Yisroel?
Judge:	Did you consult with a rav to determine the validity of your calculations?
Yisroel:	(hesitant) I... I don't remember ever asking one, no.... But, (hopeful) what could they say to me if they are all there?
Judge:	You mean like Rav -, leader of thousands of Yidin?
Yisroel:	(uncertain) Yes.
Judge:	You tried to learn from his example?
Yisroel:	(smiling) Exactly.
Judge:	Did you emulate him in other areas as well?
Yisroel:	(on his guard) W-well, yes, sure.
Judge:	Learning, teaching, piety, character, holiness?
Yisroel:	W-well...
Judge:	Did you learn as many hours, teach as many students, perfect your character as stringently as he did?
Yisroel:	Well, of course not.
Judge:	Did you adopt all his chumros?
Yisroel:	(ruefully) Hardly.
Judge:	But this exemption you embraced without question?
Yisroel:	Exemption?
Judge:	Exempting yourself from the mitzva of living in the Land of Israel.
Yisroel	shrugs.
Judge:	The mitzva equivalent to all the others....
Yisroel	is silent.
Judge:	The mitzva which brings the whole Torah home....
Yisroel	bows his head.
Judge:	A pity. Others would have followed you, learned from your example.
Yisroel	puts his head in his hands.
Judge:	You could have made a difference.
Yisroel	lowers his head to his knees.
Judge:	The whole situation in the Land of Israel might have been affected.
Yisroel's	shoulders begin to shake.
Judge:	The geula might have come by now.
Yisroel	is in tears.

Chaim Aaronson Adopted from To dwell in the Pallace by Tzvia Ehrlich-Klein (ed.), Feldheim Publishers; Yerushalayim, 1991.

Back to Aliya Home page

This site designed by Avi Kovacs, and hosted by Get your own Free Home Page!

Comment's about the design? email us at [email protected]