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Chassidism

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Rabbi Yoel Lieberman

Tishrei 18, 5780
Question
What is a Hassidic group that recognizes the mitzvah of Making Aliyah and the State of Israel? How do you know?
Answer
ב"ה Shalom Mo'adim Lesimcha With all due respect to Chassidic groups, the Mitzva of Aliya to Eretz Yisrael does not need the endorsement of these groups. In one of the important commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch , the Pitchei Teshuva, (Even Ha'ezer 75) written by Rabbi Avraham Tzvi Hirsh Eisenstadt zt"l, (Byelostok 1812–1868 Konigsberg ) it is written explicitly that the Mitzva of settling in Eretz Yisrael applies in all generations and this has the compliance of Rabbis of earlier and later generations. We have also seen the encouragement of Chassidic Rabbis telling their disciples to come to Eretz Yisrael. This dates back to as far as 1747, when a group of Chassidim came to Eretz Yisrael by the encouragement of the Ba'al Shem tov. The group was led by Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk zt"l . Other Rabbis include Rabbi Avraham Borenstein zt"l, the son in law of Rav Menachem Mendel of Kotzk zt"l ,( late-nineteenth-century), founder and first Rebbe of the Sochatchover Chassidic dynasty, from the town of Sochaczew, Poland. Also in the late 19th century and early 20th Century, was the Rebbe of Pilov, Rabbi Chayim Yisrael Morgenstern zt"l, the grandson of Rav Menachem Mendel of Kotzk zt"l, who called upon his disciples to Eretz Yisrael to settle and buy lands in Eretz Yisrael. These are only a few examples, since I have not studied in the depth the history the Aliya of Chassidic groups to Eretz Yisrael. I know from personal knowledge , that there are also Chassidic groups which after the holocaust settled in the U.S., but years later some of the Rebbes made Aliya. On the issue of recognizing the State of Israel, I think that most Chassidic groups recognize the State of Israel, and we have no greater proof for this other than their mass participation in the elections in Israel and I should say in the same breath, that there is no greater supporter for Yeshivas and Kolels than the State of Israel. The view of Chassidic groups of the State of Israel and how they see it in Hashem's plan for the redemption of Israel, is surely different than the national religious view. However, it should be said that when the State of Israel was established there were Rebbes who viewed the State of Israel as the beginning of the redemption and participated in prayers of Independence day. The journalist Shaul Shiff has published this information. Just to end with a unique story, the 2nd Rebbe of Sadigora, Rabbi Avraham Yakov Friedman zt"l ,(18184 Ukraine – 1961 Tel Aviv ) was a holocaust survivor. While being humiliated and dehumanized during the holocaust, he made a vow to Hashem, that if he survives the holocaust and arrives to Israel, he will sweep the streets of Israel every day. He indeed survived and he swept the street in front of his Tel Aviv home in the early hours of the morning. According to some sources he also put of the flag of Israel in his home. All the best
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