Ask the Rabbi

קטגוריה משנית
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Question
You wrote that every family that will be in Israel in yimot hamashiach will have had someone who picked up and moved to israel. Does that mean only people living in israel will be part of that? Do you mind elaborating on that idea? Thanks!
Answer
The Rambam stresses in Hil. Melachim ch. 11-12 that the messianic era is a natural one, with no super-natural miracles. We have seen over the last century that in fact, that is the track which we are on. Zionism has been based upon national and individual independence, free-will and human initiative of many chalutzim (pioneers). Although the G-d Who runs history, through many various historic events, has already brought, most of Am Yisrael back to Eretz Yisrael from more than 100 different exiles (that's precisely what's called: kibbutz galuyot), we see that in each of those aliyot, many Jews chose to come and others opted not to do so. The fate of most of those who chose not to participate in this final and glorious chapter of Jewish history, was that their memories and families have not only missed out on the privilege of being part of the ge'ula, but their families have disappeared, usually through assimilation but sometimes worse. I sincerely hope that Galut America, who has the comfortable choice of making aliya out of ideal and not out of fleeing from trouble, will choose to participate. You, who BH have the guts and idealism to have made aliya, have insured for your descendants that they will be here and involved, while our parents, cousins and siblings, if they choose to follow, will also participate (as my parents and siblings did). But unfortunately, they also have free will to choose to "day-dream" (as my rav, Rav Chaim Druckman zt"l who just passed away last week, thus explained "בשוב ה' את שיבת ציון היינו כחולמים" , that half a million orthodox Jews are still day-dreaming in galut) and "opt out". As long as they are alive they can change their mind and join, but as our parents get older, it becomes more difficult, and not easier. For sure we should try and influence the previous generation to participate as well, but we can only really be sure, responsible and choose regarding ourselves and our descendants! I can just say: Kol Hakavod!!
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