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Q. How can we understand certain surprisingly extreme statements of our sages against those who live outside of the Land of Israel, like "whoever lives outside of Eretz Yisrael has no G-d… is like one worshiping idols" (Ketuvot 110b)? It seems offensive! A. The answer to such questions is usually found in its context. The Talmud there begins by saying, "A person should always live in the Land of Israel, even in a city which is mostly idolators, rather than in Chutz LaAretz, even in a city which is mostly Jewish, for whoever lives outside of Eretz Yisrael has no G-d, etc". A parallel source (Tosefta Av.Z. 5, 2) cites this (with minor changes) and continues, "teaching us that living in Eretz Yisrael is equated with the rest of the mitzvot combined". Chazal explicitly bring the strongest "havi-amina" (="competition", reason we might have thought otherwise): for during 2,000 years of exile, the Torah atmosphere in Bavel, & afterwards in Morrocco and Europe, outside of the Land of Israel was stronger, while contrarily in the Land of Israel there was a predominantly gentile, even idolatrous atmosphere. Nevertheless, despite the importance of one's surrounding influence, it's "ALWAYS better to live in the Land of Israel" (cited as halacha, Rambam, Melachim 5, 12), for the Divine presence here is the strongest and superior spiritual influence. The mussar classics stress that the strongest test is when your Yetzer HaRa disguises itself as your Yetzer HaTov. "Of course my spiritual surroundings are of utmost importance". Question is, maybe I should let Chazal (and not my cognitive dissonance!) define and decide what is the best "spiritual surroundings"… Your question is correctly based upon the Rambam's (and Judaism's!) principle that "the middle path" is correct regarding every topic, and extremism is almost always problematic and wrong (Hil. De'ot, see Rav Kook, Orot,…). Nevertheless the Rambam himself continues there that regarding the traits of arrogance and anger (which are obviously closely connected), one must "run" to the opposite extreme. This is generally understood for 2 (obviously connected) reasons: 1. When there's so much pulling me in the other direction (our tendency is to be egocentric & anger easily), and consequently: 2. The definition of WHERE is the middle is unclear, for we get confused & must make a conscious effort to "bend over backwards" to end up in the real middle. Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook often said, "הוודאי שמו כן תהילתו", "His Name is definite and so is His praise", explaining that the Torah is meant to be certain and totally clear, leaving no room for excuses and unclarity in the face of the Yetzer HaRa. We all know that there are so many reasons pulling a person to stay in America: knowing the system, the language, our close family, a higher standard of living, fear-of-the-unknown or change etc. The status quo is the way "I always pictured myself" like my parents, in the lifestyle and communities in which I grew up. It's easy to legitimize living in Chutz LaAretz when "my rabbi also lives here", and COGNITIVE DISSONANCE (in Hebrew, the Yetzer haRa) justifies it from any possible angle. Comes Rashi and stresses no, it is not legitimate, there is "a SIN to live in Chutz LaAretz" (Berachot 57a). Your rabbi may have an excuse, but you (almost always) don't. Interestingly, this week's parsha begins that we all have free-will to do good or bad (11, 26-28). The Rambam is well-known for his stressing the strength of this free-will, that we can overcome almost any obstacle in life to be who we want (midat Gevura). If so, why does he say that it's important to choose spiritual surroundings for EVERYONE is influenced? The answer is that yes, you are inevitably influenced by your surroundings, but you have free-will to choose by whom or by what to be influenced! Our topic stresses that spiritual influence is not just your community, but in Israel, it is your G-d and His holiness which influences even via the air we breathe and fruit we eat! For 2,000 years, when Israel was in the hands of gentiles, we had to choose between the 2 (and the answer was still: Israel), but today BH the Torah, yeshiva and rabbinical center of the world is also in Israel, so how much more so Israel is the clear answer. In short, as great educators, the goal of our sages apparently is to SHOCK you, for you can't just read such a statement and continue without stopping to think. Galut has such a strong pull, that they bring in a GAME-CHANGER that will break the status quo. Their goal is precisely to GRAB your attention, and (based on your question) they clearly succeeded!
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Rabbi Ari Shvat

Lectures at various yeshivot, michlalot and midrashot. Has published many books & Torani articles and is in charge of Rav Kook’s archives.
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