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In the course of interpreting the dream related by the “Sar HaMashkim”, Yosef reveals a small part of his own life story saying: “I have been stolen from the Land of the Hebrews” (Bereishit 40:15). The Rabbis perceived this seemingly insignificant statement to be an expression of greatness, showing Yosef’s superiority over none other than Moshe Rabbeinu.
The Midrash tells us that Moshe turned to G-d with a serious grievance: “Yosef’s bones were brought into the Land, whereas I was not allowed to enter it.” The Almighty said: “He who acknowledged (identifies with) his land is buried in his land, while he who did not acknowledge his land is not buried in his land.” From where do we learn that Yosef acknowledged his land? Yosef tells “Sar Hamashkim” that he had been stolen from the land of the Hebrews – therefore, he is buried in his land… Moshe, on the other hand, had not acknowledged his land and was, therefore, not buried there. For when the daughters of Yitro said (Shemot 2:19) “An Egyptian man saved us from the shepherds”, Moshe hears their description and remains silent. Thus, he does not merit to be buried within the Land” (Devarim Rabba 2:8).
Rabbi Meir Yechiel of Ostrovtza, one of the great Chasidic Rebbes in Poland, poses the following question: How can the Midrash deign to compare Moshe unfavorably to Yosef when their circumstances were so very different? Yosef had indeed come from Eretz Yisrael whereas Moshe was born and raised in Egypt! Were Moshe to have replied any differently would this not be an outright lie on his part? Rabbi Meir Yechiel answered that each and every Jew is always obligated to see him, or herself, as having come from Eretz Yisrael. Even if he was born elsewhere, he nonetheless belongs to the Land of Israel. When a Jew is asked: “Where are you from”? He must proudly respond: I come from Eretz Yisrael.
Rabbi Moshe of Coucy, the author of the “Sefer Mitzvot Gadol” and one of the Ba’alei HaTosafot, would sign his name: “Moshe from the Exile of Jerusalem who is in France.” It is true that I am in France, but I am from Jerusalem. When a Jew is asked: “Where are you from”, he must therefore respond: I come from Eretz Yisrael.
I am reminded of the life-story of a Russian woman I met back in the 90s. The woman’s husband was a Jewish man who had married her – the daughter of non-Jewish communists – despite her parents’ strong objection to their child marrying a “zhid” (pejorative for “Jew”).
When the couple decided to leave Russia and make Aliyah, like all other Soviet-bloc Olim of the time, they were screened and processed by the Jewish Agency in a way-station situated in Vienna. At this time, the couple made contact with some friends who had moved to the U.S.A. These friends presented them with fantastic opportunities, urging them to reconsider their plans and follow their own example by moving to the States. The husband was quickly convinced that they should make a detour to the U.S.A., while the wife refused. “I married a Jew who always spoke of making Aliyah to his homeland”, she said, “and I am going nowhere else!”
As the argument escalated out of hand, the couple found themselves in the divorce chamber of an Austrian judge. When queried about his religion, the husband replied that he had none, and when asked where he wants to live, he answered “America”. Presented with the same questions, the gentile wife, born into the communist “religion”, replied “I am Jewish, and I wish to proceed to the Holy Land”. I met this remarkable woman in an Absorption Center after she came on Aliyah alone with her two young children. Having divorced her husband and converted to Judaism she consulted with me as she was searching for proper religious schooling for her two children.
I can easily understand why a Jewish Russian man, raised without any religious background, would feel no special spiritual connection to the Holy Land. What I find much more difficult to relate to, is the American Jew who is drawn to the Holy Land, and perhaps has even studied and visited here on numerous occasions, and yet when pressed to make the ultimate identification – applying for a Teudat Zehut, he hesitates to take the leap! Is it not time to answer the question: “Where are you from?” with a loud and clear “I Come From Eretz Yisrael!
Rabbi Yerachmiel Roness
Ramat Shilo, Bet Shemesh
RABBI YERACHMIEL RONESS was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. After serving as a congregational Rabbi and as a Hillel Director in New York City, he made Aliyah in 1983 with his wife Dina and their five young children.
Ever since, Rabbi Roness has dedicated his life to promoting Aliyah. First, as Rabbi of the Jewish Agency’s Absorption Centers, and subsequently as the executive director of the Aloh-Naaleh organization.
This article was taken from Rabbi Roness’s new book: Aloh Na’aleh – Eretz Yisrael and Aliyah in the Weekly Parshah. The book is for sale on Amazon:
