VIDEO: Lakewood Resident asks Rav Chaim Kanievsky about Moving to Eretz Yisroel before Moshiach Comes

rav chaimVIDEO: A Lakewood resident recently visited Rav Chaim Kanievsky, and asked if people should wait until Moshiach comes to move to Eretz Yisroel. The Rav’s response was, “Chalila”… “It’s a Mitzvah.”

The question, transcribed below, was presented by his Talmid R’ Pessin.

נכנסתי קמיה מרן הגר”ח קניבסקי שליט”א (שבט התשע”ה), עם יהודי שזכה לעלות לארץ ישראל מארה”ב, ויהודי דנן אמר למרן שליט”א שלפני שהוא עלה לארץ, היו רבים שאמרו לו שאסור כעת לעלות וצריך לחכות לעת ביאת המשיח ואז יהיה אפשר לעלות. ושאלתו בפיו, האם הם צודקים בזה?

וענה הרב שליט”א: “חלילה! זו מצוה לעלות!”.

האם זו מצוה דאורייתא שנוהגת גם היום?

והשיב הרב שליט”א: “כן”.


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19 COMMENTS

  1. The English translation provided here misrepresents the question asked. The question was if there is an ISSUR to move there before Moshiach. The answer is obviously not, as most level-headed people would have realized without bothering RCK shlita.

  2. The confusion that is so evident in this question is painful to see. It would have been unfathomable to our grandparents to begin to contemplate such a question. Yidden for generations craved with all their being to live in EY under a constant special hashgocha of tomid einei hashem bah. How have we become so desensitized to this great gift that Hashem has given to each one of us?

  3. Somebody in the know recently told me that R Chaim Shlit”a gets so overwhelmed with people coming and it’s really hard on him the amount that come every day. Not talking about people coming for brochos but that here a class from a mesivta in EY wanting to make a siyum at ‘R Chaim’s house and then a bunch of baalei baatim from some place in North America talking in learning…. people should know that he doesn’t have the koach. If you notice he even cut down his two word brocho that he gives to one and all “brocho v ‘ hatzlocho” to “boohaa” …those that have seen videos can hear him say “boohaa boohaa”..

  4. Now the only remaining issue is feasibility. The fact is that over 3000 Americans move to EY each year and are living very happy healthy lives. There are plenty of schools geared for Americans, you can have your Hellmann’s mayo, and most people have cars (you end up driving less so gas bills are similar to US). Don’t listen to the Meraglim !!! Come join us here YOU WILL LOVE IT!

  5. To Ishneshek, you’re right but many people think they are supposed to wait for Moshiach. Ask your friends & neighbors why they don’t move to Eretz Yisroel and see what they say.

  6. In history Klal Yisroel enters EY three times, the first two times were negative and unenthusiastic and we must get it right this time; 1) After Yetzias Mitzrayim the Meraglim said its too difficult 2) Ezra – Bayis Sheni, only a small minority went up 3) Final Redemption. This is happening now!! It may not be for everyone yet but with 200,000 US citizens already in EY, Don’t just assume its not for you!

  7. @Ishneshek Forget the transcription and watch the video. Rav Chaim Kanievsky answers clearly “yes” to the question “Is it a mitzva deoraysa to make aliyah?”

    That’s pretty revolutionary in Lakewood, even to most level-headed people.

  8. Ishneshek, you are correct, however, when we asked R’ Chaim Kanievsky if we should move, we were told that we should, despite several reservations that we had. The moral of the story is to ask your own shailah as it pertains to your situation if it becomes possible for you to move, and to present it correctly.

  9. ?מדוע מרן הגר”ח קנייבסקי שליט”א מברך בראשי תיבות בו”ה‎
    היה זה בחול המועד סוכות תשע”ג כאשר עלו ובאו המוני בית ישראל לרבינו שליט׳׳א לקיים מצוות הקבלת פני רבו ברגל ולהתברך מפיו בברכת החג, באחד מימי חול המועד ישב רבינו וקיבל את הבאים, במשך שעות ארוכות עברו לפניו אלפי אנשים וטף הממלאים את ביתו ורבינו שומע את אלפי הבקשות לברכה ומברך ומאחל בקצרה ״ברכה והצלחה׳׳ כדרכו, לאחר כמה שעות ננעלה הדלת כדי שרבינו יוכל לנוח מעט. כששב רבינו לקבל את הקהל, שמענו שמברך את הקהל בקיצור נמרץ, ובמקום שהיה רגיל לברך בברכת ״ברכה והצלחה׳׳, התחיל לברך במילה אחת ״בו״ה״, בתחילה היה נראה כי כדי לזרז ולקצר את המוני האנשים עושה כן, אך מאז ועד היום ממשיך רבינו לברך כמעט את כל מי שמבקש את ברכתו, ועונה ״בו״ה״, רק פעמים בודדות עונה ״ברכה והצלחה״. באחד הפעמים שאלו לרבינו שליט״א למה מקצר כל כך בברכותיו, הלא יש ענין גדול לברך כל אדם מישראל, ונאמר ואברכה מברכך, והראה רבינו את דברי הרמב״ם בהלכות דעות פ״ב ה״ד שכותב, ״לעולם ירבה אדם בשתיקה, ולא ידבר אלא או בדבר חכמה, או בדברים שצריך להם לחיי גופו וכו’, וכן בדברי תורה ובדברי חכמה, יהיו דברי החכם מעטים וענייניהם מרובים, והוא שצוו חכמים, ואמרו לעולם ישנה אדם לתלמידו דרך קצרה״ וכו’, (יש לציין שבמכתבים תמיד היה רבינו כותב בו”ה במשך כל השנים). והוסיפו לשאול, למה כששואלים מרבינו ברכה לרפואה עונה ״רפואה שלמה״ ואינו מקצר “רפו״ש״, ואמר רבינו מניה וביה ״כי הרפואה צריכה להיות שלמה, לכן לא מטפיק רפו״ש, וצריך לומר מלא רפואה שלמה, אבל ברכה והצלחה היא אותה ברכה גם בקיצור של בו”ה׳׳.
    (מתוך עלון דברי שיח לפרשת משפטים)

  10. I recently had a dream that we would have a war in America and that they would gather people in gymnasiums. In my dream they asked the Jewish people for their ids. My daughter told me to hide it in my shoe. Her and I cried and I said we should have left to Israel and we didn’t and now it’s too late. I intend on writing to Rav Kanievsky. Problem is that we are very comfortable in the USA. Life in Israel is not easy but is so beautiful. That is really where we all belong. When I go there to visit I cry everytime I have to come back. Life is getting scarier everyday and I’m so tired of people thinking that another Holocaust can’t happen. We need to wake up. All the signs are there.

  11. I’ve done extensive research and interviews of American olim on topic. It boils down to kids ages 4 and up not adjusting or doing well (many forever) and it thus not a good idea bc it involves sacrificing those kids lives. Make Aliyah before kids are born or are small toddlers or after youve married off all your children and are willing to sacrifice being cut off from them.

  12. In our currents times the mitzvah of yishuv haeretz has been linked to Zionism which in our population is a no, no. By default we stopped yearning for this mitzvah that is so paramount that we verbalize it countless times throughout the day in almost every Tefillah.
    The same is true about the bad rep Moshiach has become.No one can deny the kedusha one feels in Eretz Yisroel. Times are changing and WE are losing out by not opening our eyes to the messages Hakudosh Boruch Hu is trying to give us. After all, it was only a small minority of Klal Yisroel who went back with Ezra by Bayis Shaini. It was only a small minority of Klal Yisroel who left Mitraraim in the first place. Ay! It is not simple!But let’s start being Michanaich our children, That our hearts are there but right now it is too difficult. You don’t have to speak words to send a message. It’s about time we revive this mitzvah instead of shoving it under the table. Don’t you love when all your kinderluch are home in the same house?

  13. Chas vShalom to listen to #17. R’ Shmeul Kaminetzky said the kids will be fine. There are hundreds of thousands of US familes living here and doing great. If there were no Esrogim one year would you shake an apple ? You’d search the world until you got hold of an esrog, why is this any different ? If there is a will there’s a way! If you think its an issue then come with a few other families so that the transitions is easier!
    Hatzlacha! I’ll come great you upon your arrival in Ben Gurion Airport (BLN)

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