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“Chevron VS Tsfat” - A Moral Dilemma for the Shabbos Table

By Rabbi Yitzy Weiner

Posted on 12/15/16

Parshas HaShavua Divrei Torah sponsored by
Dr. Shapsy Tajerstein, DPM - Podiatry Care.
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This week’s Torah portion discusses how Yaakov bought property outside of the city of Shechem. Living in the land of Israel is a fulfillment of the mitzva of Yishuv Ertez Yisrael. According to Rav Moshe Feinstein settling and living in the land of Israel is called a mitzva kiyumis. This means that if one does it, it is a great mitzva and he or she gets great spiritual reward and blessing. But one is not obligated to do it, and it is not a sin if one does not. (Click HERE for inspirational stories I have collected about the mitzva of “Living in Eretz Yisrael” that you might like to share at your table.)The Avnei Nezer in Yorah Deah 454 (at the end) writes that “even to those who live in the diaspora, it is a great mitzva to purchase a portion of land in Eretz Yisrael, especially if this will provide a livelihood for them. Even if they live in the diaspora it will be considered a bit as if they are living in Eretz Yisrael”. Rav Tzvi Berkowitz explains that the Avnei Nezer means that it is a mitzvah if it will help the land be settled by Jews.This leads us to the following dilemma. Chaim and Rachel lived in America and they wanted to purchase real estate in Eretz Yisrael in order to fulfill this mitzva discussed by the Avnei Nezer.  They did not plan to live there immediately but hoped one day to settle in Eretz Yisrael when it made sense. In the meantime, the land would be rented by Jews.They narrowed down their choices to two options. One option was to buy land in the holy city of Tsfas. The other option was to buy land in Chevron, not far from the Mearas Hamachpela. Tsfas is a city that is filled entirely with Jews, but, being a relatively “modern” city it does not have any significance in the times of Tanach. Chevron on the other hand, is primarily populated by non-Jews, and would be difficult to ever live there. However Chevron, the city of the Mearas Hamachpela, is one of the holiest cities in the world. Chaim and Rachel wondered where it would be preferable to purchase land. Would it be better to purchase land in a city filled with Jews? Or would it be better to purchase land in a very Holy city filled with gentiles?What do you think?
See Chashukei Chemed Baba Basra page 279


 


Answer to last week’s moral dilemma:
(click here to review the question)


This story is discussed in Veharev Na Volume One page 82


Rabbi Zilberstein answered that it was wrong to trick the driver, and Donny should have left money in the car that would have covered the fare.


Nonetheless, after the driver ran away, Donny does not have an obligation to track down the driver. The driver was “mafkir”,  gave up on his wages, by driving off