Q&A: What Do We Have to Look for Here
What Do We Have to Look for Here
Question
A serious question, even for a religious, believing Jew: what is there to look for in this country? What reason does he have not to move abroad, assuming he has means or a sought-after profession? The prices here are through the roof, it’s insanely hot here, the scenery here isn’t exactly breathtaking, to put it mildly, there are terrorist attacks, and people raise children here knowing that one day they’ll send them to the battlefield. The Haredim keep growing at a dizzying rate and only add to the burden on security and the economy, not to mention the trashy thugs. What is left here that counts as good?
Answer
The difference between a believing Jew and a non-believing one is the commandment of settling the Land. Beyond that, I don’t see a difference (perhaps the desire for a religious Jewish education, but you can find that abroad too). There are people, both religious and secular, who have national identification, and there are those who don’t. If you have no reason, then move. I didn’t understand what you’re asking me.
Discussion on Answer
Why are you asking me? How is that connected to what was written above? I wouldn’t move now, and probably not even as a software engineer. And by the way, not because of disagreement with this or that culture (I don’t despise American culture. Not at all. I despise certain currents within it, just as I despise certain currents that exist in Israeli culture). I want to live here. And there’s also the additional consideration of antisemitism, etc.
Michi,
in your view, is the commandment of settling the Land of Israel a commandment like all the other commandments? Doesn’t it have special importance? If a person can make money abroad and thereby fulfill the commandment of charity, do you think that justifies moving?
Indeed, it is a commandment like the other commandments. There is no one answer to the last question. There is a prohibition on leaving the Land of Israel, but for the sake of a commandment they permitted it. Do your charity commandment in the Land.
But abroad I can earn 1000 times more and give 1000 times more charity.
Good luck.
Just don’t forget to observe the commandments that depend on Belgium.
In your view, do the “land-dependent commandments” even apply today at all? Has their force not expired? What kind of consideration is that for staying in the Land?
Michi,
if you were, say, a single doctor/software engineer, would you emigrate from here? Where to? Don’t you rather despise American culture? Don’t you think you’d suffer there?