By the Grace of G-d
15th of Cheshvan, 5740
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Dr. . . .
Seattle, Washington 98118
Greeting and Blessing:
After the long interval I received your letter. True to your style, as in your previous letter some years back, you begin with a bold reproach,
If past experience is a criterion, I doubt very much whether my answer will satisfy you. Yet since you ask a direct question which has a clear answer, I am not at liberty to withhold it from you. And the answer is quite simple: Open a Shulchan Aruch, even a Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, and see for yourself what it says there about the mitzvah of Tefillin and the mitzvah of Aliyah to Eretz Yisroel.
Since you are a scientist - as your title “Dr.” indicates, you are surely committed to the basic scientific method of first verifying the actual facts and then trying to explain them. In other words, the scientific principle is that theory follows reality and not vice versa.
In light of the above, have you at least verified as to how many frum Jews (including the Rambam you mention and other Gedolei Yisroel, whose adherence to the Shulchan Aruch you would not question, even if you may be inclined to question the frumkeit of others, according to your definition; though here again there is a scientific way of establishing also such a definition) who strictly observed the mitzvah of Tefillin, yet did not make Aliyah? I refer of course both to past generations as well as to our own times.
Needless to say, it is possible to expand on the subject, but the above should suffice, if you will only reflect on it with proper attention.
Now that I have answered your reproach, I take the liberty of reciprocation, not with a reproach, but with a question:
Since you are so heatedly concerned about Aliyah, you are surely concerned no less about the well being and security of our brethren living there. As to what are the conditions for such well-being and security – there is a whole portion in the Torah - Bechukosai – where the conditions are clearly specified and spelled out in order to ensure ‘you will live in security in your land’.
In plain words, it calls for the everyday life and conduct in accordance with the Torah and mitzvos which, though a "must" everywhere, are even more imperative in the Holy Land – “The land on which G-d's Eyes rest continuously, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”
The question is - and it is not important that you should give me the answer, but should give yourself a satisfactory answer in the intimacy of self examination: How many Jews in Eretz Yisroel have you brought closer to Torah and mitzvos and how many non observant Jews have you influenced to become observant? And how dedicated and consistent has been your efforts in this direction? And does this effort match your enthusiasm about Aliyah? And finally, have you used your influence in this direction to the fullest extent of your abilities and opportunities?
If one relies on the Shulchan Aruch to make the right decision in any situation and wants to assess the comparable contribution to Eretz Yisroel – the conclusion is inevitable that a Jew who lives there and does not do anything to influence other Jews there to become more observant, certainly does less for Eretz Yisroel than a Jew who lives elsewhere and helps even one Jew to become observant, since all our Jewish people are one complete organism.
Needless to say, the purpose of this letter is not to polemicize and the like. What has been written above has the sole purpose that perhaps after all, you will begin to get involved seriously in spreading and strengthening Yisddishkeit to the fullest extent of your ability, both during your stay here as well as after your return to Eretz Yisroel.
With blessing,
P.S. I would appreciate it very much if you would let me know the basis of your Hetter to leave Eretz Yisroel in order to spend your Sabbatical here. I assume you asked a Rov if you were permitted to do so and if so, I am interested to know the Halachic basis of this hetter.
P.P.S. Since dictating the above, your letter was received, but it is already fully covered in what has been said above.
