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The Students will

Bring Redemption

Rav Soloveitchik’s Views on Aliyah

Rabbi Dr. Aaron Adler

he Rav’s manifesto on Religious Yet when it came to his own students who
Zionism in general, and on the occupied positions in the rabbinate or edu-
national need for increased cation, the Rav was far less enthusiastic – to
TAliyah to Israel in particular, was say the least.
eloquently articulated in his 1956 Yom In March 1977, I began my tenure as a com-
HaAtzmaut address at Yeshiva University munity rabbi at Congregation Sons of Israel
entitled Kol Dodi Dofek. Subsequently, this in Long Island City, NY, and concurrently
speech, originally delivered in Yiddish, was served as a teacher of Jewish Studies at The
printed in both Hebrew and English trans- Frisch School in Paramus, NJ. I shared my
lation. In his capacity as Honorary President Aliyah ambitions with the Rav during the
of the Religious Zionists of America, the Rav course of 1978. I felt all along that I had to
would deliver a keynote address at the orga- fight to obtain a proper blessing from the
nization’s annual convention. Many of these Rav prior to our expected Aliyah in July 1979.
speeches appeared in book form entitled, In fact, it became increasingly evident that
“The Rav Speaks.” It is clear to all who heard the Rav was hopeful that his students would
or read these talks that the Rav had a very recognize their national responsibility to do
positive outlook on Aliyah. G-d’s work on American soil.
My Jewish Agency-sponsored pilot trip
The Rav told me that he never liked the coincided with Chanukah of 1978. I argued
word “Diaspora” because it lent legitimacy that in the dispute between the Beit Sham-
to those living outside of Eretz Yisrael. The mai and Beit Hillel schools regarding the “ascending order.” When considering the
appropriate word should be “galut,” exile, order of candle lighting – from eight to one future of the Jewish people, with inter-
giving one the sense of detachment from or from one to eight – the Talmud (Shab- marriage and assimilation increasing at
one’s home. Without a constant sensation of bat 21b) refers to Beit Shammai’s view as alarming rates, it’s clear that the American
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“galut,” there could be no longing for Aliyah “ך ֵלֹוה ְו ת ֵחֹו ּ פ,” “descending order,” as opposed scene is a “ך ֵלֹוה ְו ת ֵחֹו ּ פ” situation, while Jewish
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to Israel. to the view of Beit Hillel of “ך ֵלֹוה ְו ףי ִסֹומ,” population growth in the State of Israel is a
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