One Who Makes Aliyah Brings the Divine Presence to the Upper and Lower Worlds


How fortunate is one who merits the privilege of immigrating to the Eretz Yisrael and occupying himself in Torah in the place of holiness and purity!  For by doing so, he causes the Shechinah (Divine Presence) to dwell in the lower land and in the Upper Land, as is written in the Holy Zohar (Vaetchanan 268a), and as we learn from the verse: "For it is your means of survival and long life when you dwell in the land" 24 – on the earth in general, both the lower land and the Upper Land. Everything we do here below, is matched above with a corresponding act.


Rabbeinu Bachaye, for instance, wrote 25 that one who gives charity to a poor person in this world causes charity (tzedakah) to be extended to Jerusalem, known as the "city of tzedek (righteousness)." 26 Significantly, he adds that the Torah passage in question, dealing with charity, begins and ends with the words "your land," showing that even though charity is obligatory wherever one happens to be, its chief fulfillment is in the Land of Israel.  And not only that, but "the main fulfillment of every Torah commandment is in the Land of Israel, for the passage begins, 'These are the laws and statutes that you must keep in the Land.'"


The Shaarei Orah 27 writes:

"When King Shlomo built the Holy Temple, the dwelling place of the Divine Presence was thus set in the Land of Israe – and then, even though it is sometimes concealed, it never leaves the place of its holiness, as is written, "This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it." 28  It is also written, "Hashem has chosen Zion, He desired a dwelling place." 29  The word desired in these verses implies one who is getting further and further away from his family, and longs for them." 


This means that G-d's return to Zion is up to us; He feels bad that we are distancing ourselves!  It is all up to us, as written above, in the name of R. Hayat: "Unification with the Supreme Tzaddik is not dependent on Upper Level traits… but only upon Israel, the brigades of the Lower World." And since G-d "goes into exile" with Israel wherever they go, therefore He anxiously awaits Israel's return to Zion, so that He, too, will be able to return.

  1. 24.Deut. 30,20

  2. 25.in his commentary to Deut. 15,10

  3. 26.Isaiah 1

  4. 27.page 84b

  5. 28.Psalms 132,14

  6. 29.ibid. verse 13



FOOTNOTES

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