Aliya - Then and Now

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In this week's episode we use Abraham's decision to make aliya to the the future land of Israel as an opportunity to visit with Noah Efron from the Promised Podcast, to share with us the story of his Aliya to this Wonderful Country.

בראשית י״ב:א׳

(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה׳ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃

Genesis 12:1

(1)God said to Avram:

Go-you-forth

from your land,

from your kindred, (“birthplace.”)

from your father’s house,

to the land that I will let you see.

רש"י על בראשית י״ב:א׳:א׳

לך לך. לַהֲנָאָתְךָ וּלְטוֹבָתְךָ, שָׁם אֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָדוֹל, כָּאן אִי אַתָּה זוֹכֶה לְבָנִים, וְעוֹד שֶׁאוֹדִיעַ טִבְעֲךָ בָּעוֹלָם:

Rashi on Genesis 12:1:1

לך לך GET THEE OUT (literally, go for thyself) — for your own benefit, for your own good: there I will make of you a great nation whilst here you will not merit the privilege of having children (Rosh Hashanah 16b). Furthermore, I shall make known your character throughout the world (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 3)

רש"י על בראשית י״ב:ה׳:א׳

(א)אשר עשו בחרן. שֶׁהִכְנִיסָן תַּחַת כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה; אַבְרָהָם מְגַיֵּר אֶת הָאֲנָשִׁים וְשָׂרָה מְגַיֶּרֶת הַנָּשִׁים, וּמַעֲלֶה עֲלֵיהֶם הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ עֲשָׂאוּם

Rashi on Genesis 12:5:1

(1) אשר עשו בחרן [THE SOULS] THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN (literally, made) IN HARAN — The souls which he had brought beneath the sheltering wings of the Shechinah. Abraham converted the men and Sarah converted the women and Scripture accounts it unto them as if they had made them (Genesis Rabbah 39:14).

Parody on Israeli new immigrants Uri Zohar - Arik Einstein

Q1 - Every Aliya is unique and personal ... they stopped numbering them a long time ago! I know that you don't like to talk about yourself.... "you weren't raised that way" :) but could you share with us your personal Aliya story and maybe the larger story of Young Judea and your cohort of progressive Americans born in the 50's and 60's who made aliya?

רש"י על בראשית י״ב:ב׳:א׳

ואעשך לגוי גדול. לְפִי שֶׁהַדֶּרֶךְ גּוֹרֶמֶת לִשְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים, מְמַעֶטֶת פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה וּמְמַעֶטֶת אֶת הַמָּמוֹן וּמְמַעֶטֶת אֶת הַשֵּׁם, לְכָךְ הֻזְקַק לִשְׁלֹשָׁה בְּרָכוֹת הַלָּלוּ, שֶׁהִבְטִיחוֹ עַל הַבָּנִים וְעַל הַמָּמוֹן וְעַל הַשֵּׁם:

Rashi on Genesis 12:2:1

ואעשך לגוי גדול AND I WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREAT NATION —Since travelling is the cause of three things—it decreases (breaks up) family life, it reduces one’s livelihood and lessens one’s reputation, he therefore needed these three blessings: that God should promise him children, wealth and a great name (Genesis Rabbah 39:11).

Q2 - On the Promised Podcast, you end every episode with a segment called Va'at a Country "a part of the show which each of you describes something that maybe brought you some solace as you winded your way through your worlds over the last little while, or possibly surprised and amused, delighted and enchanted ensorcelled or could be even flugged us as you did that" ... How has Israel delighted and challenged you? Maybe touch upon your career as a professor at Bar-Ilan, raising a family, your political activism and your fascination with the Israel Story.

בראשית י״ב:ו׳

וַיַּעֲבֹ֤ר אַבְרָם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ עַ֚ד מְק֣וֹם שְׁכֶ֔ם עַ֖ד אֵל֣וֹן מוֹרֶ֑ה וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י אָ֥ז בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

Genesis 12:6

and Avram passed through the land, as far as the Place of Shekhem, as far as the Oak of Moreh.
Now the Canaanite was then in the land.

בראשית רבה ל״ט:ח׳

אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה אַבְרָהָם מְהַלֵּךְ בַּאֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם וּבַאֲרַם נָחוֹר, רָאָה אוֹתָן אוֹכְלִים וְשׁוֹתִים וּפוֹחֲזִים, אָמַר הַלְּוַאי לֹא יְהֵא לִי חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְסֻלָּמָהּ שֶׁל צוֹר, רָאָה אוֹתָן עֲסוּקִין בְּנִכּוּשׁ בִּשְׁעַת הַנִּכּוּשׁ, בְּעִדּוּר בִּשְׁעַת הָעִדּוּר, אָמַר הַלְּוַאי יְהֵא חֶלְקִי בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (בראשית יב, ז): לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת.

Bereshit Rabbah 39:8

Rabbi Levi said: When Abraham was traveling through Aram Naharayim and Aram Naḥor, he saw them eating, drinking, and reveling. He said: ‘Would that my portion not be in this land.’ When he reached the Promontory of Tyre, he saw them (the Canaanites) engaged in weeding at the time of weeding, hoeing at the time of hoeing, [They were a hard-working people, not given to merry-making.]

he said: ‘Would that my portion be in this land.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “To your descendants I will give this land” (Genesis 12:7).

Q3 - It's amazing that even for the first aliya of Abraham, this was not the story of a land w/o a people... "Now the Canaanite was then in the land". But what is equally amazing is that according to this midrash, Abraham is depicted as admiring the prior inhabitants... Similarly it is notable that Abraham admires this country as a land of pragmatism and industry!
How have your views of the industry of the people of this land and of a "shared space" evolved, especially over the last two years?

Q4 - The Promised Podcast shares with it's listeners the experiences and views of your cadre of progressive, mostly Anglo community but sometimes you find yourself defending Bibi and traditionalists. In a recent episode you were accused of "being blinded by rose-colored glasses". As a religious progressive you seem to walk a fine line that values tradition and our cultural institutions along with progressivism... do you agree?