Exile was punishment for being lax in giving ma'aser. Does it follow that we shouldn't attempt to return to Eretz Yisrael before we rectify our deficiency in that regard?

Explore what the sources in Chazal teach us about this matter, and learn what we can do to remedy this shortcoming. 

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Rabbenu Chaim Kohen said that due the insurmountable challenge posed by the commandments associated with the land – terumos, ma'asros, shemittah etc. – there is "currently" no mitzvah to live in Eretz Yisrael.

What is the underlying logic of this position?

Did he intend this for his time or for our time too?

Is this the halachah?

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Does exile serve a constructive, divine purpose in history, or is it merely a problem to be rectified? Will the post-exile era of redemption look the same as the pre-exile era, or will something be fundamentally different?

Come study the sodos of Jewish history. 

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The relationship between Hashem and His people is portrayed dramatically in the Song of Songs, a parable about love, which ends with a climactic trial: is the woman (Knesses Yisrael) faithful – a "wall" – or not?

Did the nation pass this great trial or did it fail? What are the ramifications for how we understand our state of exile today, and how we should act vis-à-vis Eretz Yisrael and redemption?

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The return of the Babylonian exiles to Zion was supposed to be miraculous, like the first coming in the days of Yehoshua, but the "sin" had its effects and the Jews returned only by the permission of Cyrus, King of Persia. 

What was the sin? Where did we go wrong? And what should we do to make things right? 

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Are we awaiting Hashem, or is He awaiting us?

The Kuzari maintains that our connection with Hashem depends on us. He awaits our interest; when we embrace Eretz Yisrael, the Shechinah will return and dwell amongst Yisrael. 

Is this in fact the case?

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We can attempt deduce the Divine plan – when and why we are supposed to be in exile – from various midrashim and statements of Chazal.

Are we supposed to engage in that kind of speculation in order to determine how we should act?

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The Babylonian Jews who neglected to return to Eretz Yisrael during the Second Temple Era were unwelcome there afterward. They were denigrated and ostracized. Why would Jews be unwelcome in their Holy Land? And for how long were they expected to stay away?

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The best and brightest of the Babylonian Jews stayed behind and didn't join Ezra in rebuilding the Temple and resettling Eretz Yisrael, thereby earning themselves the reprobation or Reb Yochanan, Resh Lakish and others. What is this machlokes all about?

Why did generations of great Jews and their leaders decline to return to Eretz Yisrael during the Second Temple era?

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Here is a link to my new podcast: The Book of Memories

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