Question: My wife and I are planning our summer vacation. I want to go to the Canary Islands, since we haven’t been there before. My wife wants to go to Israel,
because she says that we should show solidarity with the Jews who
live there during these difficult times. Given the security situation in Israel, what is the right thing to do?

Answer: First of all, before answering this question, we have to emphasize that the natural home for a Jew is in Israel.

Many times when I brought young students from America to meet Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook, he would explain that the words Orayach (meaning guest) and Ezrach (meaning citizen) share almost the same letters in Hebrew. A slight change of the letter vav to a zayin, and the visitor to Israel becomes a permanent resident, inferring that the home of every Jewish tourist is Israel.

This is in accordance with the Rambam’s view found in the ‘Laws of Kings and Their Wars’ in which he states: "Forever, a Jew should live in the Land of Israel, even in a city where the majority of inhabitants are idol worshippers, rather than live outside of the Land, even in a city where the majority of residents are Jews."

The Rambam also states: "It is forbidden for a Jew to leave the land of Israel at all times, except to learn Torah, marry, or redeem Jewish lives from captivity, and then he must return to Israel. And he is permitted to leave the land temporarily to insure a livelihood, but to dwell outside of the land is forbidden, unless in times of dire famine."

From this, we see clearly that a Jew in every generation should strive to make his home in Israel.

Regarding visits to Israel, for those who are not yet living there, the Mishna Berurahsays that while there is an opinion that the mitzvah of living in Israel is accomplished by actually dwelling there, and not just coming for a visit, he emphasizes the opinion that visiting Israel is a mitzvah itself, since just by walking four cubits in the Holy Land a person merits life in the World To Come.

In the classic treatise of Jewish faith, known as the Kuzari, Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi explains that all of a Jew’s yearning should be to live a life of Torah in the Land of Israel. This is the goal of Judaism not to remain in perpetual exile, but to return to the Land of our forefathers. "It is written how the Patriarchs strove to live in Israel while it was in the hands of the pagan, how they yearned for it, and had their bones carried to it, as did Jacob and Joseph. Moses prayed to see it, and when this was denied to him, he considered it a great misfortune… All peoples make pilgrimages to it, long for it, except for ourselves and therefore we remain punished and disgraced in exile," says HaLevi.

Regarding the question of danger, even though a Jew is not allowed to place himself in danger, where his life is threatened, traveling to Israel is not considered dangerous as long as businessmen continue to travel there to do business. Today, thousands of visitors and businessmen arrive in Israel every day. While it is true that several of the victims of terrorist attacks in Israel have been visitors, that number is so small that one who visits is not considered to be an immanent danger from which one has to guard his or her self.

Furthermore, Rabbi Zalman Melamed, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Beit-El, explains that a person should strive to overcome feelings of fear. His general orientation to life should be to trust in G-d. We have to be careful in situations where danger is imminent, but not to let unnecessary fear accompany our lives.

Interestingly, Rabbi Yisrael of Shklov, one of the Torah authorities who wrote that a Jew needn’t move to Israel in a time of danger, immigrated himself to Israel with his family two hundred years ago. In the introduction to his book, Paat HaShulchan, he describes undergoing an ordeal of Napoleonic wars, plagues, malaria, earthquakes, and imprisonment by the Turks on his journey, and still he came in his great love for the Holy Land.

Thus in deciding between a vacation in the Canary Islands or Israel, a person could ask himself, "What would G-d prefer me to do?" As King Solomon says in the Book of Proverbs, "In all your ways know Him, and He will guide your paths."

Question: How do I explain to my eight-year old son who attends Jewish day school that Jews do not celebrate Halloween?

Answer: First, I would like to say that I understand your plight. As a child growing up in Baltimore, I was not allowed to celebrate Halloween. My mother said that it was not a Jewish holiday. She would buy candy for my sisters and me and keep us safely out of mischief inside the house. While I wasn’t 100% happy with the situation, it did not stop me from becoming a rabbi.

The word Halloween has its roots in the Catholic Church. It comes from All Hallows Eve, otherwise known as All Saints Day in the Celtic tradition. It originated as a Catholic day for honoring saints.

One explanation for dressing up in frightening costumes on the holiday is to scare away disembodied spirits who had died the previous year and who came back on this day to inhabit living bodies.

The Romans adopted the Celtic practices of the day and added some of their own, such as the worship of Pomona, the goddess of fruit trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple. Perhaps the custom of dunking (bobbing) for apples on Halloween derives from this source.

Jewish law prohibits celebrating gentile holidays. Furthermore, a Jew cannot engage in business with idolaters on their religious holidays, so as not to aid them in their ability to celebrate their idolatrous practices. Even though the gentile holidays today are not considered idol worship, we follow the law which commands us not to behave in the customs and manners of the gentiles, lest there be an inkling of idol worship as derived from their forefathers. Since the vast majority of gentiles today no longer believe in the religious practices associated with their holidays, a Jew can engage in business with them in order not to create animosity. But a person who takes his Judaism seriously should be stringent in this matter.

Regarding a holiday such as Thanksgiving, which does not have any connection with the Church, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein says that it is best not to celebrate it. From this we can see that a holiday like Halloween that does have its origins in the Catholic Church is certainly something to be avoided.

As far as explaining this to your child, good luck! Just be sure to have a lot of candy on hand. If you are strong in your convictions, your child will probably internalize your beliefs and become a lover of Judaism too.

Question: A father related to me that his son had been beaten up by a bully in school. He told his son not to fight back, because it is forbidden to hit a fellow Jew. When his son subsequently returned home from school with a black eye, the father asked me if his stance of non-violence was the proper educational response?

Answer: This is unfortunately a question that many parents are faced with today. In Israel, this is becoming more and more of a problem, because students are encouraged to believe that a person should love the enemies who come to kill us day after day, instead of battling against them. This causes a powder keg of frustration that often erupts in violence in schools. Instead of directing natural reactions of self-defense against the Arabs, these powerful, pent-up emotions are often misdirected against classmates.

We can learn how a child should respond to school bullies from the law that forbids verbally abusing a fellow Jew. After discussing different facets of this prohibition, the Sefer HaHinuch states:

"However, it is not included in this prohibition, that if someone starts verbally abusing another Jew, pestering him with offensive remarks, this doesn’t mean that one is not allowed to answer. For you cannot expect a person to be like a stone which doesn’t answer. Also, by not answering, it will appear that the offended person admits that he is indeed an undesirable person. The Torah does not demand a person to be an unresponding stone to those who abuse him."

HaRav Shlomo Aviner, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Ateret Cohanim in Jerusalem, says that this insight of the Sefer HaHinuch applies not only to verbal abuse, but to physical abuse as well. A person who is under attack is not supposed to stand passively and turn the other cheek, but he should defend himself by fighting back.

The Torah teaches us that if a person breaks into your home to steal your possessions, you are allowed to kill him. The Torah understands that a person will not stand by idly while his possessions are being stolen. A person like the Chofetz Chaim can run after a robber, yelling, "I disown my possessions, I disown my possessions, so that you won’t be accounted a sinner!" However, the Torah doesn’t expect ordinary people to react in this altruistic way. It teaches that a person should defend himself. Knowing that the owner of the house will fight to keep his possessions, the thief comes prepared to kill. So the Torah allows the owner of the house to strike the first blow.

A similar principle is seen in the relationship between a man and his wife. Generally, a wife is not allowed to curse and denigrate her husband. If this occurs, there is ground for a divorce. However, in the case of a husband who verbally abuses his wife, then the wife is free to respond in like measure without fear of being divorced.

The question whether a child should succumb to the bullies at school or fight back was posed to HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. The noted Torah scholar answered that a child should not let bullies beat him up. Rather, he should fight back in order to make them stop.

We might wonder, won’t this approach lead to more violence in schools? No. It will lessen the violence by preventing it on the spot.

The justification for this reasoning is based on the law that allows a man to come to the aid of a friend whom is being assaulted. While it is forbidden to strike a Jew, in order to prevent a mugging, a bystander can ward off the attacker with blows. In the same way, a person is allowed to punch back to prevent a bully from breaking his nose. Not only is he defending himself, he is actually saving the assailant from continued transgression, and this is a completely commendable act.

Rabbi Auerbach emphasizes that the child can fight back in order to get the bully to stop – but the child should not in his anger add extra blows for the sake of revenge, which is the Torah prohibition of not taking revenge against a fellow Jew. Once a child has fought off his attacker, he must cease fighting back.

Question: When my wife and I married almost 25 years ago we were both reform Jews. Recently, I have had a strong desire to become much more Orthodox. I put on Tefillin (phylacteries) daily, go to an Orthodox minyan (prayer service) each Shabbat, seek to have a kosher home and have a strong desire to move to Israel. Through all of this I have realized that I am Jewish first and American second. My wife and family resist these changes and would never consider moving from the U.S. In the conflict between my love of Israel, G-d, and love of family, who should win?

Answer: I remember when we studied the tractate of Ketuboth in the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva. Rabbi Kook gave us an introduction to the tractate as a whole. I remember very vividly how he sat at home, across from the picture of his late dearly beloved wife, and told us how the entire volume deals with the family bond and marital obligations between the spouses. He concluded with a smile and told us that the tractate ends with the mitzvah of living in Israel. He added that the Land of Israel is the dowry that binds the Jews to their beloved, G-d. After thousands of laws binding a man to his wife, the conclusion of the tractate teaches us that a man’s connection to Israel supercedes his nuptial bond to his wife.

The Mishna states that if a husband wishes to make Aliya to Israel and the wife refuses, then he is free to divorce her without having to pay the dowry stipulated in the Ketubah marriage contract. The Mishna establishes the principle that "Everyone ascends to Eretz Yisrael."

While we learn from this the centrality of the Land of Israel in the perfected worship of G-d, one shouldn’t rush to break up a marriage. The Talmud teaches us that the Altar sheds tears when a marriage ends in divorce. Furthermore, a basic guideline for all precepts is that a person is not expected to spend more then one-fifth of his possessions to keep any positive precept. Since a wife and family are considered much more than a fifth of a person’s worldly possessions, he is not required to do any mitzvah that would destroy his family unity.

I suggest that you try to show your family the beauties and pleasures of Judaism and Israel in a patient, loving, and understanding fashion. Perhaps a family visit to Israel would help inspire them to share the feelings that you have so fortunately developed.

Question: I am a baal t’shuva from California. Is it permissible for me to put tefillin (phylacteries) on my left bicep over a tattoo of the devil on a motorcycle? Perhaps it would be better to put the tefillin on my right arm instead?

Answer: Because there are several methods of tattooing and different kinds of tattoos, first we have to know what type of tattoo is involved. Anatomically speaking, there are five different upper cellular layers of skin in the body. The top four change every twenty to twenty-five days. Thus, if you inject ink into one of the surface epidermal layers, the ink won’t last for more than 25 days. However, if you go down to the fifth level, the ink will last for a long time. Whether you first inject the ink with a needle and then make the engraving, or first make the engraving and then inject the ink – either method is prohibited.

Thus there can be tattoos that stay forever, tattoos which last from weeks to years and Spiderman and Harry Potter tattoos that wash off with soap and water. In the halachic work, an excellent overview on the subject of tattooing can be found. Regarding the more permanent tattoos, while some rabbinical authorities allowed pictures without words, the general opinion is that even a tattoo that is only an image, without any writing, is forbidden. Furthermore, even tattoos that are not permanent, but which last for a long time, have been prohibited by the rabbis.

Interestingly, the Torah allows medication to be put on a wound even though it dyes the skin for a period of time. The visible sight of the wound makes it clear that the coloring is due to the wound and not for the purpose of tattooing. While it is not specified why the wound makes the dyeing of the skin okay, the temporary nature of the process is the major consideration of the rabbis deciding the law.

Certainly, a Harry Potter rub-on tattoo, which is not permanent, is not a transgression. Since it is obvious to everyone that it is a temporary superficial coloring, which doesn’t penetrate the skin, it is not considered a tattoo.

However, there is an opinion of the Maari Perla that even writing with a pen on one’s hand, such as a phone number or an address, is forbidden, even if a tattooing needle or pin is not used. The Maari Perla explains that tattooing involves two actions: writing the tattoo, and puncturing the skin to insert the dye. According to his opinion, since the writing itself constitutes half of the prohibition, this also is forbidden, since one is not allowed to commit even half of a Torah transgression. Although this is not the majority opinion, a person might think twice before scribbling a note on his palm.

The important thing to understand is that G-d gave us our bodies with the stipulation that we take care of them. Our bodies are not our personal property to treat as we wish. Just as we are not allowed to do what we want with our souls, we are not allowed to do everything we want with our flesh. Just as a morally healthy individual would think twice before scrawling graffiti on a synagogue wall, a person should not make a billboard out of himself.

Returning to the problem of the baal t’shuva from California. A similar question was asked of the Minchat Yitzhak (cited above). Could a person place tefillin over a tattoo of a naked women on his left bicep. Perhaps, it would be more proper to move the tefillin to the right hand, which was free of tattoos?

After writing about the very serious transgression of having tattoos on the body, the Minchat Yitzhak says that nevertheless, he doesn’t see a reason for changing the Torah rationale for keeping the tefillin on the left hand, near the heart. Rather, he advises, the person should try to cover up as much of the tattoo as he can with his shirtsleeve and not look in its direction when he recites the blessing over the tefillin.

Question: In light of the recent outbursts of anti-Semitism around the world and the constant Israel-bashing in the media, what should our attitude be towards the gentiles?

Answer: Firstly, throughout the world, there are millions of non-Jews who are very supportive of Israel. Their voice may not be heard in the media, but their support of Israel is active and most praiseworthy.

Even withstanding the terrible anti-Semitism that exists in the world, a Jew is called upon to have a positive orientation towards all of mankind. While it is natural to harbor feelings of hatred towards enemies who persecute you, a Jew is commanded to love Jews and non-Jews alike. Being "a light unto the nations" does not mean despising the gentiles, but loving them and seeking their betterment. The task of Israel is to lead the world to its optimal development, and to guide each and every nation toward the optimal service of G-d. Only by cultivating the holiness, spirituality and goodness that exists in all people, can the nation of Israel bring all of humanity to an ideal future when all of the nations will flock to Jerusalem to learn the ways of the L-rd.

Rabbi Kook writes that a love for mankind must be alive in the heart and in the soul. This is a love for every individual and a love for all nations. This feeling should be an active love aimed at uplifting all peoples, both spiritually and materially.

We learn this from our forefather, Abraham. As his Hebrew name implies, Abraham was to be the father of a multitude of nations, bringing blessing to all families of the earth. He welcomed all travelers into his tent for a food and to learn about G-d. His love for mankind was an active love, a constant striving to bestow material and spiritual goodness on everyone whom he met. This positive orientation was extended to the righteous and non-righteous alike. It is easy to love people who devote their lives to goodness, but Abraham loved the wicked as well. Even idol-worshippers were welcomed into his home. When G-d wanted to destroy the wicked city of Sodom, Abraham interceded vehemently on its behalf. When his nephew Lot was kidnapped, Abraham went to war to save him, even though Lot had rejected the way of G-d.

A Jew is called upon not only to love fellow Jews, but to love non-Jews as well. Rabbi Chaim Vital, the great student of the Arizal, writes in his book, The Gates of Holiness, that a Jew must love all of mankind, even the gentiles.

In truth, if one truly loves G-d, he must love all his creations. This is similar to a person’s love for his friend. He doesn’t only love his friend; he loves his friend’s children as well. The Maharal points out that if a person hates people, it is impossible that he feels a true love for G-d, who created them.

Hatred, Rabbi Kook teaches, must only be directed at the evil and corruption in the world, and not against people, for all people are created in the image of G-d.

"We must know that the basis of life, its light and holiness, never abandons the Divine image with which every man and every nation has been graced, each according to its station – and this nucleus of holiness will elevate all."

Though people may have different opinions, lifestyles, political and religious beliefs, we are commanded to love them all. This is not always easy. Hard work is needed to remind us of the Divine image in all of mankind. We must learn to see the good in all people, and to recognize the value of ideas that may not agree with our own. Enlightenment spreads through the world not, only through the Jewish People, but through a wide spectrum of peoples. Just as there are seventy faces to Torah, each gifted artist, writer, statesman, and thinker adds a unique contribution to the orchestration of life.

Rather than rejecting what is different, or foreign, we are to embrace all of the most radiant sparks of light and fuse them into a harmonious, luminous whole. The unique talent of Israel is to unite the talents of all of nations in the service of G-d.

It is important to know that a true love of mankind does not preclude an active fight against evil. Judaism does not preach turning the other cheek. As King David says, "Do I not hate those that hate you, G-d, and strive against those who rise up against you?" A wicked man should be loved for the good in him, but his wickedness is to be hated.

Israel’s wars are not indiscriminately directed against peoples, but only against the evil ideologies which seek to darken the light of G-d in the world. It is precisely out of our love for mankind that we long for the defeat of the wicked. Like a cancer in the body, the evil must be uprooted so that the body’s healthy, holy essence can be liberated. There are times when Israel is forced to adopt a military posture, not out of hatred and a lust for conquest, but out of a desire to do good, to put an end to all war.

Question: I read your explanation of tattoos with great interest. My question, however, regards body piercing. Women obviously pierce their ears. But is a Jewish man allowed to put a ring through his nose? I have been assured that if I should ever get my nose pierced, and want to remove it, the puncture will close up within a short time.

Answer: There are two problems at issue here. One concerns the prohibition of damaging one’s body. The other regards a man’s dressing up like a woman.

An interesting story is related about the 13 year-old daughter of Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein. When she wanted to have her ears pierced, her father discouraged her, pointing out the serious prohibition of inflicting a wound on one’s body. The girl didn’t give in so easily and got him to agree to go together to the famed Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach to ask his opinion.

The Rabbi received them in his house and told them that from time immemorial, it has been the accepted Jewish tradition that boys are circumcised and girls have their ears pierced.

Women, to enhance their beauty, are also allowed to have cosmetic surgery, even though this involves surgically inflicting a wound, since it is being done for a positive purpose. However, there are rabbis who disagree with this ruling, so a halachic authority should be approached in each case.

However, a man’s need to be beautiful is not as pressing as a woman’s. Therefore, cosmetic surgery for reasons of vanity becomes more problematic.

Nevertheless, even though the rabbis do not recommend it, a man who insists on piercing a part of his body can find halachic justification for his decision, especially if the wound is not permanent.

If body piercing were a custom practiced by woman exclusively, then it would be forbidden since men are prohibited from dressing up like women. "A man is not allowed to wear women’s jewelry in a place where only women dress in this way" (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, 182:5.). Thus in a place where both men and women wear earrings, then a man can have his ears pierced. So too, regarding nose piercing; it would depend on the current fashion. In Kenya, yes; in Bnei Brak, no.

Question: News reports say that Israel is considering giving smallpox vaccinations to all of its citizens. How can they do this when the smallpox vaccination contains rat blood, monkey brains, and human fetal tissue? Don’t they know that these things are treif?

Answer: While we have not heard about a smallpox vaccine with rat blood in it, the vaccine does contain monkey kidney cells and human fetal tissue as stabilizers. These are both non-kosher. However, the smallpox vaccine is not taken orally. Rather it is an inoculation. There is no prohibition to use these specific non-kosher substances, so long as they are not eaten.

An interesting halachic opinion by Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzenski states that if a man is fed through a tube directly into his stomach, then he is allowed to be fed non-kosher foods. Similarly, a diabetic can use insulin, even though it contains substances derived from pigs, since it is injected and not taken orally.

There is no prohibition in using medicines which contain forbidden ingredients if they are administered by injection, suppository, enema, medicated bandage, and the like, since they are not eaten.

However, if the medicated bandage contained milk and meat, then it would be prohibited, even if it is not administered orally, because substances containing milk and meat together are not only forbidden to be eaten, but a person is not to receive any enjoyment from them whatsoever. For instance, one is not allowed to eat the flesh of a pig, but a Jew could make a football from its skin. However, a football made by compacting meat and milk would be prohibited.

Medicines containing ingredients that are prohibited to be eaten, that must be taken orally, should preferably be replaced with medicines comprised of permitted ingredients, as long as they are equally effective.

Of course, if a person’s life depends on receiving an oral medicine that contains non-kosher ingredients, he is certainly allowed to have it. Even if there is no danger to a person’s life, and a non-kosher medicine is prescribed, there are a few instances where its usage would be allowed. For instance, if the medicine has no nutritional value and is not considered fit for human consumption, nor for that of a dog, then it is allowed. Medicines in capsules or medicines which have a bitter taste are examples. Even if an otherwise bitter medicine is coated with sugar, this does not transform it into food and most halachic authorities consider these medicines unfit for a dog. Also, if the forbidden ingredients were altered chemically, or if they have completely dried out, then the medicine is permitted, even if the patient’s life in not in danger.

Since capsules often contain gelatine made from non-kosher ingredients, some halachic authorities prohibit their use. Other authorities permit them. If it is possible to obtain the same medicine, not in capsule form, then it is advisable to obtain it.

It is important to point out the deeper moral aspect of these questions. Once a mother brought her son to the famed Rabbi Akiva Eiger. She complained that the boy wasn’t able to comprehend the Talmudic discussions known as the Tosefot. The rabbi asked if the boy had ever eaten anything not kosher, explaining that non-kosher foods contaminate the brain and damage intellectual reasoning.

May the New Year bring health to all people as it says in the Prophets, "Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will hear; then the lame will leap like a ram, and the tongue of the deaf will sing".

Question: Your recent response regarding vacations to Israel was very interesting. However, my situation is the very opposite. I live in Israel and would like to take my kids this summer to Disney World. Is there any problem with this?

Answer: I am glad you are asking a rabbi in regards to your question about traveling outside of Israel; a matter that many people seem to feel is unrelated to Jewish law. On several occasions, I have discussed this question with many of Jerusalem’s leading rabbis, including HaRav Avraham Shapiro, Israel’s former Chief Rabbi.

We previously mentioned that a Jew should always live in the land of Israel . The Rambam states that a person is permitted to temporarily leave the land in order to marry, learn Torah, for business, or to rescue Jewish property from the gentiles. With a smile, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook would often tell his students that since there are an abundance of fine Jewish women in Israel, and since Israel is now the Torah center of the world, those two reasons for temporarily leaving the land are no longer relevant.

I once asked Rabbi Kook if I could return to America to visit my parents in Maryland, in accord with the ruling in the Mishna Berurah that one is permitted to leave Israel, "for business purposes and to visit a friend, which is considered a mitzvah, in contrast to just touring which is forbidden." Rabbi Kook answered that this ruling in the Mishna Berurah was very difficult to understand, since in his understanding of the Rambam, only those life-depending mitzvot like finding a wife, Torah study, saving Jews and making a livelihood are strong enough reasons for leaving the land.

The Shulchan Orach emphasizes the prohibition of traveling for pleasure outside the land in no uncertain terms by saying, "One is not allowed to leave the Land of Israel in order to go touring."

Some of the reasons behind this prohibition can be learned from the Talmud, which states, "It is not permitted to leave the land of Israel for the Diaspora." The Rashbam explains that by leaving the land, a Jew cuts himself from the many commandments that can only be performed in Israel. The Ramban explains that the main fulfillment of all of the commandments (not only those which are dependent on the land) occurs when they are performed in the land of Israel. Thus in leaving the land, a Jew is falling in the level of his mitzvah observance. Our Sages teach that outside of the Land, the commandments are imposed as a way of reminder, so that they we will know how to keep them when we return to Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook heard from the Chofetz Chaim himself that a commandment performed in Israel is twenty times greater than the same commandment performed outside of the land. He taught that the intrinsic holiness of the land itself uplifted a Jew’s observance of Torah to sublime levels unattainable anywhere else.

Often Rabbi Kook would recall the Sifre that states: "It is related that Rabbi Eliezar, the son of Shamua, was walking together with Rabbi Yochanan, the shoemaker, on their way (out from the Land of Israel) to the city of Nitzivim, the city of Rabbi Yehuda ben Batara, in order to learn Torah from him. When they reached Sidon, they remembered the land of Israel. They lifted their eyes toward heaven, wept profusely, and tore their garments proclaiming the verse, `And you shall inherit them and dwell in their land.’ They immediately stopped their journey and returned to their homes, saying ‘The dwelling in Israel is equivalent to all of the commandments of the Torah.’"

Interestingly, when I asked Rabbi Shapiro if I could lead a group of students on a tour of the Sinai Peninsula to Mount Sinai, he answered, "Of course. After all it is a part of the land of Israel." So too, in the years when traveling to Jordan was safe, Rabbi Zalman Melamed, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Bet-El, encouraged his students to take field trips there, since Jordan is also a part of Biblical Israel.

In light of the above, leaving the land of Israel should not be seen as a vacation, but rather as a punishment for those who disobey the will of G-d. The exile (having to leave the land of Israel) was the ultimate punishment decreed on the Jews, superseding even the destruction of the temple, may it be rebuilt soon in our time.

These comments should be the basis of an Israeli’s decision where to plan his summer vacation.

Certainly, a person’s natural orientation should be a great love and longing for the land, like the love of our ancestors, "The greatest of all rabbis would kiss the borders of the land of Israel, and kiss its boulders and roll upon its dust, as it says, ‘For your servants sought after its stones, and its dust they shall love.’"

Nonetheless, if there are extenuating health or psychological reasons for a visit outside of the land, a rabbi should be consulted.

CARRYING FIREARMS ON SHABBAT

Question:
A recent Arutz 7 article stated that, "Investigations reveal that terrorists are planning attacks against Jewish synagogues." Several questions must be asked:

• Is carrying a firearm on Shabbat prohibited because it is "muktzah?"
• Is wearing a holster containing a weapon considered impermissible carrying on Shabbat (as opposed to carrying a weapon in one’s belt)?

Presumably, one would only carry or use a firearm when threatened or while having a reasonable belief one could be killed or maimed unless one is fully able to defend oneself. What is a reasonable belief of being threatened? Seeing a mob of rioters coming toward you? Seeing a potential attacker in the act of attacking you or someone else? Receiving a specific threat, either by mail, telephone, or in person? Seeing someone who looks threatening (i.e., someone else visibly armed or obviously hostile by his actions or words?)?

Answer: Before answering the question about carrying firearms on Shabbat, I would first like to relate to the concern about safety. There is ever more now a growing concern amongst Diaspora Jewry for their safety. This is a result of the marked rise in anti-Semitism that has been documented worldwide. The potential growth of this anti-Semitism into an international rampage is certainly frightening. However, when we look at this phenomenon in a historical perspective, we see that the Jewish people have suffered waves of anti-Semitism from the time of the first Semite, Abraham, when Nimrod threw him into a fiery furnace for believing in one G-d. As long as there have been Jews, there have been Jew haters.

Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, well known as the Natziv of Volozhin, wrote a treatise on the subject of anti-Semitism known as "Rina shel Torah." In this study, the Natziv offers an explanation for these waves of anti-Semitism. He says that anti-Semitism is the tool used by G-d to remind the Jews that they are Jews. Sometimes Jews may forget that we were created to be a special people with a Divine calling. When we forget ourselves, the anti-Semites rise up to remind us who we are. Rabbi Berlin further comments that the more we try to fit in with the gentiles, the greater the persecution will be.

Rabbi Yaacov Emden, in the introduction to his scholarly prayer book, "Beit Yaacov," writes that "When it seems to us, in our present peaceful existence outside the Land of Israel, that we have found another Eretz Yisrael and Jerusalem, this to me is the greatest, deepest, most obvious, and direct cause of all of the awesome, frightening, monstrous, unimaginable destructions that we have experienced in the Diaspora."

With this introduction, let’s return to the question about carrying a firearm on Shabbat because of the growing danger to Jewish communities throughout the world. First, we would like to remind our readers that one of the activities prohibited on Shabbat is carrying objects through a public domain. Because Jews were lax about this prohibition, the Sages saw a need to reinforce it by also prohibiting the handling of objects that are forbidden to be used on Shabbat. These objects are "muktzah." Examples are flashlights, computers, and chainsaws.

Regarding the question whether a firearm is "muktzah," Rabbi Shlomo Goren, the first Chief Rabbi of the Army, and later the Chief Rabbi of Israel, explains in his book, "Mashiv Milchamah," that regarding Shabbat observance, a firearm is no different than a Kiddush cup, and a holster is no different that a decorative spread used to cover the challah loaves. He maintains that a firearm is something that is needed for Shabbat observance, because it is intended for security, enabling a Jew to celebrate the Shabbat in peace. Even though shooting a gun is a form of igniting fire, something normally prohibited on Shabbat, in situations where life is imperiled, shooting a gun is a mitzvah.

Rabbi Goren states, "Behold, a firearm is meant for firing since it is a mitzvah to shoot both on weekdays or Shabbat, in instances when needed for self-defense or for attacking the enemy. And it is not meant for non-security uses (like sport or hunting) so why should it be considered an object that is forbidden on Shabbat?"

What Rabbi Yehoshua Neurvert writes in his treatise on Shabbat, "Shmirat Shabbat K’Hilchatah," differs somewhat in his understanding, stating that a firearm is indeed categorized as "muktzah" since firing (ignited fire) is prohibited on Shabbat. Nonetheless, he rules that carrying a firearm on Shabbat is allowed since it has a definite value as a deterrent - discouraging enemies from attacking Jews on Shabbat. Therefore, it is needed for the observance of Shabbat. Furthermore, since carrying a firearm is a deterrent, there is no need for immediate danger in order to carry one. When the enemies of the Jews know that we are ready to defend ourselves, mobs are less likely to rise up against us. Yet it is important to note that these rulings apply to communities where there is an "eruv," a legal halachic enclosure, which permits carrying objects on Shabbat.

When this question was asked many years ago, Rabbi Meir Kahane, may G-d avenge his death, had a no-nonsense answer. Jews in Crown Heights and Boro Park, New York asked certain American rabbis how they could prevent being mugged on Shabbat. They were told to carry ten-dollar bills to give to their muggers, so they wouldn’t be beaten. Rabbi Kahane protested this response, saying, "Instead of considering the permissibility of carrying money on the Shabbat because of the need to save lives, let us consider the permissibility of carrying guns on Shabbat for the defense and welfare of our Jewish communities."

Question: This summer I joined a gym in order to get into shape. Now with the start of the new yeshiva year, I am back to fulltime learning. Would continuing to workout be considered taking time away from my Torah studies (bitul Torah)? In other words, should I forget about staying in shape?

Answer: This question is particularly appropriate as we enter the Hebrew month of Elul, when we begin to make spiritual preparations for the upcoming Day of Judgment. These are the days when Moses ascended Mount Sinai to ask forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf. Our Sages teach that this period is a propitious time for supplication and t’shuva, a time when G-d is especially near to answer the prayers of His people.

T’shuva is generally translated to mean repentance. It is often superficially understood to be a way of getting one’s life back on the right path, a system of do’s and don’ts - doing good deeds and staying away from bad.

While this is certainly an aspect of t’shuva, the source of t’shuva is something much deeper. T’shuva is something much greater than a simple accounting of the rights and wrongs in a person’s life. T’shuva is a spiritual enterprise which encompasses all of creation. It is the expression of the world’s yearning to come closer to G-d.

The root of the Hebrew word t’shuva means "to return." In his book, "The Lights of T’shuva," Rabbi Kook explains that: "When one forgets the essence of one’s soul; when one distracts his mind from seeing the true nature of his own inner life, everything becomes doubtful and confused. The principle t’shuva, which immediately lights up the darkness, is for a person to return to himself, to the root of his soul. Then he will immediately return to G-d, to the Souls of all souls. And he will continue to stride higher and higher in holiness and purity. This is true for an individual, a nation, for all of mankind, and for the perfection of all existence."

In his probing study on the phenomenon of t’shuva, Rabbi Kook outlines the unfolding stages of this all-encompassing process. Interestingly, the first step on the way is getting one’s body in shape. Rabbi Kook calls this t’shuva of the body. To return to a state of inner harmony and Divine connection, a person must first have a healthy body.

It is important to note that while physical well-being is a basic rule of good living, the injunction to be healthy is a principle of Torah. We are called upon to carefully guard our lives.

The Rambam explains, "Having a whole and healthy body is part and parcel in serving G-d, for it is impossible to have an understanding of the Creator if a man is ill. Therefore one must avoid all things which damage the body and habituate oneself with things promoting health."

In our days, with health food stores and sports clubs abound, this simple teaching is known to everyone. What is new, however, is that Rabbi Kook sees this as a part of the process of t’shuva. Being in good shape is an important factor, not only in attaining personal well-being, but also in forging a holy connection to G-d.

In his classic book, "Orot," Rabbi Kook writes: "Our physical demand is great. We need a healthy body. Through our intense preoccupation with spirituality, we forgot the holiness of the body. We neglected our physical strength. We forgot that we have holy flesh, no less than holy spirits."

Rabbi Kook understood that powerful bodies were needed for the Jewish People to succeed in the holy endeavor of rebuilding the Land of Israel.

"All of our t’shuva will succeed only if it will be, along with its spiritual splendor, also a physical t’shuva which produces healthy blood, healthy flesh, firm mighty bodies, and a flaming spirit spreading over powerful muscles."

Jews are not to be "nebechs" or weaklings whom everyone can push around at will. We need not be ashamed of our bodies. We must be strong to learn Gemara and strong to build the Land.

Therefore, as long as you don’t exaggerate your holy work-out time at the gym, we don’t see this as infringing on your Torah learning.