Chief Rabbi Herzog: this Saturday shabbat aliyah… “going up”, traditional term for emigration from Diaspora to Israel. Unnecessary to convince of spiritual, economic, and brotherly bonds between us and the Jewish community State of Israel… But how about Aliyah? Of course, not suggesting all American Jews pack up and go to Israel foreseeable future. Tremendous practical obstacles, let alone a lack of willpower. To do this would require a major miracle, and that is better left to the Messiah. We mustn’t usurp all his prerogatives, leave him unemployed. But, other hand: does that mean no Aliyah at all? Only tourism, the alternative Swiss Alps or Monte Carlo or Riviera?… Never, never!… Three reasons for urging Aliyah:

First: simple religious reason – is a mitzvah, and a very important one… – Gershuni: why Rambam did not count yishuv eretz yisrael as Mitzvah (Ramban objects strenuously) because mitzvah given only on things which normally would not do. But that which is basically natural… is unnecessary. Thus, supremely natural people tied to the Land…

Second: Necessary for Israel. Just as tourism and charity are necessary for the economy, so is Aliyah necessary for morale. When Jews from the wealthiest Jewish Communities around the world also immigrate, then they know that they are fashioning country prophets, seers, and pioneers who fought for. Otherwise is only having charity cases… Without Aliyah, bonds between these two greatest remaining Jewish Communities around the world are bound to dissolve.

From this 3rd follows: necessary for the spiritual survival of American Jewry. Once Israel's independent economic assistance, what will bind us and them?…

– How we teach children Bible, History, Talmud, when on one hand we discourage Aliyah, on the other, so much of all our sacred literature stresses centrality eretz yisrael?...

– Religiously, we are rooted in Israel, just as politically, our loyalty is to the USA. If we abandon the idea of Aliyah, we undercut the entire structure of our religion.

– Another generation faced a problem in American Jewry and answered it likewise. Exiles of Babylon: eich nashir es shir haShem al admas neichar? How live an old religion, which grew up in Israel, in a new and strange land? How to make Torah of Israel viable on admas neichar as Babylon or America? How to teach and live Torah, sing song of G-d, when distracted by lofty towers of idol Bel rising from cities of Babylon, or when distracted by gigantic factories and palaces of entertainment situated in bustling metropolises of materialistic America? Can it be done? Give up? Despair? – No, not despair, can be done. How?… im esh’kacheich yerushalayim tish’kach yemini, tidbak… raised right hands and solemnly swore, while eyes flooded tears and hearts steeled with determination and souls flooded love, never forget Jerusalem… but more than that: also: im lo aaleh es yerushalayim al rosh simchasi… Aliyah!

You may ask: if I know you don't go, why speak? Answer: Never to forget that it still remains a sacred obligation, and our non-compliance does not negate the real obligation. ME TOO… But most important: Children. Don’t discourage them. We are not saddened by the child as an engineer to Argentina or a scholar to Italy or an economist in South Africa, but regard it as a tragedy if oleh to Israel… im eshkacheich… What I have said about Aliyah remains true no matter how wonderful the conditions here. Reemphasize that this does not mean despair of Judaism in the USA. Very far from it. But does that mean that Israel must always attract pioneers from amongst us? And would say this even if we had the most wonderful flowering religion here in the States. In the moving dialogue we read today, Song of Songs concludes with the following two verses from beloved to lover: ha’yoshevess ba’ganim, chaveirim makshivim l’koleich hashmi’ini. Brach dodi u’mdei lach l’tzvi o l’ofer ha’ayalim al harei vsamim – O thou that dwellest in the gardens, thy companions hearken for thy voice, let me hear it. Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like a gazelle or a young deer upon the mountains of spices.

And Rashi, following Sages Midrash: yosheves baganim is Israel in Diaspora chaveirim makshivim… is ministering angels who come to listen to the beauty of the voices of Jews raised in prayer and study coming from synagogues… how wonderful! In the midst of galut, all this flowering religion…

AND YET: brach dodi… min ha’golah ha’zos… al harei vsamim – hu har ha’moriah uveitis ha’mikdash… No, religious Judaism cannot take root in Golah unless at least part of it keeps up stream Aliyah, keeps fleeing to har hamoriah, keeps feeding flames G-dliness, exchanging warmth and light between us and the Holy Land. If we discourage aliyah, we violate an important religious commandment, we harm Israel, and we threaten the Jewish future of our own children.

If we encourage Aliyah, we fulfill our obligation before G-d, we help Israel, and we ensure fact that we, as a religious community, certainly have a future in this country, that as long as we do not forget Jerusalem and continue to send of our youth to go up to her in happiness, we shall be able to sing the song of the Lord even on soil otherwise unfit for religious flowering. May G-d grant that we support Aliyah as is our sacred duty; that Israel remain strong and stable; and that we in America be assured of a great future for Torah here, until the True Redeemer comes to Zion. Amen.