Eretz-Israel 006

26:
We have noted the tensions that arose between Rabbi Zeira and his teacher, Rav Yehudah, when the former decided to leave Babylon (Iraq) and go on aliya to Eretz-Israel. The Gemara [Ketubot 110b-111a] explains:

27:
We must now follow the reasoning of these two sages – the one determined to leave Babylon and to go to Eretz-Israel and the other against all aliya to eretz-Israel from Babylon. In the previous shiur we saw how Rav Yehudah would quote from the bible [Jeremiah 27:22]:

Clearly, Rav Yehudah understands the word 'they' in this verse to refer to those being exiled from the kingdom of Judah to Babylon by the army of Nebuchadrezzar in the early spring of the year 597 BCE. But if we read the verse in its wider context we see that this understanding is by no means the only one possible. Jeremiah's career as a prophet was extremely difficult, dangerous and frustrating. Since the burden of his message was what we would describe today as 'political' he had to face great opposition. Often he had to address his words to his opponents in a desperate attempt to convince his people to accept the domination of Babylon and survive. Thus we read:

Having seen the verse quoted by Rav Yehudah in context we can now return to the discussion in the Gemara. Not unreasonably, Rabbi Zeira holds that his teacher has misinterpreted the verse he has quoted: it does not refer to people at all, but to the sacred vessels from the Bet Mikdash, the plunder that Nebuchadrezzar had taken together with the hapless young king, Yehoiakhin.

28:
It is quite possible that an altercation between Rav Yehudah and Rav Zeira had actually taken place previously (and this would explain why Rabbi Zeira was so reticent at meeting with his teacher prior to his aliya). Rav Yehudah is quite undeterred by the refutation of his verse by Rabbi Zeira, and counters with another one:

Well known is the vehement assertion of Rabbi Akiva that the Song of Songs is not a secular love song, but it is a holy description of the love affair between God and Israel:

So, Rav Yehudah understands the verse from the Song of Songs as forbidding the Jewish people from awakening or rousing God's redemptive love before the appointed time. Rabbi Zeira accepts this interpretation of the biblical verse, but he claims that it refers to the whole people of Israel, not to solitary individuals. Israel is forbidden to "attack the wall" that God has erected against aliya, but that prohibition forbids aliya en masse; private aliya is not forbidden.

29:
Rav Yehudah is not yet out of ammunition. He points out that the very same verse occurs a second time [Song of Songs 3:8]. If on its first appearance it indicates what Rabbi Zeira says it does then its second appearance must indicate what Rav Yehudah contends. Rabbi Zeira disagrees. He quotes another sage who has taught that three times in the Song of Songs the phrase "I adjure you" occurs, each time referring to a different issue.

1. Israel is forbidden to go on aliya en masse;
2. Israel is forbidden to rebel against the nations of the world;
3. The nations of the world are warned not to subdue Israel too harshly.

(We should perhaps note at this point that these three 'adjusrations' were the main bone of contention between the rabbis of the 'Old Yishuv' in Eretz-Israel and Rabbi Kuk and his disciples in the early decades of the 20th century. Rabbi Kuk encouraged mass aliya to Eretz-Israel and the rabbis of the Old Yishuv were vehemently opposed to this.)

30:
Rav Yehudah is undeterred. He points out that each biblical verse has two adjurations: "do not wake or rouse love." Rabbi Zeira agrees that there are, in fact six adjurations, not three, and quotes yet another sage who claims:

31:
It is perhaps indicative that both sages whose teaching Rabbi Zeira quotes to his teacher are from Eretz-Israel: Rabbi Yosé ben Rabbi Ĥanina and Rabbi Levi. The Gemara concludes its account of this altercation with the comment of yet another sage from Eretz-Israel:

To be continued.