Breathtaking Views But Is It Considered Part Of Eretz Yisrael?

 Many Israeli yeshivos gedolos arrange organized trips for the bochurim during Bein HaZemanim for several days. This year, a large yeshivah found itself in a halachic dilemma regarding their planned trip.

The yeshivah rented a complex for a reasonable price at Mitzpe Ramon, a local council in the Negev, south of Be’er Sheva, which has spectacular views of the Ramon crater, the world’s largest crater. It is a popular tourist attraction and some consider it to be Israel’s most beautiful site.

However, after the site was already booked and it was too late to cancel without a considerable financial loss, it was brought to the attention of the yeshivah’s administrators that there are those who question Mitzpeh Ramon’s status as part of Eretz Yisrael. The Roshei Yeshivah sent a shaila to HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Zilbersein about the issue.

In his response, HaRav Zilberstein quoted the words of his brother-in-law, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, zt’l, in Derech Emunah and HaGaon HaRav Yosef Lieberman, z’tl, in Mishnas Yosef regarding the status of Mitzpe Ramon, but concluded according to the teshuvah of HaGaon HaRav Elyashiv, z’tl who ruled that its status of being part of Eretz Yisrael is questionable and it is “safeik Chutz L’Eretz.”

HaRaz Zilberstein then discussed whether leaving Eretz Yisrael is a Torah prohibition or D’Rabanan, bringing all the shitos haPoskim. He also questioned if there’s a prohibition to leave Eretz Yisrael even for a short time with the intention of returning or if the prohibition is only to leave Eretz Yisarel in order to settle elsewhere, concluding that it’s prohibited to leave even for a short time, especially for Kohanim.

However, ultimately HaRav Zilberstein paskened that since it’s permissible to leave Eretz Yisrael for a mitzvah and a getaway to regain one’s strength is considered a mitzvah – although l’chatchilah, it wasn’t appropriate to find a vacation spot outside Eretz Yisrael, since the yeshivah already signed a contract for a location that is safeik Chutz L’Eretz but is close to Eretz Yisrael, there is room to be meikel.

HaRav Zilberstein also suggested a creative solution, writing that in order for the location to be considered l’chatchilah, the bochurim should hold shiurei Torah for the residents of Mitzpe Ramon and then the trip will be considered going abroad in order to teach Torah, which is permissible as explained by the Rambam.

HaRav Zilberstein ended the discussion by commenting that in recent times, the issue of traveling to Chutz L’Eretz for vacations, etc, has been breached and according to halacha, it’s forbidden to leave Eretz Yisrael without sufficient reason.