Pray at the graves of tzadikim @ Har Hertzel

A student in the Kol Torah Yeshiva in Jerusalem, approached his Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l and asked him the question: May I leave my Torah studies in the yeshiva to go [for a short visit] and pray at the graves of tzadikim (righteous people,) in the Galilee (Northern Israel)?
Rav Auerbach answered, “It is better to say in yeshiva, and study Torah.”

The student replied, “Isn’t there a time I could go to visit the graves of tzadikim? Doesn’t Rav Auerbach go and pray by the graves of tzadikim?”

Rav Auerbach answered, “In order to pray at the graves of tzadikim, one doesn’t have to travel up to the Galilee. Whenever I feel the need to pray at the graves of tzadikim, I go to Mount Herzl, [the national cemetery for fallen Israeli soliders in Jerusalem], to the graves of the soliders…who fell “Al Kiddush Hashem” for the sanctification of G-d.

hat tip Cross Currents
hat tip Jewish Mom

The Source For The Idea That a Jew Belongs in Eretz Yisrael

Here is a story that was published in Beit Shemesh's Connections Magazine from Rav Chaim Soloveichik:

A potential oleh from America, who once had the honor of being in the presence of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman, was delighted to inform the Rabbi that he would be moving to Eretz Yisrael. This potential oleh then began to present a thesis of why he had a halachic obligation to move to Eretz Yisrael. His thesis was supported by sources ranging from Torah Sh’Bichtav to Gemara, Rambam, Shulchan Aruch and various Acharonim.

At the end of his scholarly presentation, which was impressive by its scope and breadth, he waited to hear the analysis of Rav Shlomo Zalman. The great Rav indicated that the presentation was indeed impressive but unnecessary. After all, if one wants to understand where Hashem wants him to live, all he has to do is learn Sefer B’reshit.

If the posuk of ‘Vayashavtem Bah’ is the source of the mitzva to live in Eretz Yisrael, then Sefer Breishit with Avraham being told to go to Eretz Yisrael, Yitzchak never leaving Eretz Yisrael and Yaakov being forced out but constantly yearning and finally returning to Eretz Yisrael, is the source for the idea that a Jew belongs and is welcome in Eretz Yisrael.