In Kenneth Rosov's letter that appeared on page 86 of the July 13, 2001 edition of the Jewish Press he says, "There are plenty of valid reasons for Orthodox Jews to remain right here in the good old U.S.A. ..." I would like to add another one.

Many years ago I asked Rabbi Dovid Kronglass, ZT"L, who was the Mashgiach of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel,  about moving to Eretz Yisroel. After all, I said, Orthodox Jews are interested in doing mitzvahs, and one can certainly do more mitzvahs in Israel. He responded by pointing out that the mitzvahs that one can do in Israel are only of rabbinical origin at this time. Furthermore, he went on, one has to keep in mind the following.

The land of Israel has a special Kedushah (holiness). Therefore, if one does a mitzvah there, one gets more reward than if one does the exact same mitzvah here. However, if one does something wrong, G-D forbid,  in Israel, it is much worse than if one does the same wrong here. "You just don't go to Israel," he told me. "You have to be on the right spiritual level before you go."

I must say that I have never heard of anyone taking this into consideration before he or she went to Israel for a visit or to live.

Yitzchok Levine
Brooklyn, NY