Is Living in Eretz Yisrael a Mitzvah According to the Torah?
Ask any Jew with a beating heart and a yearning soul, and you’ll hear it: there's something different about Eretz Yisrael. It's more than a country. It's more than a homeland. It's the heartbeat of our people, the soul of our history, and—if the Torah is to be believed—our Divinely promised inheritance.
But is it just a dream passed down from our grandparents, or is it actually a mitzvah—a commandment from Hashem Himself—to live in Eretz Yisrael today?
Let’s explore.
Straight from the Torah: “And You Shall Dwell in It…”
In Bamidbar (33:53), we’re told:
“והורשתם את הארץ וישבתם בה, כי לכם נתתי את הארץ לרשת אותה” “And you shall possess the Land and dwell in it, for to you have I given the Land to possess it.”¹
On the surface, it sounds like a historical instruction—something for the generation of Yehoshua. But many Torah giants read this as something deeper: a mitzvah for all generations. A call not just to enter the Land once, but to live in it, settle it, and hold onto it forever.
The Ramban’s Bold Voice
One of the most important voices in this discussion is the Ramban, Rav Moshe ben Nachman. In his commentary to the Torah and his famous Hasagos (additions) to the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvos, the Ramban writes unequivocally that settling in Eretz Yisrael is a mitzvah—a full-fledged commandment, just like putting on tefillin or keeping Shabbos.
He writes:
"שנצטווינו לרשת את הארץ... ולא נעזבנה ביד זולתנו מן האומות או לשממה..." “We were commanded to take possession of the Land... and not to leave it in the hands of other nations or desolate.”²
The way the Ramban sees it, settling in Eretz Yisrael is not optional. It’s a Torah obligation—and one that applies in every generation. Even in exile. Even in uncertainty.
But What About the Rambam?
This is where the discussion gets a bit more nuanced. The Rambam—Rav Moshe ben Maimon—does not list living in Eretz Yisrael as one of the 613 mitzvos.³ That’s surprising, to say the least.
But does that mean he didn’t believe it’s important?
Not at all.
In Hilchos Melachim (5:9), the Rambam writes:
“אסור לצאת מארץ ישראל לחוץ לארץ לעולם…” “It is forbidden to leave Eretz Yisrael for the Diaspora, except for specific reasons…”⁴
Clearly, the Rambam saw great value in living in the Land. Some explain that he may have viewed it as a national obligation—a mitzvah tied to sovereignty and the full redemption, not necessarily something incumbent on every individual in every era.⁵
The Talmud Speaks: “As If He Has a G-d”
The Gemara in Kesubos 110b says it all:
“כל הדר בארץ ישראל דומה כמי שיש לו אלוקה” “Anyone who lives in Eretz Yisrael is like someone who has a G-d…”⁶
And then the flip side:
“...וכל הדר בחו”ל דומה כמי שאין לו אלוקה” “...And one who lives outside the Land is like someone who has no G-d.”
Strong words. Almost jarring. But they reflect just how deeply Chazal saw the spiritual difference between life in the Holy Land and life in exile. Even living among idolaters in Eretz Yisrael, they say, is better than living in a city of Torah in chutz la’aretz.⁷
Gedolim Through the Ages: A Love That Endures
Over the generations, the love for Eretz Yisrael only deepened.
The Chasam Sofer wrote:
“אין ספק שבזמן הזה יש מצוה גדולה לדור בארץ ישראל…” “There is no doubt that in our time, there is a great mitzvah to dwell in Eretz Yisrael…”⁸
This wasn’t theoretical. He was living in exile, yet he understood how powerful it would be for a Jew to return home, even in a time of galus.
Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook zt”l, the first Chief Rabbi of Israel, poured out his soul in love for the Land. In Orot, he wrote:
“אהבת ארץ ישראל היא יסוד קדושת האומה…” “The love of Eretz Yisrael is the foundation of the nation’s holiness…”⁹
For Rav Kook, settling the Land wasn’t just a mitzvah—it was the heartbeat of redemption, the key to Klal Yisrael’s spiritual awakening.
The Chazon Ish agreed:
“מצוות ישוב ארץ ישראל נוהגת גם בזמן הזה.” “The mitzvah of settling Eretz Yisrael applies even today.”¹⁰
Even Gedolim who were cautious about political Zionism made it clear: the mitzvah of living in the Land has never expired.
Modern Poskim: With Sensitivity and Realism
In more recent times, Gedolim like Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l approached the topic with great care.
In Igros Moshe (Even HaEzer I:102), he acknowledged the mitzvah, but added that one must weigh other important factors—like being able to make a living, raise children properly, and continue one’s Torah learning.¹¹
Similarly, Rav Elchonon Wasserman zt”l stressed that while the mitzvah is very real, it must be pursued with clarity, guidance, and spiritual readiness.¹²
So... Is It a Mitzvah?
Yes. Absolutely. According to many of our greatest poskim—from the Ramban to the Chasam Sofer, Rav Kook, and beyond—living in Eretz Yisrael is a Torah mitzvah.
Even those who don’t count it in the 613 mitzvos agree that it carries tremendous value, spiritual weight, and eternal relevance.
But like many mitzvos, it’s not always black and white. There are factors to consider. It's not a one-size-fits-all. And not every Jew is in a position to pick up and move tomorrow.
Still, for those who can—for those whose hearts beat a little faster when they think about the Kotel, or Har HaBayis, or hearing Kiddush in Yerushalayim—the call is there.
Coming Home
The mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael isn’t just about where you sleep at night. It’s about where your neshamah feels at home. It’s about returning—not just to a land, but to a story. To a destiny. To the embrace of a Father who set aside a piece of earth just for His children.
And in a generation where Eretz Yisrael is more accessible than it’s been in 2,000 years, the opportunity is real. The mitzvah is alive. And the dream? The dream is just getting started.
Sources
- Bamidbar 33:53
- Ramban, Hasagos to Sefer HaMitzvos, Positive Mitzvah 4
- Rambam, Sefer HaMitzvos – does not list dwelling in Eretz Yisrael as one of the 613
- Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim u’Milchamos 5:9
- See Megillas Esther commentary on Ramban’s additions to Sefer HaMitzvos
- Talmud Bavli, Kesubos 110b
- Rashi and Tosfos on Kesubos 110b
- Chasam Sofer, Responsa, Yoreh De’ah 234
- Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, Orot, section on Eretz Yisrael
- Chazon Ish, Yoreh De’ah 3:20
- Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igros Moshe, Even HaEzer I:102
Rav Elchonon Wasserman, Kovetz Maamarim