Psak 5768 Ellul 7
Informal translation from Hebrew of the 7 Ellul, 5768 (7 September 2008) statement:
Special Court for Matters Concerning the Nation and the State
Secretary: Rabbi Amnon Hever Tel: 054-9400909 b.d.hartzion@gmail.com
Concerning the question of bring the remains of Tzaddikim, Rabbi Nahman of Breslov in particular, to the Holy Land
This is the wording of the Rambam in the Laws of Kings 5:11:
The Rabbis have said: all who reside in the Land of Israel, their sins are forgiven-- as it says "And the inhabitant shall not say: 'I am sick'; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity" (Isaiah 33:24). Even if one walked 4 cubits, one merits a place in the World to Come. And all that are buried there, they receive atonement, and it is as if the place that they are buried is an altar of atonement, as it says "and He makes atonement for the land of His nation". (Deuteronomy 32:43) And regarding divine punishment it says "On impure land you shall die." (Amos 7:17) And one that dies in the Land is not similar to one brought there after death. And even thus, the greatest of the Rabbis would bring their dead there; see Jacob our father, and Joseph the righteous.
And thus it is in the Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 363:1. See also Pitchei Teshuva that even if a person revealed his desires during his life explicitly, even then it is allowed.
And we can do nothing but join and encourage those who are working for this great mitzvah.
Signatories - Court of the Sanhedrin Click here to see the Hebrew version
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