ZIONISM / OATHS-----agadita defense

1)Isn't the Gemara about the oaths Aggadda and not necessarily Halacha?

2)Isn't it only an individual opinion, not unanimously stated?

3)Isn't there an equally authoritative opinion elsewhere in the Gemara (I think Sanhedrin 97) that the Jews will return to Eretz Yisroel BEFORE Moshiach arrives?



1) No.

(a) By definition, Halachah is something that it says you are
prohibited to do. Here it says you may not take Eretz Yisroel before Moshiach or else Hashem will allow Goyim to kill Jews like animals. That’s Halachah.

(b) "It's Agadah" doesn’t mean to ignore it.
According to Rabbeinu Tam in Sefer Hayashar AGada is binding unless it is against Halachah. And even according to the others who hold Agada is not Halachicly binding per se, it surely reveals to us lesson of what Hashem wants in this world. So if the Gemora says HASHEM DOES NOT WANT YOU TO DO THIS OR ELSE YOU WILL DIE, even if it is not Halachicly binding, it surely shows that doing it is not going to make Hashem happy.

(c) The Oaths are quoted L'Halachah in numerous sources, including but not limited to:

Responsa Rivash #110,

Responsa Rashbash #2,

Megilas Esther on Sefer HaMitzvos of Rambam #4 (Regarding why the Rambam does not count the Mitzvah to live in Eretz Yisroel in his list of Mitzvos)

Ramban Maamar HaGeulah #1 (regarding why all Jews outside of Bavel - the majority of Jews at the time - did not go to Eretz Yisroel at Coresh's call)

Rambam (Igeres Taimon - warning people not to violate the Oaths or else face grave danger)

Maharal (Netzach Yisroel 24) writes that even if the Goyim try to force us to take Eretz Yisroel for ourselves during Golus, we must allow ourselves to be killed rather than take violate the Oaths.


(d) The Bnei Efraim, who escaped from Egypt early, were all annihilated in the desert, Chazal say, because they violated the Oaths. That clearly shows the results of violating them.

2) No. The Oaths are stated unanimously. There is no opinion in the Gemora or Chazal anywhere that disagrees.


3) No. On the contrary, Sanhedrim 98a says as long as Jews have governments or kingdoms, Moshiach will not come.