ZIONISM / OATHS-----r meir simcha letter

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More on the Letter of Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk

Rav Meir Simcha writes that because of the Balfour declaration, the "Mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisroel" has returned. Now he did not say the Mitzvah of Kibush Haaretz, but rather the Mitzvah of Yishuv Haaretz. Clearly, Rav Meir Simcha held that the oaths not only prevent any takeover of Eretz Yisroel, but they also negate the Mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisroel, as per the Megilas Esther.

Now take a look at Rabbi ZY Kook's statement (quoted by Rabbi Aviner) in context:

"Besides the fact that it is understood that the Megilas Esther, with all his greatness and holiness, does not come into the equation against the Ramban, who is called the "Father of klall Yisroel", and is the source for many halachos in shulchan aruch, whereas the Megilas Esther is not the source for one single halachah - is it not obvious and clear that the Ramban knew the words of Chazal in Kesuvos 111a, but in Sefer Hamitzvos he presents as a Halachic authority, not a Kabalistic, and so he did not consider [when he said the Mitzvah of Yishuv Haaretz applies], the holy Agadic words of Chazal, and so to was the understanding of Rav Meir Simcha ZTL, who in his letter ... repeats oftentimes the phrase "the fear of the oaths", from which it is clear that there is no issue of halachah here but rather fear due to the concept of the Oaths, and so there is no contradiction to [between the Oaths] and the halachah and Mitzvah d'oraisah."

The problem is, the rest of the quote of Rav Meir Simcha goes like this "the fear of the Oaths has passed, and so the Mitzvah of Yishuv Haaretz returns", meaning that the Oaths indeed do have the power to negate the Mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisroel, and only if the Oaths are not being violated does that Mitzvah apply. It would be difficult to imagine how someone could make such an incredible blunder.