The nature of a person is that when something is accessible it becomes less precious. "Rare" or "hard to get" is a value.
In the olden days - almost nobody had a set of Shas at home. Today, there is no frum home without at least one set - usually multiple sets. So today - you can't give away a used Gemara. I see them for sale for almost nothing and there are just about no takers. Sfarim in general are so easy to buy and so [relatively] inexpensive that people have little reverence and appreciation for a sefer. You can go online and download for free tens of thousands of Sfarim. It is a great gift but sadly cheapens Sfarim in people's eyes.
Imagine that Jews had not been allowed to enter Israel for the last 2000 years and then suddenly - last week - Jews were allowed entry. Would there be a Torah Jew [and many non-Torah Jews] who wouldn't come for Pesach?? But Israel is ooooooold news. We have all "been there done that". Today someone told me that people are opting for Thailand for Pesach b/c "it's cheaper than Israel so why go to Israel if you can go to Thailand". There are loads of people who own comfortable apartments in great, centrally located places in Israel who will be in Orlando [and other hot spots תרתי משמע] for Pesach. Why? ISRAEL!! THE PROMISED LAND!!! Hashem's special gift to his chosen people. First words ever uttered by Hashem to a Jew: Leave your home and go to the Land I will show you" - Eretz Yisroel. Isn't it a little bit insulting to receive a gift [from G-d Himself, in this case] and to not accept it? He also told us that this is the BEST PLACE for us!!! Would He lie? His stamp is "אמת" [Shabbos 55a].
When I was a child, I preferred our family vacations to Miami and the Catskills [to Grossingers עליו השלום] to our trips to Israel. Miami and the Catskills were all fun and games. Israel ALSO had some fun and games but there was also a lot of "heavy, spiritual stuff". So I get it.
But I just wonder - what am I doing here on earth?? Like, why am I here?? What does Hashem want from me? What are people thinking at the seder when they say
אילו הכניסנו לארץ ישראל ולא בנה לנו את בית הבחירה דיינו?
Like - the whole point of leaving Egypt was to receive the Torah - בהוציאך את העם ממצרים תעבדון את הא-להים על ההר הזה and the Torah was given to keep in Eretz Yisrael - רְאֵה לִמַּדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם, חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּנִי, יְ-ה-וָ-ה אֱ-לֹהָי: לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם בָּאִים שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ. So if we have the opportunity to be in Eretz Yisrael, we have the money, we own an apartment or can easily afford to rent one or stay in a luxurious hotel - why are we in Thailand?? Is that what Hashem wants?
So sweet friends - you are invited. To my house. In Israel. For Pesach. Free!!! [As long as there is room...]. 😃😘
