Jews who live in Chutz La-aretz often do extensive renovations on their homes. [I hope to expand on this in a future post]. They gut, rebuild, expand, add, modernize, beautify etc. etc. Jews like to live in extremely comfortable homes. [Goyim probably do to but they are not my constituency].
I am conflicted about this...
On one hand - it is a principle of faith that we believe Moshiach can come any day and actively anticipate that he will. The Brisker Rov held that we must believe that he WILL come today [quoted many many times in the sifrei Mishmar HaLevi of HaGaon R' Moshe Mordechai Shulzinger ztz"l]. So BY GOLLY - how can one spend months [or more] and tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars doing renovations on their home which they anxiously hope they will never enjoy?
On the other hand - a person is allowed to plan for the future. Their is no aveirah to save money, for example. We are allowed to do things for the long run even if Moshiach coming would mean that they would end.
Now putting Moshiach aside - shouldn't people be preparing to move to Eretz Yisrael?? Renovating a home is a statement that we are here to stay for the looooong haul.
Where do I get this "CRAZY" idea that we should all have moving to Eretz Yisrael on our minds from? Oh - the entire Tanach where the thread that runs through it all is Eretz Yisrael. And psukim like:
וְאֹתִי צִוָּה יְהוָה, בָּעֵת הַהִוא, לְלַמֵּד אֶתְכֶם, חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים: לַעֲשֹׂתְכֶם אֹתָם--בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ.
אֵלֶּה הַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְרוּן לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֶיךָ לְךָ לְרִשְׁתָּהּ כׇּל־הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּם חַיִּים עַל־הָאֲדָמָה׃
These are the laws and rules that you must carefully observe in the land that Hashem, God of your ancestors, is giving you to possess, as long as you live on earth.
But to be totally candid, frank and honest - I am not sure that most people live their lives seriously expecting Moshiach to come any time soon. But this is a big secret. So please don't say it too loud.
