What about Ezra?

This is another standard aliyah propaganda line, that Ezra decreed people must return to EY and most did not and he criticized them for that. Therefore, we must return to EY.

Firstly, it's not clear who Ezra was talking to. Was it just the Jews of bavel who were prophesized to return? Was it just the tribe of Yehuda. Yirmiyahu Cohen talks about this in his book I Will Await Thee.

But besides that, what has Ezra's call to them have to do with me? Ezra lived in 480–440 BCE. That's two thousand and five hundred years ago!

As one hears often, we listen to the gadolim of our era. Ezra lived 83 generations ago. He spoke to the people of his day, not to us. 

The gadolim of our day have not demanded that we return to Israel. They didn't return to EY. Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, Rav Aaron Kotler, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Soloveitchik, Rav Avigdor Miller  and so many others, all these wise men of our era lived in chutz. The Rebbe and Rav Miller never stepped foot in EY. Rav Soloveitchik never stepped foot in the Medinah. Even the ones who lived in EY: The Steipler, Rav Elyashiv, Rav SZ. Aeurbach never told everyone to move to EY. 

A decade ago, I had a neighbor in America, a self-professed Zionist, who shouted that all of these giants must do teshuvah for not pushing aliyah. Imagine the chutzpah of that. Well, Zionists are known for their chutzpah. Guess where this guy lives today? He lives in a town in New Jersey in a big house that was purchased by his wife's parents. 

RHS's throwaway line is that rabbanim have an excuse because they are needed in America. Zionists have to be the most manipulative people on the planet. They have an answer for everything, but it's an answer that doesn't really hold up and is usually self-serving Aren't teachers need too? What about doctors? What about children of elderly parents? What about parents whose children need them for guidance? What about people who become needy by moving to the SSOI, because they can't earn a parnassah, because they ruin their children, because their children get killed in the Israeli military who as we have learned this year do not hesitate to put soldiers in harm's  way? Can't RHS move to Israel and answer shilas by computer, phone, Zoom as well as for the people there? Of course he could. But he continues to live in New York and earn hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in salary at YU and speaking fees. 

Regardless, the gadolim have not told us to move. They are our Ezra. So you can cite Ezra all day. He didn't make decrees about aliyah for me. He made other decrees for all times and we follow those.