Rabbinic Debate Erupts Over Pilgrimage to Uman, Ukraine

Approximately 60,000 Jews from Israel reportedly traveled to Uman, Ukraine, to celebrate Rosh Hashanah at the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, a pilgrimage that has drawn sharp criticism from some religious figures.

The article contrasts this mass departure with the Jewish concept of "love of the land" (Ahavat Ha'aretz), particularly as emphasized in the Book of Deuteronomy, which is read during this period. It questions the religious justification for leaving one's home, family, and the Land of Israel for a pilgrimage to Ukraine, described as "cursed land" and "impure."

To support its argument, the piece recalls a historical meeting in Jerusalem between Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter, the Gerer Rebbe (known as the "Em Em" for his work), and Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Mandatory Palestine. Rabbi Alter reportedly expressed immense admiration for Rabbi Kook's scholarship and his deep love for the Land of Israel, even countering negative portrayals of Rabbi Kook spread by some Orthodox circles abroad. Rabbi Kook himself emphasized the sanctity of the Land of Israel, stating it holds more holiness than any individual sage's tomb.

The author argues that the pilgrimage to Uman, especially during Rosh Hashanah and while Deuteronomy is being read, represents a turning away from the Land of Israel and its Torah. This is framed as a departure from traditional Jewish values that prioritize settling and living in the Land of Israel, contrasting it with "other Torahs" that allegedly encourage abandoning family for the Uman trip.

Further criticism comes from educator Rabbi Yaakov Feigenbaum, who questions why Rabbi Nachman's tomb is considered more important than the graves of revered figures like Maimonides and Rabbi Yosef Karo, who are buried in Israel. He also dismisses the idea that a single trip to Uman, coupled with charity and reciting Psalms, can unilaterally alter a person's spiritual standing, deeming it illogical. The article concludes by questioning the logic of fathers leaving their wives and children behind in Israel for the pilgrimage.