N'Tzavim: learning in chu"l

Parshat N'Tzavim

In 30:12-13 the Torah says, "לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם, הִוא: לֵאמֹר, מִי יַעֲלֶה-לָּנוּ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְיִקָּחֶהָ לָּנוּ, וְיַשְׁמִעֵנוּ אֹתָהּ, וְנַעֲשֶׂנָּה. וְלֹא-מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם, הִוא: לֵאמֹר, מִי יַעֲבָר-לָנוּ אֶל-עֵבֶר הַיָּם וְיִקָּחֶהָ לָּנוּ, וְיַשְׁמִעֵנוּ אֹתָהּ, וְנַעֲשֶׂנָּה" meaning "It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say: 'Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?' Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say: 'Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?"

It is not just a matter of where you can learn better. It is not just saying, dont say I have to cross the ocean to learn Torah, rather you can even learn it where you are (in eretz yisrael).

No. The passuk says ,"and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?"

Some say I can learn better in the US so I will not come to Israel, or some even leave Israel saying he can learn better in the US.

But it is not a matter of where you can learn better (or should I say, where you think/claim you can learn better). Rather, where better will you be able to perform the mitzvos. Where better will you be able to learn and put into action that learning in the form of mitzva observance. For that one need not leave Israel. There is no place better for mitzva observance than in the Land of Israel. There are tens of mitzvos one is simply unable to perform just by the nature of his being abroad.

וישמענו אותה ונעשנה

The learning on its own is important. But it is not the ikkar - the main aspect of Jewish life. If one can learn better abroad, then it might be a valid reason to remain outside of Israel. But the passuk is saying that one cannot claim that he will perform the mitzvos better abroad.

Ki karov aylecha hadavar m'od....

There is nowhere better to learn Torah and perform mitzvos than in Eretz Yisrael