Physical and Spiritual Ascension

And Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the mount of God.                          Exodus 18:5

            Rabbi Eliezer Waldenberg [Tzitz Eliezer vol. 11, p. 244] quotes Ḥatam Sofer, who notes that even though the Halacha obligates a man to live in the dwelling place of his wife, nonetheless, Yitro took Zippora, Moses’ wife to him, because Moses was encamped at the “mount of God.”

            Rabbi Waldenberg suggests that Ḥatam Sofer’s comments explain the Halacha stated in the Mishna [Ketubot 110b] and codified in Shulḥan Aruch [Even haEzer 75:4]:

(A man) may compel all (his household) to ascend (with him) to the Land of Israel, but none may be compelled to leave it. All (one’s household) may be compelled to go up to Jerusalem, but none may be compelled to leave it.

            It is because the Land and its capital are the “mount of God,” endowed with a unique level of sanctity, that one is obligated to dwell therein. And the purpose of dwelling within the Land is to be able to walk before God, in the “Land of the living” [Psalms 116:9] within the holy atmosphere which is conducive to spiritual development.

            Rabbi Waldenberg posits that ascending to the Land, and even more so, dwelling in Jerusalem, ultimately brings a Jew to great spiritual ascension.