Reply To: Chief Rabbi: Could we sit and study Torah without soldiers?

NCB: It makes sense. There is a trend in Mekubalim in Eretz Yisrael to explain the secular Zionists based on an Arizal (I haven’t seen this inside, but have heard it independently from 3 Talmidim of R’ Kaduri). The Arizal said that the Meraglim would have to come back and be Metaken their Aveirah. They would not accomplish a single Mitzvah in their lives other than Yishuv Eretz Yisrael. Mekubalim wondered how it could possibly be that someone only does one Mitzvah in their entire lives. But when you look at some of the early founders of the State, it makes shocking sense. I don’t know if R’ Yosef said it either, but it would not surprise me and it would be explained in this vein.