Rashi is not Waiting in Passaic

In several places, when the Torah says "עלה" with regard to going to Israel, Rashi comments that "ארץ ישראל גבוהה מכל הארצות". We cannot be frozen in time, history isn't static, things change. The mitzvah of settling the land of Israel applies even today. Omri, a complete rasha merited the kingship because he built a single city in the Land of Israel (Shomron).

Delivered at the OU Israel Center, February 26, 2019 (21 Adar I 5779)