Tosefta sobre Rute 1:19

2. It is proper for a person to live in Eretz Yisrael even in a city where most [of the inhabitants] are idolators and not outside Eretz Yisrael even in a city where everyone is Jewish. This teaches that living in Eretz Yisrael is equal to all the mitzvot in the Torah. And the one buried in Eretz Yisrael, it is as if he is buried under the altar [in the Temple]. A person should not go outside of Eretz Yisrael unless wheat is two se’ahs for a sela. Rabbi Shimon said, under what circumstances? In a time when can find [wheat] to purchase even a se’ah for a sela, he does not go out. And so Rabbi Shimon said, Elimelekh was among the great ones of his generation and among the ones who sustained the public. And because he went outside Eretz Yisrael, he and his sons died in a famine. But all of Israel was able to survive on their land as it says, “The whole city buzzed over them” (Ruth 1:19). This teaches that all the city survives when he and his sons died in famine. Indeed it says, “And I return in peace to my father’s house” (Gen 28:21), and the scripture does not say, “Then the Lord will be my God” (Gen 28:21). And it says, “[I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt] to give to you the land of Canaan and to be to you God” (Lev 25:38). For all the time you are in the land of Canaan, indeed I am your god. If you are not in the land of Canaan, I am not your god. And thus it says, “About forty thousand shock troops [went across at the instance of the Lord, to the steppes of Jericho for battle]” (Josh 4:13). And it says, “[See, the Lord your God is with you, and He will give you rest on every side,] for He delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand [so that the land lies conquered before the Lord and His people” (I Chron 22:18). Would it come up in your mind that Israel would subdue the land before ha-maqom? Rather: all the time that they are on it, it is [as if it is] subdued. If they are not on it, it is [as if it is] not subdued. And thus David said, “For they have driven me out today so that I cannot have a share in the Lord’s possession” (I Sam 26:19). Would it come up in your mind that David the king worshipped idols? Rather David interpreted and said, whoever leaves Eretz Yisrael behind in a time of peace and goes out it is as if he worshipped idols, as it says, “I will plant them faithfully in this land” (Jer 32:41). If they are not upon it, they are not planted before me in faith “with all my heart and all my soul” (Jer 32:41). Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, A Jew that is outside the land is an idol worshipper in purity. Howso? An idolator who made a banquet for his son and invited all the Jews in his town, even though they eat their own [food] and drink their own [drinks] and their server stands over them, even still they worship idolatry as it says, “And invite you and you will eat of their sacrifices” (Ex 34:15).