Winter 2025

Eretz Yisroel is also called Eretz Tzvi. Chazal explain that, like the skin of a tzvi (a deer), which stretches beyond its natural state, the Land of Israel likewise expands to accommodate its inhabitants.[1] The Talmud states that anyone who walks four amos in Eretz Yisroel merits a place in the World to Come.[2] From here, some poskim derive that one fulfills the mitzvah merely by visiting Eretz Yisroel, even if one intends to stay for just a short while.[3]

Anyone planning a trip should be mindful of several pertinent halachos. We will review some of these below.

Scheduling the Flight

• Do not plan to land too close to Shabbos; a flight landing on Friday morning is halachically acceptable.[4]
• Try to avoid leaving Israel on a fast day, as the fast will be extended and you will not be able to drink.[5]
• Flying during Chanuka can also be tricky as you may miss lighting. A shaliach (representative) may be able to light for you in your home. Discuss with your rav before booking.
• Remember to order a kosher meal.[6]
• Be mindful not to transgress daber davar on Shabbos or Yom Tov if talking about your upcoming trip. You may say, “I’m going to Israel.”[7] But don’t specify the mode of transport – for instance, by saying, “I’m taking the El Al flight to Israel” – or discuss fares.[8]
• Make no assumptions and be careful with claims of kosher status when booking an Airbnb – even in Israel.[9]

Davening En Route: When, Where, What

One should keep in mind the times for davening, where and when to daven, and other time-related mitzvos.

Tefilas Haderech – should be recited on the way to the airport or while taxiing on the runway, as appropriate.[10]

What if you stop over in Europe and then board another flight the next morning, does the tefillah need to be repeated? According to Rav Moshe Heinemann shlit”a, Tefilas Haderech is not recited the second day after travelling all night. But to satisfy all opinions, he advises one to insert Tefilas Haderech in Shome’a Tefilah in Shemoneh Esrei,[11] or to recite it without Hashem’s name in the bracha at the end. [12]

Shacharis –  Many travelers taking a night flight fail to realize that the proper time for Shacharis might be as little as two hours after takeoff, and so they daven too late – after the sof zman tefillah. In addition, the allowable span for Shacharis is short, as little as two hours. The davening times may not be obvious if one is looking out the window.[13] Consult online charts for correct times (see “Sidebar: Packing Suggestions,” below). Note that the proper direction to daven on a flight to Israel is towards the front of the plane, even though it is not strictly due east.[14]

Birchas Hagomel – should be recited after landing, at the first possible Torah reading (and after the return trip as well).[15]

When in Israel…

Tearing Kriah – When visiting the Kosel, one tears kriah over the Churban, ripping clothing which cover the heart.[16] There is discussion among poskim if the custom is to tear just one garment (jacket or shirt) or all the garments (jacket and shirt).[17] To avoid this issue, one may take off a jacket before seeing the Kosel, rip kriah on his shirt upon seeing the Kosel, then put the jacket back on without the need to tear kriah on it.[18] A sweater, coat, tzitzis, or undershirt are not torn. Since one cannot bring scissors past security, one should start the kriah at home so that he will be able to tear at the Kosel.[19]

Mizrach – In the U.S., we face east – toward Mizrach – when we daven, which is facing Yerushalayim.[20] But in Israel, we face in whichever direction points us to Yerushalayim. Thus, in Teveria (which is in the north) we face south, while in Beersheva (which is in the south) we face north.

Zmanim – Be mindful that zmanim in Israel are different than in your hometown (obviously, this is true wherever you travel).

For example, the earliest sof zman tefilah of the year in Brooklyn is 9:56 a.m. In Jerusalem it can be as early as 9:32 a.m. If you were to daven, for example, at a 9 a.m. minyan on Shabbos, you would likely miss zman tefilah.

There are various opinions when to consider it nightfall in the U.S. for Krias Shma. A common opinion, based on Igros Moshe, is 50 minutes after sunset. However, in Israel, it gets darker faster, so nightfall arrives sooner. Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l is quoted as saying that 30 minutes is sufficient; some hold as little as 20-25 minutes.

For melacha on Motzei Shabbos in the U.S., there are various customs – 72, 60, 50 or 42 minutes. In Israel, many people keep less than that, and one should consult with his rav as to the proper time. [21]

Additions in Tefilah – In Israel, one begins to say V’sen Tal Umattar in Shmoneh Esrei on 7 Cheshvan, which is much earlier than we do here in the U.S. (December 4).[22] According to Rav Heinemann, one who travels to Israel after 7 Cheshvan but before December 4 should say it in the bracha of Shomei’ah Tefilah once he arrives in Israel, and then upon his return revert to not saying it, until December 4.[23]

The nusach after eating fruit grown in Israel from the Shevah Minim is v’al peiroseha, or v’al pri gafna for wine and grape juice. This applies while outside of Israel as well.

Parshios Read on Shabbos – Sometimes the parshios read on Shabbos in Israel and outside Israel are out of sync. This happens with parshios that are read following the eighth day of Pesach or the second day of Shavuos that occurs on Shabbos. There are various minhagim as to how to address this. [24]

Kashrus – Navigating the kosher situation in Israel is much more complicated than in the U.S. Often, kosher certifications in Israel are not up to the standards required by Orthodox communities in the States. Even knowing which agency certifies a restaurant can be a challenge, as agencies do not maintain the information online, unlike in the U.S. Before eating out or committing to a hotel booking, contact a person knowledgeable about kashrus in Israel.[25]

Kashrus in Israel also involves the halachos of Terumos, Maasros, Orlah and Shemita, which apply to produce grown in Eretz Yisroel. If you buy produce with a good kosher certification, there should be no issues. But if the produce bears a certification that is not to your level, or if you go berry- or grape-picking, you are the one tasked with the separations and will need to become informed about the halachos.[26] During and following a Shemita year one needs to be especially careful with Shemita produce.

Two-Day Yom Tov – While Israelis observe only one day of Yom Tov (except for Rosh Hashana), the general consensus is that visitors keep two days.[27]

For Kohanim Only [28]

Kohanim must abide by restrictions to preserve their kedusha with regard to the flights they may take and the places they can go in Eretz Yisrael. Non-stop flights to Eretz Yisroel may carry a meis (a corpse) on board for burial there. A kohen may not travel on such a flight. Certain flights almost definitely have meisim (e.g., certain El Al flights from JFK) while some almost definitely do not (e.g., flights to European cities.) Some flights pass over Jewish cemeteries (e.g., flights from Budapest.) The details are constantly changing, and kohanim need to check ahead of time. With Rav Heinemann’s encouragement, a general guide for kohanim was recently prepared that addresses some of these issues.[29]

Some areas in Israel are problematic for kohanim. For instance, walking or biking in Gan Sacher near the Knesset in Jerusalem might lead one right into (or under trees overhanging) a cemetery that is adjacent to it. Kohanim may not visit kivrei tzadikim; it is even forbidden for them to stand outside if under an overhanging tree or roof.[30]

Nesiah tova!

SIDEBAR: Packing Suggestions

• Extra food in your carry-on in case there is an issue with your kosher meal. It is worth pointing out that while halacha states that one may not leave food under a bed, a seat on an airplane is not considered a bed, even though people use it for sleeping.[31]
• Charts printed from Air.MyZmanim.org or ChaiTables.com for davening times.[32]
• A shirt [33] to tear kriah at the Kosel. It can be one you don’t wear anymore.
• Special pesukim to be said during tearing kriah.

This article was written l’zecher nishmas Yechezkel Isur ben Yaakov Moshe, Chezi Goldberg Hy”d, the author’s brother-in-law, killed by a suicide bomber on bus #19 in Jerusalem, 6 Shvat 5764 (January 29, 2004). The author has visited the family many times since then, and most of the ideas here are based on those visits.

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[1] Gittin 57a.

[2] Kesubos 111a. See Pnei Yehoshua (d.h. Amar R. Elazar) for a novel explanation of how a person gets a complete kapara while visiting Eretz Yisroel.

[3] See MG”A 248:15. For this reason one who is visiting may embark on a ship to Israel even on Erev Shabbos, which is normally forbidden. See “Halachic Guidelines of Kosher Cruises” at by this author. See also Halichos Shlomo, Tefillah 23:fn 16.

[4] Rav Moshe Heinemann shlit”a.

[5] See “A Guide to Time-Related Halachos When Flying” by Rabbi Dovid Heber.

[6] On El Al, STAR-K recommends Mehadrin/Regal Meals. On United out of Newark, when you order kosher, fresh Fresko meals certified by STAR-K and Tartikov (R’ Yechiel Babad) are served. Fresko sandwiches and salads are also available for sale in some terminals in New York-area airports. Check for kashrus symbols.

[7] Since there are theoretically permissible ways to travel that don’t involve melacha. See footnote 10 in “The Guide to Proper Speech on Shabbos” by Rabbi Heber.

[8] See SSK 29:62.

[9] See “Navigating the Ins and Outs of Renting an Airbnb” by this author.

[10] Ideally we avoid saying Tefilas Haderech while in the air, since the air is not a “derech.”

[11] During Shacharis in the morning, before boarding the second flight.

[12] The same applies if you travel non-stop and then travel from the airport to another city in Israel.

[13] Especially on a Boeing Dreamliner, where the windows are artificially darkened.

[14] This direction is northeast followed by southeast, as the plane travels on the Great Circle Route. (See article in footnote 5 for an explanation of the Great Circle Route.) Rav Heinemann holds that northeast is the way to face even when on the ground in the U.S., as it is the shortest route to Yerushalayim.

[15] Minchas Yitzchak 2:47. However, some hold not to recite Hagomel after a flight (Rav Ruderman, Rosh Yeshiva Ner Yisroel), and the Brisker Rav, quoted in Kinyan Torah 1:16:3.) It is generally not customary for women to recite Hagomel, see M.B. 219:3.

[16] See “Tearing Kriah at the Kosel” by Rabbi Mordechai Frankel at for detailed halachos.

[17] See S.A. 561:4 and Minchas Shlomo 1:73.

[18] Rav Heinemann.

[19] If you forgot, ask at the checkpoint or in a store in the Old City if they have anything sharp to help you do kriah. The Yalkut Yosef Hilchos Beis Hakneses admonishes visitors to behave respectfully at the Kosel as befitting its kedusha, and to refrain from eating, drinking or discussing devarim beteilim (unserious topics).

[20] See footnote 14 for Rav Heinemann’s opinion.

[21] The Chazon Ish is quoted as having held 45-50 minutes. (S.S.K. 58:2).

[22] December 5 when it precedes a civil leap year.

[23] See also Yom Tov Sheni K’hilchaso 10:7.

[24] The next time this will occur is Shavuos 5786/2026.

[25] ZNT Kosher ([email protected]) maintains a service to help answer questions for visitors. See also their list of commonly accepted hechsheirim.

[26] See an article by Rav Heinemann for guidelines in doing this mitzvah. A few points about the process: (a) After redeeming Maaser Sheni onto a coin, the coin should be destroyed; it cannot be used or given to tzedakah. (b) If separating produce picked from the field, you should also say the special brachos on this mitzvah before saying the regular text. If separating in Israel as a stringency, or when buying Israeli produce in the U.S., do so without a bracha because it is possible that maaser had already been taken. (c) If the value of the Maaser Sheni is less than a peruta, you need to use a peruta chamura. (d) If you want to take Maaser Sheni in Israel without worrying about the coins, you can join Rav Shaul Reicheberg’s group, Keren HaMa’asros.

[27] M.B. 491:13.

[28] See “Maintaining Kedushas Kehuna on Land, Air and Sea” by Rabbi Mordechai Frankel.

[29]See here. Other resources are Vaad Mishmeres Kohanim of Lakewood, [email protected], 732-523-5020,and Hakohanim.org.

[30] Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 202:14 writes that there are some unlearned kohanim who visit graves of tzadikim and say that tzadikim have no tumah (based on Tosafos Kesuvos 103b and other sources), but this is a mistake and they must be stopped. See Gesher Hachaim 29:12. Hakohanim.org lists places where kohanim can and cannot go. The website is referenced here for informational purposes only, and kohanim should consult with their own rav.

[31] Rav Moshe Shternbuch, Teshuvos V’hanhagos 1:8, 2:316.

[32] See the article quoted in footnote 5 above for guidance in using these sites. Zmanim in the air are determined by the zmanim on the ground at the location over which the airplane is flying. On a typical flight, this could be about a half-hour difference from what a passenger might see out his window (e.g., the rising or setting of the sun). El Al usually has zmanim (and other Torah content) available on the inflight screen, which are pegged to the airplane’s actual location.

[33] Or jacket. See discussion under “Tearing Kriah,” above.