Under What Conditions Is It Permitted to Travel Abroad?

Shalom rav,

1. It is permitted to leave the land of Israel and travel abroad in order to study Torah or to find a match, and also in order to earn a livelihood (Rambam, Laws of Kings, chapter 5, halacha 9).

2. Likewise, one may leave the land for the purpose of fulfilling any type of mitzvah (based on Mishnah Berurah, siman 531, seif katan 14).

3. It is possible to be lenient and leave the land as well in order to pray at the graves of righteous people (Responsa Yechaveh Daat, volume 5, siman 57, in the note beginning with the words veda).

4. There are those who wrote to be lenient about leaving the land for a short time if one is going and intends to see the wonders of nature created by the Creator of the universe, may He be blessed (Responsa Shevet HaLevi, volume 5, siman 173). Of course, this permission applies only if one is going to see natural wonders that have no equivalent in the Land of Israel, and on condition that one truly intends to be moved by the greatness of the Creator of the universe, may He be blessed.

5. One who feels a genuine psychological need to go abroad for fresh air, and feels that in the land one will not be able to obtain the fresh air one requires, there is room to be lenient and permit leaving abroad for this purpose (see Responsa Teshuvot VeHanhagot, volume 5, siman 393).
  
With blessing,

Hillel Meirs