GEMARA: Granted, one may not force a spouse to move from a city to a town, as all items are readily available in a city, whereas in a town all items are not as available, and therefore the wife can argue that living in a town is inconvenient for her. However, what is the reason that the husband cannot compel her to move from a town to the city? The Gemara answers: This supports the opinion of Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina, who said: From where is it derived that dwelling in cities is difficult? As it is stated (in Sefer Nechemia 11:2): “And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem”. This shows that living in a city is difficult.
Dwelling in cities is hard – For everyone settles there, and they press and place the houses near each other, and there is no air. But in an open city there are gardens and orchards near the houses, and the air is good.
Who volunteered on their own, willingly, without the lottery. And because dwelling in cities is hard, for areas of high population are expensive, this was considered a gift.
In what ways is living in a city, like Jerusalem, considered a hardship?
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