Parshas Hashavua ראה
כי יעשה הישר בעיני ה׳
כי תעשה הטוב והישר בעיני ה׳
The תורה places great emphasis on bringing קרבנות only in the proper, designated place. A person may offer his קרבן only where it is “הישר בעיני ה׳” — where it is right in the eyes of Hashem — and not merely where it feels right in his own eyes. The location of the עבודה is not a matter of personal inspiration.
Perhaps this idea of “הישר בעיני ה׳” can also be applied today to the proper place for the עבודה of תפילה.
Abandoning the בית הכנסת or בית המדרש in order to Daven at a בית הקברות — especially when people leave ארץ ישראל* to do so — does not seem to align with “הישר בעיני ה׳.” Even though tens of thousands of Yidden, with sincere intentions, engage in this practice, sincerity alone does not determine correctness.
Historically, the מנהג of Davening at בית הקברות was practiced by individuals, not by the masses. It was never intended to replace the primary מקום תפילה — the בית הכנסת and בית המדרש — which Chazal describe as the true home of תפילה.
*There are some Poskim who were מתיר to leave ארץ ישראל. However, this would apply only to individuals and not to the masses, where we run into the problem of קנאת ארץ ישראל (Ukraine-Hungary-Poland etc.)
The Chasam Sofer said that the probable cause for the earthquake in the Galil (1835) was the קנאת ירושלים. The jealousy of Yerushalayim that was abandoned and most Yidden lived in צפת and also the masses who travelled to מירון on ל״ג בעומר.
