What was Chabad’s take on the secular character of Israel? Quick to condemn or defend? The Avner Institute presents an unusual, newly released yechidus about the establishment of the State of Israel from the archives of Rabbi Nissan Mindel, longtime aide of the Previous Rebbe and Rebbe, expressing the latter’s disappointment in the outcome of the United Nations, yet powerful hope for the future and vision of the final redemption. With special thanks to Rabbi Sholom Ber Schapiro.
In loving memory of Hadassah Lebovic A”h
“They are Dependent on No One”
“What is Chabad’s perspective on the State of Israel,” I asked, “considering what I heard a number of times at farbrengens – that, G-d forbid, not to think this is the is’chalta d’geula [initial stage of Redemption]?
“Likewise, the Rebbe said a number of times that the galus (exile) of Eretz Yisrael is like the galus of other places in the Diaspora. If so, is it a mistake to say and conclude that Chabad does not recognize the State of Israel? Can this be publicized, for there are those who are liable to distance themselves from Chabad’s influence if they hear this?”
The Rebbe asked me to sit, so he could listen with proper attentiveness. “With your letter, you brought me into a different state.”
He told a story (the intent of which was not understood, even by the person it was said to) of the sage Noda B’Yehuda, who proffered his candidacy for the rabbinic position in Prague. There were parties who supported his election and a few who opposed, claiming that Prague needed a Rav whose genius was outstanding.
So they decided to test him. The Noda B’Yehuda answered all the questions satisfactorily – except one.
They said, “Now we caught you, and you are incapable of ruling according to halacha!”
The Noda B’Yehuda answered, “A person is a human being, after all, and can err. If he were the mara d’asra [local spiritual advisor], he would have siyata dishmaya [Divine assistance] and not make mistakes.”
False Hope
The Rebbe explained, “In every exile there were false messiahs, among them even those who meant for the sake of heaven. Each time this happened there were many victims, for they believed this was the geula and misfortunes fell upon them in different ways, pogroms, etc. And now, victims are falling in Eretz Yisrael every day.”
The Rebbe made a gesture as if to say there is no option. “I see no other reason except for the fact that they believe that this is the is’chalta d’geula.
“Throughout history, Hashem, in his great kindness, provides Jews with opportunities to prove they are worthy of the geula, in various ways. Like the Vaad Arba Aratzos [Council of the Four Lands] who had autonomy [over the Jews in Poland from the late 16th to mid-18th centuries] and permission to lead as they wished. But that was only four lands, and the independence was not complete, since sometimes the Gentile could intervene and say his view, and it was a sort of experiment which did not succeed. Now Hashem is doing what in English is called a repetition and in Russian repetitsaya – to see if it is possible to raise the curtain.
“Throughout exile there was no opportunity like that of 1948 when UN, i.e. the nations of the world, gave Jews the right to full independence without the involvement of the nations of the world, just that they should be at peace with their neighbors, and aside from that, they are dependent on no one. The same thing could have been in Uganda or Argentina, but Hashem in His great kindness and goodness, wanted it to be specifically in Eretz Yisrael so that the holiness of the land would assist in the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvoth.
“What did they do? An argument broke out about who they would be dependent on – Moscow or Washington, and the minority said Moscow and the majority said Washington, and that is how it was decided. And they sat and decided to be like all the nations and they made a Knesset and laws like all the nations, and even regarding domestic matters they did not do according to halacha.”
To Make As One
The Rebbe sighed. “I do not call them the State of Israel but Eretz Yisrael, since that is the way it was since Avrohom Avinu, and it is not my job to go in the streets and make pronouncements. Rather, a Rav or dayan [judge] from Eretz Yisrael needs to go and announce, for it is his responsibility. If I make a pronouncement, they will get up and say, ‘There’s a Jew who sits in Brooklyn and paskens [issues halachic rulings] about Eretz Yisrael.’
“A Jew must seek that which unites him with another Jew, not that which divides them.”
The Rebbe waved his hands and his voice rose in intensity. “What is the argument about the territories? What kind of occupation is that? That is territory that is ours, that belongs to us! And the Suez belongs to us too, for we are the owners. And if someone wants to know the borders of Eretz Yisrael, he should open a Chumash and he’ll see . . . . And although we say, because of our sins we were exiled, however, we still say, ‘from our land,’ for it is ours, with no interruption. If I leave my house to take a walk, for example, does that make my house no longer mine since I left it?”
The Rebbe also asked, “What is the condition demanded of us that we do in order to have fulfilled what I said on Lag B’Omer about the preparation for the geula?”
He leaned back and answered, “It happened already. It is happening.”
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