The Lubavitcher Rebbe: Millions of Jewish Lives are in Danger!

Fires burning across Israel

“Someone wrote to me that there is now a new phrase in Eretz Israel – ‘be killed and don’t let go’. 

There is a Jewish Law: ‘allow yourself to be killed and don’t transgress [certain prohibitions of Torah’. 

I asked him: “What is the meaning of this?” 

“Why don’t you understand?” he replied, “let them be killed and don’t let go. 

They are prepared to do anything and everything, even to permit Jews to be killed. The main point is don’t let go of their Knesset Seats.” 

In order to hold on to their Knesset Seats they are prepared to endanger millions of Jewish lives. G-d Save us! May it never happen!” 

Public address Shabbos Parshas Beha’alosech 1970

Just take a stand! Don’t kneel or bow down!

There is a clear guideline to be learnt from the leadership of Mordechai (not to compromise our principles of faith) ‘as in those days – in our time;’ we take a firm stand ‘not to kneel or bow down’. And this must stand true not only in a synagogue or a house of learning, but openly even at the gates of a king. Even in the presence of Haman, knowing full well his demand that all the servants of the king are obliged to kneel and bow to him. ‘They had informed (Haman) of the nationality of Mordechai (Book of Esther 3.2).’ 

Wherever Mordechai was, not only would he not serve the idol, but would deny its very existence. Even when told of the command of Haman [who had paid the huge sum of 10,000 silver shekels to annihilate the Jews], Mordechai responded: ‘since I am a Jew, I refuse to kneel or bow down.’ 

A Jew must say unequivocally today: ‘I belong to the People of Mordechai who has set the order of action before the eyes of the entire world’. Gentiles would never have initiated such a difficult path for a Jew to tread. The problem has arisen from (the Jewish People) themselves. G-d has in His world a Nation of wise and understanding people, beginning with “heads of your legions down to wood choppers and water drawers”. Amongst these are also those who are afraid and weak hearted arguing ceaselessly: ‘don’t argue even with a minor nation, certainly not with a world power.’ How can the retention by the People of Israel of the Land of Israel be interpreted as ‘inflammatory’? Who is creating an argument here? The Jewish People are doing no more than retaining their G-d given Land!

We see clearly that gentiles themselves would be in agreement with the Jewish People’s presence in the Land of Israel were it not that they see the Jewish People themselves conduct (as the spies did in the land) ‘we saw ourselves as grasshoppers’, and therefore ‘that is how they regarded us’. Just take a stand! Don’t kneel or bow down! See for yourselves that immediately ‘the fear of the Jews will befall them!’ However, this politician is afraid and of a weak disposition. His interpretation (of one who takes this stand) is that this man is a fool who does not understand the world of politics. This man belongs to the yeshiva or house of study, to remain amongst Jews, not amongst cultured individuals, diplomats, world leaders! In his personal affairs this man conducts himself in a religious fashion and declares ‘there is a Master to the world’. Yet, he argues, since we live in exile, we need to conduct ourselves diplomatically. The leadership shown by a diplomat must be to speak untruthfully. The very essence of diplomacy is to convey the situation not as it is; and yet he must remain wary not to be caught in a lie. No one must realize that the declarations are contrary to the truth. So that should he need to regret what he said, he can make an about-turn and say that he never ever said that; it was not he that wrote that; his intention was not this. So to become a successful diplomat one needs considerable training. 

Public address Moitzo’ei Shabbos Vayakheil Pikudei 1979 

The Rebbe on Expulsions of Jewish People from their homes

Expulsion and Destruction of Jewish Community of Amona

The Rebbe: “At this moment we are talking of a life-threatening issue. Anything connected with a life-threatening situation has a clear halachic ruling: even when the opposing side is demanding no more than stubble and straw for their animals, since thereby the ‘land will be opened up before them’, there is a clear ruling: one must desecrate the Shabbos, go out to war fully armed against them. This law is brought in the Talmud relating to the city of Nehardo’oh (present day Iraq). At that time there were settlements of Jews living there, and the halachic decision is that it is imperative to desecrate the Shabbos, and go out armed, in order to prevent the land being open to the enemy.”

HaRav Yalles: “Why is there such a storm of protest (from the Rebbe) with regard to the return of Yamit? One can understand the objection to the return of oil wells and its landmass (Sinai) because that is a security matter.”

The Rebbe: “In Yamit there live Jewish People exactly as there did in Nehardo’oh which was outside of the land of Israel, where there were both Jewish and non-Jewish people. The same law would apply to Brooklyn. If, G-d forbid, a nation were to demand stubble and straw the law states that there would be the obligation to go out against them armed even on Shabbos! 

Here we are speaking of Yamit whose residents are exclusively Jewish. It is the intention (of the government of Israel) to drive out the Jewish people from there and give the city to Egypt, at a time when the Egyptians are stating in no uncertain terms that their intention is not just for straw but to get a hold into the infrastructure of the land (of Israel)! 

I am not speaking about the sanctity of the Land.” “The problem with Yamit is that it is a threat to the lives of three million Jews, may it never happen! They (the government of Israel) argue that this is an issue of peace.

Expulsion and Destruction of Jewish Community of Yamit

Have you ever seen something like this before? Two countries are making peace between themselves. One side gives everything, whilst the other side gives nothing in return. Not that what they are giving is insufficient; they are giving nothing whatsoever! 

The only gain is that one will be able to travel to see the pyramids!? Have you ever seen such a great achievement in your life? They (the Egyptians) have no intention of peace at all. What has happened is that after warring for tens of years without succeeding to gain territories, they decided to take the territories through ‘peace’ in the very same agreement which was signed at Camp David by Begin himself, that within five years Israel is obliged to arrive at an agreement with the Palestinians?! Those (in the Israeli government) who argue that the issue is about peace, take upon themselves the responsibility for the security of three million Jewish People!” “Especially those (religious Knesset members) who link this (agreement) with Torah, because they will thereby get a few more dollars for their yeshiva.....” When Rabbi Yalles attempted to defend this matter, the Rebbe remarked: “HaRav Yalles! You are a Cohen and therefore wish to find merit. But these are exactly the facts of the situation!” 

Israel declares: ‘Peace!’ The Arabs declare: ‘War!’ 

The Rebbe: “I never did understand the words of the Talmud: ‘the plaintiff claims: (It is) ‘wheat’, and the defendant responds: [it is] ‘barley’. At this time we see this openly: They [the Government of Israel] remonstrate that this is (a step towards) peace, stating that after this they will make peace with the rest of the Arab nations. Their agreement was that after the returning of the territories [Sinai] no (Egyptian) soldiers will be stationed there. The facts on the ground are that within twenty-four hours they (the Egyptians) brought in soldiers, and when they (Israel) asked them, what’s going on?– they responded, ‘they (the stationed soldiers) are in civilian clothing.’ This response was given to (Israeli) officers, men of intelligence, whereas in reality this answer is appropriate for small children........”

Thereafter the Egyptians travel to the USA and ask for Mirages and demand that they be given arms in greater amounts than Israel. When they (the Israelis) ask them (the Egyptians) ‘are we not at peace, why do you need weapons of war?’ They respond: ‘we need these for war against Libya’. 

All of this shows that the situation is terrifying! Automatically after the handing over of Yamit, the Arabs are drawing 10 kilometers closer to Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak and Kfar Chabad.  Some weeks ago Begin expressed wonder that we are alarmed regarding Yamit since Yamit never was part of Eretz Israel. But, as I have emphasized, the matter at hand is not an issue of the sanctity of Land. We are discussing actual threat to life!! There is an explicit halachic ruling that it is forbidden to hand over these territories! Furthermore, when the issue is one of a threat to life, our Sages state this if there is a delay by the Rabbinical authority by not taking the initiative in publicizing the danger, they earn the title of ‘shameful’, and more so; the Rabbi himself is deemed to have shed the blood!”

Visit of the Gaon Rabbi Eliezer Yalles to the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
Second day Chol Hamoed Pesach 1982