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