The Rebbe’s letter, reply dated 25th Teves 5729 [1969]:
To the pupils of Kfar Noar-Be-er Yaakov, the Holy Land
Peace and Blessing,....
With reference to your second question regarding peace: True peace can only be achieved when based on the good-will of both sides. I do not see any cause or reason why Arabs neighboring our Holy Land would make true peace. This would necessarily have to embody, from their position, an absolute relinquishing of territories conquered of late and certainly those conquered twenty years ago. Additionally, their agreement that the Jewish People have all rights to live there without any exploitation whatsoever.
From a different point of view, the situation of lack of peace holds for the Arabs all benefits. And more; they are able to come with demands for assistance from many world powers beyond this immediate location by creating competition between one world power and a second – which power is of greater value to a specific ruling Arab country bringing a foreign power to increase her assistance and contributions etc. None of this would be happening should the pressure in the area be nullified and matters settled and should life enter upon a normal path.
Additionally, and perhaps even more significantly, many Western powers, specifically the greatest world powers are actually interested that there should be stress and pressure and a break down of relationships between [Arab] nations because such a situation opens up the door to their gaining influence and even control in the area by offering assistance to one or other of the sides. Should there be a situation of peaceful relations between nations in the Middle East working together, there would be a reduction of any possibility of a foreign power having control and will even bring about a reduction of her influence.
Having said that, it is obvious that no Jewish man or woman give up hope G-d forbid for peace, because the very existence of the Jewish People throughout the ages and her very presence now in our Holy Land is absolutely beyond the natural. According to all economic and political view-points, in terms of quantity, such a small and weak nation could not exist. Specifically it should be impossible for her to hold her standing as we see now, positioned at the central point of clashing interests amongst world powers; that Israel is located at the cross-roads of several continents and most powerful land masses of the international arena.
It is incredulous that throughout history going back even to ancient times, that this area of land was one of ferment and strife between all nations and kingdoms who were the world powers each in their time: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Rome etc. The Jewish nation never ever had the benefit of peace and tranquility only with the exception of some years and relatively short periods of time when the Jewish People were true to G-d and walked in the ways of G-d, the path of the Torah and His Commandments, as in the days of King David and King Solomon.
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| 1581 World Map showing the Land of Israel as the Center of the World |
This is the specific role of the youth who are not afraid of hearing the straight truth, who do not search for compromise, that G-d’s power stands by them, and have no shame from those that ridicule, or what will the nations say, they will be the pioneers who step forth in front of the Jewish People wherever they may be, both in Israel and outside of Israel, to walk in the path of G-d and His Torah, to walk in security. Blessings and success in going from strength to strength on the path of Torah, the Torah of life, and Commandments of which is written “And you should live by them.
