Capture of Jericho - the Lock and Key for Possession of the Entire Land of Israel for Eternity

Matters pertaining to the Torah of Israel and the nation of Israel apply also to the Land of Israel. There were times when not all of the Land had been conquered. For example, when the Jewish People entered the Land of Israel, initially they conquered Jericho, thereafter the city of Ai, then further landmasses. Only after seven years was the entire Land finally conquered.

View looking towards Jericho

Years later, in the time of Jeroboam ben Nevat there took place a division among the Jewish people. Then came the Babylonian exile (after the exile of Sennacherib who had captured part of the land). The entire land had come under the control of gentiles. Later, even when the Temple stood, not all of the Land had been reconquered, neither were the majority of the Jewish People.

Collapsed and Burnt Ancient Walls of Jericho from the time of Joshua

The perspective today towards the Land of Israel should be the same as to Torah (and the Jewish Nation): that one be versed only a small portion of Torah should know that the entire Torah is one.

The same is true of the Land of Israel; when the Jewish People entered the Land at the beginning of the seven years, the first location conquered was Jericho. Our Sages tell us that they did not conquer Jericho as a single city or only as the beginning of a seven year conquest; rather Jericho was taken because it was the lock of the Land, the key of entry to the entire Land. Jewish law states that the point of transfer of property is when the purchaser has key in hand.

That at the time of the conquest of Jericho the intent alread was for the conquest of the entire Land which would still take seven years, with Canaanites still occupying the city of Ai. Those nations knew well that the key had been captured, and at some point their city would also be taken. The Gibeonites upon hearing of the capture of Jericho took multiple underhand steps for a peace treaty, even to pay tribute. For this reason the Girgashi (Canaanite nation) turned and fled even before the Jewish people had approached them.

When the Canaanites saw that the lock of the Land of Israel had been captured they realized that their presence anywhere in the Land was no longer sustainable. 

This conquest transferred ownership of the Land of Israel to the Jewish People as an everlasting inheritance; not as a temporary conquest, but the Land became an inheritance and  gift from G-d for all eternity.

Later, the difference would only be whether the Jewish people would dwell upon the Land, or "Woe to the father whose sons have been exiled from his table". [Regardless, the table remains the table of the father [G-d], and the sons remain sons of their father! The father is only waiting for the return of his sons (to repent) and seat themselves once again by his table. However, G-d forbid to suggest that because they have been exiled from his table, he is no longer their father, or this is no longer his table.

The same is true of the Land of Israel. From time the Jewish People were exiled from their land [even when Assyria entered the inheritance of the ten tribes, she did not become [part of] the land of Assyria G-d forbid - but remained the Land of Israel! [Even though some Commandments could no longer be performed].

The Land of Israel belongs to the children of Israel with G-d's covenant with our Patriarch Abraham  is an eternal covenant. When the Jewish People left Egypt and stood at Mount Sinai [and received the Torah], then continued on to the land of Israel conquering the land by the conquest of Jericho [the lock of the Land], as of that time the land was no longer the land of Canaan; could no longer be the land of Babylon [by conquest], not the land of Media, Greece or Edom even when the Jewish people dwelt in the exile of Babylon, Media, Greece or Edom.

Even should a Jew dwell outside of the Land of Israel, - he retains a portion in the Land of Israel, and the Land retains her name - the land of [belonging to the nation of] Israel, that even gentiles call her the Land of Israel and the Holy Land. 

                                                                                                       13th Tammuz 1969 

Part 2

The Name of Our Land

There are those that argue the need to respond to those who are not prepared to use the name ארץ ישראל - 'Land of Israel', rather by the name מדינה - 'State'. 

G-d calls her the Land of Israel, and designates her borders - "from the great river Euphrates will be your borders" [Joshua 1.4]. This is the legal decision of Torah, and Torah is eternal. 

We are in exile, exiled from our Land, because of our sins. Nevertheless she remains our Land.  We have been distanced from the Land of Israel, not Canaan [as some would have us believe].  Even gentiles who are there, have no hold over the Land of Israel, but over wasteland without settlements [see Rashi commentary Number 26.32]. 

The soul of a Jew is in the Land of Israel 

A Jew, wherever his body finds itself, his soul is in the land of Israel. It is known that the prayers of the Jewish people always ascend the Heavenly Heights through the Land of Israel. Everyone - even small children know that when he prays the 18 blessings, he faces eastwards towards the Land of Israel. Since the essence of a Jew is not his body but his soul which is bound with each of his prayers in the land of Israel, one must conclude that in reality he is there. Only his body entered into exile! 

Go ask a Gentile!

Whether the exile is outside of the land of Israel, or within Israel [where the exile is even more bitter being 'the land where the Eyes of G-d gaze continuously from the beginning to the end of the year' [Deuteronomy 11.12], yet, he imagines that this is a country like any other country. In order for the test to be eased, ask a gentile: "which country lies between Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt?", he responds "this is the Holy Land". Should one ask him "how do you know that this is the Holy Land?", he responds: "this is clearly written in the Torah - 'the land where the Eyes of G-d gaze continuously from the beginning to the end of the year'. 

Nothing to fear from Gentiles!  

There is nothing to fear from gentiles - never were they masters over the Land of 

Israel. Rashi states, 'that it was G-d Who created it, and it was He Who gave it to whomever he so desired [the Canaanites], and thereafter took it from them and gave it to us'! G-d decided that 'the inheritance of nations' [even when our Patriarch Isaac lived there was it still called the land of Canaan; yet, from the moment the Jewish nation conquered the land [by taking hold of her lock - Jericho], she became the Land of Israel.  

No Jew has the right to hand the Land over to Gentiles!

Since it was G-d Who brought the Land into our possession no Jew has the right to hand this over to gentiles! How is it that you want to give away a portion of the Land?! This is not your's to give! This was given to you by G-d! 

Even an assimilated Jew

A Jew, even having sinned always remains a Jew; never can he change this! Rather, he remains exactly as a child sitting at his father's table. As soon as he is born [without being a Torah sage] he is eligible to inherit his father! 

The same is true here: every Jew inherits the Land of Israel, an inheritance from the Living G-d. So has the living Torah designated! Just as an immature child already is eligible to inherit his father. The same is true of a Jew, even if not observant, possesses a G-dly soul [a part of G-d from above] and inherits everything which G-d leaves to him - "you are children of the Lord your G-d".

Inheritance has no limits

One who imposes limitations upon this inheritance, the law is that one who imposes conditions upon anything written in Torah are null and void". No conditions, announcements, of compromises will help him [regarding inheritance and ownership of the Land of Israel]. Every Jew must to use this freedom of choice given to him and not make any changes regarding 'our Land' and 'our soil'. 

 There are certain mitzvos that currently we do not perform because they are applicable only when the entire Jewish nation dwell upon the Land'. However regarding the Land of Israel, even should we be in exile, the moment the land was no longer 'the land of Canaan', from the time of Joshua's conquest of Jericho, the 'Everlasting Covenant' became a reality, that 'from the great river Euphrates' will be our Land! Not a State of Israel, but the Land of Israel!

Gentiles themselves are asking us to stop making this an issue 

Gentiles themselves are asking us to stop making this an issue: "you conquered this [the land] - reside there and enjoy! Gentiles have no objections; the only  objections come from the evil inclination of the Jew! Instead of taking advantage of the freedom of choice given to him by G-d to choose what is right, prefers to choose the wrong! Why [asks the Rebbe] are you listening to the voice of this kind of king, old man and fool?  

We once spoke of the following. In our prayer for forgiveness the liturgy says 'may we be forgiven for the sin which we have committed with our evil inclination. But, do not all sins have their source in the evil inclination? By way of explanation:  There are some sins for which even the evil inclination has no interest - he knows full well that a Jew has no contact with this. This is the sin we commit before You with the evil inclination. 

The Jew himself brings upon himself the fear of that gentile! This gentile has already fallen from his position of authority, running and shaking in fear - and yet, the Jew is afraid of him, even running after him calling to him: "listen - don't be afraid of me!"                                    

                                                                                                 13th Tammuz 1969

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The Jewish People in the land of Israel must take possession of the Land for G-d to give Peace in the Land and the final Redemption

The Lubavitcher Rebbe:
 "Take Possession of the Land!"

All matters of the days of Moshiach depend on our actions and service during Exile. This includes the prophecy of Zechariah that "Jerusalem will [no longer be a walled-in city, but] be an open city" [fearless of enemies]. For this to come to completion the service during Exile must be to spread the hallmark of Jerusalem -  the perfect fear of Hashem  ירושלים - יראה שלם  wherever a Jew lives.

 In truth every Jew is G-d fearing, as is known that when the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe was asked why in all correspondence he adds the title ( (אי"א"  (איש ירא אלוקים - a man fearful of G-d, he replied that from the soul perspective every Jew is G-d fearing! With most Jews this is revealed, but every Jew has this quality [which needs to be revealed], so we are still in need a service to achieve a human parallel as of Jerusalem - an open city - open to complete fear of G-d. In Igeres HaKodesh [Tanya] authored by the first Lubavitcher Rebbe, he notes that in our generation we no longer have the physical strength to achieve fear of G-d by fasting and self-deprivation, rather these can be replaced by the service of giving of much charity.

Jewish people need great incomes to have the strength to apportion much charity and this not prevent the observance of fixed times of Torah study requiring peace of mind without confusion even from gentiles.

When a Jew has true tenacity - in the end those opposing him will become nullified to the point whereby even "his enemies with partner with him" [Proverbs 16.7], will stop their opposition thereby giving him [and Jerusalem] the tranquility to spread the fear of G-d. Despite our being in Exile - there can be respite enabling one's service of G-d,  using both soul and Judaism; this, because in truth it is only the body which has been subjected to the exile - as was announced by the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe.

When they demand that Jews leave the location where they live - this is no more that a test of faith, that when he will strengthen his faith in Hashem and be oblivious to such pressures, and to know that G-d is with him in his synagogue. 

Then, when a gentile sees that the Jew's intention is truthful, that he walks with the strength of G-d, he will stop being preoccupied with the Jewish People, as  took place with the Canaanite tribe of the Girgashi - that they turned away and left the Land of Israel. 

This is specifically true of the Holy Land. Certainly there, conduct must be with absolute strength, as the verse in Psalms 68.13 [King David] is explained: "Kings with their armies will flee [from before the Jewish People], and the homeowners will divide the spoils", - that all nations preoccupied with the Jewish People will leave the Land of Israel, and the true land-homeowners  [the Jewish People] - the spouse of G-d, will divide the spoils.

Firstly, this must effect the Jewish People who are in the Land of Israel, that they take their stand as owners of the house [only thereafter divide spoils]; then G-d says "I will give peace into the Land". This will be the preparation for the immediate onset of the Redemption followed by the true and complete Redemption, - [quote Maimonides:] "and he [Moshiach] will fight the wars of G-d  and achieve victory, and gather the dispersed ones of Israel" - since he is the absolute Moshiach - soon actually in our days!

                                                  Talk by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Last day of Pesach 1969. 

The Rebbe Meets with Yitzchak Rabin, 11th of Nissan 5732 [1972]

 “Shalom, honored Rabbi,” said Yitzchak Rabin, Israel Ambassador to Washington.

“Blessings to all,” answered the Rebbe to Rabin’s greeting.

Rabin told the Rebbe that he is the Israel Ambassador to Washington and is bringing greetings of the State of Israel to the Rebbe in honor of his seventieth birthday. 

The Rebbe: “Do you not feel alone as the representative of the land of Israel among 120 countries and peoples that are represented in Washington?” 

Rabin: “It is a great honor for me to represent the State of Israel in Washington, and even if I do feel lonely at times; first: more than half of the countries, represented in Washington do not recognize Israel, therefore it removes the burden of contact with them. With the others Israel has friendly relationships. Israel is important to me and not what others will say regarding Israel.” 

The Rebbe: “However, the United States takes into consideration what other nations say?” 

Rabin: “Not necessarily and if yes, not too much. The Russian ambassador once told me, ‘you are a small country, but you are a proud country’. Most countries are jealous of Israel.” 

The Rebbe: “We have to realize the uniqueness of the Jewish nation” and began explaining the verse “A nation [Israel] will live in isolation”. “Is it by choice or by force that Israel is the people that dwell alone among other nations? 

It is both. Firstly by the Jewish people’s own choice, which is the source of this, is to abide by the Torah, to the faith and tradition of the Jewish people which has kept them under very unique circumstances for over two thousand years. This, without a country, without a place where they all settle, bearing the imprint of a Wandering Jew who had to move from place to place because of the Spanish Inquisition, expulsion, pogroms and no doubt the Holocaust. 

“Pressures from the outside strengthened the core of our belief, and the faithfulness to our religion, to our tradition. Therefore it is a combination of both. First and foremost the Jewish faith, the religion and the adherence of the Jewish People even ready to die for the sanctifying of G-d’s name. This is the main force.

“When a Jew tries to be what he is not, being embarrassed of his Jewish identity, then forces from the outside compel him. This prevented assimilation; negative forces helped us not assimilate. “The combination of the positive and negative.”

“Regardless of all this, the Jewish People remain faithful to the Jewish faith, Jewish tradition, and succeed in their survival as no people anywhere in the world have done. They have never lost their belief, their hope to return to Jerusalem, to the land of Israel. True, the nations do not understand why Israel is of concern to the American Jew, it is because we are a “nation who live [together] in isolation [from other Nations]” and therefore have concern for one another.” 

Rabin: “Nevertheless we should not remain complacent with our portion”. 

The Rebbe: “The land of Israel has great influence. The Jewish nation is different from all other nations, and the American Jew also posses this feeling. A person has to know that even though he is an individual, every individual is also part of a community – the Jewish community worldwide.” 

[Then the Rebbe began to explain the phrase], “Blessed is the one who is happy with his portion”. 

“What does it mean? If somebody is happy with what he has there is no force to drive him to achieve more and to advance. Isn’t there a contradiction between the saying: “blessed is the one who is happy with his portion” on the one hand, and the nature of the human being to improve every aspect of his life? 

One has to be happy with what he has in physical wealth. However, for the purpose to be and do better, one should not be happy with what he has; be happy at every stage with what you have, but this should not prevent you to become a better human being, a better Jew and to do better in right and positive directions. We pray every day to return to Israel. And at the end the goal will be reached.”

With these words the audience ended. 

Ariel Sharon – The Rebbe’s Concerns: "Israel is exhibiting military weakness".

 In autumn of 1973, Israeli politicians ignored clear signs of an impending Arab attack in the run up to the “surprise” Yom Kippur Day War. King Hussein had himself landed secretly in Tel Aviv to warn Israel, but to no avail; the results were disastrous.

General Arik Sharon visits the Lubavitcher Rebbe 

At the time, the Lubavitcher Rebbe in New York was very concerned with Israel’s lack of strength during the previous War of Attrition, especially when Israel decided against preemptively halting Egyptian missile maneuvers by crossing over the canal, and additionally warned of the harm that would be caused by the Bar Lev Line. 

General Sharon describes his correspondence with the Rebbe:

“In the end, despite the General Headquarters recommendation, the government decided against the crossing operation. We would settle for the cease-fire and allow the missile defenses to come right up to the canal. I was quite concerned about this decision. It was, I believed, a dangerous display of weakness. My feelings on this subject were shared by others; I even received a long letter about it from Rabbi M. M. Schneerson, the revered Rabbi of the Lubavitcher Hassidic community. After my son’s death in 1967, Rabbi Schneerson had written me a beautiful condolence letter, and since then we had developed a warm relationship.

The Rebbe was interested and well versed in a surprising variety of subjects, and now he was deeply worried about the situation on the canal. The Bar-Lev Line he considered a disaster, an outmoded Maginot-like concept which could not be effective “in our time of jets and airmobile forces.” But it was the decision not to react to the missiles that had upset him even more, a sign, he thought, of accelerating Israeli weakness that could only have bad results. “In the beginning,” he wrote, “it was a matter of our choice. But in the end we will be forced. A year or two ago it depended on us.” 

But then, “the government announced to all concerned that Israel was willing to give back the ‘occupied territories.’ That was a mistake. They should have used the term ‘liberated territories.’ That alone exhibited weakness. Then the weakness was enhanced when it became known that the Egyptians had brought up surface-to-air missiles, and we still did not react.”Not being involved on the political side myself during that period, I was unable to judge if the decision not to oppose the missiles was unavoidable. But from a military point of view it put us at a bad disadvantage, and three years later would create devastating problems for us during the initial stage of the Yom Kippur War.

After the war, in which more than 2,500 Israeli soldiers lost their lives, the Rebbe explained in a letter that although they did not heed warnings, Israel had still experienced a massive miracle.

Further military talks with Ariel Sharon to follow.

Ancient Jewish Hebron

  The Torah portion 'Chaye Sarah' tells us of the change of ownership of the Cave of Machpela from the sons of Heth to Abraham our Patriarch. From here we have clear guidance pertaining to our times. At this time Arabs are intent on taking over ownership of the Cave of Machpela. Initially we should make every effort to deal with this in a peaceful way that the property remain in our possession. Should approach be of no avail, we should battle to remain masters over the Cave of Machpela.

Ancient Jewish Hebron

  Initially, when Abraham came to bury his wife Sarah in the Cave of Machpela, the sons of Heth agreed that he bury her there. However they made it clear that the ownership of the location will remain theirs. The narative continues to explain the line of actions which Avraham took whereby he became master over the cave and surrounding area, as the verse continues - [he took over possession] 'of the field, the cave within it and all of the trees of the field'.

However the first step which Avraham took that 'he bowed down to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth', the Midrash explains was inappropriate. The purpose of the Midrash is not that we know the failings of Avraham G-d forbid, rather that we learn a lesson, that it is forbidden to conduct ourselves in this manner to kneel down or to fall to the feet of gentile so that we regain possession of the Cave of Machpela. 

The actions later taken by Avraham to gain possession of the cave the Midrash does not designate as inappropriate. The Torah is recounting those in order that we - the sons of Avraham - know how to conduct ourselves. 

After having bowed down, Avraham said: 'I am both a stranger and a citizen with you". Rashi [Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki] comments: "Should you agree [to sell me the plot] I will remain a stranger. Should you not agree, I will take advantage of my citizenship and take the plot by legal right because G-d told me "to your progeny will I give this Land". After such words of strength Efron sold the Cave to Avrohom. 

From here we need to take guidance for our times, that when a gentile hears such unequivocal words, he will immediately agree.

At first sight one could ask: 'why is it necessary to take this path? Would it not be preferable to explain things in a more amenable manner?  - since the cave belongs to Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rivka, Jacob and Leah, so automatically it is owned by their progeny and not to the children of Heth!

Regarding this approach the Torah wishes us to know that such a line of action will be ineffective. Avraham did not take this approach because he knew well that explanations - however nice they sound - will be of no avail.

The only effective way will be to state with absolute fortitude "if you are not in agreement, I will take the property by my legal rights. When he hears that we are preparing to take the property by force and placing our reliance on G-d who gave the property to the Jewish people - only this approach will have a meaningful effect. They will take the 400 silver shekels [as paid by Avraham] and give over possession of the Cave of Machpela to the Jewish People.  
                                      
                                                                       [Public talk Shabbos Chaye Sarah, 1969] 

 

When your army camp will be Holy, then will you be victorious over your enemies.

  When one goes forth with clear fortitude, fearful of nobody - neither of the 'chariot' nor of 'their horses' since 'we go forth with our G-d' [and we observe the instruction 'your army-camp must be Holy', then will the Lord your G-d walk within your army-camp']. Upon seeing this, the enemy will be stricken with trepidation of the Jewish People'.

Fearless of their chariots and horses

At first sight it is incomprehensible: Since the Torah states that we are still in exile,  how is it possible that we have the fortitude not to fear the nations, even openly for the nations to see?

Moshiach has not yet arrived [Maimonides defines among the signs of Moshiach that 'he [Moshiach] will enforce every Jew to walk in the ways of Torah and strengthen her observance; when one will see a Jew with these signs including 'enforcing' (this must be taken literally since Maimonides includes this in the "Yad HaChazaka" his book of Jewish Law, and mentions this amidst other laws - which must be understood in their literal sense), this also is one of the signs whereby Moshiach will be recognized. Now, since as of now no-one has seen any Jew who conducts himself in this way 'enforcing every Jew to walk in the ways of Torah', it is clear that Moshiach has not yet come and certainly we are not yet free of the exile. 

The response is as follows: when we will fulfill the Torah instruction "and your camp will be Holy", then will 'G-d will walk amidst your camp'. When a Jew knows that it is G-d Who renews the creation continuously each day from nothingness into existence, even today in 5729 [1969], and one stands with great conviction that 'there is no-one besides of Him', -  one has strength and complete faith, then we will be certain of victory over the gentile - even in times of exile.  

When the enemies will see this power of faith they will melt away and not consider war. There will be fulfilled the verse "and no sword will cross your land" - not even a sword of peace which guards against war, because upon seeing the fortitude of Jews they will automatically dissipate, and there will be fulfilled the assurance "and I will lead you with your heads held high" speedily into the true and complete Redemption by our Righteous Moshiach.  

                                                                                    Shabbos Pershas Bereishis 1969 
  

A Jew who speaks the truth will influence a Gentile

  It is known that the natural soul of a Jew is as a gentile residing within him. Here one could ask: to the gentile within - to his own body and natural soul - one can explain the loft Chassidic insight of the verse in Psalms 'the word of G-d stands continuously within the Heavens" [Psalms 119] - that there is a continuous flow of G-dly energy entering the universe from beyond bringing it into 

existence [answering the scientific question being asked of late - why in fact does the universe exist?].  The consequence of this is that there cannot be anything in the world so empowered as to interfere with a Jew's observance of Torah and the performance of Mitzvos. However, regarding gentiles, how can one explain to him the lofty spiritual concepts of the work "The Gateway of Unity and Faith" authored by the first Lubavitcher Rebbe?

A continuous flow of G-dly energy entering the universe brings it into existence

To this there are two responses:

1)  According to the situation of late, gentiles are ready to listen to the words of a Jew, words of truth, as took place this last Rosh HaShana [Jewish High Holiday] when a Jew asked a gentile a random question, the gentile responded: "first I wish remind you, that for you, today is Rosh HaShana. 

A gentile is eager to hear truth when spoken; should a Jew explain 'the word of G-d stands continuously within the heavens', it is G-d that fills the universe with His energy flow, and that there is no-one besides of Him. When the gentile see the sincerity of a Jew who is a believer, he will certainly listen to him and request further explanations.

2)  Even if a Jew is unconvinced of his ability to explain existence as 'there is no-one besides Him'; regardless, if he is filled with this knowledge, his mode of speech will be entirely different, one of strength and conviction. 

For one who knows that 'there is no-one besides of Him', there is nothing to be afraid of the 70 wolves [encircling the Jewish Nation intent on harming them]. He is certain that regardless of the nations approaching 'with chariots, others with horses', 'we come armed with the Name of our G-d and will be victorious since Salvation is with G-d'.  

When a gentile sees the true fortitude of a Jew [not the strength of self-pride but one based on true trust in G-d], then he will melt away making no attempt to wage battle against the Jewish People; rather, 'trepidation of the Jews will befall them' [Esther 8.17].

However, in order for the trepidation of the Jewish People to befall the nations of the world, Jews need to be real Jews - to deny all forms of idol-worship and give thanks to G-d.  

                                                                                                 Pershas Bereishis 1969

The Rebbe analyzed the dangers with Ariel Sharon.

“The Rebbe always amazed me on subjects that I never anticipated would happen. For example with his descriptions of military defense: how to defend the Suez Canal and Sinai. At that time I was battling at the Bar-Lev line because I saw the danger of the coming days. In this framework of the battle I also publicized the letters which the Rebbe sent to me regarding the line. In these letters the Rebbe analyzed the dangers from a defense point of view of setting up such a line, and he anticipated the catastrophes which would befall us in its wake. It is to my pain that all the vision of which the Rebbe wrote there came true in the fullest sense!

 At a different meeting I spoke to the Rebbe regarding settling the Old City of Jerusalem and Hebron. The Rebbe said to me words that sounded at that time so far from reality. He said that very serious things would take place at these places in the future. 

He added that in his opinion, the day will come when the Government of Israel will oppose Jewish People settling there, and will stand on the right hand side of the Arabs in the strife between them and Jewish People.” 

This talk took place about twenty six years ago. The words of the Rebbe at that time were so absolutely unreasonable and outside the realm of reality. And yet, behold, we see what distant vision he had! We see what is taking place before our very eyes!”

General Ariel Sharon – Interview with the Rebbe

 The Lubavitcher Rebbe showed extraordinary knowledge regarding military matters ongoing in Israel, in areas of security, politics and those pertaining to international affairs, particularly those connected to instructions emanating from Washington. Moreover, the Rebbe showed knowledge down to the minutest details of the military confrontations that took place during the Six Day War. 

Israel Army Commander Mr. Ariel Sharon visits The Lubavitcher Rebbe 

The Rebbe said to General Sharon: “It will be our greatest insanity if we were to retreat from the new borders. It will expose the lack of trust in the government of Israel; lack of faith in our own strength and will only invite external pressure upon us.

It is imperative to stop trying to find favor in the eyes of the gentile nations. This has never helped in the past, nor will it help in the future. The indecisiveness of Israel must stop. It is obligatory to uproot the mentality of exile [slavery to the gentile nations] from the Land of Israel. 

The government of Israel needs to decide to inhabit the liberated territories and come out with a call to world Jewry to come and settle these lands, I am certain that half a million young Jewish People would respond to this challenge”. With regard to the various solutions which have been forwarded, which call for a full or partial retreat by Israel, the Rebbe said: “These plans will bring about a sharpening of tension in the future. These are solutions which run contrary to the natural path”. 

In the view of the Rebbe, Israel today lies within its natural borders. With pain did the Rebbe continue: “Every matter which is decided by the government of Israel is known immediately by the Gentiles. 

The Rebbe turned to General Sharon with the question: “Why does the military not present its view more forcefully regarding the [security of the present] borders?” 

Sharon replied: “This is a political decision”. The Rebbe interrupted him with a dismissive wave of his hand: “This is not a matter of politics, this is one of security. I believe with perfect faith that we are able, and we must inhabit these territories”.