Ariel
Sharon & the Rebbe MH"M
(The Rebbe’s Letters
translated by Rabbi Zushe Kohn)
After
28 years of outstanding military service and 25 years in the political
arena, Ariel Sharon has been elected Prime Minister of the State of
Israel. * How a family tragedy led to a warm relationship and a
decades-long correspondence with the Rebbe MH"M. * Sharon’s life
saved by a miracle. * Exclusive to Beis Moshiach. * Part 2 of 3
(Click here for Part 1)
In
an interview with Kfar Chabad magazine, Sharon provided additional
details of that first yechidus: "I was very surprised that a
religious rabbi, a Rebbe, could understand military matters so well. The Rebbe
looked at me with his piercing gray eyes, and I felt warm. I remember that I
asked him to exert pressure on the Soviet Union. This was at a time when the
Russians were trying to obtain economic support from the United States. I
figured that the only ones who could do it were the Rebbe and his Chassidim.
Weren’t they the only ones who had maintained the connection with Soviet Jewry
after the Russian revolution?
"But
the Rebbe refused my request. He told me that it wouldn’t take long until the
gates of the Soviet Union were opened. We have to be very careful with the
Russians, he said. At that time, Russia was going t0hrough a very difficult
period under Brezhnev. One can never predict how the Soviets will react, the
Rebbe explained. I remember thinking that what the Rebbe was saying sounded
impossible. But evidently anything is possible, and the Rebbe was right as
always.
"One
of the most important areas in which I have been influenced by the Rebbe is his
concern for Jewish education around the world. Even though I wouldn’t define
myself as a religious Jew, I am a Jew, and to me that’s the most important
thing. The Rebbe told me how much he worries about the Jewish people. To me,
giving children a Jewish education is very, very important."
Another
account of this yechidus is found in an article written by R.M. Rodnitzky
in the Israeli newspaper She’arim, dated August 8, 1968 and entitled
"The Admur and the General":
"The
first thing General Sharon did upon returning to Israel was to visit Kfar
Chabad, where he personally conveyed the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s greetings…
"The
general had met with the Admur during his recent visit to New York. In
order to be given an appointment for yechidus, it is often necessary to
wait a long time. The Rebbe is extremely busy and rarely sleeps even three hours
a night, due to the sheer number of people wishing to see him. Nonetheless, the
general was given preference and allowed to enter. It is said that the two had
much to talk about, and their meeting continued well into the early hours of the
morning. When they parted, it was with a feeling of close friendship and strong
emotion.
"When
the general was in Kfar Chabad to convey the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s greetings to
his Chassidim, he related an interesting anecdote. As Sharon was about to leave
770, the Rebbe had asked him not to board the plane he was supposed to take back
to Israel, but to switch to an earlier flight. The general did not understand
the Rebbe’s intention, but he did not wish to refuse his request and he
agreed.
"A
few days later, after Sharon was safely back in Israel, that same plane – the
one he was originally scheduled to be on – was hijacked to Algeria. All of its
Jewish passengers were taken captive, while the non-Jewish ones were allowed to
leave. According to some women who were released, the Arab hijackers were
looking for ‘someone important,’ and they were angry when they realized that
he wasn’t aboard. As was later revealed, the entire incident was a carefully
planned operation to kidnap the most reviled object of hatred of Israel’s
enemies, General Ariel (Arik) Sharon, whose military exploits have long been a
thorn in their side. Unaware that he had already returned to Israel, they had
hoped to snatch him off the hijacked plane.
"The
Chassidim of Kfar Chabad were astounded by the story, even though they are
already used to hearing about the Rebbe’s miracles…"
A
slightly different version of this story is recorded in issue #685 of Kfar
Chabad magazine. A few days after the hijacking Rabbi Yehoshua Kling, chief
rabbi of Lyons, France and later of Nice, had had a yechidus with the
Rebbe. As he related to the magazine, he had asked the Rebbe why, if he had
known in advance that the plane would be hijacked, he hadn’t warned everyone
else to avoid the flight, too.
The
Rebbe had answered that when Ariel Sharon was with him in yechidus, he
did not know about any future hijacking. He had, however, noticed that Sharon
kept looking at his watch, and when he asked him why, Sharon replied that he was
in a hurry to get to the airport. "Is there only one plane?" the Rebbe
asked him. "Why don’t you stay with me a little longer and take another
flight?" The Rebbe then explained in characteristic humility to Rabbi
Kling, "I was the emissary of the Holy One, Blessed be He."
The
Rebbe had also added, "When a Jew is with me in yechidus, all of me
is given over and connected to him. When I told Sharon to stay, I was
prophesizing but did not know what I was prophesizing. During a yechidus,
I say what I am told from Above to say. Thus in effect, I didn’t know why it
was so important to me for Sharon not to board that flight…"
*
* *
After
the Six-Day War, the public debate began over what to do with the territories
that were now part of Eretz Yisroel: Yehuda, Shomron, and the Gaza Strip.
Leftists and rightists argued over whether or not these areas should be settled
by Jews, as a means of preventing their future recapture (G-d forbid) by Israel’s
enemies.
In
an interview with Kfar Chabad magazine (issue #935) Sharon described a yechidus
he had with the Rebbe around that time: "The Rebbe mentioned the situation
in Yerushalayim, Yehuda and Shomron, and Nachalat Chabad in Chevron. I had asked
the Rebbe to send his Chassidim to settle there, but the Rebbe (and Chabad in
general) didn’t like mixing into things that were liable to cause tension and
dissent among Jews. Aside from that, the Rebbe had recently sent me an
interesting line in a letter: ‘What would happen if a fight were to break out
between a Jewish boy and an Arab boy – whose side would the government take?’
You have to remember that the situation then was not the same as it is today.
This was 30 years ago, right after the Six-Day War. No one imagined that we
would ever arrive at our present predicament. Except for the Rebbe, who foresaw
it clearly."
The
letter Sharon was referring to actually covers a wide array of topics relating
to Israel’s security, diplomatic relations, and internal politics. Although
written 32 years ago, every word is as valid today as it was then:
LETTER
OF 12 ELUL 5738
(Printed
in Volume 25 of the Rebbe’s Igros Kodesh, page 169)
In
response to your letter: As we discussed at length when you were here [to see
me], I am of one mind with you that the territories that were freed [from Arab
possession during the Six-day War, must not be returned]. To my regret however,
I do not agree with you that the small reaction on the part of the Israeli
public against such returns will affect any change in the position of the
authoritative government bodies [who maintain that they should be returned].
According to the information I’ve received – from sources that have thus far
been reliable – there hasn’t been any practical change at all, in the
position of the above mentioned groups. If only the small reaction on the part
of the Israeli public would at least affect these groups to change their
position – which although unofficial is nevertheless being implemented – on
maintaining the Arab character of Yerushalayim’s Old City [by forbidding Jews
from settling there]. (They explain their position by claiming that it is
important to maintain the status-quo and keep this part of the city [empty of
Jews], just as it had been at the time of its capture last year. To utilize the
conquest to impose something upon the inhabitants, would be "unfair and
unjust," they claim.) The obvious consequence of this position [is that the
Old City remains uninhabited by Jews]. This state of affairs is reinforced by
the government’s opinion that they are fulfilling their responsibility to the
Jews, by allowing them to settle near the [Old] City.
Obviously,
I write these words to you in an unofficial and personal manner, for I normally
do not speak disparagingly of the Jewish people, especially not of those who are
able to accomplish great things in the above-mentioned areas, but for various
and bizarre reasons not only do not do so, but do quite the contrary.
It
should be quite obvious that my intention in writing this letter is not to blame
anyone, for that would accomplish nothing. Rather, it is to express my pain –
at least in writing – to you and anyone else whom you think would benefit from
being informed of the content of my words.
Now,
if the government so adamantly refuses to allow Jews to settle in the holy city
of Yerushalayim, how much more so is this true of Chevron, in which only Arabs
live, and upon which the Holy Temple never stood, and upon which – according
to reports – the Arab settlement is already firmly established, developed and
orderly.
Notwithstanding
all of the above, I inquired repeatedly about the possibility of establishing a yeshiva
and the likes in Chevron. The government’s very clear response was that I’d
be "better off" looking into establishing a yeshiva in
Yerushalayim. Obviously (and despite the governments position), there are, in
fact, some Chabadniks among Chevron’s Jewish settlers. (Some are there openly
and others secretly.) Certainly, you are aware that the plight of these settlers
is almost akin to that of prisoners. The government’s explanation for this
state of affairs is once again that "we must be ‘fair and just.’"
The common basis for all of these negative phenomena is the government’s fear
of "what will the great big world out there say if we allow Jews to settle
in the newly conquered territories?" We spoke of this when you visited me.
[In
light of the aforementioned, how can I possibly encourage my followers to settle
in Chevron?] What if, for example, a fight breaks out between an Israeli lad and
an Arab lad, and the Jew, who would presumably be outnumbered, gets beaten up or
worse, G-d forbid? On whose side would the Israeli military police stand, in
your opinion? Especially if the Arab mayor (who, incidentally, I believe was
involved in the Chevron riots [of 1939], may G-d spare us), comes along and
makes a loud fuss about Jewish provocation, and so on!?
[My
awareness of the government’s position also explains why] when you were here I
asked you for an explanation as to why Jerusalem’s Old City was conquered last
year in a manner which caused many of the finest Israeli soldiers to die in
battle.
Incidentally
– or maybe not so incidentally – you still owe me a reply (for when you were
here you said that you would investigate the matter and provide me with an
answer), regarding the question of whether or not my sources of information –
which have been reliable thus far – were correct in stating that the order for
this [inept manner of conquest] came (unchallenged), from "the top."
If only this report would turn out to be untrue.
I
wish to add, that I did not, G-d forbid, ask my question about this very painful
subject out of curiosity, but rather to demonstrate the thinking pattern of
those who gave this order. Many of them are still in charge, and to our regret
and shame, their perspective has not changed in the slightest. [Last year,] when
they gave this order, they knew at the outset that it would result in a greater
number of casualties. The same inference (i.e., that they are aware of the
dangers) can be derived regarding the current situations in Chevron,
Yerushalayim, and so on.
It
is self-understood that I do not despair of a change occurring in this state of
affairs, but until then, the suggestion that a person of influence issue a call
for Jews to make aliya and settle in Chevron, cannot possibly be
considered. This is especially so regarding persons whose influence is likely to
not only generate a certain thinking pattern, but to bare concrete results,
actually causing people to make aliya. Were this to happen, it would
clash with the above-mentioned position [of the Israeli government] and lead to
sharp disagreements, as well as harsh decrees against the people making aliya.
Such developments would eventually become public knowledge – not only among
other Jews, but also among the gentiles. Everyone would see that the [Israeli
government] is restricting (to put it mildly) the settlers and the new Jewish
immigrants. This would be very degrading and encourage the hate-filled spirits
of the enemies of the Jewish people.
Notwithstanding
all of the above, I do not despair of a change occurring in the government’s
position, but it is not the slight reaction on the part of the Israeli public
that will bring it about, but rather the mistakes of the Arabs and their
supporters. As we saw last year, it was the mistakes [of the enemy] that finally
forced the "pursuers of peace" to agree to defend Eretz Yisroel, and
consequently, to launch an offensive war. If only in the future the government
would realize its erroneous perspective in a trouble-free manner – without
spiritual, physical, or even financial harm befalling any of our Jewish
brethren, wherever they may be.
It
is amazing to what extent the term "stiff-necked people" – conferred
upon the Jewish people by our holy Torah – applies even nowadays. The problem
is that [the stubbornness] is being utilized in a manner that is antithetical to
Torah and the vital interests of the Jewish people. Take, for example, the
recent hijacking by the Algerians, of an El-Al airliner. Although the world’s
reaction – even of those who are supposed to be friends of the Jewish nation
– was clearly pathetic, [the Israeli leadership] nevertheless felt it
necessary to thank the gentile nations for the [so-called] solution they had
come up with, calling it a "moral victory" and so on. Even if it were
true that [the Israeli government] had to agree to the blackmailing (in order to
save lives, etc.), who forced them to credit specific individuals with being
"ethical," "perfectly righteous," "role models,"
and so on? But then again, one cannot question the behavior of a stiff-necked
people. Indeed, the stubborn insistence on clinging to this despicable faith in
the beneficence of the gentile nations has become so intense (despite the
forewarning of our prophets and seers, that "the kindness of the nations is
sin," for as explained by the Sages, "they do kindness and charity
only for their own self-glorification") that even the Czechoslovakian
invasion did not weaken or budge it. Although the Czechoslovakian issue does not
appear to have anything to do with this letter, it is, in fact, connected, for
it demonstrates the attitude of those in charge of things in our holy land, an
attitude that expresses itself in painful and regrettable actions that bode ill
for the future (at least until such time as they rid themselves of their [false]
perspectives).
To
end on a positive note: Thank you for extending my warm regards to the people of
Kfar Chabad upon your visit there. I was told that the words emanated
passionately from your heart, inspiring the people and strengthening them.
Everyone needs inspiration and strength, and the people of Kfar Chabad are no
exception. This is especially true of these tumultuous days, and of Israel,
which on the one hand is the "land that G-d’s eyes are upon from the
beginning of the year to the end of the year," as our Torah states, yet on
the other hand, is surrounded by enemies who day by day notice more and more
points of weakness in the way the Israeli government handles them. They see that
the Israeli leadership treats them with silk gloves and takes unnecessary
precautions not to annoy them, to the extent that if there is an argument
between an Arab and an Israeli, they react to the matter only after verifying
how the various governments of the world are going to react to their decisions.
This is why, every so often, the enemy takes the liberty to raise the level of
rioting and disturbances, which leads to terrorism and so on.
In
anticipation of the approaching new year, let me paraphrase the traditional
prayer: May it be G-d’s will that the current year with all of its negative
occurrences should come to a total and absolute end, and in the coming year, as
in the final days of the current one, the blessings should begin, which include
a major transformation in the above-mentioned position [of the Israeli
government]. May such a transformation takes place before undesirable
occurrences force it to do so. The [Israeli government need not be afraid to do
the right thing] for they have seen the miracles that G-d Alm-ghty has wrought
[on behalf of Israel] in the recent past, and He can certainly perform miracles
again in the future – in a visible and revealed manner, to quote the
traditional saying.
Attached,
you will find 4 clippings of newspaper articles.
With
honor and blessings that you and yours be inscribed and sealed for a good and
sweet year.
As
I mentioned above, due to the particular nature of the painful contents of this
letter, I have written it as a personal letter to you. If, however, you think
there might be an advantage in communicating its contents to certain people, you
may do so. Let me conclude with the hope that just as my letter to you is
openhearted and relatively lengthy, you will reciprocate in kind, by responding
to all of the points therein in the same manner. This, in addition to replying
to my abovementioned question [concerning the inept manner in which Yerushalayim
was conquered last year] and my other questions regarding which you had hoped to
investigate and answer upon your return to Eretz Yisroel.
(Click
here to continue.)
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