A Captain of a Ship

After the Yom Kippur War, (future Prime Minister) Ariel Sharon asked the Rebbe why he didn’t act like a commanding officer who marches ahead of his troops. If the Rebbe moved to Israel, he reasoned, many Jews would follow him.

The Rebbe replied that in many instances, it is actually forbidden for the commanding officer to go first, as in the case of a captain of an endangered ship. The captain is the last to leave the ship. Only after everyone has been evacuated safely is the captain permitted to leave the ship.

This was consistent with the advice the Rebbe often gave to others as well. In 1973, Moshe Ishon met the Rebbe. Here is a translation of his recollection of their conversation: