Question: I have always wondered why the Rebbe—whom I personally consider the most righteous Jew in our times—didn’t move to Israel, or even visit once?
Reply: Before addressing the question, it is important to note that there was perhaps no stronger advocate and defender of Israel than the Rebbe. Over the years, countless Israeli government officials—including generals, presidents and prime ministers—sought his blessing and advice on subjects ranging from societal issues to military strategy. Additionally, there is no question that the Rebbe was personally responsible, directly and indirectly, for tens of thousands of Jews finding their heritage and moving to Israel. Moreover, the Rebbe personally sent dozens of shluchim, emissaries, to settle in the Holy Land. It is also important to note that since the Rebbe assumed leadership in 1951, he never took a day off or even left New York.
Now, you are not the first to ask this question. In fact, many asked the Rebbe himself, both in writing or personally. As you can imagine, the Rebbe’s answers were not all identical. Here is a sampling of the Rebbe’s responses, both in his own words and as recollected by others.
Nothing is Superfluous
Here is a letter written by the Rebbe in 1983:
Mr. ______ Scottsdale, Arizona Greeting and Blessing: I am in receipt of your letter, in which you write that you are concerned and puzzled, and urgently request a reply—as to why I do not go to Eretz Yisroel. With all due respect, I do not understand at all what you will gain by having an answer to this paramount question. Moreover, in as much as Hashem created everything according to His design, and knowing that nothing is superfluous, it would be a waste of one's time and effort if it were not used productively to the fullest extent. On the other hand, a Jew’s primary mission in life as the Rabbis express it, “I was created to serve my Master,” and this service is carried out by strengthening and spreading Yiddishkeit, first of all in one's own life, and then in one's surroundings, bearing in mind that the mitzvah of v’ahavta l’re’acha kamocha is the Great Principle of the Torah. Thus, if one should squander one’s time and energy on extraneous matters, instead of using them in fulfillment of one's life’s task, it would be an obvious waste and a disruption of the whole Divine order.
The Rebbe’s Responsibility to Also Help Gentiles
According to my information, the city in which you live is one where there is a great deal of room to work for the strengthening of Yiddishkeit, insofar as Jews are concerned, as well as for the promotion of the so-called Seven Moral Laws with all their ramifications, insofar as gentiles are concerned, for they were given by G-d to the children of Noah, i.e. all humanity. This is why I am all the more surprised at your question. Inasmuch as you write that you are very puzzled, and do request an answer, I will not evade giving you one—all the more so since the answer is quite simple. Indeed, it is already implicit in what was said above about the first duty of a Jew, and of any human being, to fulfill his mission in the place where he lives, and only after he has done everything expected of him locally, to consider whether he should go to another place to carry on his mission there. Obviously, one should not abandon “the front” before making sure that everything is in order.
