Lost in the Mountains Between Tzfas and Meron — A Miraculous Ordeal

[Yiddish:] "I had arranged with the men to go at half past one in the afternoon to Meron." And I waited for them about a quarter of an hour, and they told me they had already left — but in truth they had not yet left. And I went off quickly to catch up to them. And what can I tell you of the troubles that surrounded me! Truly — I had already despaired of returning at all, or of reaching Meron, immediately upon leaving the city. The heat was already very great; the sun blazed with fierce intensity, and I paid it no attention. And I asked many non-Jews along the road whether they had seen Jews, and they said they had — and therefore I continued walking further. And about a quarter of an hour from the city — [Yiddish:] "I strayed a little from the road, for they had altered it somewhat. And from the moment I strayed, I did not immediately recognize that I had strayed — only after about half an hour I looked around and saw myself walking over rocks and mountains reaching literally to the heart of the heavens, and I had absolutely no idea how to return — for I had not taken note of the road as I walked." [Hebrew in the original:] (I strayed a little from the road, for they had altered it somewhat. And from the very moment I strayed I did not immediately recognize that I had gone astray — only after about half an hour, I looked around and saw myself walking over rocks and mountains reaching literally to the heart of the heavens, and I had absolutely no idea how to return — for I had not registered in my mind the way by which I was walking.)

And I walked on over mountains and hills of hills reaching literally to the heart of the heavens, and the dread [פחד] that seized me was beyond all measure and assessment — for I feared greatly, very greatly, from wild animals [חיות רעות], for among such mighty mountains there are certainly beasts — and especially snakes and scorpions. And the fear of bandits and Arabs was likewise great. And yet I cried out and prayed to Hashem that He send me at least a non-Jew — at least let me hear a dog bark, let me see a bird, let me see a tree; if only I could see the grave of R' Yosi [R' Yosi the Galilean — one of the many Talmudic sages whose tomb is found in the Galilee; here likely a reference to a local landmark R' Shmuel hoped would orient him]; if only I could at least be at the place where we [he and others] had gotten lost before. And I wept very, very greatly, and I cried out, and I made vows, and I prayed at length in the merit of the Tzadikim. [Yiddish:] "And in truth — back then when we had gotten lost, that was sheer foolishness compared to this road: not one thousandth part of my road today. I can say that no human being had ever been on those mountains. And if, G‑d forbid, they had needed to search for me — it would not have entered anyone's mind to search for me there." [Hebrew parenthetical in the original:] (And in truth: when we had previously gotten lost, that was sheer foolishness compared to this road — not even one part in a thousand of my road this time. I can say that no human being had ever been on those mountains. And if they had needed to search for me, G‑d forbid — it would not have entered anyone's mind at all to search for me there.) And so I walked and walked, and the heat burned like fire. [Yiddish:] "And I became so drenched in sweat that even my hat was nearly soaked through, and all the garments were as if one were taking them now straight out of a washing tub — almost." There is no way to gauge the depth of my pain and suffering. And I walked on further — and suddenly I found myself on a mountain — [Yiddish:] "and this will lie in my head for as long as I live" — whose height reached to the very heavens, and it was smooth as a wall, and there was no path whatsoever except this one, and I did not know where to go. And Hashem, blessed be He, sent me salvation: I heard a dog barking, and I followed the sound, and I climbed that wall using my hands and feet with my entire body stretched out flat — [Yiddish:] "and rocks were still falling after me from the mountain" — and I was in very great danger from every direction, until the Master Above helped, and I descended from the wall. [Hebrew parenthetical in the original:] (And in truth: when we had gotten lost previously, that was sheer foolishness compared to this road — not even one part in a thousand of my road this time. I can say that no human being had ever been on those mountains. And if they had needed to search for me, G‑d forbid — it would not have entered anyone's mind at all to search for me there. And so I walked and walked, and the heat burned like fire, and I was drenched entirely in sweat — so that my shirt became wrung out completely, and all the garments were wet, almost as if taking them now from the laundry. There is no way to gauge the depth of my pain and suffering. And I walked further — and suddenly I found myself on a mountain that — all the days of my life, however long I shall live — this will remain fixed in my mind: its height reached to the very heavens, and it was smooth as a wall, and there was no path whatsoever except this one, and I did not know where to go. And Hashem, blessed be He, sent me salvation: I heard a dog barking, and I followed the sound, and I climbed that wall using my hands and feet with my entire body stretched out flat, and rocks fell behind me from the mountain, and I was in very great danger from every direction — until Hashem helped, and I descended from the wall.)

And I arrived then at the place where the waters of Megiddo [מי מגידו — the streams or springs in the Megiddo region of the lower Galilee; apparently R' Shmuel had wandered a very great distance in the wrong direction] already come to an end — near some distant Arab village. And I found there, outside this village, goats and sheep — but I saw no people. And I stood and waited for people to come. I heard shouting after me, but I could see no one. And I stood for about a quarter of an hour until I saw the shepherds. And I did not know Arabic to speak with them. So I gestured to them with my hands and body and with stammering of tongue, and I won their favor by giving them all the food I had brought with me. And they gestured to me with their hand in which direction to go. And Hashem, blessed be He, put it into my mind to ask one of them to walk with me and show me the road, and I promised him 2 gram [a small coin denomination used in the region at the time]. And they asked me: are you a Zionist? A Russian? And I answered: No — I have only come to pray at the shrine of the Rashbi [R' Shimon bar Yochai], of blessed memory.

And at that time there was very, very great fear of the Arabs — even in the city — and all the more so, by a far greater degree, in a village; and all the more so in an Arab village; and all the more so among such great mountains. And I walked with the Arab, and we kept encountering packs of large dogs — every time they barked and ran to bite us, and we took sticks and beat them off until we were rid of them. And we walked over mountains, and there were still four more hours of walking to reach Meron. And every time the Arab wanted to leave me, and I begged him to continue with me — and every time he said to me: give me money. And he searched through my saddlebag [אמתחתי — travelling bag or sack], and thank G‑d he found nothing — even though at that time I had half a punt [pound of currency] with me.

And on the road we encountered many Arabs, and I feared greatly. And we found on the road a dead wolf, thank G‑d [an ominous detail of the wildness of the terrain]. And thank G‑d, I suffered greatly until I found myself at Meron. And the non-Jew was forced to rest several times along the way because of the mountains and the heat — even though his portion of the road was not even one in a hundred of the road I had walked by myself before meeting him. And when we arrived at Meron, there was one Jew who had come by animal, and two other Jews arrived five minutes later. They had left three hours after I had set out from the city [i.e., they had left much later and yet arrived almost at the same time — a further indication of how far R' Shmuel had wandered]. And the non-Jew stayed in Meron the entire day, for he had no strength to return to his village — and I paid him for his trouble 3 gram.

And what his honor desires and longs for — that I should come to you in order to draw souls close to Hashem and to spread Breslov Chassidus in the world — in truth I yearn greatly for this — to draw souls close to Hashem. But this is something that is impossible for me — to come to you — because of my illness and the weakness of my body — for I suffer, may it not be spoken of, [ל"ע = לא עלינו — "may it not be upon us / may it not be spoken of." The standard abbreviation for the Yiddish phrase "nisht oyf undz gedakht" — the superstitious avoidance of speaking about illness or misfortune in a way that might bring it upon others. Literally: "not upon us" — the speaker distances himself from the ill fate even while mentioning it.] from illness and weakness of the body.

And I will certainly not endanger myself, G-d forbid, to travel abroad — for it is brought in the holy books that it is better to die in the Land of Israel than to live abroad. [יותר כדאי למות בא"י מלחיות בחוץ לארץ — "it is more worthwhile to die in the Land of Israel than to live abroad." A teaching brought in various halachic and Kabbalistic sources, including the Zohar. The spiritual quality of the Land of Israel is so great that even death there surpasses life in the exile — for the Land itself confers a level of holiness and proximity to G-d that cannot be replicated anywhere else. The Zohar (Parshas Vayechi) discusses the importance of burial in the Land of Israel at length.] And in particular — I and my fathers are natives of the Land of Israel — and we have suffered here famine and wars and troubles, G-d forbid — and yet it never entered my mind even once to travel abroad.

And in particular — what his honor writes to me: perhaps these are hints from Hashem — from the danger of war in the Land of Israel, G-d forbid — in order to travel and spread the knowledge of our master the Rebbe — silence! Do not mention this, G-d forbid. [הס מלהזכיר ח"ו — "silence! Do not mention this, G-d forbid." A strong interjection of rejection: hus (הס — "hush! / silence!") + mi'lehazir (from mentioning). The very suggestion that a threat of war in the Land of Israel would be a divine hint for the author to leave is firmly rejected — in fact, it borders on the blasphemous, and the author uses the sharpest available language of rejection.]

For it is already written: "In the midst of my people I dwell" — and in Yiddish: "Whatever will be with all the Jews — will be with me too." [כבר כתוב בתוך עמי אני יושבת — "it is already written: 'In the midst of my people I dwell'" (II Kings 4:13 — the Shunnamite woman's reply to Elisha when he offered to intercede for her with the king: "I dwell in the midst of my people" — I need no special protection or privilege, I am content to share the fate of my community). The author quotes this verse and translates it into Yiddish: "vos vet zayn mit ale Yidn vet zayn mit mir oykh" — whatever happens to all Jews will happen to me too. He will not separate himself from the fate of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel.]

On the contrary — abroad is always more dangerous than the Land of Israel — as one sees with one's own eyes literally — that Hashem has declared ownerless and abandoned [הפקיר — "declared ownerless / abandoned / relinquished." From the root פקר — to declare something hefker (ownerless), to relinquish ownership and protection of it. A strong legal term: not merely that G-d withdrew His protection passively, but that He actively declared those communities hefker — unprotected, ownerless — relinquishing His special guardianship over them. The word carries a weight of finality and total abandonment that "abandoned" alone does not fully convey.] several places of Torah and holiness in the diaspora — such as Poland and Russia and Romania and the other lands that were destroyed, may G-d have mercy. [שנחרבו רח"ל — "that were destroyed, may G-d have mercy." רח"ל = רחמנא ליצלן — Aramaic: "may the Merciful One protect us." The standard Aramaic-based formula of compassionate horror when mentioning a catastrophe — especially the Holocaust, which had destroyed the great Jewish communities of Poland, Russia, and Romania in the years immediately preceding this letter. The author writes in 1956 — barely a decade after the Holocaust — and the wound is raw and present.]

But in the Land of Israel there were great miracles — many and many times. And as our master the Rebbe זצ"ל brings in §7 of Likutay Moharan and so on: the Land of Israel is above nature — a place of miracles — a place of prayer — and there the way of nature does not apply. And one sees this with palpable evidence [רואין זה בחוש — "one sees this with palpable / direct sensory evidence." Bechush — with direct, physical, sensory certainty — not merely logically or theoretically but with the immediacy and certainty of something seen with one's own eyes. The miracles of the Land of Israel are not abstract theological claims but things directly experienced and witnessed.] that the truth is so.

And on the contrary — it is incumbent upon you and upon all the people of the diaspora to pray for mercy for the Land of Israel — as it is written in the Talmud, Tractate Ta'anis: that if, G-d forbid, there is a decree in the Land of Israel — it is incumbent upon the entire world to fast and to pray for mercy — for if the mistress is struck, G-d forbid, the handmaid must be afraid. [אם הגבירה לוקה ח"ו השפחה צריך שתפחוד — "if the mistress is struck, G-d forbid, the handmaid must be afraid." A Talmudic analogy: in a household, the handmaid (shifchah) fears for herself when the mistress (gevira) is punished — for if the higher one is struck, how much more the lower. Applied: the Land of Israel is the gevira (the mistress / the superior); the diaspora is the shifchah (the handmaid). When the Land of Israel suffers — the diaspora should tremble.]

And our master the Rebbe זצ"ל brings: that one who gives money to the Land of Israel — the breath of the mouths of the children of the Torah school [תינוקות של רבן — "the children of the Torah school / the young children of the teacher." A Talmudic phrase (Shabbos 119b) for the pure breath of Torah study from the mouths of young children — considered the purest and most powerful form of Torah. The Talmud teaches that the world is sustained by the breath of these children's Torah study.] becomes his — and it protects the entire world from being struck, G-d forbid.

And all the more so — the people of the Land of Israel themselves — who can protect the entire world. And likewise our master the Rebbe זצ"ל brings: that one who gives money to the Land of Israel — through this his money is preserved in his hand.

And likewise our master the Rebbe זצ"ל brings in the Sefer HaMidos — that a person must long for the general good — even if he himself will personally suffer damage as a result. [שהאדם צריך שיהא נכסף לטוב הכללי אעפ"י שלו בעצמו יגיע היזק — "that a person must long for the general good — even though he himself will personally suffer damage." The highest form of spiritual selflessness: caring so much about the good of the community of Israel and of the world that one willingly accepts personal damage in its service. This is the level of Moses, who was willing to be erased from G-d's book for the sake of Israel (Exodus 32:32).]

Therefore — his honor must do teshuvah for this — and request from Hashem each day that there should be throughout the entire world quiet and tranquility for Israel — and all the more so and all the more so [מכ"ש וכ"ש = מכל שכן וכל שכן — "and all the more so and all the more so." The abbreviation מכ"ש (mika shekan — "all the more so") appears doubled here — once is not enough. The repetition is deliberate emphasis: the obligation to pray for the Land of Israel is not merely greater than for the diaspora — it is emphatically, doubly, overwhelmingly greater.] in the Land of Israel — concerning which it is written: "And My eyes and My heart shall be there all the days." [I Kings 9:3 — G-d's promise about the Temple in Jerusalem: "My eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually." The Land of Israel — and Jerusalem specifically — is where G-d's attention and love are perpetually directed.] And the entire world has existence only through the merit of the Land of Israel.

And his honor should yearn to come to the Land of Israel — as he always yearns for this — and likewise should yearn for the holiness of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — and for the fulfillment of the Rebbe's זצ"ל saying: "May your springs spread outward" [Proverbs 5:16] — that the books of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל should be spread — and that yeshivas and gatherings should be made — that they should study the books of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל.

And that they should make from Torah — prayer: to request from Hashem to fulfill what they learn — and to fulfill "If in My statutes you walk" — to walk with them: both the service of Hashem — Torah and prayer and acts of lovingkindness [גמ"ח = גמילות חסדים — "acts of lovingkindness." The standard abbreviation — expanded here as in earlier letters.] and charity and all the commandments — should be with love and awe and ardor and attachment — as is fitting for each person according to his level — which they will attain according to the teachings of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל.

And also the physical activities — such as eating, drinking, sleeping, business dealings, and craftsmanship — all should be according to the Torah and according to the ways of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — for the sake of the eternal purpose: to find hints toward the good in everything — to draw close to Hashem through this — for this is the essential purpose — and this is the essential building of da'at [בנין הדעת — "the building of da'at / knowledge." The construction and development of inner G-d-consciousness — the deep, intimate knowing of G-d that is the Rebbe's central teaching from Likutay Moharan Torah 1. Da'at is not merely intellectual knowledge but intimate, experiential awareness of the divine — the same word used for the "knowledge" between husband and wife. Building the da'at = constructing the inner Holy Temple of the mind.] — the building of the Holy Temple — which is the da'at of each person — for the mind and da'at of each person is his Holy Temple.

And this is the matter of Chanukah — the dedication of the Holy Temple — that one dedicates [מחנכין — "one dedicates / one initiates." The root חנך (chanuch) means to dedicate, to initiate, to inaugurate — the same root as Chanukah (חנוכה = the dedication / inauguration). The verb is used here in two senses simultaneously: outward (the dedication of the Temple) and inward (the dedication of one's own mind and da'at).] the da'at — that one dedicates oneself to the service of Hashem — to Torah and prayer — with ardor and joy and thanks and gratitude to Hashem.

And to draw oneself [להמשיך א"ע — "to draw oneself." א"ע = את עצמו — "himself / oneself." The standard abbreviation appearing throughout the correspondence. Lehamshich (to draw / to attract) + atzmo (himself) — to actively pull oneself toward the divine hints, to not wait passively but to draw oneself in their direction.] toward the hints that are in the sea of wisdom — what Hashem gives through the true Tzaddik — hints to the person in all kinds of darkness and obscurity — to the point that it is impossible even to say to him verbally — [G-d] strongly makes with his hands hints: "My brother — be strong and do not despair, G-d forbid." [עושה בידים רמזים אחי חזק ואל תתייאש ח"ו — "makes with his hands hints: 'My brother — be strong and do not despair, G-d forbid.'" A striking and tender image: when a person is in such a state of darkness and spiritual obscurity that words cannot reach him — Hashem communicates through gestures of the hand — like a father in a noisy crowd gesturing across the distance to his child: "Be strong! Don't give up!" The Tzaddik serves as the channel for these non-verbal divine hints of encouragement.] For this is the matter of the battle of Amalek of Moses our Teacher, may he rest in peace — who raised his hands — so that Israel should strengthen themselves and not despair, G-d forbid — from multiplying mercy and prayer. [Exodus 17:11-12 — when Moses raised his hands, Israel prevailed against Amalek; when his hands fell, Amalek prevailed. The Mishnah (Rosh Hashana 3:8) asks: did Moses' hands make or break the war? Rather: when Moses raised his hands, Israel looked up toward Heaven and strengthened their hearts. The raised hands were a gesture of divine encouragement — saying: keep looking upward, keep praying, do not give up.] And so it is in general in every generation — the true Tzaddik shows every person that he should not despair, G-d forbid, from the mercies of Hashem — however he may be. For certainly Hashem will not abandon him — for the evil inclination always wants to harm every person — and to cause him to fall in his thinking — that he is not important to Hashem — and that Hashem has no delight from him — and other such thoughts. But the person must look at the good things that Hashem sends into his mind — for despite everything — the name "Jew" is called upon him — and this is more precious and important than all the commandments in the world. And there is nothing that can darken this light — which is equal in weight to everything — for if, G-d forbid, one casts from himself the name "Jew" — then even if he does whatever he does — righteous acts and forms of worship that reach to the heavens — he does not attain this service: that the name "Jew" should be called upon him. And likewise — all the while [כ"ז = כל זמן — "all the time that / as long as / all the while." Kol zman — the standard temporal conjunction of duration. The abbreviation signals: not merely "when" but for the entire continuous duration during which the condition holds — all the while, every moment, without interruption.] the name "Jew" is called upon him — Hashem glorifies Himself with him every day — and says about him: "Israel — through whom I am glorified." [Isaiah 49:3] And every severing from evil [ניתוק מרע — "severing / cutting free from evil." Nituk (ניתוק) — from the root נתק — to sever, to snap free, to cut a connection. Stronger than mere "withdrawal" — this is an active cutting-free, a decisive severing of the bond with evil. Every such severing — however small — is seen by G-d as an act of glory.] — and every good point that a Jewish person does — Hashem glorifies Himself in this — like a compassionate father who glorifies himself in every act of his only beloved son — for whom everything is wisdom and importance. [כמו שאב רחמן מתפאר במעשה בנו יחידו החביב עליו מכל שהכל אצלו חכמות וחשיבות — "like a compassionate father who glorifies himself in every act of his only beloved son — for whom everything [the child does] is wisdom and importance." The analogy: a father who adores his only child sees even his most clumsy or childish actions as clever and important — because love transforms perception. G-d looks at each Jewish person with this same overflowing parental love — every small good act, every tiny severing from evil, is seen by G-d as wisdom and importance.] And through this the person will always fulfill: "thanking for the past" — to give thanks and praise always to Hashem — for having created us for His glory — and every person of Israel — even the sinners of Israel — is full of commandments like a pomegranate. [פושעי ישראל מלאים מצות כרמון — "the sinners of Israel are full of commandments like a pomegranate." A beloved Talmudic teaching (Eruvin 19a, Sanhedrin 37a) — even the most sinful Jew is described as full of good deeds as a pomegranate is full of seeds. The pomegranate is traditionally said to contain 613 seeds — corresponding to the 613 commandments. Even the worst sinner has performed many commandments and good deeds. This teaching is the foundation for never despairing of any Jewish soul.] And to request for the future — that he should draw close to Hashem in truth — as is fitting for a Jewish person whose root is holy — holier than all the angels — for "Torah and Israel and the Holy One blessed be He are all one." [אורייתא וישראל וקוב"ה כולא חד — Aramaic: "Torah and Israel and the Holy One blessed be He are entirely one." A celebrated Zoharic teaching (Parshas Acharei): the three are not merely connected or aligned — they are one reality. The Jewish soul at its root is literally one with the Torah and with G-d Himself. This oneness means the Jewish soul is, at its deepest level, holy beyond all angelic holiness — for the angels are not one with G-d in this way.] And every person of Israel has literally a divine portion — and certainly every sin — and even merely the physicality of one who is physically coarse — is bitter and evil to him — more than all the evils in the world. [מר ורע מכל הרעות שבעולם — "bitter and evil — more than all the evils in the world." An extraordinary statement about the Jewish soul's innate sensibility: because the Jewish person has a literally divine portion (chelek Elokim mamash), even the slightest coarseness, the smallest sin, is felt as more bitter and painful to the soul than any external evil could be. The soul's divine origin makes it acutely sensitive to any distance from G-d.] And to confess before Him — and to request for the future — and to give thanks to Hashem for his portion and for the commandments that he merits to perform. This twentieth letter — written on the eve of Chanukah 5717 (December 1956) — is one of the most wide-ranging in the collection, moving from a firm personal refusal through a geopolitical teaching about the Land of Israel, to a Chanukah meditation, to a majestic closing on the name "Yisrael" and the teshuvah formula. The refusal to travel (§§3–4): The recipient has asked the author to come abroad to spread Breslov Chassidus. The author declines firmly and movingly: illness prevents him; he will not endanger himself to travel abroad when the books say it is better to die in the Land of Israel than to live in the diaspora; he and his fathers are native Israelis who have endured famine, wars, and troubles without ever considering leaving. The suggestion that a threat of war in the Land of Israel is a "divine hint" to leave is sharply rejected: "Silence! Do not mention this, G-d forbid" — and he cites the Shunnamite woman: "In the midst of my people I dwell" — "whatever will be with all the Jews will be with me too." The Land of Israel vs. the diaspora (§§5–7): On the contrary — the diaspora is more dangerous. The Holocaust is the evidence: G-d abandoned those communities (Poland, Russia, Romania — "may G-d have mercy" — rach"l). But in the Land of Israel there were great miracles many times. Likutay Moharan §7: the Land is above nature, a place of miracles, a place of prayer. Seen "with palpable evidence" (bechush). The diaspora must pray FOR the Land — not the reverse. Talmud Ta'anis: if the Land suffers — the diaspora must fast: "if the mistress is struck, the handmaid must be afraid." Two Sefer HaMidos teachings: (1) giving money to the Land of Israel makes the pure breath of Torah children one's merit; (2) one who gives money to the Land — his money is preserved. And: a person must long for the general good even if he personally suffers damage for it. The Breslov program (§8): Yeshivas to study the Rebbe's books — making Torah into prayer — "if in My statutes you walk" applied to all of life: both holy service (Torah, prayer, chesed, charity) AND physical activities (eating, sleeping, business) — all should be "according to the Rebbe's ways" for the eternal purpose. Finding hints toward the good in everything = drawing close to Hashem = the essential building of da'at = the building of the Holy Temple = each person's own mind. Chanukah: the dedication of the mind (§9): Chanukah = chanukas beis hamikdash = dedicating the da'at. Drawing toward divine hints in the "sea of wisdom" — even in total darkness, G-d gestures with His hands: "My brother — be strong, do not despair!" — like Moses raising his hands against Amalek so Israel would look upward and not lose hope. The true Tzaddik in every generation shows each person not to despair of G-d's mercy. The evil inclination's weapon: "you are not important to G-d" — the remedy: the name "Yisrael" is called upon you — more precious than all the commandments in the world. The name "Yisrael" and the teshuvah formula (§§10–11): The name "Yisrael" is a light that nothing can darken. G-d glorifies Himself with every Jew every day — "Israel, through whom I am glorified" (Isaiah 49:3). Every severing from evil and every good point — G-d glorifies Himself in it — like a father who sees wisdom and importance in every act of his only beloved child. The teshuvah formula: (1) "thanking for the past" — gratitude that we were created for His glory; even the worst sinners are full of commandments like a pomegranate (Eruvin 19a); (2) "requesting for the future" — to draw close in truth; (3) the theological foundation: "Torah and Israel and the Holy One blessed be He are entirely one" (Zohar); each Jew has a literally divine portion (chelek Elokim mamash); even physicality and coarseness are more bitter to the soul than all the world's evils. Key terms in this letter: Avoda"sh = avodas Hashem — the service of Hashem; standard abbreviation · L"a = lo aleinu — may it not be upon us; the formula of distancing when mentioning illness · Yoser kadai lamut b'Eretz Yisrael mi'lichyos b'chutz la'aretz — better to die in the Land of Israel than to live abroad · Hus mi'lehazir — "silence! do not mention this"; the sharpest formula of rejection · B'soch ami anochi yoshevet — "in the midst of my people I dwell" (II Kings 4:13); sharing the fate of the community · Im hagevira lokah hashifchah tzarich shetefahed — if the mistress is struck the handmaid must be afraid (Ta'anis) · Tinokos shel Rabban — the children of the Torah school; whose pure breath protects the world · LM §7 — Eretz Yisrael lema'alah min hateva — the Land of Israel is above nature, a place of miracles · Yifotzsu ma'ayenosecha chutzah — "may your springs spread outward" (Proverbs 5:16); the Rebbe's vision · Binas haDa'at / binyan beis hamikdash — building of da'at = building of the Holy Temple in each person's mind · Chanukkas habayis / chanukkas hada'at — the dedication of the Temple / the dedication of the mind · Oseh b'yadayim remezim — achi chazak v'al tityaesh — making hand-gestures of encouragement: "my brother be strong!" · Milchemes Amalek — Moshe higia yadav — the Amalek battle; Moses raised his hands so Israel would look upward · Shem Yehudi / Yisrael — the name "Jew/Israel"; more precious than all commandments; a light nothing can darken · Yisrael asher becha espa'er — "Israel through whom I am glorified" (Isaiah 49:3); G-d's daily pride in each Jew · Poshei Yisrael mele'im mitzvos ke'rimon — the sinners of Israel are full of commandments like a pomegranate (Eruvin 19a) · Oraisa v'Yisrael v'Kudsha Berikh Hu kula chad — "Torah and Israel and the Holy One are entirely one" (Zohar) · Chelek Elokim mamash — a literally divine portion; the root of every Jewish soul · Modeh l'she'avar / mevakesh l'la'vad — thanking for the past / requesting for the future; the teshuvah formula