לד

Every single step and step that I merited to walk and travel for the sake of the journey to Eretz Yisroel was very precious to me. For I had obstacles beyond measure every single day — in every single journey that touched on the matter of the journey to Eretz Yisroel. Until a multitude of pages would not suffice to detail them. And it is impossible to explain them all in writing in any manner. Therefore I said to write what it is possible to write — what rises to my memory — to be a remembrance for myself and for those who come from my loins and for my true friends and companions. And from the greatness of the love of Eretz Yisroel — I said to write all that passed over me every day — from the day I began to engage in the journey to Eretz Yisroel. And all that I am able to write — from every matter of thought, speech, and deed — through which there came to me a hint and a strengthening to come to Eretz Yisroel. Or through which there was an obstacle to Eretz Yisroel for me — for that too was for the sake of the yearning — in order that through this the yearning should intensify even more. As is explained by us — [Likutay Moharan §66] — all of this I will endeavor to write with the help of Hashem — as far as leisure permits — with the salvation of Hashem. So that the next generation shall know — they shall arise and tell their children — how much one must strengthen oneself to come to Eretz Yisroel — everyone who wishes to be a true Israelite — from great to small. For the holiness of Eretz Yisroel is sufficient for all of us. For every single one of Israel — from great to small — has some portion in Eretz Yisroel. And there is our life — there is our holiness — there is our home — there is our land — there is our soil — there is our portion — there is our lot. And outside the Land we are strangers — like a guest who leans in to sleep the night — wandering about in the streets and the marketplaces and the boulevards. For this is not our soil and our portion at all. And therefore outside the Land is called chutz — outside — precisely so. For outside we stand — literally outside. And no one gathers us home — until we come upon the holy soil. And more than this — study in the words of Rabbainu zichrono livracha in the Torah of the Nine Tikunim §20 — and in the Torah "Eretz Ocheles Yoshveha" §129 — and in the Torah about simple people on the verse "Va'eschanan" in Likutay Tinyanna §78 — and in the Torah "whoever knows of Eretz Yisroel" in §40 — and in the Torah about long-suffering in Likutay Part One in §155 on the verse "and Moshe hurried and bowed down to the earth" — what did he see? He saw long-suffering. And through this — "and he bowed down to the earth" — the language of a burning blaze of fire — for his heart burned for Eretz Yisroel and so on. And further in several other Torah teachings.